Caraborough's Ridge

The trash of the earth rotting away among the trash of mankind.

Unnamed Volcano.

If there is ever any sort of hell on earth, the former penal colony of Caraborough's Ridge would fill in that position with ease and still have it's disgusting filth spilling over onto the rest of the world. Once owned by Atracans as a giant prison to keep dangerous inmates far away from home, it's now become the human dumping ground for the rest of the world; a trash covered ghetto where the worst of the worst try to survive each passing day among worms, disease, garbage, and most dangerous of all: each other.

## History.

Even before settlers from Adonia colonized various parts of the island that was soon to be named ‘Caraborough’, the island itself and especially the smaller islands nearby have an extensive history settled deep within blood and bone. Warring tribes scattered around these islands slaughtered each other for resources, for territory, for power, and for their gods. The most prominent, and most destructive of these tribes was the ‘Kainuto’ tribe which made their home on the largest of these islands said to have been named ‘Karā Pōro’. Aided by powers from the Abyss, their savage rule dominated the island chain for hundreds of years until the late 1700s when colonists from Trechtstaat landed on the island. The Kainuto attacked swiftly and brutally until the Trechtstaatian navy arrived after countless pleas for help from the colonists and successfully pushed them back onto the smaller islands surrounding Karā Pōro. Colonies were then properly established once the issues with the ‘merciless tribal savages’ were sorted out. With the Kainuto out of the way, the colonists soon began to expand across the island and saw for themselves just how plentiful it was under its rocks with all sorts of minerals, precious stones, and other valuables just waiting to be mined. As soon as word reached the mainland, mining operations began right away.

Life for the colonists was great during the very beginning of the 19th century. Colonies were getting rich from the mines, while the mainland obtained a new and steady source of resources from somewhere that was not any of the neighboring countries. Unfortunately, as Trechstaat is landlocked, they had to rely on ports from neighboring Atraca to send things or people to and from the island, and the Atracans did indeed notice every haul they brought in and became envious of their newfound fortune. Worse still was that the deeper the colonists dug; mysterious incidents began occurring that resulted in fatalities of miners. Equipment failures, unsafe conditions, and strange hostile ‘things’ coming out of the darkness soon plagued the mines, effectively bringing Trechtstaat’s mining operations to a halt as they were left unsure of what to do. The Atracans, having spent the last several decades eagerly waiting for an opportunity to seize the island to arrive, stepped in with what they generously presented as a solution. They convinced Trechtstaat that the island was more trouble than it was worth and offered to simply buy it from them. In 1834, seeing no choice but to cut their losses, ownership of the island was agreed to be handed off to the Atracans whom turned out to have other plans for it. They understood the problem with the mines, but instead of investing more into safer infrastructure and better equipment and personnel, they used disposable convicts and low-class vagrants to do the work. Karā Pōro became ‘Caraborough’ under their ownership and the largest and most resourceful mine was converted into a massive labor camp and prison to hold its future workers.

‘Caraborough’s Ridge’ was built from the remains of the mine and the colony surrounding it. Convicts, dregs of society, outcasts, and anyone the Atracans did not want were rounded up and sent off to this new prison in droves and put to work. As for the mines proper, they were not made any safer to work in as any money that was made stayed in Atraca; creating a growing problem as replacements were needed for any convict that perished. The Warden of the prison took matters into his own hands to resolve this by offering to take in criminals from nations. Soon, Caraborough’s Ridge quickly became overpopulated as living conditions deteriorated rapidly due to the population growth. With no money being spent on maintenance; walls began to rot, fights between inmates over scraps of food became more and more lethal, the mounds of trash started growing, the bodies kept piling, and whatever money there was to keep all of this under control was running out. Worst of all, the Atracans that were exploring the other nearby islands to see if they were just as resourceful had encountered an old threat from decades ago, a dangerous force that had been laying in wait planning their great revenge against the ‘palefaces’ that forced them from their homes decades ago. Almost inexplicably armed with guns now, the Kainuto tribe fought resiliently against anyone that dared set foot on their new homes. This too would end up adding to the overpopulation problem of the Ridge as any Kainuto warriors that were captured in battle were sent to the Ridge’s infamous 78th wing, home of its most violent inmates.

For the years that followed, the instability only increased as a result of the Warden’s abusiveness and callousness towards the inmates and even the prison guards under his command. Missionaries from Adonia came over to help convert the inmates and to bring some form of peace to the prison, but it ended in failure as they were not taken seriously and routinely harassed by the prisoners. Everything was coming to a head in 1869 where the three most powerful prison gangs of the Ridge came together to plan a riot to finally free themselves. They had also arranged a deal in secret with the Warden the night before. The Warden would “accidentally” leave the key to the armory around the 78th wing and order shipments of nothing but extra guns and bullets to the Ridge to be collected by them. In exchange, they would spare him during the riot, and they would ensure no one leaves the island with him; not even the remaining colonists. With the guns, the rioting inmates would then spread chaos and destruction while the Warden himself would be on a boat back home with bags of money, smiling to himself all the way. At least, that is what he thought would happen. On the night of the riot, the signal was given to unleash hell as he made his way to the docks in his personal carriage. Except there was no boat waiting for him, only a group of various inmates armed with shivs and guns. They killed him as they reminded him of their deal, that **no one** leaves the island. Once news of the riot reached Atracan officials, they took action not by sending the army and the navy to quell the rioting inmates, but decided to stop supporting the region entirely. The bands of hostile and heavily-armed natives, the extremely unstable mines that have claimed more than have given up, disillusioned and terrified colonists drowning the Atracans in cries for help, and now a full scale riot on their hands made the Atracans give up and withdraw from the islands as the region quickly became way too unstable for them to handle.

With the riot over and the inmates seizing control of the island, Caraborough is now a gigantic cesspit of a slum inhabited only by the absolute worst the entire world can offer. Even in the 1880s, a decade after the riot, violence still plagues the island as the prison gangs are still fighting each other. More and more criminals and outcasts continue to pour in from around the world as well as the island’s still a convenient dumping ground for the world’s human trash. People rot as they lumber like zombies in the streets, festering maggots and fleas slip through the cracks in the walls of every cell, carrion birds fight with dogs over the bodies of whatever persons that died just now, and it only gets worse every day.

## Geography.

It's said that the native tribes that formerly inhabited 'Karā Pōro' named it as such because of the island's rocky landscape and overall circular shape. The landscape overall is indeed rather rocky with canyons, cliff edges, and mountain ranges dotting the place, complete with a volcano in the center of the island. There's also mild vegetation with several of these ranges being covered by miles of dense, bushy shrubland. Interestingly enough, even though a majority of the island enjoys a dry summer climate, the southern third of the island is covered in thick jungles where the Kainuto once lived. Nobody knows how a jungle can grow in a dry climate the rest of the island shares, but it was suspected by Atracan colonists that their ties to the Abyss might've had something to do with it.

As for the Ridge itself, the entire prison colony was built in a valley surrounded by a gigantic horseshoe-shaped formation blocking it from the rest of the island. The only way out of the colony is through the only clear road upward towards the top of the formation (which is fiercely guarded by the Warders militia), or by sailing around it from the only port it has.

## Infrastructure.

Whatever infrastructure Caraborough's Ridge has left is rapidly decaying as barely any of its residents care enough to maintain it, preferring to spend their money on other unrelated things. The roads are all caked in blood and dirt, the buildings are cracked and broken, the refineries and factories are completely rusted, and only the more prominent and wealthier residents can come close to affording basic comforts such as heating and plumbing. So much so, that even having basic running water to maintain some sort of hygiene is seen as a status symbol among the ex-convicts.

## Economy.

The Ridge's economy relies mostly from the various criminal activities taking place on the island with the largest of these being slavery. The reason why slavery is so prominent and profitable is because they're the backbone keeping the old mining operations alive. The professional miners that used to staff them left the island long ago, and the cheap convicts brought in as a replacement work force fought back against their guards and won, so naturally they needed a replacement too. The convicts that were given the responsibility of running the island's economy, the Geldmakkers, began to prey on the other colonies for a steady supply of "laborers" to go into the mines in their stead. They also were able to pull strings with pirate groups and other criminal organizations back on the mainland to get a steady supply of "laborers" sent to them as well. Those unfit to go into the mines were sent off to the factories and refineries within the Ridge to purify the hauls that were brought in.

There's also a heavy presence of smugglers and pirates on the island's only major port as well. This is due to smuggling being another big component of the Ridge's economy. Contraband, goods stolen from other ships, opiates, alcohol, guns, bullets, and even people are sold and traded since there's no laws prohibiting those sorts of trades.

## Government.

The Ridge, and the the island too by extension, has no official government after having been abandoned by both the Trechtstaatians and Atracans. Someone or something needed to step in to prevent the island from descending into pure chaotic anarchy. Rising to the occasion were the three oldest and most powerful prison gangs to try to bring some form of organization to everyone. These three gangs, called the Numbers due to their inmate numbers tattooed on their faces, were once a loose union of miners that protected themselves not only from abusive prison guards but other inmates and gangs too. Together, they formed a syndicate after the riot to govern the island with two of the gangs being relegated to a specific aspect of governance.

### Administration - The Staafmans.

The cold and calculating criminal organization that is the *de facto* government of the island. Made up of incarcerated gang leaders and crime lords from the 77th wing, they're the politicians and administrators of Caraborough, creating laws and measures to try to bring something resembling order to the filthy slums. Dressed in their old prison jumper suits, they spend most of their time in the old main prison complex debating with each other on what to do about the mounds of trash piling in the streets and which one of them will bear the responsibility of cleaning it all up. They're mostly well respected by the residents due to their efforts to try to create an organized structure out of the mess that is the island, though they're equally as despised by those that thrive in its anarchy.

The leader of the Staafmans (referred to as 'Staafhead' by inmates) is a convicted crime lord from Valencia by the name of Rigoberto Nkonkoni. Simultaneously feared as he is respected, his harsh rule of Caraborough from the former warden's office is nothing less than draconian. With the assistance of his fellow crime lords, he's developed a list of laws and standards for the rest of the island to follow, nearly all of it being based on underworld/criminal codes of conduct. Anyone either caught breaking the strict laws he's imposed or thought of as a threat to his power will be dragged kicking and screaming by the Warders up to their stronghold to be made a sickening example of.

### Security - The Warders.

The brass-covered muscle backing up the Staafmans and the rest of the Numbers. Savage and brutal, the Warders are formed from captured Kainuto warriors and the most aggressive inmates from the infamous 78th wing meant to house highly violent convicts, Their duties involve enforcing the will of the Staafmans on the rest of the island and making sickening examples out of those that refuse to obey. They're heavily armed with all sorts of tribal and conventional weaponry, and dress themselves in the black and blue uniforms the guards used to wear; ironically taking on the role and appearance of the very same people that routinely abused them. They reside in the stronghold on the plateau looming over Caraborough, and frequently patrol its streets to either enact their twisted version of justice, or sometimes just to torment and abuse anyone they feel like; sometimes for the hell of it.

The 'Warhead' of the Warders is the most feared man in all of Caraborough: a gibborim by the name of Kregore. Raised by Kainuto warriors while he was still a child, he leads the Warders more like a tribe than a guard; and looking far more like a feral soldier than a proper guard captain, he and his equally-feared men carry out the judgement of his boss Rigo across the islands. Due to wanting his men to be just as monstrous (or as he says, "effective") as he is, he "recruits" new Warders by abducting abandoned children in Caraborough and subjecting them to the very same cold and hellish upbringing he had, training them to have no fear, no love, no desire for anything else but to murder, steal, and rape; turning them into soulless animals just like him in the process.

### Economy - The Geldmakkers.

The moneymakers of Caraborough, formed from con-men, swindlers, gamblers, and debtors from the 76th wing that deal in almost everything: drugs, guns, even *people*. It's their duty to generate revenue for the Numbers and maintain whatever economy the island has, no matter the cost. Wearing fancy suits and jewelry only their money can afford, they oversee their operations in the office spaces by Port Scourge.

Unlike the Warders and the Staafmans, the Geldmakkers have no central leader as they act more like a loose union of wealthy merchants. Despite that, they tend to follow the Geldmakker who has the most money and power behind him.

## Gallery.

Filthy and cramped, too many people call the Ridge their home.The Staafmans wear their prison jumpers with pride.The Warders mix Kainuto mythology and designs with leftover guard uniforms.