Hope and Benford Town, where are they?

[slade2501]

The scenario Casualties of Peace down not state a location for either city. Are they near Whykin or Merctown? Closer to Kingsdale? more south than that? I am trying to put them on a map......

[Soldier of Od]

I don't know the scenario you are referring too, but Hope is one of the Colorado Baronies, in the New West book.

[glitterboy2098]

per WB14, the city of Hope, the capitol of the Hope Barony, is located on the ruins of Greely, Colorado. (that's a town just west of Ft collins) [google map link]


however the "Hope City" from the scenario in the mercenaries sourcebook does not appear to be the same city of Hope from the colorado baronies. the colorado baronies city is not presented as the 'modern technological city' that the scenario has. the city in the scenario is also about twice the size of the one in the baronies. the barony of Hope is also presented as dating to not long after the cataclysm, and settled largely by survivors from Denver and other colorado cities. while the 'Hope city' of mercenaries is said to be a recent creation made by people fleeing the Midwest.

so it seems that the two just coincidentally share a name. while the two cities seem likely to exist in "the west" somewhere going by the hints in the write ups, they seem to have been written to allow the GM to put them where ever they want.

[slade2501]

I am gonna put them in Kansas, North of Wichita. That's within striking distance of Kingsdale, Whykin and Merctown (Sorta).

[glitterboy2098]

main issue i can see with a kansas location is that benford town is explicitly stated to be located on the side of a mountain.

my own inclination if picking a western location would be to put them in the Dakota's somewhere. close enough to the midwest that 'Hope city' could have the background it does, and beford town could be importing food from the CS (another detail from the write up.)

[glitterboy2098]

Having read the scenario a bit more last night, I'm thinking that an eastern location might work better. Perhaps down the area near GAW and merctown. Benford town could be located on the western edge of the Appalachian mountains, and the location would fit the idea if Hope city fleeing monsters in the midwest.. they're fleeing the magic zone, and going east means not crossing CS territory. Also helps with the name.. they might not have known about the hope barony in colorado

[slade2501]

uour right, I put them in upper Kansas. I am thinking that post Minion war, 110P.A. we can re-open the Kansas/Missouri corridor that PCs can use for travel without harassment from CS patrols. Between powerful city states with solid defense and the severe strain the multiple conflict have put on the CS I am thinking they just do not have the man power for the standard patrols anymore. They are probably just focusing on consolidating and rebuilding strength. After all they overtaxed their manufacturing and were running out of food as well. And with residual daemons/devils running around, they probably have their hands full and or are stretched to the limit already.

[Fenris2020]

Having read the scenario a bit more last night, I'm thinking that an eastern location might work better. Perhaps down the area near GAW and merctown. Benford town could be located on the western edge of the Appalachian mountains, and the location would fit the idea if Hope city fleeing monsters in the midwest.. they're fleeing the magic zone, and going east means not crossing CS territory. Also helps with the name.. they might not have known about the hope barony in colorado

That was always my take on the location.
North of the Magic Zone, south of Free Quebec by quite a distance.

[Dustin Fireblade]

I always put them in northern Arkansas.

Hope City - figure they fled from the St. Louis Arch when the Rifts erupted, went southwest into Arkansas.

Benford Town gets food imported from the CS, so it had to be fairly close. Also with the possible CS subplot with a brigade ready to ride in and take control, I figure Arkansas just made more sense to place the cities at.

Both would have been north/northeast of Newtown/Fort Smith, Arkansas.

And the original Rifts book had this =
Arkansas. Is mostly wilderness covered in forest. However, there is a surprising number of human and non-human towns and tiny feudal kingdoms sprinkled here and there.

[glitterboy2098]

i guess that the ozarks are close enough to being a mountain range it might work. (they're technically not.. but travelling through you can be easily convinced otherwise)

[thorr-kan]

i guess that the ozarks are close enough to being a mountain range it might work. (they're technically not.. but travelling through you can be easily convinced otherwise)

<eerie voice>
...rrrrIIIFFFttss...
</eerie voice>

Rift activity could have imported a mountain wherever you want one.