In a war-torn future, fueled by division, greed and unrighteous revolutions, humanity lies fractured, split across a shattered earth.

Countries dissolved, with new borders drawn via the fighting of independent factions, policed by the settlements they built. Everything in between is a harsh and dangerous wasteland.

From the highly controlled and surveilled Megacities built by what is left of Global Vision, a pre-war entity focused on covert world-wide expansion, to the cities ruled by self-aware AI, built and maintained by the robots and machines under their control.
From the human Free Settlements, conducting their business away from any kind of external control, to the power and resource obsessed cultists of Gerunium Industries... These are some of the major players of the new world.

The dangers in the wasteland between borders are many: Mutated wild animals of the wasteland, menacing former military robots with corrupt software, escaped biotech monsters, raider factions that can't wait to find something worth selling and the harsh conditions of the new earth with its chaotic climate largely influenced by the effects of the war.

Our journey takes us to Scrapyard Unity, a human community living on the edge of the Free Settlements' southern border, in proximity to one of the border guard stations.
Its dwellers manage the scrapyard but also render aid to the guard station to fight off any approaching threats.

They have found themselves in quite a few of such situations, whether facing raiders or other wild creatures of the wasteland. They have fought valiantly each time, with improvised strategies and makeshift weapons sourced from the scrapyard, imbued with their knowledge of the technology they dismantle.

'Scrapyard Unity' was a name chosen to reflect these successful efforts and define their community. When you look at them you wouldn't think that they are capable of great things, but looks can be deceiving and behind what looks like scarcity and ruggedness lies experience and survival prowess.

This experience has also taught them to not trust any of the rhetoric expressed by the major powers of the new world. Despite the heavy efforts of Global Vision and Gerunium Industries, who spread audio-visual propaganda and appeals via radio transmissions, the people of the scrapyard never buy into it.

In fact they rarely engage in any political meetings even in the Free Settlements, unless it directly influences Scrapyard Unity.

‘Free Settlements’ claims to be independent and is itself composed of different independent sub-factions. Without centralised government or law enforcement they are dependent on each other through a network of trade, resource-production, intelligence, weapon and defence societies that protect the network and its borders as a whole.
Within this network the scrapyard has its place, but finds itself in the lower echelons of society, living harsher lives compared to those in the rest of the network.

Despite the lack of luxuries and the constant threat of wasteland hostility, the scrapyard-dwellers find themselves surprisingly content, they enjoy their simple life and find honour in protecting, organising and providing for the community.

In calm evenings the people of Scrapyard Unity enjoy gathering around what they call ‘The Scrap Stage’ where they listen or dance to their own live music performed on improvised instruments.

credits:

electronic music - Vosto

twitter.com/VostoSynthwave

electric guitar - Dimi Kaye

linktr.ee/DimiKaye


Artwork - Kevin Castaneiro

twitter.com/COUNTPAGAN