Moderato-City (Saint Louis)

Moderato-City is an independant city-state that was called "Saint Louis" before the No-return. It is the second biggest city of the wastes and one of its economical center.

Its name comes from the industries of Moderato, which have lead the city to its actual economical importance.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY

Saint-Louis, Missouri, was the biggest urban zone of the state and was very famous during the colonization of the west, since the city was its gateway. The arch became the symbol of such, being the last door the colonists would pass through before going to the west. Since the caravans pass through this very arch when they go to the plains of no-return, this symbol has taken back its initial power.

The city was founded in 1764, at the confluent of the Mississipi and the Missouri, by Pierre Laclede and René August Chouteau. Before being an american city, it was a french one and a spanish one.

The city is near from high natural ressources, including a large selection of minerals, gas and fuel. Many Selmads camps can be seen around the city, constructing and exploiting a large amount of mines.

THE INDEPENDANT CAPITAL OF THE EAST

The city is known for its industry power. Many factories are active and employ twenty thousands workers in full time. The most famous of all is Moderato-Factory, which creates most of the Moderato bottles that can be found around the wastes. The factory emits so much pollution that you can litteraly smell chemicals before you can spot the city's lights.

Most of the caravan houses have their general quarters in the skyline of Moderato-City. In fact, each skyline is owned by a different caravan master, and together, they create the economical dynamic of the city.

The Selfmads have their national trade center in the state capitol, and it is here and only here that the prices are decided. The war of the food's price is, by the way, what starts the events of the TV series, and it all begins in this very place.

The city is totally independant from any faction. It is ruled by an elected president, most of the time the most successful caravan master of the moment. Moderato-City has its own army of volunteers, even though the city doesn't get involved in other conflicts other that the one towards the gangs, the little criminality and the trafiquants.

THE ROAD TO THE WEST

The only other city of that importance is Inuvik, which used to be called Phoenix, Arizona. The commercial road between these two cities are the key of survival for the wastes, since as long as the trade goes on between these two powerful city-nations, the east and the west alike are fed, have access to ressources and can have an active role to play in the geopolitical of the wastes.

Between the two cities are the plains of the no-return and there is pratically no city between them. That's why the departures/arrivals of caravans are quite something to see once in a life.

LIFE AT MODERATO-CITY

The social life is quite difficult, since there is no real middle class in the city. You're either rich (caravan master, caravaner, industrial or business man) or simply poor (miner, factory worker, milician...). The city has high numbers of criminals and homeless people, and many people have become addicted to Moderato. The city has installed cages above the streets, where the drunkest men are put in. The crowd can throw things at them or mock them if they want, which is the punishment for public trouble.

The police force is present and authoritary, in order to calm the social tensions, always perceptible. Moderato-City is often the first one to have riots when times of trouble approach.

Even though, the city isn't a dystopian one. It can be nice to live there, because of its animation as soon as the caravans arrive. The markets are places to be if you want to see strange and fascinating goods and people. Also, the city is known for its night life, very active and it is quite common to meet aristocrats from the kingdom there, coming for some fun.

THE RIOTS OF 2086

This year, the Selfmads decided that the caravan company SteelStrong would be their. They decided to highten up the food prices (the major occupation of the company) until it would sell itself to the Pitt, before or after getting bankrupt. The determination of Charles Steelstrong not to sell his company and his support from the monarchy lead the Selfmads to put food prices at extreme levels, leaving the people to starve in the street.

A serie of riots were launched when Charles Steelstrong announced that he refused to sell his company, no matter what the prices of food were. This event would lead to the war for the Pitt later.

But at this precise night, people from Moderato-City started to riot. The police was overthrown and regiments from the Dies Irae defense forces, as well as royal regiments had to be called to master the situation. In less than a week, one building of fifteen was burned to the ground and sixty people died in the riots or the fires. Aristocrats in vacation were attacked, and even the king who was there at the time had to be evacuated. This evacuation didn't go very well, since the king himself had to defend his own life with his ceremony sword and had to disguise himself as a rioter to get out of the city.

He didn't want the government to revenge against the population and didn't send any kind of repression forces. Instead, this event made him understand the urgence of the situation, which led to his global support to the "Project United", the creation of a caravaner force to overthrow the Selfmad government.

IMPORTANT PLACES

-The market areas

-The parcs and frozen labyrinths in it, where many young lovers can be spotted.

-The famous "Arch", the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

-The skyline, owned by caravan masters

-The Moderato factories, along with the whole and huge industrial area

-Virgin street, the street for the night life. There are many night clubs, casinos, bars, strippers and cathouses

-Renesco and Associates, the biggest mall of the wastes, useful for travellers before they go on a quest.

-The HallDubourg, where the government is.

-The Cathedral Saint Louis, one of the most important siege of the Dies Irae. Its actual archidiacre is Lord Walter Mason.

FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM MODERATO-CITY

-Sand Avarroes

-Victor Avarroes

-Annah Avarroes

-Daniel Modeland

-Melinda Clark

-Lord Walter Mason

-Vincent Degas

-Sixte (doesn't live here anymore)

-EulaEudanla Teiteia (owned a store for a couple of years)

-Julia Proudfoot

-Maya

-Charles Steelstrong and his family