I’ve been putting together resources for a super-hero Fate Accelerated campaign: #SuperZeroes. In true comic book form (especially following in the footsteps of DC comics) my group decided to create a fictional city for the characters to inhabit. The city is Bearport, Oregon. I’m continuing to provide more details on each area and its neighborhoods for my players. My hope is that this also gives GMs and groups inspiration for creating areas in their games. Today’s post details the northwest corner of the city, New Haven; a place of peace and rebirth… at least, on the surface.
In Fate and Fate Accelerated characters and scenes are granted Aspects which can be used to create advantages and disadvantages within the narrative. Larger areas, like districts and neighborhoods of a city have Themes and Threats instead of aspects; these provide the ideas and an overall “feel” for the area, but don’t incorporate any positive or negative impact to dice rolls. For each neighborhood I plan to provide two themes and one threat. New Haven is intended to feel, primarily, like the safe neighborhoods, suitable for more family-based origin stories or for characters to sit back.
New Haven spans north and westward. It’s made up of Opal Port, Greenleaf, Derleth, St. Cedwick’s, and the condos and apartments along the end of the river walk. Opal Port was built in the 1960’s and its proximity to the mouth of the river and advances in technology made it the official darling of Bearport (though Daughton remained active, it saw a marked decline in usage in the 70’s and 80’s). While the entire city is not short of music and entertainment, the scene thrives in Derleth; along with theaters and other venues, Derleth is home to the city’s two tech-anarchist clubs, Kaiju and Shiba. St. Cedwick’s is the city’s hub of land transportation; not only home to Union Station this portion of the city features the most rail car connections for public transportation.
Opal Port
Theme: Import Industry
Theme: Where The Riverwalk Ends, The Party Begins
Threat: Rust Sets In
Opal Port opened in 1963 and quickly became the primary harbor of Bearport, replacing the aging docks in Daughton. Where the older, eastern riverside harbor is primarily wood and dark, Opal Port is metal and bright paints. The docks are kept up to date with modern, though rarely cutting-edge, technologies.
While Daughton is a haven for crime and smuggling, Opal Port is no longer as clean as it was. Even despite police and security measures Opal Port faces a crisis of homeless camping, small boat break-ins, and holds-ups/robberies of cruise ship attendees.
Notable Places and Landmarks
- The Splash – The Splash is a three deck cruise ship that can accommodate 750 guests. It features a restaurant, bar, tanning deck, and dance floor for two-hour lunch cruises or four hour dinner cruises along the river.
- Fisherman’s Wharf – The two story building known as Fisherman’s Wharf lies at the east end of Opal Port; the last destination of the The Riverwalk when heading west from Sunstone. The Wharf features multiple restaurants and tourist shopping attractions.
St. Cedwick’s
Theme: You Can Get There From Here
Theme: Urban Camping
Threat: Crime By Rail
As Bearport expanded, its needs for not only better ports, but also more unified ground transportation grew. City planners worked with rail lines and bus companies to create a more central hub for transportation, close to the newly opened Opal Port. By 1969 the city’s ground transportation network was complete.
While St. Cedwick’s has homes, condos, and apartments, it also has a number of vacant lots that have become havens for the homeless as they set up their camps. additionally, though the majority of smuggling occurs via boat, the rails are not immune to the import and export of threats to the populace.
Notable Places and Landmarks
- New Union Station – Replacing “Old” Union Station in Moya Glen, New Union Station is the primary train station in the city, servicing both Amtrak and freight trains.
- Ascension Bus and Rail Building – Ascension Bus and Rail (ABR) provides commuter bus and rail throughout the city and its neighbors. The ABR Building is not only the office hub, but a central stop for most commuter routes. It’s also a few blocks away from New Union Station, allowing travelers easy access to the city and abroad.
- The Lot – Close to both New Union Station and the ABR Building is a large lot, abandoned by the city, but not the homeless. While one can find homeless camps throughout the city, “The Lot,” is the closest thing to a permanent homeless camp, encompassing over a city block.
Greenleaf
Theme: A Suburb Without Leaving the City
Theme: You Can Live Your Entire Life Here
Threat: Where Complacency Is The Norm
Greenleaf and Derleth are the newest expansions to Bearport. They started as general extensions to Opal Port and St. Cedwick’s, but came into their own as separate districts during the late 70’s and early 80’s. Greenleaf has evolved into a pseudo-suburbia; while access to downtown and other areas is a matter of a quick drive, bus, or rail ride; the homes and apartments have a little more space than most other areas of the city.
Despite having the most chain restaurants and Bearport’s only indoor mall, Greenleaf keeps the Bearport vibe by also having the largest magic shop: Which Market For Witch. Little else makes this neighborhood stand out. It’s a peaceful, almost lazy, part of the city.
Notable Places and Landmarks
- Which Market For Witch – The premier magic shop in Bearport and possible the Pacific Northwest. Which Market For Witch began as a strip mall store that eventually took over the entire block; each building is dedicated to a different subset of magic or “weird.” Sections include: general magic, taxidermy, candles & scents, and jewelry & crystals.
- Basil Park – This small Italian-American restaurant chain got its start in Greenleaf and along with two additional eateries throughout Bearport, has expanded to Portland and Seattle.
- Lone Fir Mall – While there are plenty of shopping areas in Bearport, the only indoor mall is located in Greenleaf. Lone Fir Mall includes all the standard chain shopping, a movie theater, and an indoor ice rink.
Derleth
Theme: Alt Party
Theme: Gamers’s Paradise
Threat: Digital Delinquents
As Greenleaf transformed itself into a pleasant river-side neighborhood, Derleth attracted those interested in starting a scene: actors, DJs, performers, and anarchists. The neighborhood is peppered with independent clubs and theaters. It also became the city’s foremost neighborhood for geekier pursuits; with specialty shops for comics, board games, and computer games. Derleth also boasts the largest number of tattoo parlors and stores selling recreational cannabis.
The alt scene has attracted a number of slackers, hackers, and code-crackers. More digital crimes, including the selling and distribution of identities occurs in Derleth than any other neighborhood in Oregon.
Notable Places and Landmarks
- Shiba – This video game bar includes not only retro arcade games, but also computer stations and couches for big-screen console play. Shiba is considered the more “newbie friendly” bar and its painted-over windows feature a picture of a Shiba Inu with words “Wow! Such Game! Much Fren Play.”
- Kaiju – Kaiju is a darker, more elitist video game bar; while it also incorporates retro arcade games and computer terminals, entry into the more inner sanctum of games requires paid membership with a gaming score quota.
- Matchsticks – Matchsticks began as a board game store with tables for shared play. As its popularity grew, it moved location to eastern Derleth and gained a larger storefront. While there are other stores, Matchsticks now services the majority of board game aficionados, card game players, RPG enthusiasts, and comic book fans in the greater Bearport area.
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