Arcane: Silent Frontiers: Ekko and Jinx; The Town, Shimmer, What it takes and What it gives. . .
Every town has its curse and every curse has its reason.
In the town of Zaun, which by the event's of Silent Frontiers maybe should have been classified as a small city, ups and downs were simply a part of life. Like much of Appalachia during its heyday, Zaun has a rich history, and used to be classified as a boomtown or industrial town that underwent significant development due to a coal mining industry that started during the late 19th century and beyond.
Like much of the USA at the time, the region of Zaun had originally been settled in 1793 by fur trappers and became an official town by at least 1799-1802. In the later years, when mining became popular as a valuable source of income for many; townsfolk began to move away from trapping and instead had settled into the new occupation of mining mostly for coal which around that time was highly valued as a source of fuel.
However, the mining industry, which had made it famous in later years much like it did for many other parts of the region, was also often the cause of much of its grief and strife.
The mining industry that had settled into West Virginia and much of the Appalachian region was often extremely vulnerable to economic downturns, and booms and busts were often frequent throughout its history. Major booms were noted to have occurred during World War I and II, and the worst bust occurred around the time of the Great Depression; lasting as long as it had. In addition, Mining corporations around this time had also gained considerable influence in state and municipal governments, especially since they often owned the entire towns in which the miners lived, with Zaun becoming one of the largest coal towns to be built during the boom that began in the 1880s, and peaked somewhere around in the 1920s.
However being owned by big corporations rarely ever ends well as many of us know and this led to problems for many towns and Zaun sadly was not spared the heartache.
Mining-related accident’s injuries and deaths were not uncommon, and ailments such as black lung disease afflicted miners throughout the 20th century. Mining activities also lead to various other health problems, including respiratory diseases such as black lung (pneumoconiosis), asbestosis, and lung cancer, as well as hearing loss, skin diseases, and cardiovascular issues. Older mine workers were often long subjected to long term toxic gas exposure coupled with cut-costing work hazards intended to save companies an extra penny on the dollar. Between the 1890s and the 1930s, The Appalachian mining industry began to see some of the nation's bloodiest labor strife’s during what was known as the West Virginia Coal Wars (1912-1921), which arose out of a dispute between coal companies and miners, with miners demanding better pay, better work conditions, the right to trade where they pleased (ending the practice of forcing miners to buy from company-owned stores), and recognition of the United Mine Workers (UMW) union.
While Zaun was indeed one of the lucky few who obtained some rights out of these skirmishes, the damage had already been done. Exposure to toxic chemicals and heavy metals flooding the drinking water had affected a majority of the population. In addition, the creation and use of coal had virtually ended with the coming of the Great Depression (1929 to 1939) when the availability of other forms of energy—namely, oil, gas, and hydroelectricity—had reduced demand for coal. Lack of work thus caused the unemployment rate to skyrocket and Zaun became a stagnant impoverished town for much of it’s later life. The social and economic stratification of Appalachia and Zaun often came largely as the result of classism.
Many politicians and businessmen often took advantage of the region's natural resource industries, such as mountaintop coal mining. Appalachian laborers were also often heavily exploited, which prevented the region from developing socially or gaining economic independence. until much much later on in it's history.
However in addition, severe poverty and desolation were often paired with the necessity for careful cultural sensitivity. During the old year, Appalachian people often feared that the birth of a new modernized Appalachia would lead to the death of their traditional values and heritage. Because of the isolation of the region, many Appalachian people had been unable to catch up to the modernization that lowlanders had achieved year's prior. Coal operators and plantation bosses also often discouraged education and civic action, allowing for workers to become indebted to plantation stores, live in company housing, and generally make themselves vulnerable to exploitation.
Community members who experienced a justifiable fear of punishment for speaking out against the corruption of the status quo developed a habit of compliance rather than social change. Fearful of punishment, many middle class residents allied themselves with the elites rather than challenging the system that colored their everyday lives. Burdened by the choice between exile and exploitation, the actual and potential middle class often left the region, widening the gap between the poor and those in power.
And this had affected Zaun disproportionally all the way into the modern era. In the years following up to the events of Silent Frontiers, years of unsafe working conditions began to once again take it’s toll on many, though many were also hush hush about it. Once again decades of political corruption and disenfranchisement led to weak civic cultures, especially in those once again finding work mining for new materials outside of coal after being picked up by a company stationed out in it’s much more successful sister city of Piltover. With the promise of new work, many once again refused to break status with the elite, allowing new companies to essentially get away with murder. As a result of the hush, generational trauma has become very much a thing in modern day Zaun.
Particularly physically.
Mining activities, particularly those involving heavy metals and other pollutants, can often lead to environmental contamination that increases the risk of birth defects in communities living near mining sites.
Exposure to these toxins from either water, air, soil or direct contact during pregnancy can often disrupt fetal development and lead to congenital malformations and cause a variety of issues potentially leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes like miscarriage, low birth weight, and birth defects and congenital abnormalities. Some metals, like mercury, can even cross the placental barrier and affect the developing nervous system, potentially causing developmental problems.
As a result of this, while much of the older generation of Zaun of course had worse adverse effects from the conditions of the mines, the younger "next-gen" that came after them and the current generation that came after them still carry with them the "scars" from those times; passed on down from their parent’s in the form of various of birth-defects spanning the current 3 generational line.
In the case of Jinx and Ekko in particular, these issues that stem from this exposure manifests very differently within each other.
These people are hard people, the older gen. They're used to sacrificing so much of their bodies to continue to work, to continue living on government dime and green cotton earned from delving into the wounds of the earth. Risking not only body and mind, but family and family's future family down the line to do so. To hear someone speak about their 'headaches?' These people laugh at Ekko. Scoff and sneer even.
In addition, despite many attempts by both his parents and himself, the exact cause of Ekko’s intense migraines are still generally unknown, leaving him infuriated when Doctors are unable to figure out what exactly is wrong. As result of this long-on going dismissal and the inability to figure out a clear reason for his pain, Ekko has long since grown into a suffer in silence type personality when it comes to his issues; often dealing with them on his own without the aid of anyone else involved. However one issue doesn't come without another as we all have learned, and the constant almost consistent pain he suffers from has led to Ekko in the act of attempting to find ways to mitigate the misery; often through, like many, recreational drug use. Compared to Jinx, who oftentimes shies away from certain substances due to the risk of them exacerbating her own issues (she does not do well at ALL with hallucinations), over the years as a result of the near ongoing agony, Ekko has dabbled in many a substance, hoping to find one that helps. As a result of this however, the Crossroads of Pain and Addiction that affect many, even a few he knows, may slowly be overlapping on him. . . When Shimmer was first introduced into the Zone as a drug, everyone thought of it to be a cure all. A fast easy way to escape the horrors of their lives which was only progressively getting worse as the years went on. A wonder of science, Shimmer’s grace and public love stemmed from the fact that it’s behavior and biological makeup had classified it as a potent stimulant, allowing the user to boost their own body's natural regenerative functions via various biological agents while also stimulating the central nervous system thus triggering a rush of energy and strength primarily brought about by endorphins. The initial euphoric rush rarely ever lasted more than a few minutes, but the altered state of consciousness brought on by it made it subjectively longer for any user. Shimmer proliferated throughout the Zone in the wake of the Exclusion Event, and those of the more scientific enlightened learned very quickly about the secrets that it held; leading it to become a staple recreational and performance-enhancing drug throughout the Zone. However, what Shimmer gives, Shimmer often takes tenfold. While it’s great for pain, it's also highly addictive, inducing psychological and physical reliance. Like heroin, Shimmer is incredibly addictive because of the way it changes the chemistry of the brain over time. These changes which for many can often occur within even the first few uses, make users crave the drug consistently, leading to a dangerously addictive cycle of highs and lows The Purest Shimmer was even rumored to bring on permanent addiction that combined psychological and chemical reliance and was immune to treatment typical for drug users at the time. In fact it’s biological makeup seemingly made it perfectly designed to be invulnerable to the standard methods of countering drug addictions, including various nervous system suppressants that work on other drugs. To the point where even the action of going “Cold-Turkey” was more likely to kill you then save, unlike all the other drugs. The potency and fear of addiction is so bad in Shimmer, that in fact, frequent drug users or those like Ekko with potential current addiction problems actually tend to shy away from the drug, despite the promise of a long going easy ride to paradise where current drugs they might be taking might not be strong enough to get too. It actually wasn’t until the introduction of “Dreamer” into the Zone, that “Shimmer” use actually became popular. A safer alternative to the highly potent, highly addictive nature of Shimmer, while Dreamer did not grace people with the same high or euphoric feeling, the addiction risks dropped considerably. However, so did the benefits such as healing. The physical changes that often occured during uses of Pure do not present in Artificial, meaning that you can drink it to your heart's content (DONT) and not present with any of the tell-signs, such as an increase in strength or a change in the color of your eyes. This thus made Dreamer essentially just a new form of potent Liquid Morphine that came in a pretty color; leading Dreamer to be nothing more than a highly popular variant of “Cough Medicine” then a “saving grace” to many, which also led many a conman to attempt to pass off the Artificial as Pure at double the price then what Artificial tended to go for on the market. However, in the pure-batch that had affected both Ekko and Jinx shortly after Isha’s death, something. . .surprising had happened, though with it’s own tragic little twist. While they both had suffered from the effects of the Shimmer, effectively becoming Shimmer Tainted, both Ekko and Jinx did not suffer from the addictive qualities of it. However instead both Jinx and Ekko suffered from the physical changes instead. The healing properties of Pure-Shimmer were very much found within this new Singed Variant. In fact it was so potent, that for a brief period of time, many of the ailments that both Jinx and Ekko had suffered from throughout their lives seemingly vanished within the short few weeks it took to flush from their system. With Ekko even stating that for the first time in years, his headaches had effectively vanished and he “No longer felt like his skull was full of glass shards” However, because it is not naturally produced by the human body, unless drastic measures are taken to one’s physiology such as with Isha in order to ensure that happens, Shimmer effectively clears the system relatively quick, hence the need for constant and consistent use thus leading to quick addiction. However, despite rumors normal non-tainted PURE Shimmer is actually not a “cure all” It’s main design is simply to give the body a fighting chance, effectively keeping the host alive while mitigating certain forms of trauma such as stab wounds or gun-shot’s until medical treatment could be provided or the host ultimately dies. But because the body does not produce it’s own Shimmer, wounds seemingly healed BY Shimmer have a tendency of seemingly almost recurring. Every fix Shimmer gives is temporary. Every-Fix However, in the weeks of their mourning period, Ekko and Jinx had not learned the full extent of the healing properties this version of New Shimmer had given them. Figuring the effects simply just included minor things like headaches like all basic Shimmer was rumored to do, they never thought to actually put any thought into what else it could do. And thus would never know how close they were to achieving something not thought possible. In the weeks following their exposure to Singe's Newer and Stronger Variant of Shimmer, Jinx and Ekko had sex not long after Isha had died. A spur of the moment situation brought on by the intense emotional grievances both suffered from and the desperate need to be as close to one another as possible, it basically was a moment of weakness on both their parts. Both knew that it was a terrible idea since both knew they're still reeling over everything emotionally and that it wasn’t healthy to try now with both not in the right mindset. But both of them weren’t really thinking at the moment. Especially Ekko, who having a momentary lapse in judgement, had actually intended to try and get Jinx pregnant, despite remembering tragically that that was not possible. They both knew why. . .it was the mine's of course. . .another curse of the town. Many mine workers subjected to toxic gasses and such coupled with cut-costing work hazards. . of course no one in this town was ever safe, and of course it was a curse easily passed on through to their children. .
Comments