Emancipation
Emancipation is a village situated in the ruins of pre-war Columbia, Missouri. It is the home base of The Heroes of St. Louis.
Before the Great War, Columbia was a thriving academic centre, home to both the University of Missouri and Columbia College. As such, it was a valuable target for Chinese attack. During the nuclear exchange in 2077, the area was subject to several direct hits by high-yield atomic weapons. Many of the city's elites were rushed to nearby Vault 40 in the moments before the bombs fell.
For the next two hundred years, Vault 40 was sealed and operated in total isolation from the outside world. It has become common knowledge that the objective of the Vault-Tec corporation was not to preserve humanity within its many underground bunkers, but to use the opportunity to perform various social experiments on the vault dwellers within. This is assumed of Vault 40, but the history and nature of the experiment has never been revealed publicly.
What is widely known is that sometime in 2284 there was a change in leadership known as the 'Vault 40 Coup.' After the coup, the bunker was finally opened to the outside world. An uncontaminated fresh water spring was discovered in the ruins of Columbia and a trading post was established. Within a few years, it had become the thriving town of Emancipation, gathering merchants and tradespeople from far and wide.
Emancipation has a reputation for peace, openness and friendship, often serving as a refuge for young families looking to escape conflict. The village is under the protection of the Midwest Brotherhood of Steel, but its political leadership is entirely autonomous. The Brotherhood defends the area, and in exchange the people of Emancipation pay a yearly tax of food, tools and textiles. The treaty between Emancipation and the Brotherhood clearly states that the Brotherhood cannot conscript residents of the town, even during times of war, but it is common for young people to volunteer for service.
The town is lead by a mayor, elected every four years by secret ballot. All residents (including sentient non-humans) over the age of 11 are eligible to vote. The current mayor is John Giscala, a medical doctor descended from the original Vault 40 survivors. He has appointed Alfonso MacElroy, a former Crimson Caravan mercenary, to be his sheriff.
John Giscala: Mayor of Emancipation and chair of medicine at the Vault 40 Academy.
Cindy Zhao: A runaway slave from Caesar's Legion, Cindy is Emancipation's richest citizen. She operates the sizeable Cindy's Shop n' Such as well as the Hardware Town Greenhouse.
Mother Sage: Leader of the Emancipation Altar of Atom. A vault dweller born in Vault 40 and present for the coup who converted to the Children of Atom religion after the vault opened. She conducts weekly sermons as well as marriage, funeral and naming services.
Booch: Owner and operator of Booches Bar, Booch is a super mutant. Wise and amiable, he is known for his hospitality and barbeque skills.
Alfonso MacElroy: Sheriff of Emancipation, he was born somewhere in Arizona and fled Caesar's Legion as a child. He worked for several years in the New California Republic with the Crimson Caravan security service. His travels often brought him to the Midwest, and he was impressed with the quality of life found in Emancipation.
Alexa Garridan: A survivor of the Vault 40 Coup and former sheriff's deputy in Emancipation, Alexa now leads a group of scavengers from the ruins of the Columbia Regional Airport. For reasons that have never been made public, her group will not set foot in Vault 40 and will not trade in products made by the vault.
Lyttle Bridges: Descended from the tribals outside of Gravestone, Ms. Bridges owns and manages Candlewood Suites.
Culligan Spring: A natural fresh water spring and pond in the centre of town. Any visitor is free to take from the spring as long as they do so without mechanical assistance (no pumps, siphons or mechanical injectors)
Vault 40: The former bunker is still occupied. Its living quarters, classrooms and workshops are still in good working order and constant use.
Emancipation Altar of Atom: A stone temple of the Children of Atom which was built in 2292. Public services are open to all and a wing of the temple is reserved for temporary housing for the many travelers who pass through the town. The temple is lead by Mother Sage, a Vault 40 survivor who converted after the opening of the vault.
Cindy's Shop n' Such: Although the town has many merchants, Cindy Zhou has an exclusive license to trade items generated in Vault 40's high tech workshops. Much of Cindy's business is bulk shipments of energy cells and rare alloys to the Midwest Brotherhood of Steel.
Booches Bar: A saloon and dance hall, also used as a gathering place for town meetings and announcements. The establishment is run by the super mutant Booch. Booch's connection to the super mutants of St. Louis allows him to import Cavern Lager, a highly-prized beer.
Parking Lot Bazaar: Formerly the parking lot for Hardware Town, this area is now sectioned off as a free trade area, where traveling merchants can occupy temporary stalls.
Victory Column: A marble column that stands 11 feet tall. It is inscribed with: "In the year 2284, the people of Vault 40 overthrew their ruthless masters and founded Emancipation as a promise that tomorrow will be better than today."
Red Rocket: A pre-war coolant refiling station. Out of gasoline for 200 years, but still equipped with vehicle repair equipment and free public Workbenches.
Candlewood Suites: A large hotel featuring expansive, two-bedroom suites. Famous for its meat smoker and public barbeque pit.
Hardware Town: A comprehensive home improvement megastore. Now used to house and store goods for the village.
Hardware Town Greenhouse: A long greenhouse originally built to store decorative plants for sale. Currently used for agriculture. Owned by Cindy Zhao.
Old Bur: A 350 year old Bur oak tree at the centre of a cul de sac. After nuclear fire and years of harsh exposure, Old Bur is still hanging on.
Penn Terrace: The largest, finest home in Emancipation. The ceremonial home of the village's mayor. Currently occupied to John Giscala.
Playground: A collection of children's playground equipment. Burned by the war, but restored by the villagers.
.
History
Before the Great War, Columbia was a thriving academic centre, home to both the University of Missouri and Columbia College. As such, it was a valuable target for Chinese attack. During the nuclear exchange in 2077, the area was subject to several direct hits by high-yield atomic weapons. Many of the city's elites were rushed to nearby Vault 40 in the moments before the bombs fell.
For the next two hundred years, Vault 40 was sealed and operated in total isolation from the outside world. It has become common knowledge that the objective of the Vault-Tec corporation was not to preserve humanity within its many underground bunkers, but to use the opportunity to perform various social experiments on the vault dwellers within. This is assumed of Vault 40, but the history and nature of the experiment has never been revealed publicly.
What is widely known is that sometime in 2284 there was a change in leadership known as the 'Vault 40 Coup.' After the coup, the bunker was finally opened to the outside world. An uncontaminated fresh water spring was discovered in the ruins of Columbia and a trading post was established. Within a few years, it had become the thriving town of Emancipation, gathering merchants and tradespeople from far and wide.
Emancipation has a reputation for peace, openness and friendship, often serving as a refuge for young families looking to escape conflict. The village is under the protection of the Midwest Brotherhood of Steel, but its political leadership is entirely autonomous. The Brotherhood defends the area, and in exchange the people of Emancipation pay a yearly tax of food, tools and textiles. The treaty between Emancipation and the Brotherhood clearly states that the Brotherhood cannot conscript residents of the town, even during times of war, but it is common for young people to volunteer for service.
The town is lead by a mayor, elected every four years by secret ballot. All residents (including sentient non-humans) over the age of 11 are eligible to vote. The current mayor is John Giscala, a medical doctor descended from the original Vault 40 survivors. He has appointed Alfonso MacElroy, a former Crimson Caravan mercenary, to be his sheriff.
Notable People
Notable Locations
.
Maps
-
Missouri Emancipation to Camp Jefferson
The stretch of Highway 63 between Emancipation and Camp Jefferson. -
Emancipation
A small but vibrant village built in the ruins of Columbia, Missouri.
Type
Village
Comments