WFP - Arts and Entertainment
Though media in the WFP is dominated by its large neighbor, the UMF, the Protectorate has developed a strong appreciation of the arts and "fine" culture. Most are associated in some way with the clans, usually directly (e.9. the artist is a member of a clan) or via sponsorship. The major clans often seek to outdo each other by supporting touring troupes like the Macmillan Repertory Company or by arranging art exhibitions. Such social events are central to life in the city-states and the elite of society spend much of their spare time flitting from engagement to engagement. Socializing also plays a major role in the life of more junior members of society, centering on each family's evening meal as wellas a series of clan meeting halls used for large soirees.
Video and Trideo
Until recently access to broadcast media was strictly limited, a handful of regional broadcasters endlessly transmitting low-quality productions in an endless cycle of repeats. Only the city-states approached the sophistication seen elsewhere in the CNCS, and that largely through large-scale importation from the media conglomerates of the UMF. Northern shows such as Yes, Major and Paulson Ridge are staples of Western broadcasts. In many cases, even news broadcasts were handled by Western affiliates of Mercantile broadcasters.
That all changed with the Hermes 72 Network, which allowed any settlement, no matter how isolated, to tap into global media with only a small satellite dish. This sudden explosion in the amount of programming available to the Protectorate has caused a number of social problems hitherto only seen in cities. Some segments of the population, notably the young, have been seduced by the simplistic and easily accessible media, undermining the Protectorate's strong work ethic. Similarly, with no national checks on the material broadcast on Hermes 72 many of the shows contravene CNCS and Protectorate morality laws. The authorities know that any attempts to limit access to the system will only encourage more people to subscribe to see what the fuss is about. More serious, as far as the government is concerned, is the ability for Southern agencies to broadcast "news" on the war direct to northern homes, circumventing the censorship usually associated with war. Combined with Northern journalists doing much the same, this has had a major effect on morale in the WFP and has prompted a decline in support for the conflict.
Literature
Print media has always been popular in the Protectorate, exploiting Westerners' love of stories. Much of this is cheap, mass-produced fiction churned out by companies in Fort William and Fort James, ranging from crime stones and historical romances to science fiction and pre-glacial fantasy. Every so often a literary gem appears among the dross and gains widespread acclaim in the CNCS. The most successful author in the WFP, financially if not critically, is DeVries Thom, renowned for his military and techno-thrillers. DeVries is rumored to have fans in both the WFPA and Northern Guard high commands, perhaps explaining the uncanny degree of realism and inside knowledge displayed by his works.
Music
Western musical tastes tend toward the conservative, favoring classical compositions and traditional forms. The Protectorate has also developed its own music styles including Duleman, a popular fusion of close-harmonies and bodhran drumming that originated among farm workers but has become the staple of "folk" groups. Rage, a pan-northern style that focuses on emotional content and repetitive forms remains popular in some areas of the Protectorate. As a result the WFP is a popular venue for tours by "grandpa" bands - those who are living off success incurred a generation (or two) ago and, despite being in their 70s or 80s, still insist on living the life of "music stars."
The latest music phenomenon in the WFP is shock, a hybrid of rage and the Southern primal dream. Combining the emotional power of the former and the socially aware lyrics of the latter it has rapidly become the focus of many disaffected groups. The youth of the Protectorate have seized on shock as an outlet for their frustrations, its emphasis on individuality fitting well with rebellion of the youth. Other groups have also found themselves drawn to shock, notably the Enfranchisement Movement (for its emphasis on challenging the established order) and the anti-war lobby (for its pro-peace message).
Fort William is the center of shock in the CNCS, with numerous clubs, bars and lounges springing up, particularly in the Barrio Adelfas. The authorities have put considerable effort into closing down these venues - renowned as hives of subversion and immorality - but the most famous clubs, like Revolucion and Orquidea Negra, have managed to stay one step ahead of the law. They use warehouses and relocate on a regular basis, presenting the police and security services with a formidable challenge. Ironically, some Western sociologists have pointed out that shock's overriding quest for individuality, though bucking the clan system, creates its own sense of fellowship that in many ways resembles the system it seeks to escape.
Architecture
The settlements of the Great Western Plain have earned a reputation for their defensive construction styles, known commonly as Fort Architecture. Many settlements are surrounded by one or more perimeter walls, with new walls and ditches constructed as the settlement grows, ultimately resulting in a layered series of defenses. These barriers range from a few meters tall around farmsteads to the fifty-meter citadel walls of the three city-states. Ditches and defensive works hinder any approach to the walls, providing the massed batteries of missile and cannon turrets ample opportunity to maul an enemy force. The city-states also possess large anti-air laser batteries, designed to bring down enemy aircraft and missiles.
Gates are normally a weak point in any defensive structure, but the Protectorate realizes this and most gatehouses are mini-fortresses, surrounded by a dense concentration of weapon and sensor systems. Inside the walk the structure of most settlements is also intended to aid defense. Buildings are densely packed and the streets are narrow and winding, with many dead-ends and hidden weapon platforms. Tank traps are common, as are emplacements for vehicles and Gears, while a series of gates allows defenders to seal off individual sectors of the city, facilitating the isolation and elimination of any enemy force lucky enough to break through the perimeter wall.
Western buildings are similady reinforced, constructed of granite or steel-reinforced concrete. This allows them to withstand the ravages of combat and channel invaders into the killing zones, as well as making it possible to mount weapons turrets and hopper pads on rooftops. Their rigid construction often gives these buildings a drab, utilitarian appearance, though many locals choose to use murals to enliven their neighborhoods.
Outlying communities, particularly on the Badlands fringe, are built to withstand the vicious storms that wrack the region. Cylindrical and semi-subterranean oasis towers are common, built around a water source and equipped with solar energy collection panels.
Sports
As might be expected, sports in the WFP are dominated by team events divided along clan lines. Soccer is the most common sport, played by groups ranging from children on the streets to workers on their breaks. Most clans have a professional team and the top 100 compete in a series of five tiered divisions (the first being the most prestigious, the fifth being the least). The winner of each division receives a small trophy and promotion to the next league (while those who come bottom are relegated or ejected, as in the case of the fifth division). The winners of the 1st division receive the Protectorate Shield. In many clans support for the soccer teams verges on the fanatical, linked intimately with clan honor. As such violent clashes between opposing fans are commonplace, often overshadowing the match itself.
Gear Dueling is a popular spectator sport in the Protectorate, centering on the Western Dueling Conference. Most major clans field teams, making use of reservist members of the WFPA. To cope with the volume of entrants that result the WFP is divided into six divisions, one junior and one senior per city-state. The junior divisions serve as feeders for the major leagues, their members constantly striving for promotion. Members of the senior divisions play a series of matches against the other members of their league and the two with the greatest number of victories progress to the playoffs, the winner of which receives the Gunslinger Crest. The WFP team in the Northern Confederate Dueling Championship is unusual in that it contains the top members of several clans, usually but not exclusively, the six teams who reached the playoffs.
A Matter of Honor
(Fort Henry Sports Daily, 6 Winter TN 1936) - The Maderas Braves last night secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Protectorate Shield by defeating the Benitez Devils in a thrilling local derby. Benitez took an early lead with a goal in the sixteenth minute but Maderas drew Level six minutes before half time with a stunning goal headed in by Cooper. A second goal eleven minutes into the second period clinched victory for the Braves, though Benitez pressed hard throughout the remainder of the match and were unlucky not to score an equalizer. Unfortunately the event was marred by crowd violence, both before and after the match. Local police have blamed excessive alcohol consumption among the fans as the principal cause of the trouble, though the scale of the fighting was unusual. Fort Henry Police Commissioner Cristobal Ramon stated "crowd violence is endemic to soccer matches, but the scale of last night's clashes were unprecedented in recent cycles. We haven't seen violence like this since the Maderas-Zucco final in '29, and last night's events show a degree of coordination that is worrying." Unconfirmed reports place Sadler Maurice, leader of the Fourth Misery gang, in the vicinity of the stadium before the kick-off. Anarchists who specialize in inciting crowd violence, members of the Fourth Misery are banned from every sports event in the Protectorate and how Sadler could have avoided the intense security surrounding the match is unknown. The situation bears all the hallmarks of the gang's operations, exploiting the tensions between the rival fans. Fifteen people needed hospital treatment and several shops were looted before police in riot gear were able to restore order. In the light of events in Fort Henry security provisions for next week's match between James Dynamo and the Gutierez Raiders are currently under review.
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