Roc, The
The Roc is a district marked by the remnants of sprawling suburbia and is located within the Rocpocalypse. The many houses that used to comprise much of the district stand ruined and vegetation is all but dead. The major feature of The Roc is the gang war that rages between the western and eastern sides of the district. These two sides are divided by the natural border created by Goodman St. N.
The western side is more militaristic in nature, having ranks throughout society, strict guidelines, and harsh punishments. Much of the population is centralized within the major holding, The Meat Market. In contrast, the eastern side relies on more guerrilla-style tactics. Rather than having a centralized base of operation, the east has small bases set inside abandoned schools, hospitals, or libraries. As for the reason for all the fighting, who even cares? The fighting itself has gone on so long that no one can seem to remember the initial reason as to why the fighting started. Some say it was due to conflicting views, while others say it was a game of chicken gone wrong. No one knows for sure, but someone needs to be annihilated, and isn't that reason enough?
The Roc is named after a great hero from the time before the Apocalypse, with legends of his strength and charisma acting as an inspiration for the first settlers who were inspired by him.
Demographics
Within The Roc, much of the population concentrations differ between the west and east sides.
The western demographics are primarily centralized around The Roc's major holding, The Meat Market. While there are a variety of ethnicities, racial issues are non-existent and social classes are dictated by rank. People who are born in the West Roc are schooled in military combat until they turn 14 and become part of active duty. The gender ratio within this subdistrict is slightly skewed, with more females than males. Population ranges from around ~200 - 250 making it smaller than its eastern counterpart. Homosexuality is punishable by death, but this rule is so often ignored that the people within the higher ranks do it all the time. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to see reverse harems as the people are required to have the means to procreate by the time they are 21.
In contrast, the east is very loose in its functioning. While children are expected to eventually take the place of the adults who are fighting, there is no set age restriction. Social status is defined by the number of confirmed kills one has. Similar to their western counterpart, there are no racial tensions, however, the gender distributions are much more equal. In terms of population size, the eastern portion of Roc is slightly larger, holding around ~250 - 300 people. The attitudes toward homosexuality are mostly accepting, but you are expected to help procreate in some fashion.
Government
The western side of The Roc is run primarily as a military dictatorship. It is run by a group joint chiefs, people who have lived past the age of 40, are the people who rule over the west. Ranks themselves are determined by the chiefs. Laws are dictated by the chiefs, and those who break these laws are severely punished. Punishment can range from solitary to unpaid service, or even exile. The west Rocers don't believe in killing their kind. Instead, they exile insubordinate by sending them to the Inner Loop or leaving them within the borders of 14621. Either way, they are never heard from again.
The eastern side is less rigid and is more divided up. District leaders are chosen to rule over subdistricts, having the streets act as natural borders between them. These leaders are usually elected, corruption is so rampant you might as well give it to the most popular person. Still, these leaders are mostly powerless and laws are merely seen as suggestions rather than rules that have to be followed. As such, there isn't really any punishment for breaking laws, but if you're a dick then you're probably going to get shot. However, there is also the supreme leader, usually the eldest and most experienced in the entirety of eastern Roc. The supreme leader's laws, called commandments, are much more prominent and those who defy them are ostracized and banished from society.
Industry & Trade
While there is no formal industry within The Roc, there are quite a few mercenaries for hire. While most people are fighting the war, others are assigned to offer their combat services to other districts for a means to get food or other supplies. This mostly extends to Yeast Ave, but in rare cases can be sent to further districts if need be.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of The Roc ranges from mildly acceptable to mostly decrepit. Roads are all cracked, and it isn't uncommon to find large crevices in the middle of some streets. Houses are mostly destroyed, with only some still standing. Larger buildings such as schools or libraries have much of their exterior mostly exposed while some parts have been patched up using the wood from the destroyed houses. The road that initially served as a natural border between the west and east side of The Roc has turned into a large pit that is only connected by shoddily made bridges. The western side has a railway track that connects the lower western part together and leads to Yeast Ave. The border between Roc and Yeast Ave. is blocked mostly by fallen trees and destroyed houses, but checkpoints have been set up between the western and eastern sides to allow trade. Other borders are mostly manmade, with some rock walls built at the Fairfield border, as well as a large fence between eastern Roc and Ron Dequois. The border with 14621 is quite lax, however, with only a sign warning what might happen if one were to cross.
Guilds and Factions
There are two major factions within the Roc, one occupying the west side of Goodman St. N, and one occupying the east side. While the west is ruled in a unified fashion by a group of chiefs, the east is divided into subdistricts and are ruled by elected district leaders, with one overarching supreme leader. These districts are similar to each other and only serve as markings for important strongholds.
History
The Roc was initially an incredibly peaceful place and was almost utopic in nature. It stood as a symbol of hope in the apocalypse that people could rebuild society from the ground up. Of course, this peace didn't last forever. No one remembers the exact time it happened, but The Roc quickly turned into a warzone as a result of a dispute gone wrong. What was the dispute? Hard to say, as there are many differing accounts. Some say the first settlers had conflicting religious views, and while they were initially tolerant of one another, it slowly grew into deeply harbored hatred. Others, however, say that the ruler of the first settlers made a bet with his advisor on which side was better, and escalated shortly after that. Whatever the reason, the two factions continue to fight and seem to have no plans of stopping any time soon.
Geography
The geography of The Roc can be described as a desert full of concrete. The city itself looks like ancient ruins but not as appealing. The land is relatively flat, with only slight changes in elevation. The western part borders the Genesee river, but the water itself is tainted. There are some forest-like areas on the eastern side, but much of it is dead or rotting.
Alternative Name(s)
Roc, The R-Zone
Type
District
Population
~ 400 - 600
Inhabitant Demonym
Rocers
Included Locations
Related Reports (Primary)
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