Setting - Freistatt, Minnesota

Freistatt is a thriving, bustling metropolitan community in Minnesota, was originally founded in the late 1800's on the southwest side of a three-river convergence. Over the centuries the town and grown and spread to all side of the convergence and currently has a population 3.5 million. Despite this large population, the city is quite compact. An easy one-half to one hour drive will have you in more rural environments. As is typical of a lot of large cities, it is made of various suburbs that have been incorporated over time.

*DISCLAIMER: Geographic note, this city is loosely based on the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and surrounding suburbs. Some geographical features of the area may be different in-game from real life.

Area History

The history of these United States follows the same timeline as real life history, for the most part. The timeline starts to diverge at the appearance of the red star, Talos (to those that could see it), in 1999.

It wasn't just the supernatural realms that has losses during the Week of Nightmares. No one is sure if it was sleeper terrorist cells, or who is really responsible for the destruction of several federal government sites that immediately to the USA in perilous territory. Politicians scrambled to find some rein to hold onto. Meanwhile, states closed borders.

Freistatt became a sanctuary island state, and welcomed many refugees from other states. The sudden influx of people required adjustments that took years to find a balance too.

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Supernatural Point of View

All the changes happened too fast for it to have all been in the hand of mortals. What or who was influencing Hester Shore, remains unknown.

The Technocracy holds a fraction of the mages they use to, the ones that still live are divided into managerial positions directing their division of "enlightened citizens".

The Traditions have had to be a little more careful in their dealings. Within the last few months there have been whispers that scrying into the conservative states has led to days of nightmares where the mage is forced to watch their avatar be tortured.

While President Chastain is handling the mortal side in Washington, it is going hard fight on the ground to change ideas, and have a fulfilling life as mortal or mage.

Bygones have found the earth even more restrictive of their presence, forcing them to flee conservative areas as disbelief in those area became tighter. Already scarce on earth, this change in belief caused the loss of many bygones. Bygone familiars, feeling this shift earlier than mages could, often urged their mages to pickup and move to safer places. Those familiar not able to convince their mage to move, or too weak to do so, find themselves confined to sanctums or private gardens; the bubbles in reality that accept them. In liberal states, like Minnesota, bygones still must pass themselves off as humans in cities, but they don't suffer the same level of disbelief as bygones elsewhere. The forests of the state have become a refuge for bygones as well.

Laws

All laws players are use to in the RL United States apply to this segment of the game. Where laws would differ between States, differ to Minnesota state laws.

Law enforcement consists of city police for the city proper, and Sheriffs for the more rural areas. If it not unusual to see Sheriffs in the city, especially around the government centers.

Government

State Government

Freistat is the state capital, as such is houses both the state and city government systems.
State government consists the following:

• Legislative Branch - Responsibilities: Enact and revise laws at the state level
  • House of Representatives - 134 members (two from each district)
  • Senate - 67 members (1 from each district)
  • Legislative Commissions
• Executive Branch
  • State Auditor
    • Attorney General
  • Governor
    • State Departments and Agencies
  • Lieutenant Governor
    • Secretary of State (also answers to Governor)
• Judicial Branch
  • Supreme Court
  • Court of Appeals
  • District Court

Freistatt City Government

• Board of Estimate and Taxation
• Mayor
  • Office of Community Safety
  • Office of Public Service
  • Office of City Attorney
• City Council
  • Office of City Attorney
  • Office of City Clerk
  • Office of City Auditor
• Park & Recreation Board
  • Office of City Auditor

Mayor: Tim Boyd
City Council
Valerie Barber		Traci Padilla		Jackie Adams		Ida Austin
Bethany Anderson		Celia Wallace		Rickey Caldwell		Theresa Norris
Lynda Castro		Amelia Walker		Maggie Meyer		Maxine Bryan
Cheryl Roy

Maps

• Freistatt Map - highway overview map
• Freistatt Downtown Map
• White Elk Map
• Pine Springs Map
• Waterton Map

--- More to be written.