It took me a great deal of time and thought before I was satisfied with the set up of the Amelorica, the world in which Woven Destinies and Scavenger’s Bonded are set in. Below I’ve explained more about the world in greater detail and at the very bottom is a map I put together. I am by no means a cartographer but the map gives a general idea of where the villages, cities, and main points of Uanty and Hellam are.
If you don’t want spoilers don’t read any further.
The first faction I’ll be exploring are the Scavengers and their Installations.
Scavengers seem animalistic, frothing beasts, however they aren’t. In Birch’s Faith they are mentioned, but never revealed as I wanted to be able to explore them in depth. Therefore, they are introduced as a teaser in Birch so you can see the dangers these villagers face on a daily basis. In the Scavenger’s Bonded series I explore each class within an installation and the installations themselves.
Scavenger Installations began as places where the government hid the scientists experimenting during The Dying. When nothing worked and the world fell into The Chaos the scientists and their experiments remained here for protection. Through the years it slowly evolved into what you see today with different classes within the facilities. Each class has a tattoo marking them if they have passed certain tests. The tattoo scrolls around the base of their neck with a letter below the pulse point on their chest, there are tattoos on each wrist as well.
The Abiras are the individuals who now conduct the experiments. Gene mutation and DNA manipulation to name a few. I chose this name as Abira in Hebrew means strong and though they seem weak compared to all the other classes, they are the strongest as they are the creators. As such they can control every other class within the Installation. An Abira has an ‘A’ tattooed amidst their scroll work.
The Leader is the second highest class within the Installation. They are bred to command as Abiras prefer to not have to deal with the day to day life within the facility. There are usually at least four in each Scavenger Installation and sometimes up to eight depending on how large the facility is. They balance the volatile energy within the Installations. They are the foundation. The Leader has a ‘L’ tattooed amidst their scroll work
The Death Shepherds are the third tier within the Installation. They are bred to protect the Abiras and Leaders. Their abilities vary from walking within shadows to astral projection assassination. This group leads the tests for the facilities as well as the torture. They are the Installations’ boogeymen. Though they do many things with their energy they are also warriors as again they are the second in command below the Leaders. The Death Shepherd has a ‘D’ tattooed amidst the scroll work.
The Jingoist are the most common within the Installation. They are bred to control the Broken, the Warriors and other Scavengers that Leaders use in the field. More volatile and animalistic these individuals are extremely aggressive. Most can be identified by not only their tattoos, but also by their hair changing from it’s natural color to blood red and the whites of their eyes becoming red as well. The change alerts those around them to be on alert as it boosts the Jingoists’s strength as well as their other senses. The Jingoists have a ‘J’ amidst their tattooed scroll work.
The Broken are individuals that have been tortured so much they are literally broken. These are not rare within the facilities. These are the animals and raving beasts seen by humans outside the installation. They are the epitome of insanity and have no markings.
The Warriors/Soldiers are also used for raids and guarding the facility, however their use is different than the Broken in that they are more strategic. This is the army. They are bred with strength and agility but are not true Scavengers so do not wear any marks.
The Truthsayers are used in special circumstances. They are extremely rare. They are not bred nor made. They are individuals who were bred to be Abiras or Death Shepherds who have had their mind ravaged so badly they are no more. It is a rare occurrence for Truthsayers to leave their installation and they are primarily kept as pets. When these individuals are made into Truthsayers they lose all sense of themselves.
This special rank has a ‘T’ tattooed within the scroll work, however they also have red ‘X’s on the corner of their left eye stating how many Betrayers it has found within the Installation.
The Drudges are the last class within the Installation and are aptly named. These individuals have no markings, they are the lowest of the low. They are unremarkable in every way from their appearance to having no energy, no strength and no agility to assist the soldiers. This class is at their base forms slaves within the Installation. They clean up the pits after the carnage, the blood after the torture and whatever else they are commanded.
This section tells about the Scavenger regions of Woven Destinies. The largest map encompasses North America. I broke this down to make it easier to see each point. Each Scavenger Installation is based on a color and below I explain what the color is and the facility’s specialty. There are four primary installations with offshoots when the installation reaches capacity.
The Northern Installation is known for its starkness. It is the most brutal facility with no comforts. Their main focus is training Leaders, Warriors, and Jingoists for the coming war. This is the Installation Reaper, Kaos, and Naktmerrié were born into and escaped from. It is almost always covered in snow. The color for the Northern Installation is White. However, because the map’s background is white I placed the triangle in black.
The Southern Installation is known for its knowledge in energy. It produces more Truthsayers than the other facilities as it trains more Abiras and Death Shepherds. There are at least two known Installations affiliated with the Southern Installation’s main facility. The primary facility where Stryfe, Tyr, and Íana are from and the secondary facility where Zroya was born. There is only one listed to the south as no one knows the location of the other… Yet. The color for the Southern Installation is an Orange-red like flames.
The Eastern Installation was known for its strategy. However, this installation has not been heard from since the Scavenger Wars as the Peoltveua (check name spelling) tore the facility down, literally. The color for the Eastern Installation is Blue.
The Western Installation is known for their experiments, which pushes the boundaries beyond every other facility. It is a warren of caves to the west. Their primary focus is opening up unusual DNA patterns. These Scavengers have animalistic characteristics both inside and out for the world to see. We see portions of these Scavengers in D’Reaper’s Destiny as it is the Installation Zroya is being traded to. This Installation is explored more during the book Sara’s Kaos. The color for the Western Installation is Green.
The Mutant Free Zone (aka MFZ) –
How the cities of the MFZ and the Villages to the West came to be ~
After The Chaos had passed and the Warlords were subdued, the remaining individuals that had formed the armed forces turned to the east. Their goal was to stop the mutants from spreading across the whole continent and contaminating the human race. With this in mind they reinforced natural barriers, blew up all the bridges and created a massive chasm to the east to pen the mutants in. This area is called the Mutant Free Zone, or the MFZ for short, and their residents are referred to as Z’ers. The military that formed from these actions became known as the Frontliners, or Liners.
When things became more stable the MFZ cities formed the Council for the Protection of Humanity and their headquarters became Chios. The protection offered in this zone drew people in and made it the most populated region within Amelorica.
To the West are the villages. The occupants there have carved out a life away from the Warlords and those who live within them prefer the simpler life compared to the cities. However, the villagers face just as many adversaries as the MFZ, more so since they face not only Scavengers, but are victims of Rogue and Bandit attacks as well. Both dangerous in their own way.
The Council, in an effort to reduce violence, forbids firearms for any but serving military and police. An effort made easier since the ammunition is scarce and they control the only production facilities. This left the humans all but defenseless, since Bandits and Rogues still have access to guns and ammo, and Scavengers are genetically enhanced. However, many survivors quickly adapted and began using bows, staves, improvised explosive compounds, and shockguns, which are allowed or at least not expressly forbidden.
Many people had fled the old cities and made their own villages, clans and communities spread through the empty wastelands to the North and West. The areas nearer the MFZ are safer, while further away there is the safety of isolation and being away from what some feel is the oppression of Frontliners but a higher risk of attack. Since The Dying Time has made a lasting impact many people still prefer isolation or a wandering existence, always on the move.
Mutant Free Zone Cities (aka the cities of the MFZ):
Mytilene – Was the last city to form and the smallest. Located in the corner where old Kentucky, Ohio and West Viriginia meet, this city is best known for its knowledge. Individuals go here for more skilled learning such as doctors, inventors, navigators, builders, etc. This city also houses the largest grid library.
Chios – Chios is the largest of the cities due to it being the seat of not only the council, but also the military and the MFZ Central Intelligence. This was one of the first cities to be inhabited and cleaned up. It is situated north of where West Virginia once was.
Samos – Sprawled across what used to be known as Ohio, is known for its varied agricultural farms. This city is best known for its liquor, the most well known are Samos Scotch and Asilene Rum.
Icaria – Is the trade city, closest to the ocean in the southeast, well before the Chasm. It had been the last standing city from The Dying Time and had barely survived The Chaos. It is also a city that has not dismantled the old world magnetic highways. Located near Norfolk, Virginia the city center and the wharf have eclectic buildings. Many cultures and languages can be found here, since it was the primary sea route between the various continents over seas and the MFZ. Due to so much trade, it has become known as the cultural center of the MFZ.
Villages:
Ketewah – This is the main hub for the villages to the west and is the largest settlement by far. It is the home of the characters within Birch’s Faith as well as those in the Scavenger’s Bonded series.
Kliendorf – This is a large settlement that sits between the villages to the west and the MFZ. Due to its close proximity to the MFZ it has more modern medical equipment as well as a medical facility that assists the villages to the west. This settlement is explored in Birch’s Faith as well as in D’Reaper’s Destiny.
Across The Chasm ~ Uanty and Hellam:
Uanty – Is home of the Peolteaveu introduced in Birch’s Faith and explored more deeply in Naktmerie’s Monster. Within Uanty there are numerous villages filled with those who have been banished from the cities of the MFZ, and Quaan leads the council for both the Peolte (humans who live within Uanty), as well as Peoltveaue (also known as Mutants and Monsters by those in the MFZ). Both Quaan and the Speyressa meet with each exiled person before accepting them, and if needed their family, within Uanty. As the Speyressa, Shae in Naktmerie’s Monster, can delve into human minds, she knows who the truly evil people are and Quaan handles those unfit to make a life within Uanty. Some of the families choose to settle in Uanty but some are hesitant to trust another government and choose to go to Hellam where they govern themselves and answer to no law.
Hellam – Is lawless and is named for one of the gateways that lead to hell. There are several villages that dot the landscape. Most have their own form of Defenders so there is some order within their borders. However, beyond the village borders there are no laws.