Hub entrance



The Hub Entrance is the outskirts of the California Wasteland's largest city, The Hub. Part farm, part thoroughfare, part stevedore's docks, the Entrance is never short on activity or security. Despite the fact that it is not the most attractive or useful part of town, the Entrance nevertheless forms the first glimpse of city life to most Wasteland wanderers. The earnest adventurer can find enough action to slake any wanderlust here, as caravans are often willing to hire those brave or foolish enough to desire a taste of the dangerous life of a caravan guard.

The Caravans
As the Hub forms what is closest to a centralized trading location as exists in the Wasteland, caravans use the city both as a jumping-off and landing port. Consequently, the caravans needed a place to load and unload goods, hire new guards and hands, and do business. The Entrance made the most logical choice for these functions; its wide open road is in acceptable condition, and there is no shortage of room for caravan carts and their handlers. At any time, up to a half-dozen caravans can be spotted at the Hub's Entrance, each with an attendant crowd milling about.

Security is tighter here than, perhaps, anywhere else in the Hub. A strong presence from the Hub Police gives lawbreakers a pause, while the usually more heavily-armed caravan guards stand ready to give any potential thief a permanent stop. Despite this strong show of force, the caravans typically do not carry anything of interest to the casual thief.

While caravan duty is, without question, one of the most dangerous jobs in the wasteland, it can nevertheless be a good way to gain experience, coin, and companions on a trip to another settlement. While the fatality rate among caravan guards is distressingly high, caravans themselves are more than willing to sign on new guards. Some of the smaller caravans will recruit on the spot, while larger caravans, such as Crimson Caravan and Far Go Traders require potential applicants to visit offices in the town itself.

The Necessities of Life
Much of the area away from the roadway is given over to agriculture. Hub residents tend fields of mutant corn and lettuce at almost all times. However, few people actually live in the Entrance area, preferring instead to reside further within the city, safer from raider or animal attacks.

On the furthest outskirts of town are several brahmin pens. Rather than have their draft animals wander about at risk of theft, the caravans pen their animals near the end of the road. Generally, at least a half-dozen brahmin are penned and waiting step-off with a caravan. Being that these animals represent a livelihood to the caravan masters, anyone foolish enough to attack the brahmin will likely have the full weight of the caravan guards falling upon them in short order.