The Wasteland

Hey guys,

a little history lesson about The Wasteland ;) I put together a short story from my notes.
Thought it’d be nice to share.

Northton-Rinsdale Intermunicipal Industrial Belt, what a name. A certain gentleman by the name of Alderman Righard Baumstark came up with it in the late 1800s to strengthen the partnership between Rinsdale and Northton Ville. But the belt’s foundations were laid long before that. The origins trace back to the Industrial Revolution. In the mid-1700s, early factories began appearing around Rinsdale, then known as part of the so called Rust Belt. As industry grew, it stretched closer and closer to Northton Ville, and eventually began connecting both places.

The Belt represented progress: factories produced everything from rail parts and metal components to complex machinery and steel. In 1832, the railway connecting Northton Ville and Rinsdale was completed, playing a very important role in the belt’s rise. The new line wasn’t just for moving goods, it became the lifeline of the region, transporting workers and materials between both towns and the rest of the country. The belt even had its own train station, located right in the middle of the line. (Fun fact: today, passengers on the twenty minute ride between Rinsdale and Northton Ville still catch glimpses of the crumbling train station which is no longer in use.)

Back to the story. This rapid development helped elevate Rinsdale’s national standing, turning it into a recognized economic and technological hub. Meanwhile, Northton Ville, though originally a small village, grew significantly, especially near the belt. A whole new quarter was developed to accommodate the growing labour force and businesses.

By the 1950s, both towns had become tightly interwoven through shared labour, transportation, and economic interests. At its peak, the belt truly united the towns. Workers from both sides filled the factories. Northton Ville remained a village in size, but its livelihood was deeply tied to Rinsdale’s economy. The industrial belt served as the economic backbone of the region, and cooperation between the towns was at its strongest.

Decline and Collapse

This unity, sadly, didn’t last forever. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, outsourcing, cost-cutting on labour, and corrupt decision making gradually pulled the belt apart. Profits were prioritized for wealthy stakeholders, and blame was tossed between towns. Communication broke down, and no unified action was taken. Some factories were left idle in hopes of state buyouts that never came.

Henry Bagshaw, Alderman of Economics in Northton Ville at the time, was among those who ignored or downplayed the decline. He and others managed to benefit personally while the area began to rot.

By the 2000s, the industrial belt had become a shell of what it once was. The factories were abandoned, the soil polluted, and the infrastructure left to decay. Plans to redevelop the area surfaced now and then, but the scale of the project and cost were too overwhelming. Over time, locals stopped calling it by its official name. Instead, they referred to it simply as: The Wasteland.

The name stuck, unofficial, but universally known. It came to describe the corridor of broken industry stretching between the towns. Kilometers of rusted steel, collapsed roofs, and graffiti-covered walls. Children were told not to go anywhere near it.

The effects on surrounding communities were huge. The Northton Ville quarter that bordered the Wasteland, once a labour neighbourhood, suffered heavily. As factories closed, jobs vanished. Poverty took place, and the area became one of the roughest parts of the village. Its residents, many who had relied entirely on the factories for income, were left with little to fall back on.

Beacon of Light

Despite the decline, the old train continued to operate. Since its creation in 1832, it has remained a vital and symbolic connection between Northton Ville and Rinsdale. It became a cherished landmark for the struggling people of Northton Ville, who fiercely opposed efforts to modernize or replace it. For many, the train stood as one of the last proud reminders of the town’s former prosperity.

Even today, tourists and locals alike ride the original route, a twenty minute journey. Occasionally, parts of the journey reveal abandoned structures, rusted towers, or the crumbling remains of the belt’s factories. Silent relics of a vanished era...

Present Day

It still holds many secrets ;)