Massada
Atop a high mesa in the Karaq Wastes lies the citadel of Massada. This enormous stone fortress was built during the early 54th century by an isolationist cult. In TN 1188 (5601 A.D.), when the universe failed to end, the cult disbanded and abandoned Massada to the elements. Over the next two centuries, the empty settlement attracted various misfits and malcontents, becoming one of the first independent Badlands city-states.
In TN 1486, a young man named Mamoud Khodaverdi walked out of the desert and through the gates of Massada, changing the city forever. By TN 1495, Mamoud had gained such a large and powerful following that he was popularly declared the city’s ruler. The reforms which he introduced over the next few cycles, until his death in TN 1507, shaped Massada into the city it is today.
Massada is now a giant commune, led by Mamoud’s successors, always called the First Follower. In memory of the Gentle Prophet, the city offers sanctuary to any who enter its doors, regardless of allegiance or past deeds. Pilgrims constantly swarm the various shrines. Churches, temples and monasteries crowd the streets.
Life for the citizens of Massada is rather unusual. Their city is perpetually under siege by pilgrims, tourists, and travelers. Massada’s economy is based on a mix of agricultural and tourist activities. Hydroponic farms abound under the rocky surface of the city, fed by the underground river that runs under the mesa. Hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and shrines line the city’s streets, providing employment for thousands of Massada’s residents.
In TN 1929, First Follower Dreven Capac agreed to have the city become an unofficial CNCS protectorate because of concerns that it would be targeted by the South. A single regiment, the Norlight Armed Forces Blue Angels, were assigned to defend the city.
Predictions of Southern aggression came true in Spring of 1935 when the Blue Angels repelled an assault by the Southern MILICIA in a bloody standoff. The CNCS and NLC immediately sent an entire brigade (the 2nd Norlight) to Massada.
Massada has been gripped by chaos after Colonel Garner Fulan of the Blue Angels shocked Terra Nova by assassinating Second Follower Thor Hutchison on live trideo. For a long period following the incident, Massada has been swarming with military intelligence and security officers, all trying to discover just what drove a decorated, religious soldier to commit such a heinous crime.