Western Frontier Protectorate
The smallest of the Northern Leagues and the most vulnerable, the plains of the WFP border directly on the Badlands, without the mountain ranges that help protect the heartlands of the other Northern Leagues from their enemies. In the inter-League wars prior to the formation of the CNCS, the WFP often came out on the losing side, and they were on the front lines of the war with the CEF. These hardships have made the people of the WFP strong and self-reliant.
Much of the WFP is rural, and there are only three city-states, all of which are military bases. Only those with military service are considered citizens - all others are merely residents. Only citizens can vote, and only actively serving military offices can hold office. The WFP places great value in the concept of family. It’s common for Protectorate residents to put their family name before their given name, and the clans - old, extended families - have built up an impressive amount of influence over the Protectorate’s affairs.
To Westerners, the South is a major threat to their way of life, as the Southern Republic, Mekong Dominion, and Humanist Alliance do away with the concept of family. If the South ever decided to invade the North, they would no doubt do so through the WFP. Westerners feel that they have a better understanding of the Southern threat than other Northerners, and while their military is limited, they use it to thwart the South however they can.
Citizens & Clans
Western society is divided along two lines: citizenship and clan. Because only those having served 5 cycles in the army (or more in other allied forces) qualify for citizenship, a full two-thirds of the population does not have any voting rights. Although non-citizen residents are still ensured certain rights and many live happy lives, they do form a second class and can never achieve positions of true political leadership. Residents are still members of their clan, however, and this can be as important as voting rights.
Westerners take family prestige and heritage very importantly and most are willing to stand with their kin come hell or high water. The number of clans is huge, but most are loosely aligned with one of two factions. The Zuccite faction (headed by clan Zucco and Field Marshal Zucco Adamo) is the most powerful and is considered aggressive and conservative. Their more moderate rivals form the Maderan faction, headed by clan Maderas and Lang Regina herself. Non-citizens usually have their rights defended by relatives who have achieved citizenship. Westerners take clan so seriously that they traditionally place their family name ahead of their given name.
Counterculture
The West has a twin cultural legacy. On the one hand it is a land of self-reliant, conservative people who place great emphasis on military traditions and on their families. On the other hand, the league breeds a wild attitude that expresses itself both in the stereotypical Western tendency to go off halfcocked and a vibrant and extreme counterculture. Fort William is the Northern center of Shock, a musical and cultural style seemingly designed to upset conservative attitudes and appeal to young minds in search of rebellion.
Shock has played on tensions in the West, with many hits of the genre pointing accusing fingers at the army and appealing to non-citizen residents. Shock also tends to be critical of clan and emphasize individuality. Many traditional Westerners see the movement as an aberration, but others accept it as a natural outlet for teenage rebellion and the frustration of mounting tensions with the South. Indeed, if the South were to attack, few Westerners doubt they would see their streets become combat zones once again.
Fort Architecture
The city-states of the Western Frontier Protectorate all share a similar architecture: they are fortified to serve as defensive hubs for large regions of the Western plains. Each city-state hides behind a complex array of walls and defensive works, interspersed with large air defense laser batteries. The former will stop all but the most determined overland assaults, while the latter can knock down enemy missiles and aircraft before they can attack.
Because these fortifications were built over a long period of time (starting with basic perimeter fences during the early days of the settlement), each city has a somewhat chaotic, unplanned look to it. Streets are narrow and winding, though large and tough enough to support armored vehicles. Armored gates block the streets at many points, and tank traps are visible in the outer neighborhoods. Houses and other buildings are likewise reinforced, though the inhabitants often decorate them with murals or personal items to liven up their drab and functional appearance.
All three forts have undergone serious renovations and repairs since the War of the Alliance. The WFP suffered under CEF orbital and ground assault during much of the war. Large chunks of outlying territory effectively became enemy territory, but none of the forts ever fell — despite repeated attempts. Postwar construction has been well-planned and organized, but has nevertheless added to the chaos of fort architecture. Colonial-era walls now have new sections and moats, and hopper bays and helipads have been installed in many of the highest structures for launching fast-attack aircraft against enemy targets. As well, smaller forts have been built in the country-side, based around medium sized communities and army bases. Although not has impressive as the three main forts, these bases help protect the agricultural heartland of the Protectorate.