Frostpunk: Commonwealth of New London
As with all my stories on this blog.
All Images used in this story are taken from Google Images as well as from varied sources on Pinterest, I do not have copyright use for these images and if requested I shall happily remove them.
I do not intend to make any profit from this story as it is solely for the purpose of entertainment and enjoyment.
I would recommend that you read the other two Frostpunk stories I have written before going into here, plus I must give some spoiler warnings for Frostpunk 2 main story however it is only minor.
The Links to the other stories are below:
Frostpunk: Cities and Leaders:
https://deadmonkshortstories.blogspot.com/2024/06/frostpunk-cities-and-leaders.html
Frostpunk: The Frost-Land Treaty
https://deadmonkshortstories.blogspot.com/2025/07/frost-punk-frost-land-treaty.html
Regardless please do enjoy
Total Population 1927 Survey:
Over One hundred and twelve thousand, three hundred and eighty two
One of the major powers in the Frostlands, the Commonwealth of New London was founded following the survival of the city of its name sake. New London was among the first Generator sites to be completed, with the intent of it serving as the evacuation site for those refugee citizens from the original London. Despite problems reaching the site during the anarchy gripping the nation during the freeze and then losing their Land Dreadnought resulting in them having to walk the rest of the way, during which many were lost to the cold.
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| Commonwealth of New London Flag - 1927 |
The Citizens under the leadership of the Captain were able to establish a viable and self sustaining settlement around the Generator, with much work they were able to set up mining facilities for coal, iron and wood. They built up "Hot Houses" to grow food crops, hunting parties and scouts were sent out to bring in additional resources including food.
Following the "Storm to End all Storms", the city began to branch outwards in an effort to find and gather the resources needed to rebuild civilisation properly. During these era of rebuilding, the Commonwealth was properly formed by the Captain roughly 10 years following the passing of the Storm. Its political structure was built to mirror parts of the old British governmental system, with a parliament comprised of elected representatives that would vote on matters such as laws and of course major decisions. Above the Parliament, would be the Captain and later following his passing, was the position of "Steward of the Commonwealth", who would serve as the Executive branch of the government, proposing laws to Parliament and managing the infrastructure of the Commonwealth.
After encountering and experiencing independents like when Outpost 11 revolted and formed the Union of the Frostlands, as well as settlements of survivors in different parts of the Frostlands. The Commonwealth began to focus on expansion for the sake of resources as well as population density. The Captain before their passing put to Parliament the idea of expansion to ensure continued survival, not just to gain access to new untapped resources but also for the sake of ensuring living space for a recovering and growing human population.
The Commonwealth of New London now has a number of colonies, towns and settlements across the Frostlands with a clearly defined territory being regarded as Commonwealth Territory. Some of these Colonies were established by New London during its expansion whilst others were Generator sites that voluntarily joined the Commonwealth.
Now the Commonwealth of New London has become a stable nation within the Frostlands despite coming close to a full blown civil war within its capitol as factional division nearly tore the city apart. But thanks to its elected Steward, the city and the Commonwealth managed to pull through the infighting and forged a peace which stabilised the nation as a whole. Though it has experienced external conflicts with other nations, yet most of these have subsided ending with a truce and even proper peace treaties.
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| Left - Frostland Skyway, Right - City Bus Service |
The different cities, towns and settlements of the Commonwealth are all interconnected through a carefully built network of skyways, large pylons that support strong cables which cable cars move between different stations. In fact there are two kinds of skyways in the Commonwealth, those in the cities which are smaller and are specifically for passengers, basically taking on the role of buses allowing for easy movement around the city. Then there are the Frostland Skyways, which are larger, more durable and whose cares are a mix of both heavy duty cargo carriers which are used to transport goods, materials, supplies etc between locations, the Oil tanker carriers which are purpose built for the role, then the Passenger liners, which allow for people to move between cities, towns and settlements safely and in relative comfort.
For those locations that are not connected by the Skyways, there are means of transport via alternative means, one if the old fashioned Frostland Trails which are used through short distance travels, mostly the delivery of materials and resources from an outpost to a town or settlement. Or the use of the Airship service, this is where large airships are used to transport materials, supplies as well as people back and forth between locations and sites that are not accessible to alternatives.
For instance the Commonwealth Air-Corps, which serves as an Air Force in the Commonwealth Military, use their airships to provide transport and resupply for the forts and outposts that the C.W.M [Commonwealth Military] operate and maintain.
Internationally, the Commonwealth is at peace but continues to experience tension from two other neighbouring powers. Its main rival being the Sovereignty of New Albion to the west and the Divine Autocracy to the south. But it also has close trading partners and allies, its allies include the Union of the Frostlands to the North and the Victorian Free State to the South East. With trade agreements with other nations further out which are slowly becoming friendlier with the Commonwealth, these include the Republic of Glacias to the east, Celtic Union to the far south and the Frankian Alliance to the Far South East.
Major Cities and Colonies:
These are large population centres that are interconnected through Skyways and airship transports, these are proper cities that have been built up over the course of years with interlocking trade and industries. Rather than being selective into one single area of focus, I.E fuel extraction, resource collection, farming etc, these cities and colonies have a mix of all, ensuring that each though dependent on one another for survival are able to provide for their citizens basic needs.
Though this does not apply to all cities, as some were founded specifically for a specific purpose, such as access to a certain resource that the Commonwealth requires. An Example of this is, Old Dreadnought, which was founded due to access to vast amounts of Oil.
New London: Capitol City
"For the Future we Serve, for the Future we must persevere" Official Motto of New London.
Population 1927 survey: Fifty Seven Thousand, four hundred and ninety two.
The central point of the entire Commonwealth, New London is the Capitol and the namesake of the Commonwealth, it serves as a beacon of the Commonwealth, proof of what can be achieved with hard work, cooperation, determination and above all unity.
Originally New London was focused within a large crater with the generator built in the exact centre of the crater. It was established there due to the large amounts of resources wood, coal and iron to support not just the establishment of a city at the site but also to provide resources in order to maintain it. For years the city was focused within the crater itself and immediate survival, though outposts were established further out but in close proximity to the city.
These Outposts would be later turned into Logistics districts when the City expanded.
New London was very much contained within the relative protection of the crater itself, this only changed as the needs of the city had grown as with the population within the city itself. Supplies of coal within the Crater were practically gone, as well as this the need for living space for a rapidly growing population was limited within the crater.
By the time the factional conflict within the city broke out, New London had grown out from the crater a great deal, there were dozens of districts from food production, to extraction districts, industrial districts and of course three major logistic districts to connect with the rest of the Commonwealth.
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| New London - 1924 |
Whilst most of the Extraction districts have been converted into industrial, or warehousing districts or been torn down in favour of new housing. New London does provide support for the rest of the Commonwealth, its placement between the different Colonies, towns and settlements, makes it a key in the transportation of goods and materials across the commonwealth. All the Skyways are linked with New London so most of the trade goods within the Commonwealth pass through the warehouses in the city.
The city remains the centre of the Political workings of the entire commonwealth, whilst each of the cities, towns and settlements have localised elected governance like Governors in colonies or mayors in towns and settlements. The Commonwealth Parliament remains as the main legislative and law making body for the Commonwealth as a whole and Parliament is of course held in New London. As well as Political, military structure is centred in New London, with the Commonwealth Armed Forces having its primary headquarters in New London, plus it is the headquarters of the Commonwealths Air-Corps as well as the main air-base for its fleet of military airships.
Old Dreadnought: Major Colony
"Keep the warmth flowing" Motto of Old Dreadnought
Population 1927 survey: Thirteen Thousand, One Hundred and Nine
The first major settlement effort by New London, Old Dreadnought was originally a broken shell of its name sake, a giant land dreadnought that were built around the same time as the Generators. These giant constructs were built to serve as the primary transportation for refugees to the Generator sites, each "vessel" capable of transporting hundreds of people alongside vast amounts of necessary supplies.
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| Early Colonial Efforts of Old Dreadnought |
At the time, the colony was established to provide emergency support for New London as the city was running low on fuel for the generator and local sources were not enough to support the growing city. So the site was settled originally just as a large settlement meant to provide resources to New London, but as the emergency need passed by, the Settlement grew into a complete colony with the Old Dreadnoughts shell serving as the central point, its own Generator serving as the central hub for the colony.
As the Commonwealth began to take proper shape, the Colony was expanded on into a complete city, with its own industrial districts to provide trade goods for the populace and their own food hubs to provide a surplus of food for the city. Later the Dreadnought hub was refitted, the improvised bridge between the broken pieces of the Dreadnought itself, that went across the gorge was replaced with a proper structure. Eventually parts of the Entire structure were replaced with more sustainable constructions, replacements and constructs that made it easier to maintain and provide heat and power to the entire city more efficiently.
Though the cities main export remains its oil supply, which it sends out in huge quantities to other parts of the Commonwealth, it has begun to expand into other trades. One for example is transportation, like the other major colonies and cities in the Commonwealth, Old Dreadnought serves as a transport hub, in its case towns and settlements to the West are connected to the city and then by extension to the rest of the Commonwealth.
In recent years the City gained an additional aura, due to the city being the host for the First Frostland Treaty, where the Commonwealth of New London hosted a negotiation of all the known "Nations" of the Frostlands in an effort to establish an agreement for the establishment of "Borders" as well as the beginnings of "International Trade", alongside agreements that would create the so called "Rules of War".
Winterhome: Major Colony
"From the Ashes we rise anew" motto of Winterhome
Population 1927 survey: Fourteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Five
The second effort of major colonisation, Winterhome was actually a success story during the early years of the Frost, in fact Winterhome was originally a research station controlled by the British military, but as trouble grew back in Britain it quickly grew into a major city.
Under strict and disciplined leadership the City had high hopes, with plenty of resources and manpower, they were able to do much in a short space of time, they produced a number of automatons, they constructed a large steel bridge over a deep, wide ravine, they had a fully functional outpost even an observatory. But troubles in the city brought about its original downfall, the Generator started to experience all manner of problems and difficulties, meaning the very thing that the city relied on to provide heat and power was at risk.
It was unclear what the cause was, possibly a rushed effort to construct the Generator, substandard materials, poor workmanship, it is unknown even to this day. Plus there was an extreme strain on resources, Winterhomes success had brought a considerable Immigration, as people hoped to find safety and survival within Winterhome. In response to all these troubles, the Captain of the city, an officer in the British military imposed strict authoritarian control over Winterhome in an effort to maintain order.
However according to survivors, this only brought greater problems, as the city under the Captain suffered from all kinds of mismanagement. This culminated in the first major malfunction of the cities generator, which was the final straw for the citizens who rose up in rebellion against the Captain, much of the city was destroyed in the fighting and the Generator suffered more damage, despite overthrowing the Captain, the citizens of Winterhome knew they couldn't stay.
Efforts were made to evacuate the population to a Land Dreadnought that had been discovered, which after being repaired transported those wanting to leave to another Generator site where they founded the Victorian Free State.
Since Winterhome had all the resources to support a colony it was chosen, over the course of several months, structures were built to contain and remove the threat of the toxic gases that had poisoned the site for so long. Eventually with more time the colony truly grew with the horrors of the past being remembered in a memorial constructed at the old Generator.
Now Winterhome is a complete colony for the Commonwealth and a great success, the geo-thermal vents provide all the heat and power for the new main generator, meaning the city doesn't require external sources of fuel like coal or oil. Besides its access to Geo-Thermal sources of heat, the city has abundance of minerals around it, from iron to copper, lead, tin, magnesium and even some veins of gold and silver.
With such access to mineral wealth, Winterhome has become the home of the Commonwealth Mint, where not only Heat stamps, which remain the primary form of currency in the Frostlands, are printed but also the ideas for the future currency of the Commonwealth which hopes to one day reintroduce the classic British Pound sterling.
Windward Moor: Major Colony
"No weather shall hold us back" Motto of Windward Moor
Population 1927 survey: Eleven Thousand, Six Hundred and eighty five.
The third major effort for colonisation by the Commonwealth into the Frostlands, Windward Moor was among the most difficult sites to settle for the Commonwealth as it lacked any form of natural protection from the weather, it was situated on a large open relatively flat plain. Despite all the difficulties though it was decided to colonise the location due to its access to some sources of coal, iron, wood and some Geo-Thermal venting.
But the biggest supply that the site could provide was in the form of food, the soil beneath the snow was very fertile and would provide an abundance for green and hot houses. So with a lot of effort a new generator was established at the site and eventually full colonisation efforts were underway, it took some time to establish a viable colony but when it was completed, the citizens had good lives to live.
There was a plan during the early years after the discovery of the site, it was considered given the hostility of the site in terms of weather, of perhaps using it as a type of Penal colony. So instead of constructing prisons within the cities, towns and settlements across the Commonwealth, convicts would instead be sent to Windward Moor for the duration of their sentences. However this plan was put aside after individuals in Parliament made clear points of it being a system of punishment was flawed given the cruelty and extreme risks the "Citizens" would face.
Plus there were aspects of the Commonwealths own constitution declaring the banning of cruel and extreme punishments for crimes committed. And the argument was made and agreed that forcing people to settle, live and work in an extreme location as punishment for a crime even minor ones would fall into the category. So all plans and ideas of creating a penal colony were scrapped in favour of a true and proper civil effort to colonise the frostlands.
One of the mainstays of the city is its reindeer herds, after trial and error, a herd of reindeer was successfully domesticated and from there other small herds were domesticated into a sizeable population.
These animals are not just kept for use in transportation to pull sleds, but also are viable for food in the form of fresh meat, which is a considerable improvement from the old method of hunting for meat. An added benefit from domesticating the reindeer, is a biproduct that is transported to every corner of the Commonwealth for use in hot houses and greenhouses, their manure is used as fertilizer to maintain the viability of the soil used to grow food.
The only constant problem that Windward Moor has to face is the limited protection from Whiteouts, meaning that the full force of a whiteout can impact the colony. To try and mediate and minimise the wind sheers, large protective covers were erected around the circumference of the city limits. These covers are basically large metals plates with steel wires and supports to provide a wall around the city to give some protection from the weather.
New Manchester: Major Colony
"Through Perseverance we triumph" Motto of New Manchester
Population 1927 survey: Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and eighty one.
Nearly another failure in the Frostlands, New Manchester was established to serve as the evacuation site for the city of its name sake. However there were all manner of problems that wracked the city through the Frost, a lack of effective leadership as well as the simple fact that most of the refugees lacked the skills needed to not only construct the city but maintain it.
To add to the problems, supplies of materials meant to be present at the site for initial construction never arrived, so when the refugees got the site, they had to scavenge for resources in order to build housing for themselves as well as get the Generator running. Food stocks were sorely lacking with some having to be thrown away as they had succumbed to rot and decay.
Things got so bad that eventually the people were considering abandoning the site entirely and trying to make their way to another Generator site, one that had been settled and properly established that might take them in. But when scouts were sent out, they encountered the Arks. The scientists and engineers there were sympathetic and despite having a duty of care for the Seedlings within their three large Arks, they agreed to help.
In exchange for the help, New Manchester promised aid to the Arks in the form of a trade agreement, where the city would send the Arks materials that were limited at their site to help maintain the Seedling Arks. When the pair were encountered by the Commonwealth of New London, both agreed to join and become part of the nation, for New Manchester it meant more support in growing into a true city and that support came, resources to aid in construction and even people moving to the city to start new lives.
Today New Manchester is very different from what it was decades ago, it has grown from a small city that was having to work very hard to maintain itself into a vibrant and prosperous major Colony of the Commonwealth of New London. With skyways and airships bringing and sending out trade goods on a regular basis, another benefit for the city is it being closer to the Republic of Glacias, meaning trade between the Commonwealth and the Republic often is focused with New Manchester serving as the primary transport and trading hub in the region.
Towns and Settlements:
Towns and Settlements of the Commonwealth are much harder to quantify, they can be large constructs, similar to how the cities of the Frostlands used to look, very much akin to small cities focused around a Generator. Or they could smaller, being locations that once served as Outposts that relied heavily on resupply from one of the major cities. But over time these outposts grew and with support became partly self sustainable and could support a relatively large population.
For example, some Towns or Settlements have a population close to 2,000 residents with more built up towns having more than even that, when compared to those of Outposts that generally do not go above one to two hundred.
Ark-Town: Town
"Hope for the future, hope to see the Forests again" Motto of Ark-Town
Population 1927 survey: One Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy
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| The Arks - Pre Commonwealth |
These Seedling Arks were designed by the British Government as a special repository for the containment and protection of cryogenically preserved seeds, saplings and plants of nearly every known form of flora on the planet. The idea was and remains to the this very day, to preserve them within the Arks beyond the grip of the Icey apocalypse gripping tight the planet, so that when Ice Age comes to an end, they can be planted once more and bring about the rebirth of life.
Originally during it foundation following the great freeze there was not intended to be a large population at the site, most of the people brought there were engineers, scientists and botanists as well as their immediate families. Their focus was to maintain the Arks, keep the temperature within secure so that the seeds and plants within would not be lost, to support this effort, the Arks were given a number of Automatons to work other areas, such as resource extraction.
As time went on, despite all manner of difficulties that the site faced such as problems in maintaining the Arks and agreeing to help the people of New Manchester, they have managed to maintain the Seedling Arks. Thanks to its close connection to New Manchester, the scientists and engineers at Ark-town managed to build new Automatons to help continue their efforts in keeping the seeds alive.
Its actually their focus on maintaining the arks that led to them joining the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth parliament pledged and upheld a special charter recognising the importance of the Seedling Arks, this charter makes it law that the Commonwealth has to send materials and resources to maintain the Arks.
But this doesn't mean that the town is solely that, for as the years have gone on, Ark-Town has grown into more than just a scientific and engineering effort, rather it has become a true town. There is an local economy, shops and businesses, schools and even a college where students are tutored into becoming scientists and engineers to continue the legacy of their mentors, to maintain the Arks and preserve the seeds within.
Tesla City: Town
"Science and Knowledge shall provide answers" Motto of Tesla City
Population 1927 survey: One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty One
Initially Tesla City was founded by the United States of America in response to the Freeze taking hold, their efforts were focused around the inventor Nikola Tesla and his special device that would use electrical energy to create a field around the city that would protect it from the worst of the weather.
Apparently for a time, the city thrived under Tesla's leadership, technology was the cornerstone of the cities development and success, according to people that either left the city or were exiled by Tesla, the technologies involved were far beyond that they had seen before and allowed the city to experience a standard of living that only existed in the days long before the freeze began.
But sadly, the city was focused around Tesla himself and according to all information, he slowly grew more and more erratic and unstable. He intended on closing off the city to outsiders entirely, his intention was to use his "Engine" which protected the city from the weather like a weapon, not just to stop the worst of the weather from reaching the city itself, but also to kill anyone that attempted to enter. Its unclear what happened, as there is little in the way of evidence as to what happened, all that is known is that every single living soul in the city were all killed.
One theory is that Tesla's engine worked too well, rather than killing people attempting to enter the city, it wiped out the city itself. Another theory is that Tesla did this himself after the city turned against him, or perhaps he was overthrown, exiled or killed and without him to maintain the engine it broke down and eventually killed everyone.
Regardless as to how the city vanished, Tesla City was rediscovered by scouts from New London before the Storm to End all Storms and a research Outpost was set up on the edge of the city limits. Later a complete settlement was established and that Settlement slowly grew, rebuilding various structures and replacing those that couldn't be repaired, the Tesla Engine was carefully removed for study and a Generator was built in its place to provide heat and power.
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| Tesla City - 1927 |
Eventually Tesla City became a proper town built to replace the old city, a thriving township of people living comfortably, however there is a modicum of respect in the town, at its heart next to the Generator is a memorial to the people of the original city, each year the town holds a ceremony where candles are placed and prayers are said to honour those people who lost their lives to Tesla's Engine. At each ceremony, the Commonwealth invite representatives and emissaries from the New American State to take part in the memorial out of respect.
Diplomatically, the Commonwealth share certain aspects of research with the New American State, as technically speaking, Tesla City was an American city and as such falls under the jurisdiction of the New American State. However it has been made clear by the Americans, that Tesla city was lost to them when Tesla became more authoritarian and closed off the city to refugees.
Tesla City is referred to as one of a triumvirate of colonisation and settlement efforts across the commonwealth, ones that focus on the past, present and future. In the case of Tesla City, its focus is on the past, researching and studying the technologies of the past and how they can suit the present.
Captains Mine: Town
" We work together or die alone " Motto of Captains Town
Population 1927 survey: One Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Five
Originally a small mining outpost to the North of New London, the site that would become the town of Captains Mine was a small New London Outpost that was set up simply to provide resources specifically coal for the city itself, notably during the early years, before the Great Storm. As with other Outposts at the time, there was little interest in long term settlement at the site, rather the Outpost was established to simply mine coal and transport it back to New London.
The site was abandoned before the Great Storm, but was reclaimed to help the rebuilding of New London from the storms aftermath. The need for coal was great, so much had been used to keep the Generator operating and the people kept warm, most of the reserves had been emptied. Later the outpost became a stopping point between New London and Outpost 11, where caravans transporting supplies and materials back and forth could stop, shelter and rest when needed.
Later as the Commonwealth began to look to settle the Frostlands properly, the placement of Captains Mine made it a viable location for a settlement, it was close to the border with the Union, making it a good place for a trading hub between the two, it still had veins of coal that remained untouched and had some habitable soil so it could grow its own food, enabling it to become more self sustainable.
Today Captains Mine is a combination of different lives, there remains the coal mining, but there is also industry, like coal liquification, turning coal into a crude form of oil, there is farming in hot houses, reindeer rearing. But the main stay of the Town now is trade, the Frost trail between New London and New Jericho (The Capitol of the Union), had remained and still was used, but there was now also a skyway connecting the three.
Fortitude Base: Military Fort
"Neither Weather nor Battle shall break these wall " Motto of Fortitude Base
Population 1927 survey: Seven hundred Commonwealth Armed Forces, four hundred civilians
Situated to the far west of Old Dreadnought, Fortitude Base was originally an outpost established by the Commonwealth for the purpose of a base for Scouts to rest and resupply when they were in the region and needed shelter. Since initially there was no towns, settlements or outposts in the region, so if bad weather was to come through, scouts would be limited in where they could shelter. When a viable location was found, a full outpost was established and later a full settlement, one that was built specifically to serve to support the scout teams.
A proper generator was established to provide power and heat, bunkhouses with warm beds, cookhouses to provide proper hot meals for those who had been living on basic rations on their travels. As time went on, Fortitude base became a fully capable base for the scouts and later the Commonwealth Armed Forces following their proper founding.
Due to the tension between the Commonwealth of New London and the Sovereignty of New Albion, Fortitude base was expanded into a fully functional military fortress to serve as the headquarters for the Commonwealth Forces in the western regions of the nation. What was just a base for scouting became a complete star fort in the frostlands, serving to protect the Commonwealth and as the headquarters for its armed forces during the conflicts with the Sovereignty and the Socialist Republic.
Historically, Fortitude base served as the headquarters of the conflicts the Commonwealth faced with both powers, where its armed forces were organised and battles planned or orchestrated. As well as the place where the Commonwealth Air-Corps would conducted missions against the enemy, such as launching bombing campaigns against enemy supply lines or strongpoints.
Today there is little from the original Settlement, as the entire site has been reworked to serve as a military stronghold, the fortifications have withstood the tests of both the whiteouts but also sieges from the Sovereignty and the Socialist Republic. There are a few remnants of civilian life, Fortitude base still has some hothouses to provide fresh food and allow it remain partially self sustaining.
The fort has all the means of sustaining itself, hothouses to provide food in case of problems with Commonwealth supply chains. A Skyway connects it to the nearest city, complete barracks for the troops inside the fort, armouries are maintained and kept stocked, facilities to repair and replace equipment and munitions when required. There is even a station for the Commonwealth Air-corps where airships can conduct aerial patrols and missions either for military purposes or in event of emergencies.
To provide additional defence, due to the growth of air bound military forces of the other nations, Fortitude Base possesses several "Anti Aircraft cannons" known to the Commonwealth Armed forces as the QF 1-Pounder pom pom which fires explosive shells that burst in the air. These serve to protect the base from any aerial assault such as a Airship bombing attempt.
During its existence as a complete fort, Fortitude Base has faced two attacks by the Sovereignty and one from the Socialist Republic, the former for complete attempts to take the stronghold, whilst the latter has been described more as a skirmish.
Timber Kiln: Settlement
"Timber, Oil and Fire shall keep us warm " Motto of Timber Kiln
Population 1927 survey: One Thousand, Two hundred and ten
Situated to the South of New London not far from Windward Moor.
Initially Timber Kiln was a location where Nomads would stop to rest and resupply along their travels, the site had an immense quantity of wood and still does. But for the Nomads it wasn't just the timber they desired, instead they used a method of turning the timber to charcoal and that into a crude form of oil which they used as a viable and long lasting source of fuel. This they used to keep themselves alive on their travels as well as whenever they built up a temporary encampment.
Today Timber Kiln still has the upgraded processing industries where wood is extracted from frozen forests and converted into prepared timber, it even has recycling centres where broken down goods are taken apart and rendered down into raw materials that they may be used again. And of course the Processing industry remains still working hard, taking timber that is categorised as unsuitable, turning it into charcoal which is then used, traded or sent on further to be processed into oil.
The Settlement also serves as a steady trading point for the region, not just in the form of trade between settlements, towns and cities of the Commonwealth but also for the Frostland Nomads that continued to visit Timber Kiln on a regular basis, where they trade items and goods or frozen meats they have hunted along their travels. In fact the Commonwealth Parliament even voted on and agreed into law the creation of a new branch of government, the Office of Nomadic Consulship.
Where diplomats would serve as the intermediary between the Commonwealth and the groups of Nomads within the Frostlands. And the main office of the Consulship would be within Timber Kiln, such is evidence of how often the Nomads visit the Settlement for trade.
Charter Town: Settlement
" Charting the Horizon and bridging the gaps " Motto of Charter Town
Population 1927 survey: One Thousand, Two Hundred and fifty six
Formerly known as Cartographer Base, Charter Town was constructed originally as an outpost that was to serve in a similar fashion as Fortitude Base, a location where Scout teams could rest, relax and resupply.
Its placement just to the South East of New London and not too far away, made it perfect for the purpose of serving as a Scouting Outpost. Whenever scouts were out of the city during the early years before the founding of colonies and settlements, all scouting teams sent out in that direction or convoys would stop off at Cartographer Base either on their way out or on the way back to rest and resupply.
Later the outpost was converted into a viable settlement, due to the expansion of the Commonwealth across the Frostlands, it was decided that there was a need for a formal base for the scouting teams as well as the engineers that build and maintain the skyways and frost trails. Charter Town was it.
The Settlement was built specifically to serve as the new headquarters for the scouts which were reformed into the Commonwealth Cartography Society C.C.S, there mission wasn't just to map the Frostlands but also to maintain the transportation routes throughout the commonwealth, specifically the Skyways and the frost trails. It holds the C.C.S academy where volunteers are trained in how to navigate and survive in the frostlands, how to maintain the sleds and pieces of equipment they take with them during expeditions.
It also has its own reindeer herds, though these one are not properly meant to serve as a source of food at least not entirely, no these herds are trained pack animals and sled pullers. The reindeer here are trained and bred for strength and durability, so they can be used to pull along the sleds for the Scouting teams, allowing them to travel further and faster across the frozen landscape.
There is an off campus of the Commonwealth Engineering college, where students are educated in the construction and maintenance of the skyways and airships that the Commonwealth relies on for transportation.
Charter town is referred to as part of a triumvirate of colonisation and settlement efforts of the Commonwealth, ones that focus on the past, present and future. In the case of Charter Town, its focus is the present, maintaining the connections, exploring, studying and researching the present.
Weather Top: Settlement
" We observe the Sky for signs of the future " Motto of Weather Top
Population 1927 survey: Nine hundred and eighty six
Another example of an Outpost being converted and expanded into a full settlement, Weather Top was previously set up as a weather station, its purpose was clear in its name. From Weather Top, which on the slopes of a plateau, works to maintain a careful observation of the weather patterns and provide warning to New London whenever harsh weather such as a White Outs approach.
Overtime the efforts at Weather Top meant an expansion, from a small outpost of a hundred to a small but viable settlement, not just those manning the weather station at the top of the Plateau but also ordinary people working normal jobs, like cookhouses, hot houses, inns and taverns. The work conducted at Weather Top isn't just to provide warning of White outs, their direction, longevity and severity, but also to conduct research and analysis of the Frost itself.
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| Weather Top - Weather Station |
The hopes are that one day, surely the Frost shall weaken and eventually come to a conclusion, the station at Weather Top have researcher who monitor the temperature and keep immaculate records on its rise and fall, which helps them to not only predict whiteouts but determine the possibility of something that has only been mentioned in stories passed on through generations.
Something that has been noted in their logs has raised the possibility of such a hope, because in march 1929 the researchers at Weather Top reported that they had recorded a small falling of snow and something noted in historical records as something called "Sleet" something that occurs when Snow melts and then freezes during its descent.
One scientist remarked, "Could this be the beginnings of SPRING? ".
Iron Point: Settlement
" Bones of the Past honour the future " Motto of Iron Point
Population 1927 survey: Nine Hundred and Seventy eight
Formerly a mining station built during the desperate efforts to build the Generators across the Arctic circle, according to records found at the site, the station served as a rather brutal labour camp for convicted criminals. Convicts would be brought there from prisons across Britain and they would be forced to work in gruelling conditions mining iron ore and working Steel smelters, the steel was then loaded onto ships and sent to one of the Generator construction sites.
According to the records, the extremes were severe, as convicts in the mines were forced to work in proximity to toxic gases and when they succumbed, their bodies were apparently just dumped into pits.
When it was rediscovered by New London Scouting teams, evidence was found of an uprising among the Convicts, the fighting appeared to have brutal with the guards with firearms and the convicts with improvised weapons and industrial tools. Its unclear who won, but either way regardless of the victor the site was abandoned in a hurry, leaving the machinery and the unburied bodies of the dead.
The mines remain with huge amounts of raw minerals such as iron, lead, nickel, copper, tin and magnesium. The site was resettle at first just as an Outpost, but later was expanded into a full settlement with its own generator and construction efforts for the purpose of self sufficiency.
The settlement now has hothouses to support the population, as well as ice boring to reach different sea creatures beneath the thick sea ice. The Steel mills were expanded to service not just iron but other metals from the mines, the harsh methods of the past were burned the moment the mines went back into operation. Safety measures were put into place, a ventilation plant was constructed before any mining efforts began, to ensure that the toxic gases within the mines were kept as safe levels.
Since mining operations have renewed, the Settlement has enjoyed peace and prosperity with the metals from the mines being shipped off to markets across the Commonwealth as well as to its trading partners.
Ice Freighter: Settlement
" The Ice Provides " Motto of Ice Freighter
Population 1927 survey: Nine hundred and eighty four
During the early days of the freeze in what is known in the annals of history as the Last Autumn, the site that is now Ice Freighter served as a landing area and harbour for the generator construction sites. Designated as Harbour 2.27, here ships would unload their cargos of building supplies, coal, food, timber, steel etc.
The plan was to use the location as a waypoint for the "Land Dreadnoughts" that were to carry refugees from the cities. It was abandoned when the Ice build up grew too severe for even the strongest ice breakers of both the Imperial Exploration Company and the British Empire.
Since it couldn't serve its purpose, the site was evacuated and a considerable amount of resources were abandoned, from the stockpiles of materials that been unloaded and then left in warehouses to the very ships that had been deserted alongside the quays and docks, all covered by the snow and ice of the frosts. When the site was discovered by New London Scouts, it was partly covered in snow and ice and took a lot of work to uncover a majority of the site.
During the early efforts, Ice Freighter was just an outpost collecting from the different stockpiles and ships trapped in the ice. However when an expedition found the possibility of oil beneath the sea ice close by, the outpost was expanded into a complete settlement, to support the oil extraction efforts in the area. A small town was established with the amenities to support a population, from food production, heating thanks to a new generator that had been built.
Proper housing was established to give warm beds, shops were set up, pubs, taverns and inns for the people to enjoy warm meals and stiff drinks. Then of course there was the industry, not just oil from the drills and pumps out on the ice, but also coal liquefiers where shipments of coal from outposts and mines nearby would be rendered down to a basic form of oil.
Outposts:
Outposts are considerably different from Cities, Colonies, towns and settlements, the first and most prevalent is that they are not in any form self sustaining. All Outposts across the Commonwealth are very much tied to supplies of food, fuel and other materials from the more established cities.
In the past, Outposts of New London were temporary, set up at locations with resources, a source of coal, a vein or two of iron, some timber, steam cores, a herd of reindeer etc. When the resource ran out then the outpost was abandoned.
When the Commonwealth began making changes to its ideas on settling the Frostlands, the idea of Outposts was altered from just solely simple resource extraction into something meant to support the commonwealth in the Frostlands. Most are placed along the borders with other nations, whilst others are situated along the Skyways and frost-trails
The former are a mix of customs stations where imports and exports are examined, or are military stations where the Commonwealth Armed Forces monitor and patrol the borders. The Latter are outpost stations that work to maintain the Skyways and telegraph lines that connect the cities, towns, settlements and outposts and serve as emergency points, should for example an airship crash, then scouts from these kind of outposts go out on search and rescue.
Since these outposts and "Stations" are not self sustaining, those who man them are volunteers who work on a rotary system, where they spend a few weeks or months at an outpost then rotate out for others and spend time with their families in their home town or city. This allows those manning outposts to regain their strength, recuperate from the difficulties of living in the Frostlands and enjoy proper amenities like proper food and soft beds.
Border Stations:
Population 1927 survey: Average One Hundred
Literal in their names.
There primary purpose is to serve as a patrol point and customs station, the former meaning its where the Commonwealth Armed Forces can conduct patrols along the borders between different stations and the latter to inspect and examine the trade that occurs between the Commonwealth and its neighbours. Goods coming in from the neighbour are examined and cleared for entry and goods leaving are checked themselves, this is done to curtail any kind of smuggling of contraband as well as in more extreme situations to curtail attempts at espionage.
Within these outposts are basic bunkhousing for the rotated residence and workers, a Commonwealth military outpost, a warehouse section where materials and supplies are stored for their use, specifically the necessities, like supplies of oil, coal, basic food rations as well as tools and other pieces of equipment. At the heart of the Stations is the Administration buildings, within which the Station Officer, the person in charge of the upkeep and maintenance of the stations inner workings and the telegraph offices where messages via Morse code are both received and sent, decoded and archived.
Normally these stations are a mix of busy and quiet, depending on both their location but also the relationship between the Commonwealth and the nation on the other side of the border. For those that are next to friendly nations like the Union, Glacias and the Free State, these stations are almost always having people come and go on a daily basis, whilst those on the borders of the Autocracy and the Sovereignty are not as busy but are more militarised.
This can also be seen in who is manning them, whilst legally speaking the Border Stations are civil outposts and are administered by Commonwealth civil servants, are manner and protected by the Commonwealths Metropolitan Police Service, Border Guard Division. Some however have the protection of both the Border Guard Division and a contingent of the Commonwealth Armed Forces. For example border stations along the Sovereignty are militarised with redoubts built of ice, snow, stone and iron, possess artillery pieces etc.
But this is only an exception to the rule.
Air-Stations:
Population 1927 survey: Average of One hundred
In total there are 20 Air-station outposts across the Commonwealth, these stations serve a mix of purposes, on the one hand they serve as outposts for the Commonwealth Air-corps, sites where they can conduct patrols, resupply and repair their vessels. But also for civilian purposes, meaning civilian airships like those of hunters can stop and receive aid as well as "Safe Harbour" during a white out.
All Air-Stations are built in specific locations to better serve the airships they are meant to service, a clear example is Air-Station 19, which is placed on a large rock ledge on the side of a mountain. The only way to access an Air-station is either by air or by coming up on an elevator from below at ground level.
All Air-stations are built with specifications, they all have ample living quarters, not just for those who man the station and maintain it, but also with additional space and beds for those who come there to seek assistance. They all have cookhouses to provide food in the form of basic rations, medical care facilities are built in them but are not intended for extensive or long term care, the doctors at these stations do not have the facilities or materials to care for major or critical injuries, if any such injured come in they only stabilise the wounded for transport to a dedicated hospital.
As with all Outposts and stations in the Commonwealth, the Air-stations possess direct communication links with the nearest cities. Each Air-station has a telegraph station where communications are able to be received, decoded and passed on to their required destination, which in fact is another duty of the Air-Stations, in the event of a failure or breakage of the telegraph lines in their area, then these stations are required to send out either by land or by air, a repair crew to get things working again and maintain the connections between the cities, towns and settlements.
Herding Stations:
Population 1927 survey: Average of One Hundred
Small Outposts that are scattered across the Commonwealth, Herding stations were established when the nation started to invest in the domestication and rearing of reindeer. Not just for their meat but also for their hides which would be worked into leather, their manure for fertiliser in the greenhouses and hot houses, even their milk which would be cleaned up for use either by itself or worked into cheese.
As the number of reindeer in the herds increased, plans were put into effect to establish outpost sites where the herds could be looked after and new animals could be domesticated. The Animals would be cared and looked after for a period of time before being taken to a slaughter house in the towns and cities.
All the herding stations are built in the ideal locations for protection from the weather, this meant mountains surrounding them, gorges, canyons etc. All to provide the sites as much protection from the weather and worse Whiteouts, all to protect everyone and everything at the sties.
Each Herding Station is constructed with housings for both the workers and the Reindeers, allowing for relatively comfortable places to rest and sleep. A proper mess hall provides relatively warm meals in the form of basic rations with the occasional treat of Reindeer milk. They have hot houses to produce foot, though not for people, these are built to grow mosses and lichens to feed the reindeer themselves.
The plan for spreading the herds out into these stations was to provide a fail safe in the event of something happening, so rather than having all the herds concentrated where there was the threat of a disease spreading rapidly or loss due to a severe whiteout. By spreading the herds out into the stations, it provided a safety in the event of something happening to a single herd. For instance if one herding station suffered a problem with its herds, a disease for instance, then the other stations would be safe and the reindeer in their care alive.
Fort Casing:
Population 1927 survey: Three Hundred and fifty
One of a number of outposts that the Commonwealth Armed Forces operate and maintain, Fort Casing is situated near the Border with the Divine Autocracy and serves as the first line for Frostland patrols both by land and by air.
The Fort is built on a relatively small plateau surrounded by deep gorges, it possesses solid walls along the edges though not as high as other outposts, due to the natural defences of the Plateau. The only way into the fort is across one of the few bridges that are also fortified, this means that any attacker by land must first take control of a bridge and the routes to the bridges offer little protection to any attacker. There are battlements and emplacements for cannons and artillery, mortars and Maxim machine guns.
The outpost has proper barracks for the troops inside to sleep in relative comfort, a full mess hall with a cookhouse to cook and provide basic meals alongside the standard rations. It has a telegraph office which maintains constant communications with other Outposts in the region as well as with Windward Moor the nearest major city to the fort.
Within its walls is also an Air-Corps station, where airships can come down, resupply, repair and their crews can get some rest. Of course in times of conflict this Air-Corps station would be used to launch bombing raids against the enemy and would be properly stocked with munitions such as bombs and rockets. But in times of peace, the Air-Corps here works mostly to patrol the border and the surrounding Frostlands.
During its service, the Fort has supported the defence of the Commonwealth during the early years of the Frostland wars, serving as a staging point for the Commonwealth Armed forces in repelling Autocracy incursions.
Fort William Henry:
Population 1927 survey: Three Hundred and Fifty
Formerly a stronghold of the Sovereignty of New Albion, Fort William Henry is a military outpost of the Commonwealth, close to the border with the Sovereignty, it serves as the first line for the Armed Forces patrols in the area both by land and air.
The Fort has various elements to support a military garrison, it possesses properly built barracks for the troops stationed there, there is a complete mess hall where basic rations are served alongside the occasional treat of proper meals to boost morale. As with all military outposts and stations, Fort William Henry is connected to the nearest major city, in its case the city of Old Dreadnought by a telegraph wire to ensure proper communication with Commonwealth Headquarters.
As well as that, like all military outposts, Fort William Henry has an Air-Corps station, where airships can come down, resupply, repair and their crews can get some rest. Of course in times of conflict this Air-Corps station would be used to launch bombing raids against the enemy and would be properly stocked with munitions such as bombs and rockets. But in times of peace, the Air-Corps here works mostly to patrol the border and the surrounding Frostlands.
As stated the fort was originally held by the Sovereignty of New Albion, however they lost the fort during its conflict with the Commonwealth, which laid siege to the site and managed to force a surrender of its garrison. It now continues to serve as a forward line of defence for the Commonwealth as most are convinced that the delicate truce the two nations have will eventually falter and result in renewed hostilities.
Fort Lockheart:
Population 1927 survey: Three Hundred and Fifty
An additional large fort controlled by the Commonwealth, Fort Lockheart is situated near the border with the Socialist Republic of Winterhearth. Its original outpost station was established during the early years of the Frostland wars, a series of conflicts between the different nations, it served as a regional stronghold for the Commonwealth Armed Forces, a place where troops could regroup, rest and resupply.
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| Fort Lockheart - 1872 |
But its placement made it a viable location for a military station for the Commonwealth, the structures were replaced with more viable constructs, barracks that could hold back the cold, a mess hall where warms meals were provided and could be enjoyed, warehousing and stockpiles to store the supplies needed. A wooden palisade was established to replace the stone walls that had been lost, mortars are placed within the fort to serve as defence at a distance, watcher towers are manned with maxim machine guns inside.
Yet these were only temporary, for the Commonwealth expanded the Fort very quickly, turning it into a true fortification, the walls were replaced, the barracks were expanded and updated to provide better comfort for the garrison, the new walls have proper battlements, with heavy cannons, artillery and watchtowers.
As well as that, like all military outposts, Fort Lockheat has an Air-Corps station, where airships can come down, resupply, repair and their crews can get some rest. Of course in times of conflict this Air-Corps station would be used to launch bombing raids against the enemy and would be properly stocked with munitions such as bombs and rockets. But in times of peace, the Air-Corps here works mostly to patrol the border and the surrounding Frostlands.
Ice Station:
Population 1927 survey: One hundred and ten
A transport hub, Ice Station is situated on the solid ice not far from the Settlement of Ice Freighter. It serves as the waypoint between the settlement and the different Oil extraction sites close by, so rather than having different Frost-trails or skyways crossing over one another to and from Ice Freighter and the sites.
All the extraction sites instead first transport their shipments of oil by frost-trail to Ice Station where it is safely stored and then taken either by snow train or skyway to Ice Freighter. The same works in the opposite way, supplies of food, materials and the rotation of workers first stop off at Ice station before going to their designated site.
The station has basic living quarters in the form of bunkhouses, a standard cookhouse where simple meals and food rations are cooked and provided. The largest part of the Outpost however is dedicated to transport and storage, there are large areas specifically earmarked for storing raw materials and supplies, in proper organisation there are two sections, inbound and outbound, the former being supplies and materials that are coming in to the Outpost to support itself and the extraction sites it serves as a hub for, the latter being the oil and other materials that are sent to Ice Freighter and the larger cities.
This concludes the basic information on the Cities, Towns, Settlements and Outposts that make up the Commonwealth of New London.
The next documents in line shall detail the Union of the Frostlands, The Socialist Republic of Winterhearth, the Sovereignty of New Albion, The Victorian Free State and the Republic of Glacias.
[ These are yet to be written but the point is, that I intend to make similar short stories like this one in this specific order.]
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