Gateway 658 is my first real attempt at describing a location that can be used by GMs for countless BPNs in and around the SLA Perimeter. Gateway 658 is situated on the border between an area of Suburbia and and area of DownTown. It is here that a large Shiver outpost has been placed, to allow those that have permission to pass between the two areas and to prevent anyone else from getting though. My original plan was to describe what life would be like in Suburbia with DownTown looming over nearby, but this isn't quite what the end article portrays.

To accompany this work I have plans for 40 BPNs, some of them short, some of them reasonably long. Each one helps to show more of how I envisaged the area, and it also helps to flesh out some of the characters I mentioned in passing in the main description.

"It's the hours running up to dawn that are the hardest. Through the ceaseless rain you can make out the first few blocks of DownTown, looming over you like giant gravestones. You can hear screams echoing off the tall buildings, and shots ricocheting near you, but you can't see anything. Nothing at all. It is just a sea of ever shifting grey and black, hiding the DownTowners who are carrying on their dangerous habits. And while you patrol back and forth, ever vigilant for anyone foolish enough to try climbing the wall, you have to block out the sounds of violence and nihilism. You have to ignore the crimes that are being committed, the people that are being hurt. You have to try shutting out DownTown without shutting out your own humanity. "

Shiver Kavent, Gateway 658, SLA Perimeter, as recorded by Third Eye News. Not for public release.

The North Park Perimeter entrance to Suburbia, or Gateway 658 as most of the Shivers refer to it as, is a fully protected doorway from Suburbia through to Upper DownTown. Bisecting these two quite different regions is a monstrously armoured wall that is 15 metres wide and over 30 metres tall. It is here that anyone with an SCL card can get away from SLA controlled property to the lawless world that is DownTown. And it is also here that armoured Shivers prevent the anarchist society of DownTown to spread further towards Mort Central. Ever present the Shivers patrol the Gateway and the surrounding walls, ensuring that nothing can get to Suburbia without their permission.

Gateway 658 is part of the main Shiver presence in Sector 658 of Suburbia and the connecting North Park Sector of DownTown. It is here that any vehicles within a thirty-mile radius must travel to for entry into DownTown. The Gateway has been built directly into the wall and covers an area of over 200 metres squared. Fully armoured, the building has been designed so that even though it allows access between the two sectors it can just as easily prevent anyone as well. Each vehicle is checked to ensure that no illegal goods are bought through the wall and all occupants are checked to ensure they are licensed to travel through the Wall. Since its creation over two hundred years ago, it has repelled attacks from many soft companies and gangs. It is a testament to its design that it has outlived its planned life span of fifty years by over four times.

Entrance to the Gateway is via one of ten armoured doors. Each door is lifted to allow access to the inside of the Gateway, with no access to the lifting mechanism from outside. Once through one of the doorways, the vehicle ends up in its own corridor, which scans the interior of the vehicle as it moves to the other end. Each corridor has also been designed to prevent any large explosion from breaching into one of the other corridors. At the far end, the occupants of the vehicle are identified and the vehicle can then exit. The process takes only a few minutes for even an APC and allows for a full documentation of anyone who has entered the Gateway. Outside of the Gateway, by the entrances on both sides are large armoured turrets with Power Reapers and other weaponry to protect against any attack. It is also here that the ruins of several burnt out vehicles lie, indicating the lengths that SLA will go to whilst protecting Suburbia.

The Wall

"Twenty four hours a day my troops protect these walls from being breached. It doesn't matter if there is a downpour or dense fog; they keep protecting it so that the Suburbans can remain safe. I patrolled these very walls myself ten years ago and I know what a thankless task it is, but every Shiver here knows that it is his or her duty to stay vigilant against any DownTown threat. The consequences of doing otherwise are too worrying to consider."

Lt. Bradise SCL 4C, Gateway 658, SLA Perimeter. Copyright Third Eye News 903SD.

On the Suburbia side of the Gateway is the control centre for the Wall. This four storey high armoured precinct is in charge of a fifty miles stretch of the Wall and is currently run by Lieutenant Bradise. Lt. Bradise is in charge of over 17,000 Shivers most of whom work eight hour shifts on one of the numerous guard posts on the Wall or on patrol, walking the gaps in between each guard post. At every mile there is a pedestrian entranceway to DownTown, which is protected by a guardhouse that houses twenty-four Shivers. The primary purpose of the guard posts is to allow any authorised people to enter the area. The secondary purpose is to prevent any attempt at breaching the wall. If this is not possible then the Shivers are there to delay any breach whilst reinforcements arrive.

In between each of the guard posts are watchtowers. Each watch towers rises another five meters above the wall and have large sweeping spotlights for night use. Combined with the guard posts they can monitor the full length of the wall. Each watchtower houses eight Shivers and a variety of heavy weapons and armour. The section of wall between the guard posts and watch towers are patrolled by two man Shiver teams, who maintain a visible deterrent to all who can see the wall. The patrols are protected by a metre high, metre thick wall that has armoured protection section every one hundred meters for additional protection. The patrols usually take it in turn with the Shivers who are in one of the guard areas, so that during their eight-hour shift they will rotate between watching and patrolling.

Approximately five miles from Gateway 658 the wall is broken not by a pedestrian entranceway but by the Gauss rail system. On the Suburban side of the wall, there is a 500 metre long station that the Gauss trains can stop at before the wall. The whole of the train is contained within the armoured station and a second train can still pass through even when there is a train at the station. The ends of the station are automatically controlled, so that they are only open when there is a train coming. The station is guarded by almost fifty Shivers at any one time.

The control centre for all of these places is located by Gateway 658. It is here that all the reports from the guardposts, watchtowers and patrols are evaluated as to potential problems. Files are kept on those people seen loitering near to the wall, in case they try to penetrate it some other way. The control centre also acts as air traffic control for the area, organising the numerous SCAF flights into DownTown and throughout Suburbia. The SCAFs are mainly used for reconnaissance and as a visual deterrent, with groups flying near to anyone who looks like they might be a problem. It is also at the control centre that 4 dozen Shivers are always on standby wearing the heaviest armour. Six transport helicopters will take them at a moments notice to any trouble site, where they can offer much needed assistance. The Shivers are trained extensively with their combat armours to ensure that they are prepared for most situations.

The majority of the Shivers that work on the wall live in the Department of Shiver housing located near to Gateway 658. This mile square area is off limits to all but Shiver personnel and family. The housing, which is partially subsidised by the department, offers Shivers and their families everything that they need for everyday living, from shops and schools, to leisure facilities and bars. The idea behind the housing scheme is to prevent any persecution of Shivers by the local populace and vice versa. However, some Shivers prefer to stay in private accommodation outside of the area, although their living costs tend to be higher. The housing area also contains spare accommodation for Shivers that have been on Sleeper duty, whilst they re-arm and re-equip.

Suburbia Sector 658

"Most people would complain living this close to the Wall, but with the Gateway nearby this has to be one of the safest Suburban areas. Sure every now and then you can hear gunshots from DownTown, but there's like ten thousand Shivers between them and us here. Truth is most days you don't even think about DownTown. "

Employee Zohran Ulanicki, SCL 11, Grenn Vale Park, Sector 658. Copyright 903SD Third Eye News.

Suburbia Sector 658 is mainly a medium density housing area that has a high Civilian Employee populace. The majority of the Employees either work within the Sector or in Uptown Sector 658 which is about 80 minutes away by subway. The subway system has been set out in small circles that are connected by a giant loop around the edge of the Sector. This combined with the Gauss rail system that cuts through the sector allows for easy access to anywhere within Sector 658. The majority of the housing in the area is eight-storey terraced apartments, with communal parking. Most of these have shops in the bottom floor, selling essentials like food, fags and booze. The buildings tend to be grey concrete blocks that are all almost identical. Whole streets stretch on into the distance, with little change from one intersection to the next. The roads are relatively quiet and empty, as few people can afford vehicles. By far the most common vehicles are motorbikes, which have been continuously repaired from sixty year old models. Most of the roads have garbage stacked up outside them waiting for removal trucks that rarely appear. Every now and then SCAFs will fly overhead and the occasional APC will be seen splashing through the rain soaked streets on its way to the Gateway.

Inside the apartment blocks, there is little change. Most of the buildings have existed beyond their planned lifespan and are showing their age. The continuous erosion from the polluted rain has caused parts of the building to leak. Pools of water tend to fill the corridors and drain down the staircase. The corridors are daubed in graffiti and the ceilings tend to be covered in a light mould. The apartments themselves differ according to the occupants. Some of the apartments contain only the basics and have little in the way of furnishings. However, some of the occupants spend a lot of effort making their apartments look nice and trying to prevent any dampness. Most of the apartments are relatively spacious, with families having a few extra rooms for the children as well as the main bedroom. The majority of apartments have their own bathroom/shower, although some of the cheaper ones have communal facilities.

Scattered throughout the sector are various shopping centres, normally located near to the subway system. It is here that clothing, food, magazines and company drugs can be bought, as well as armour and CAF weaponry. These areas also include several restaurants and cafes and also night-clubs. The subway stations themselves tend to be several meters below the buildings, so there are normally lifts and staircases down into them. The civilian vigilante group Monarch Law Enforcement normally guards these areas as, especially at night time, these areas are not safe. Monarch tends to travel in groups of four throughout the sector and has its main base at the Tribeck shopping centre, near the middle of the sector. They are heavily critical of the Shivers, claiming that they are only interested in preventing anyone from crossing the wall in this sector, and not with the general level of crime that exists. To be fair to the Shivers there is little major crime, due to the proximity of so many of them. Most crimes tend to be petty burglary and assaults. Occasionally more severe crimes happen, but this is usually due to something escaping from DownTown. A growing problem in the area is juvenile gangs. Most of this form loose-knit biker gangs, using old updated motorcycles. Their crimes tend to be just harassment and vandalism but occasionally two gangs will have on-going street battles with little regards to normal people around them. Most of the gang members tend to be in their middle to late teens and children of SLA Employees. Monarch has been hitting the gangs quite hard in the last few months, and is rumoured to have the support of the Shivers, should they need it.

Karma Core Projects

"This is purely an academic research facility and we do not undertake any 'experimental' work here. All we do here is advanced work for Nuke Tendon. Nothing else. The only Stormers that are here are the Gators that we use to patrol the outside perimeter."

Doctor Brol Liebman, SCL 3D.2, Core Projects Karma facility, Sector 658. Interview with Third Eye News 903SD.

Only a few miles from the Gateway is Karma's Core Project Facility, one of the principal industrial employees in the area. The facility covers a vast area of Sector 658, and is reportedly just used for academic research. The facility has six large buildings, which resemble armoured bunkers from a distance. Each of the buildings is connected to at least one of the others and the overall shape is that of a cross. The whole area, which is almost three miles square is surrounded by a security wall and guarded by Karma sponsored Shivers. These Shivers have dark purple armours and most are armed with FEN 603s and Riot Batons. Inside of the perimeter, the 330 Gator patrols the grounds. Karma has decided to use these Artery variants here, due to the facilities closeness to DownTown.

Karma claims that the facility is mainly a research post that works on improvements to artificial limbs and implants.

What is known about the facility is that it hires very few local people. The majority of the workers there socialise in only a few specific bars and restaurants throughout the sector. It is rumoured that the Karma base contains housing and facilities for most of the people that work there and that very few ever leave the facilities. Those that do leave, tend to have Karma Shivers waiting nearby for protection. The few local people that do work in the area, claim that they work only in a production plant area maintaining large processing plants, whose purpose they do not fully understand. None of the local Shivers work at the plant, with all of the Karma sponsored Shivers being trained away from the area. On the rare occasions that the Karma Shivers have encountered the Gateway Shivers, it is always the Gateway Shivers who have backed down, implying that the Karma Shivers are at a higher Security Clearance Level.

One of the few known workers at the facility is Doctor Brol Liebman, who is in charge. He is known as a respected academic, who primarily works for implantation techniques. It is rumoured that he was instrumental in fine-tuning the LAD process and was then given a free reign to work in whichever area he wanted to. Judging from Karma Transport Helicopters, that regularly visit the facility, it is assumed that Dr Liebman does not spend all of his time there. Most of the time the helicopters travel to other Karma facilities in Uptown and Mort Central, but occasionally they also travel to DownTown. The facility also hires Operatives for several tasks which, are kept confidential but almost always involve acting as additional security for any DownTown excursions.

Discharge 658

"Yes we've had a few problems in the past, but our security systems are now top of the line. The only slight chance that something will make it up the sewer line from DownTown is if we have a total pump failure on all four pumps. Otherwise, they'd have to swim their way through eight miles of shit to be able to get here. I don't see us having a repeat of '96 ever again."

Morgan Severne, SCL 5A.2, Department of Sanitation Primary Discharge Facility, Sector 658. Interview with Third Eye News 903SD.

Discharge 658 is the Department of Sanitation's primary sewage facility in Sector 658. Constructed at the same time as the SLA Perimeter wall, is as a pumping station for all of the waste in sector 658. The pipe itself is a five metre diameter pipe that extends through the depths of the Sector and the adjacent DownTown sector, joining into a larger pipe that continues to the Cannibal Sectors. Although the exact location of the pipe is a secret, most people have heard about it, especially following the events of 896 SD. It was near to the year's end when the pumping facility was taken off line, to undertake maintenance on the pumps. Standby pumps were used, but these ran at a lot lower capacity than the main pumps. During this time a large group of Carrien made there way up the sewer line and broke out near to the facility. Rampaging throughout the residential area, the Carrien caused much destruction and property damage before being stopped by Shivers from the Gateway.

Of primary concern was the number of Mutant Carrien that appeared in the attack, with many residents claiming that this was due to toxins that the Department of Sanitation was placing in the sewer system. This is of course denied by the facility, who claim that no such toxin is used. The facility was upgraded following the attack to ensure that the sewer pipes are always kept full of sewage at all times, preventing anything from ever travelling through them. Discharge 658 sometimes hires Operative squads so that it can check the length of the pipe for outside damage. Although a relatively easy task, this does require the investigation teams to travel through the depths of the Sector.

DownTown Sector 25-43

"It's a different world down here. If you go up one of the tallest buildings and look across the Wall, you can see the small-minded Suburbans running around like headless chicken. They worry about unimportant things like schooling and paying their rents, here survival of the fittest is the only thing you have to worry about."

Gracie Cones, Civilian, DownTown Sector 25-43. Interview with Third Eye News 903SD.

With its looming twenty storey apartment blocks, DownTown Sector 25-43 is vastly different from Sector 658, which at its closest is only a stones throw away. Sector 25-43 is an old district of DownTown and its buildings reflect this. The majority of the apartment blocks are old redbrick towers, with large arched windows. Each floor is normally about 3 metres in height, and they give the indication that once these buildings were nice to live in. Much has changed. Most of the buildings have reinforcement beams bolted to the outside, reinforcing sections that have started crumbling away. Grills and iron bars cover many of the windows, even though the majority of the glass has been broken anyway. The drainpipes are broken into sections, channelling water from the roofs to discharge all over the building side. The ground floor of most blocks can not be seen, buried under centuries of rubbish and refuse. Instead giant pillars are sunk into the detritus and anchored on the surrounding buildings. These pillars have walkways and small roads that are built above ground level, so that access can still be gained to most of the buildings.

All around cables intersect the buildings, providing them with electricity and teevee signals, so at least basic commodities are available to the residents. The majority of the apartment blocks have had filtration systems added to the roof tops by SLA Industries Dept of Housing. These systems collect the rain-sludge that falls continuously over the whole area and tries to remove all of the pollutants from it. Barely succeeding, they provide the apartments with just enough water for survival, although most of it remains a dull grey colour. Also on the rooftops are small huts, made by those who don't have an apartment of their own. These tend to be made out of whatever can be scavenged from the ground below and do little to really keep the rain out. Zig-zagging across the building walls are the fire escapes, that for many are the only way into their apartments. In many places these have broken, or come away from the walls, only to be repaired or replaced by those residents that rely on them everyday.

The insides of the buildings are little better. Accommodation here is sparse, as most of the buildings are little more than just shells. Those few floors that still have apartments tend to be nearer the top where collected rain water has not eroded them. The staircases from the bottom have long since been broken, and it is common to see whole floors that have collapsed on the ones below. Even on the floors where people do live, the structures are not truly safe, with holes that lead to certain death for those who aren't paying attention. All around the walls spark and hum as rain water continually drip on to bare electricity wires, giving off a blue glow from behind the thin rain-soaked plaster. Inside most of the apartments are the same. Doors are reinforced by scrap metal, and barricaded by the inhabitants. Few would trust their lives purely on a few locks here. Rooms are relatively spacious, with high ceilings that normally open up to the floor above in places. Where larger rooms are required residents have broken down the walls between adjacent rooms. Wall paper still clings to most of the walls, although patterns are indecipherable under the grime and muck that covers them. In the driest corner of the apartment the teevee will be on, hiding under an umbrella of plastic, to protect it just in case. Turned on 24/7 the teevee is the focal point of the apartment, with the majority of residents having little else to do. Opposite here will be the couch and old armchairs that are worn through to the springs in most cases. The adjacent sleeping area will have grimy plastic sheeting to protect those sleeping from the continuously dripping roof. Boxes sit on tables keeping clothing from getting dirty and damp and on the table next to the bed will be the few personal effects that the owner has; a photo of children long gone, a little toy made by a forgotten parent, a few UNIs in a bowl and a teevee guide that is out of date, but still strangely accurate.

The kitchen areas are basic and not as hygenic as they should be. Cupboards store the cheap company food containers, whilst the electric cooker is on continuously to provide the little warmth that the apartment gets. The sink is full of rainwater, which almost erodes food off of plates, whilst dirty rags, pretending to be tea-towels hang in a vain attempt to dry out. The only sources of light are from the naked bulb in the centre of the room and the fridge light that penetrates through the broken seal. All around the apartment the ceaseless rain can be heard as it pounds against the apartment walls.

The Block

"Fucking SLA just sits inside their Block giving out money on one side and getting it back again on the other side. They say they're here to help us, giving us our welfare cash and then demanding it back again if we want food. If they really wanted to help us here they'd have nuked the whole area and started again."

Steve Saddler, Civilian, DownTown Sector 25-43. Interview with Third Eye News 903SD.

At the centre of the sector is a SLA building that is owned jointly by the Department of Welfare, the Department of Housing and the Department of Health and Safety. Known as the Block by most of the residents this is a square building, which is hollow in the middle. It is here that residents must come to receive their Welfare UNIs, pay their electricity and rent and also receive their food handouts. The block covers an area of a little under a mile, with the central courtyard approximately 400 metres square. The whole building is a reinforced concrete structure that has been coated for protection from the rain. Most of the building still looks new, except for one corner, which suffered a gang-related explosion. Even though the damage did not penetrate the building, it was enough to allow the corrosive rain to seep inside the concrete, causing a 'cancer' to start breaking down the cement. Although this has been repeatedly treated, erosion still occurs throughout the building.

Situated at regular intervals around the building are different doorways for the locals to enter, each heavily guarded by Shiver units who are sponsored by the above three departments. The area surrounding the building is kept clear of anything within a hundred metres, so that the Shivers will get a warning of any attack. Inside each door leads to a room with kiosks at the far end. On one side of the Block, these are all welfare kiosks, giving the average DownTowner their 40 UNIs for the week, in return for them providing their welfare booklets. The second side is for the housing kiosks which ask for 10 UNIs a week for electricity costs from all of the residents. This is a standard cost, which is independent of the amount of electricity used. The third side is where the food kiosks are, providing enough food for one for 25 UNIs. These are not given to the residents unless they have a current stamp saying that they have paid their electricity charge. There is no exception to this, even the homeless have to pay for electricity before they can get food. The fourth side is the admin side, which handles claims and complaints for everything. It is also here that the Shivers have their headquarters.

The centre courtyard is a large helicopter pad, for the numerous transport 'copters that bring the supplies of food in. These 'copters are also used to transport the Shivers and department workers from the nearby Suburban areas. Each transport run is normally guarded by several helicopter gunships, to deter anyone from attacking them. The Block as a whole tends to be full of lifeless DownTowners queuing up in one queue after another for their money and food. Fights tend to break out frequently, but the Shivers who are present normally stop these quite quickly.

The Needles

"The Gateway, what a waste of credits. Do you know how many different paths there are to DownTown from here? No, I guess you wouldn't. I know of five different ways to get down to the Cave on a Friday night and I don't have an SCL card. The Shivers think that there is low crime here. That's because people just use the sector for passing through. We kill time until the weekend when we can blow our money in DownTown and the Downers that come through head to Uptown where there are richer pickings. The Gateway, what a joke."

Chris 'Crater' Douglas, Gang member of the Needles, Sector 658. Interview with Third Eye News 903SD. Not for release.

One of the more notorious gangs in the area is the biker gang known as the Needles. Based about five miles away from the Gateway, the Needles have been around for over fifty years. Their current leader is believed to be a Frother known only as the Doctor, who helps produce most of the soft drugs that the gang members tend to be addicted to. For most of the time the gang is happy to stay mellowed out at their base, the Pharm. It is this converted apartment block that the Doctor can be found surrounded by collapsed gang members who are indulging in his latest creation.

Those gang members who aren't doped-out tend to circle the nearby area on their motorbikes; relics that have been continuously worked on to keep them running. Besides causing a lot of noise and hassling local people for money, the gang doesn't really cause much of a problem in the area. Discipline of the gang is normally dealt out by the Doctor or by his bodyguards Crater, Rico and McTusk. All three are Frothers who prefer soft drugs, but will use combat drugs as and when necessary. It is rumoured that several in the gang know how to bypass the Gateway to get into DownTown, possibly by abandoned sewer or subway tunnels. People in their gang colours riding bikes have been seen in the area and it is believed that any tunnels through are at least this size.