The Texas Badlands are a large swath of terrain primarily within the old Texas Commonwealth containing some parts of the pre-1969 State Reformation states of Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. As a Badland it is considered uncolonizable by the post-war nations, specifically due to its many rival factions who would prove too difficult to control or integrate and also the existence of the zone the locals call "Monsterland".
The Texas Badlands are split in two by the slowly encroaching terraforming line, with the north being a fertile green belt able to produce tons of food, and the south being more akin to the wastelands of the early post-war period. Frequent north-south conflicts occur simply due to the north's abundance of food, while the south (home to the ruins of the megacity Houston) has far more industrial supply. Plenty of trade occurs between the north and south, with much of it occurring via the old Texas Railways, most of which still survive to the present day.
While life in the Texas Badlands is better than life in any of the world’s wastelands they are still a largely lawless and dangerous place. Self-defense is key to survival, even if you’re a little less likely to be attacked by raiders or swarmed by monsters. Those things still happen every day because more food and easier living for people means more food and easier living for monsters too. The Badlands have their own special hazards as well, such as the radioactive petrochemical wastes known as The Haze. Even still, most people would rather live in the Badlands than the nations and wastelands surrounding them.
Defining Characteristics and Hazards
The Badlands borders are drawn two ways: where nations decided to stop expanding twards them, and where certain features and dangers start to become frequent enough to tell you're not in Kansas anymore.
Characteristics
Holstine Landscape: The Texas Badlands are a patchwork mix of desert-like planes with little vegetation or water sources and sprawling grasslands flowing with new life and abundent water. The further south one goes, the more desert terrain one encounters, with the oppsite happening as you travel north. Despite the splattering of lush vegitation, the landscape is frequently covered by rocky outcroppings and rugged canyons, making travel difficult.
Extreme weather: The Texas Badlands experience extreme temperatures, with blistering hot days and freezing nights. Sandstorms and dust devils are also common hazards, which can quickly disorient travelers. These occure even in the green areas, which also see flash flooding durring spring and autumn.
FEV-E Mutants: The badlands are home to unique types of mutations made possible by FEV-E, a local strain of the virus which takes genetic material from one creature and uses it to make alterations in another (Typicaly by having consumed the first creature's flesh, but also through secondary contact on occasion). This produces many animals with the apperance of having been through a teleportation accident with another creature.
Hazards
The Haze: The Haze is a massive industrial spill involving oilrefineries, petrochemical plants, and radioactive waste. It sprawls across the eastern edge of Houston, creating an eerie blue-green glow on the horison and a vapor cloud which extends upwards for miles, making it visible at night from nearly everywhere in the Badlands. Entering the Haze unprotected is certain death.
Acid rain: Due to the abundance of petrochemicals and other pollutants in the area, acid rain is a common occurrence in the Texas Badlands. This can damage buildings and equipment, as well as pose a threat to anyone caught out in the open during a rainstorm.
Radioactive Mesas: Before the war several companies transformed Mesas into waste storage facilities which accepted nuclear waste from most of the US. Weather, time, and the great war has cracked the walls of these facilities, creating radioactive hotspots scattered randomly across the Badlands.
Acidic Geysers: In some areas of the Badlands, geysers of acidic water shoot up from the ground, causing severe burns to anything caught in their spray.
Mutated Cacti: These cacti have grown to enormous size and developed thorny tentacles that reach out to ensnare unsuspecting travelers. Their spines are also coated with a potent venom that can cause paralysis or hallucinations.
Living Sandstorms: Sandstorms in the Badlands are not just composed of dust and sand, but also of microscopic organisms that have mutated into deadly creatures. These living sandstorms can strip flesh from bone and are known to swallow entire caravans.
Zones
The Texas Badlands contains many areas which are politically, economically, logistically, or otherwise important enough to be named. These areas are called “Zones” by the badland’s inhabitants.
