The Bayou is a sprawling and treacherous region, located southwest of Houston, Texas. It’s clearly defined by the terrain itself, a massive swampy marshland formed from the flooded bayous and rivers that criss-crossed the pre-war landscape. The Bayou is dotted with patches of dense vegetation and marshy wetlands, making travel difficult and navigation tricky. The area is prone to frequent flooding which can displace entire communities and makes it neigh impossible for outsiders to make their way through.
One of the most prominent features of the Bayou is the dense fog that blankets the area, which locals have dubbed "the Shroud." It’s best described as a thick mist of vegetable oil like liquid, in color, viscosity, and flammability. The Shroud is not only thick but also radioactive; usually only enough to cause mild radiation sickness, but it can be very quickly deadly in denser pockets.
The Shroud’s density changes seemingly arbitrarily, with some places becoming lethally radioactive for several hours only to be entirely devoid of the Shroud later that same day. Local legend says the Shroud comes from the old South Texas Project Nuclear Power Plant, blown north by the coastal winds and spreading across most of the southern Bayou region. Not all at once, but everywhere gets its time to glow.
There’s no consensus on what causes the Shroud to stick around so long after the war, nor why exactly it takes the form of an oil-mist. The only consensus is any contaminated gear needs to be scrubbed in soap and water, since the Shroud’s droplets dry into a highly toxic radioactive crystalline dust.
Putting the puss icing on that rot-cake, the Bayou is also home to a variety of mutated flora and fauna. Each of which has fully adapted to the harsh environment in ways most would call alien. The most prominent of these creatures is the Swamp Hound, a vicious predator with razor-sharp teeth that can shred leather and rip-stop fabrics, a thick hide that resists melee strikes, and large webbed paws which allow it to move through the thick mud with ease. The hounds are incredibly territorial, and will attack any intruders they come across without warning or mercy.
The cherry atop the Bayou is the terrain itself. The area is crisscrossed with a network of waterways, which are often too shallow to navigate by conventional boats. The muddy ground is typically too difficult to traverse on foot, and is pockmarked with hidden sinkholes, quicksand pits, and pools of brackish insect and disease filled water covered by a thin crust of dead plants and dirt.
Despite these dangers, the marshes are also home to a variety of valuable resources. The thick mud is rich in minerals and nutrients that can be used to cultivate crops, and the waterways are teeming with fish and other aquatic life (Much of which would like to eat you as much as you would like to eat it). The Bayou’s countless hazards make it difficult for outsiders to exploit these resources, allowing the native inhabitants a natural shield against invasion.
Despite the many hazards of the region, the Bayou is home to a thriving community of survivors who are ruled by a group of feudal clans known as the Bayou Raiders. These resourceful and independent-minded individuals have managed to eke out a living in this unforgiving environment, relying on their skills as scavengers, traders, and raiders to stay alive.
The Bayou Raiders are organized into a loose confederation of independent communities, each with its own set of customs and traditions. Some live in small villages and settlements along the waterways, while others prefer to live a more nomadic lifestyle, traveling from place to place in search of resources and opportunities.
Despite their reputation as ruthless raiders, the Bayou Raiders are also known for their hospitality and generosity towards fellow survivors who are willing to trade with them or join their ranks. They maintain a network of trade routes that stretches from the Gulf Coast all the way to Austin, and are always looking for new allies and partners in their struggle to survive.