New FOE location

[Tankenstein_PhD]

I've got several ideas stewing in my head for various locales in the FOE setting. Given I've never written fanfic and couldn't use all of these ideas even if I did I thought I might throw one out for the community to use. Set your fic in it, draw fanart in it, put an RPG game in it, or maybe just give it a quick nod somewhere, I'd just like to know an idea I had went to use somehow. Since I've got multiple ideas, though, I thought I'd outline them real quick and then leave it up to a community vote. I'll start posting some info on the winning area after the vote ends. The poll will end in about a week (6/19). The stuff posted won't include any stats for RPG games, but will instead just be more general info on the area as a whole, along with important factions/locations.

Anyways, here's some detail on the options:

-Neigh Orleans: this is what you get when you cross Venice with the apocalypse. And surround it with an irradiated, deadly swamp. Around here, if the locals don't get ya the critters will, and if they don't get ya the plants will! The city itself is sort of an opposite to Filly: here, there are few rules and if you've got the caps you can buy anything or anyone. The surrounding Bayou, on the other hand, will test survivalists to their limits. It's often the destination for gung-ho wasteland big game hunters, eager to prove themselves in one of the most hostile environments the wastes can offer. Marshy terrain prevents the construction of large underground structures, though, so Stables and bunkers likely won't be found here. Partly inspired by Point Lookout.

-Trotsylvania: want some more horror elements for your apocalypse? Here you go. This old region of Equestria was always considered strange, and the end of the world didn't help. Less modern architecure and amenities and more in the way of castles, manors, and old style Equestrian buildings. And death, which is just as easy to come by here as anywhere else in the wastes. However, staying dead may not be such a problem anywhere else... The Dunwich Building, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, and parts of the Metro games are an inspiration here, as well as RL haunting legends.

-The Nightmare's Triangle: brutal jungle warfare on every island, unexplained happening, and pirates? The apocalypse just keeps gettin' better, don't it? the islands of the region offer plenty of wartime bunkers and facilities, and maybe even some stables. Just watch out for the strange happenings reported in these waters. They may be more than just drunken sailor's tales after all... Inspired by the mention of pirates in Project Horizons and my own fascination with the Bermuda Triangle.

-Appleachia: a rural, earth pony dominated region before the war, it is now home to lots of dilapidated mineshafts and plenty of Stables (as well as privately constructed refuges from the magical holocaust). The region is home to Bastion, a pre-war prison turned settlement, as well as the Regulators - a group of bounty hunters trying to clean up the wastes, one bullet at a time. But a conflict is brewing between Bastion and a staunch anti-slavery group, one which might tear the regulators apart... Faint vibes of Honest Hearts, though mostly inspired by some actual trips I've taken to the real-life region.

[Tankenstein_PhD]

Well, I guess I'm playing tiebreaker. I'm gonna go for Nightmare's Triangle then, since I've seen more interest in that. I'll see about starting in with the history of the region tomorrow.
EDIT: Guh, friggen' internet lost what I tried to enter for the first part. Gonna type it up in a word processor, then post it.

[Tankenstein_PhD]

Here we go. Next time I'll have some survival info for the region, along with important characters, factions, and locations.

The Nightmare's Triangle – A Guide

Description: The Nightmare's Triangle has long been an informal name for a section of the Mareibbean Ocean. It lies on what was a pre-war trade route between the zebra nation and Equestria. The climate is warm and tropical, and the region is dotted with dozen or perhaps even hundreds of islands. The eponymous triangle has its corners at three islands: Buckatoa on the zebra end, Port Rich on the Equestrian end, and Tartarus, which lies away from most other islands. Since the war the region has become a wasteland similar to Equestria, but with boats being the primary means of transit. It also still functions as a path between Equestria and the zebra lands, though travelers making such a trip are few, and survivors fewer.

History: The islands of the Mareibbean have long provided a relatively easy path between Equestria and the zebra lands by sea. Pre-war the area had long served as a trade route, but its importance declined as land and air routes opened to connect the countries.
At the outbreak of the war the better prepared zebra forces swept through the region, even capturing Port Rich. With zebras seemingly poised to amphibiously invade Equestria, a counteroffensive was launched. The newly formed Equestrian Marine Corps pushed the zebras back island by island, eventually capturing Buckatoa. Plans for an Equestrian landing in zebra territory never made it past the planning stage, however, and the region faded into obscurity again as the war headed toward its fiery conclusion.
This obscurity may have been salvation for some: the area was difficult to build towers for the Single Pegasus Project in and was not considered important enough to warrant them anyway. This would ensure the region would at least receive sunlight after the Enclave sealed the sky. A lack of strategic targets also insured the area received relatively few direct hits from megaspells during the conflict. Due to this, the area was selected for the construction of several Stables, which were carved into the more mountainous islands.
In the aftermath of the war's end, life began to re-emerge on the islands. The region played host not only to the original inhabitants but also emerging Stable ponies, refugees arriving by boat from the holocaust on the mainland, and the remaining soldiers of garrison forces on the islands. A mode of living developed that was similar to the rest of the wastes: small settlements offered a modicum of protection, with the stretches of wasteland in between lacking any kind of law and order. Pirate empires rose and fell, adventurers braved storied ruins, and die hard elements of the pre-war armies continued their struggle even after the end of the world.
Now, roughly two centuries after the bombs fell things are coming to a head. The pirate lord Red Tide's fleet has been a growing problem for the area, and the descendants of the zebra and Equestrian forces in the region have begun searching more intensely for pre-war technologies to help win a war long ended. Most ominous of all are the tales that have begun circulating about Tartarus Island and its supposed wartime research facility, which some say is at the heart of the odd stories about the area. The whole triangle waits in suspense to see what the future holds...

[Tankenstein_PhD]

Survival Tips: In addition to general survival tips for the Equestrian Wasteland, such as those found in the Wasteland Survival Guide, the Nightmare's Triangle demands several special considerations of its own. Here are some of the most pertinent.
-When exploring islands be sure to always have an escape route. Unlike the rest of the wastes, should something go wrong here you could be stranded on a very unfriendly island if not careful.
-Unless you are on an exploratory/scavenging mission do not rely on stops at any islands you are not sure are safe. In addition, a smart captain will always have at least two safe routes to her intended destination.
-Before landing on any unexplored island, remember that you are probably not the first to try exploring it in two hundred years. All those before you just didn't come back.
-Larger predators are rare in the Triangle. Instead of hellhounds and dragons, you should watch out for swarms of giant mantises, bloatsprites, and especially giant ants.
-The plants of the jungle can be as dangerous as the animals. Some exits which can be dangerous to ponies, and many islands play host to killing joke.
-Some fruits and berries produced by the local plants are safe to eat, but not all. Consult respectable local sources or a Pipbuck before consuming.
-Keep track of your companions in the jungle. It will conceal them as readily as it will hazards, and you don't want to accidentally shoot a friend or get lost alone in the jungle.
-Swimming in the Mareibbean is not advised. It is known to be populated by mutated sea life, and the water itself is still slightly irradiated.

Dangrous Animals: Several hostile species are native to the Mareibbean that are not found elsewhere. Chief amongst the land bound varieties is the leech. The enlarged varieties found after the war are almost as long a pony's leg, and are painful when attached. They frequent water sources and mud patches on islands. If enough attach they can even drain the unfortunate victim's blood in minutes. Heat is by far the most effective way to remove leeches. Attempting to pull one off or kill it will only harm the victim further.
Equally horrifying is the radwasp. These insect are roughly the size of a dog, hunt alone. They are quick, and will attempt to paralyze a victim with their venemous stingers before implanting eggs in the victims stomach. These eggs will hatch in one or two days if not removed, and the newborn wasps will then chew their way out of their host.
Sharks are present in the waters, though they are largely unchanged from their pre-war incarnations.
Barracuda schools are present and seem to have grown more aggressive after the war. Should an unfortunate pony fall into the water with them she will almost certainly be stripped to the bone in minutes.
Sea serpents are present, although in small numbers. They can have wildly different attitudes among individuals, though few go out of their way to harm ponies. Nevertheless, some ponies – particularly pirates – will hunt sea serpents in an attempt to prove their abilities. It is generally recommended that any sea serpents encountered be left alone if possible.

Combat: In the Mareibbean, combat can sometimes follow slightly different rules than on the mainland. Here is a brief summary of some common tips and tactics.
Since so much travel occurs by boat, barding can turn into a deadly burden if you are forced into the ocean to swim. For this reason many in the triangle prefer light or medium barding. In addition, the dirt of the jungle and saltwater of the ocean wreak havoc on metal armor and power armor, so these are virtually unknown in the region. For precisely the above reasons power armor was never issued to Equestrian Marine Corps units, so any suits must be imported from the outside.
Energy weapons also suffer heavily from the conditions inherent in the triangle. Though they are not as rare as heavy barding, they are still harder to come by in the Triangle than elsewhere in the wastes. The exception is fire-based weapons such as flamers and incinerators, which are often in demand and which were used in numbers during the war. Miniguns and grenade machine guns are also particularly vulnerable to the elements and so are used in limited numbers as well.
Island fighting is often kept to short ranges due to the heavy foliage and the fact that many islands have cave systems. Sniper rifles have limited uses, but regular rifles, sub-machine guns, and shotguns are favored. Grenades are also a big plus for clearing caves and pre-war bunkers, as are fire weapons. Care must be taken with fire, though; setting the jungle on fire when you are in the middle of it is a bad idea.
Ship-to-ship combat often focuses on boarding operations, since ships and their cargo are valuable enough to want in one piece rather than on the bottom of the ocean. The attacking crew will generally try to force the defenders from the decks of their ship in order to make boarding easier. This is usually done with sharpshooters, ligh machine guns, or with fragmentation grenades. Upon boarding the ship the attackers will generally try to kill the crew or force a surrender. This is where combat can become the most brutal, since retreat is not an option for the defenders. Close range weapons rule the day here: shotguns, SMGs, pistols, carbines, melee weapons, and brass horseshoes are all common sights. It should be noted that grenades must be used carefully inside ships. Not only are they capable of damaging important systems but the concussive blast can deafen or even incapacitate those nearby, including the user. If the target ship can be towed the attackers may attempt to stop it from fleeing by destroying its propulsion beforehand with an anti-machine rifle.

Notable Locations:

-Buckatoa: A volcano that was long dead even before the war, Buckatoa is now home to a functional port which sees much traffic. Most ships passing through the Mareibbean stop in here, giving rise to a booming marketplace. If you need to buy or sell something, you can almost certainly do so here. A word to Equestrian travelers: as this was the closest major port to the zebra mainland even before the war, its population is heavily zebra. Please remember that most zebras alive two centuries after the war do not necessarily want to keep fighting said war, and that you should not try shooting them.
-Port Rich: Another pre-war port that has developed similarly Buckatoa, but with a much more predominantly pony population on account of it being located on the Equestrian end of the Mareibbean.
-Tartarus Island: A dormant volcano, this island lies away from most others in the Mareibbean. It received its name because for its hellish appearance: a nub a dark black sand and rock jutting out of the ocean. Just under the surface the ashy looking sand is still hot, and gouts of foul-smelling natural gases will occasionally appear. The island also holds a wartime Equestrian research station for secret projects. The island was the subject of many wild theories during the war, and periodically scavenging crews have been assembled to go loot the islands supposed secrets. None of these groups have ever returned successful.

Notable Groups:

-Pirates: Like raiders, but on boats. They are savage, merciless, and cruel. If you see them, running is a good idea. Shooting also works. Both is even better.
-Zebra Legionnaires: zebras intent on fighting a war that really ended two hundred years ago. They are not overly interested in dealing with civilians, but won't hesitate to confiscate supplies they need. Don't mention the princesses around them, as they really don't like that.
-Equestrian Marines: ponies intent on fighting a war that really ended two hundred years ago. Despite being mortal enemies with the Legionnaires, the two groups act pretty similar, except the Marines get mad if you say nice things about zebras.
-Due to the conditions being poor for power armour, the lack of cloud cover, and a lack of strategic targets the Enclave and Steel Rangers have no presence in the Maribbean.

Notable Individuals:

-Red Tide, the Pirate King: Perhaps the most dangerous pirate since the apocalypse, Red Tide has amassed a small fleet of over a dozen ships and can threatens even the largest trading ships and settlements. He is known to be light blue earth pony with a green mane and tail and a cutie mark resembling a drop of blood. While not astoundingly large or strong Red Tide is a decent shot and quite skilled in all forms of close combat in addition to being terrifyingly hard to kill. He has been reported dead multiple times, only to reappear with nothing more than a scar and even more fame among other pirates. A confirmed story tells of him being stabbed through the neck by a mutineer and, unfazed and with a sword through his neck, strangling his assailant before seeking medical attention. Supposedly this proclivity for surviving the worst the wastes can conjure has been bolstered with permanent alchemical enhancements acquired from zebras. During any attack he orchestrates Red Tide will almost certainly be at the fore, looking for more victims to slay.
-The Centurion: Little is known about this enigmatic zebra except that he leads the Legionnaires. Those who have seen him fight say that he is a fearsome opponent, while the successes of the Legionnaires speak volumes of his tactical skill.
-Colonel Clarion Call: Leader of the remnants of Equestrian forces in the area, Call is a proficient fighter on his own, but what makes him truly dangerous are his organizational and motivational skills. He is adept at procuring and distributing supplies to his troops, even with the difficulties presented by a post-apocalyptic infrastructure. His special talent, however, is motivation and his leadership has seen the ponies under his command through hard times.

Note: So, here's the rest of it. Again, feedback appreciated, and I'd love to hear from anybody who actually gets any use out of this.