Midvale, KS
Like much of the heartland of America, the town of Midvale, Kansas is a place in transition, from generations of a traditional way of life, to a future dominated by agribusinesses and farm subsidies, and a world market for produce and farm products where the “breadbasket” of America is no longer as competitive as it once was.
Midvale is primarily a farming community, surrounded by family farms and fields, where the central “two roads and a stoplight” area has grown up into a thriving town to serve the community’s needs. The homecoming game of the Midvale Monarchs high school football team is still a major event in town. The remainder of Midvale’s economy is driven by tourists who come to visit local geographic features like Crater Mound and Serpent's Run.
Midvale has seen some conflict between local farmers and “big agro” with companies like Amalthea, Inc. buying up farmland, often leasing it back to local farmers in what they call “modern serfdom.” Some protests against Amalthea and accusations of violations of environmental regulations and labor laws have led to bad blood in the community.
Midvale is a setting for stories of the “Hidden Heartland,” where the unusual lurks behind the façade of the ordinary and everyday, and where aliens and gods might walk amongst us in the most American of backdrops.
What created Crater Mound? It might have been an ancient meteor, with radioactive fragments still buried in the earth, coming to the surface through erosion or dug up by prospectors, scientists, or just curious kids. Perhaps portions of it are materials like viridian from Emerald City or other strange unearthly substances. It could have been the crash of an alien vessel or artifact, leaving behind wreckage containing advanced technology and unusual materials, or perhaps still intact and waiting to be found, including its alien crew held in stasis.
Likewise, Serpent’s Run might be the creation of the ancient Serpent People or cults devoted to them, and could mark geomantic lines of mystic power, ancient ritual sites, or burial places for Serpent or human artifacts of mystic potency. Occult power could even “leak” from the site, under the right conditions, affecting the local flora and fauna (including people).
Finally, agribusiness giant Amalthea, Inc., might be more than it appears. The name comes from Greek mythology, so connections to villains like Medea, Talos, or Hades from Freedom City are possibilities. Even if Amalthea is a mundane megacorporation, accusations of regulatory violations might be true, and the use of experimental (or banned) chemicals in Midvale might contribute to the local “weirdness index” or trigger some other incidents or origins.
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