Al-Jannah
Many thanks to awillowweeping for creating our lovely country map!
The next surviving area after Veles is Crimea, now called Al-Jannah (paradise), is nearly 500 miles away. Located in the country once known as the Ukraine, this previous penninsula is now an island with a man made canal that joins the Black Sea and the Sea of Avov, forming a natural barrier that the Zombies cannot conquer. The general climate is subtropical with mild-warm seasons. Snow does fall on the mountain tops, but otherwise the island is a paradise compared to the harsh conditions of Veles. Al-Jannah is smaller than the state of Maryland, with the concentration of humans greatest in Sevastopal, Yalta, and Krech.
There are three natural regions: the flat northern steppe lands, southern mountains and the tropical coast. The majority of the population lives along the coastline farthest away from the canal. Lush forest take majority of the island space, providing timber and game. Vineyards and orchards coincide peacefully with rolling wheat fields and other farmed foods, which border the forests and settlements. Within the forests game can be found, from White Tail Deer to European Roe Deer.
Sevastopal: Where most of the technology lies for Al-Jannah. There are excellent sources of metals and minerals enabling the people to make a limited number of automobiles and help with building homes and keeping energy flowing through the land.
Yalta: Bordered by both coastline and forest, this settlement heads the food production for the island. It's mostly agricultural, yet there are plenty of amenities and luxuries provided by both Sevastopal and Krech.
Krech: The settlement closest to the mainland holds the military leadership required to ensure the island remains safe. It also contains many science labs as well as factories for textiles and medication. This settlement would be the first that the Gate Walkers would encounter, if not settle in.
For the last six years, this small island has been isolated from the rest of the world while the Solanum annihilated the world. Without the oppression of the Six, the people have been able to grow and thrive here with little restriction save that they are an isolated island. Technology has thrived a little better than that in Veles, but there are no sprawling cities or auto-clogged streets.
History!
All world history for Crimea is the same as current Earth history up to and just past the Crimean War (4/8/1944 - 5/12/1944) In this event, Russian forces battled with German and Romanian armies to force them out of Crimea. The Red Army liberated Crimea from foreign rule, taking over the Ukranian Penninsula. The Nazis had occupied the territory since 1942, leaving some of it's culture with the people.
In May 1944, the Soviet Union forced the native people of Crimea, known as Tartars, into exile, sending them to Central Asia. It was believed that the Tartar had worked with the German forces during the occupation.
In August 1945, the Bomb hit Japan. Believing that the Americans had unleashed the Solanum, the people residing in Crimea worked furiously to separate themselves from the mainland. In a frantic effort to dig a canal across the two tiny strips of land connecting them, several hundred thousand people died from accidents, drowning, Solanum and the fear that people might be infected. When the sea waters finally filled the canals permanently, approximately 100,000 people were left on the island.
While better off than Veles, the people of Al-Jannah are no where near secure in their survival. Much of the land has started to return to its natural state with ruins beginning to crumble from neglect.
In 1952, the people of Al-Jannah picked up the first signs that they weren't the only living people left on Earth. There was a city called Veles that were deep in the heart of Zombie Land, struggling to survive and trying to find other places that still had life. While Al-Jannah is excited to hear that they aren't the only ones, they are also wary. Are these people truly alive or are they modified zombies? And where is Veles?
How power is supplied
Since Al-Jannah does not have it's own power supply as Veles does with the Flux. Without the demand to have consistent heat for harsh winters, a complete power grid isn't necessary. However, electricity is needed to power radios and manufacture machines, so there are limited power supplies through wind and solar energy. Yalta has very little electricity since it's rural uses, and the majority of the power is reserved for Krech and Sevastopal.
**This island will be updated with more information as the Gate Walkers discover more about it.**