Primary notes on the Annapolis Valley

The Annapolis Valley is located on the Northern face of Western Nova Scotia, inside the UCAS, a stone`s throw from New Brunswick. The valley has a mountain located to the South which is sparsely populated, and ripe with lakes and rivers. To the immediate North, is the North Mountain, which faces the Bay of Fundy on the opposite side. This area is, for the most part, sparsely populated as well, but the density is more than the south mountain.
The area is very rural, with several small towns, and much history. Farming is common, if not prosperous in this area, and many corporations may have their hands in the local farmer’s pockets. The area is popular with some hunters and fishers, as well as being suitable for telesma gathering, and ecotourism. Trail systems criss-crossing the valley, making off-road travel not only possible, but preferred by many travellers.
Corporate Presence:

Many Corporations have their hands in the Valley, mostly through subsidiaries. A few of these subsidiaries are only present in the area, having been grown here, and then bought out.
Aztechnology: As always, Aztechnology has it’s hand in the food processing in the area, owning at least one major meat processor, and acting through subsidiaries to provide to many farmers. The ubiquitous Stuffer Shack is also a sight in the area, although it suffers some competition from another small corner store, Needs Convenience.
Evo: Evo uses the wide areas of the valley in order to experiment on its sustainable productions, even going so far as to buy the area of Farmington, and transform it into a small corp community, for the sake of its urban farming research. Evo deals in several other areas, as well, and is rumoured to supply a small amount of funding to the local Ghoul rights groups.
Horizon: Responsible for much of the advertising in the valley, even by other corps, is the Valley Infomatics Group, a subsidiary of Horizon specializing in the tailored advertising within the entire Valley area. There are also some small-time trideo companies in the valley, and Horizon is rumoured to own a couple of the hotels and health resorts.
MCT: Owning several groups which research awakened effects in the area, as well as funding many telesma hunts, MCT has a stronger presence then many megas in the Valley. It is also suggested, that there may be some testing going on into their “Zero-Zone” efforts for their less urban research bases.
Neonet: As the main provider of the local Matrix, they have several small groups in the area, and many more technical providers. Valley and Bay Communications is the largest local subsidiary of NeoNet, responsible for maintaining the largest portions of the Matrix.
Other Megas have some standing in the valley, these are only the ones that the public is easily aware of.


Important Locations

Annapolis Royal
Primary features:
Annapolis Royal has a long history, as much of former Canada, which began long before the nation was born. It was originally founded as a naval base by the French in 1605 as Port Royal, and was later conquered by the English and renamed (1710) It is the Oldest continuous settlement in Nova Scotia, indeed in all North America, north of St. Augustine, Florida. Because it is only a town, and not a sprawling city, there are many tourist destinations in the area. Although not much presence in the actual town is corporate, there are some research groups who pass through the area.
Another thing to note about the area, is the higher commonality of docile Spirits of Man in the area, as well as the natural background count of 2, aspected to age and humanity.

Matrix Coverage:
Within the town, the matrix is reliable, if weak. However, outside the town, the matrix coverage gets spotty.

New Minas
Primary features:
The shopping center of the Annapolis Valley, New Minas is one of the larger population centers. The area sports many public features, including the major indoor mall for the area, and several strip malls. Pretty much anything can be found here.
In addition to the market sources, there are several public services, including retirement homes, fitness centers, centers to aid the mentally handicapped, and a few specialized businesses.

Matrix Coverage:
Matrix Coverage in New Minas is complete. No one should have any trouble unless jammers are in use

Kentville
Primary Features:
Kentville is a main town In the Annapolis Valley, and has several aspects worth knowing. As the Seat of the Valley’s government, many of the oversight committees have offices in the town. There is also several emergency services, including a public security force (Kentville Police), EMS and hospital services, and a fire station.
Primary resources in Kentville include the abundant apple farms, among other fruit crops. The town is home to several agriculture research facilities, owned by governments and corporations alike, including the largest in Nova Scotia.
Many professionals make their homes and businesses in Kentville, including lawyers, talismongers, and doctors. If there is something you need done, someone here can likely do it.
Also of note, is the presence of the military training base, Camp Aldershot. As its presence near the town indicates, many military personnel may be around at any time to boost the economy and provide support if direly needed.

Matrix coverage:
The matrix in Kentville is among the strongest and most complete in the Valley, due to the quality and importance of the residents to Valley life.

Greenwood
Primary features: The village of Greenwood is one of the major shopping points of the Valley, but nowhere as full as New Minas. The village sports a mall, with many small stores and a few outlets for major retailers. There are many restaurants located near the major intersection of the village, and as such, much of the revenue of town is focused in that area.
The importance of Greenwood, however, is the presence of the UCAS Airforce base located within the village limits. As a true base, and not just a training camp, military personnel are in high density all year round, and make up a significant portion of the community. Military residences are also on site, and Military Police can routinely be seen patrolling the areas under their jurisdiction.

Matrix Coverage:
Complete within the restaurant center, but around the military base is almost non-existent, and localized areas outside the village are very weak or dead.

Middleton
Primary Features: As the Heart of the Valley, Middleton is as much tourism as any other part of the Valley. A quaint town, the residents don’t respond to change well, and as such, many of the buildings seem decades, if not longer, out of date.
The Corporations seem to have the most trouble entering this town, except for a few retail outlets, and there are many cheap motels and campgrounds, making it a perfect place to get away from hectic work schedules for a couple days. With the Annapolis River winding just south of the town, and lots of open trails to hike, one can get lost in the area for hours, if not days, if they wanted, even with communities all around them.

Matrix Coverage:
Wireless Matrix is still attempting to make a foothold in Middleton, and as such, only some areas have any connectivity, and usually only within buildings designed for its use. Communications are mostly hardwired.

Wolfville
Primary Features: While there are many small colleges and technical institutes in the Annapolis Valley, only Wolfville features a full University. The University of Acadia is one of the best in the country for undergraduate studies, although graduate and doctoral studies are lacking, and mostly non-existent.
Other then the University, not much is present in Wolfville, and as such, during the summer the town is almost dead. A few corporations have small stakes in the town, however, since it refuses to give up its free-trade status, they are reluctant to move further, beyond funding the university.
Culturally, Wolfville is the richest in the Valley, being home to artists of all sorts, from stage performers, to musicians, to painters and sculptors. One of the biggest events of the year, is the Annapolis Valley Music Festival, where participants from across the valley participate in the musical offerings on the Acadia Campus. Additionally, many of the old buildings, especially the Victorian houses that are still standing, have long been converted to B&B’s, making the picturesque scenery of the Bay of Fundy and the natural look of the town a perfect tourist location.

Matrix Coverage:
The Matrix in Wolfville is complete, and strong. Valley and Bay Communications maintains the matrix in the town, on a very reliable basis, if only because the NeoNet subsidiary is obliged by the donations the parent company makes to the university.

Digby
Primary Features: The Bay town of Digby is one of the furthest parts of the valley. However, it is also one of the most important. Having grown a little since the days of the US and Canada merging into the UCAS, Digby has become a stop for ships transporting into the Valley and across the province. Claiming the idea as their own, Aztechnology began buying port space in Digby, and in the Maine town of Cutler, then started transporting large machinery and vehicles across the bay. Once in Digby, the machinery could be moved to the final location, whether that is across to more in-land towns, or over to Kentville, and other places en-route. The majority of the equipment transported is used for agricultural purposes, but some of it is construction or machining as well.
Tidal Power, Inc., a subsidiary of Aztechnology, also maintains a industrial manufacturing park just outside Digby This is accomplished using the Tidal power plant they own, which also supplies power to the Digby township.

Matrix Coverage:
Matrix coverage in Digby is handled by Aztechnology, in order to better facilitate their shipping and manufacturing ideals through Maritime Matrix.


Roads to Travel
There are several methods to travelling into, out of, and around the Annapolis Valley, including land, sea and air.

Land
Land routes around the Valley come in many shapes and sizes. The roads are the most obvious, and easiest way of travel, but there is also off-road trails, and for the really desperate, or brave, one can walk through the woods.

Roads
The entire Annapolis Valley has two roads that go from one end of the valley to the other. These are the Highway 101, and the Evangeline Trail. The Evangeline Trail actually goes through many of the towns, and it is the more scenic route to travel. The Highway 101 is much faster, but also is very wide open, without any turns off the road until the exits.
The Evangeline Trail also exits the Valley at the Digby end, and at the Wolfville end. As such, it is a “straight” shot through the Valley. The 101 travels from Digby, all the way to Halifax, making it a faster trip through the valley as well. Going over the South Mountian, one could take may routes, the quickest being Highway 10 from Middleton.

Trails
Off-road trails are just as viable as the roads for travel within and around the valley. Just be careful to watch the wildlife, however. Bears and Coyotes are common in the woods of Nova Scotia.

Sea
As much of the Valley is alongside the Bay of Fundy, or just over the North Mountain from it, sea craft are very likely to be utilised by anyone. Many boaters can be seen in the summer at the beaches, as well. Lakes and rivers are also common across the valley, and many are traversable the entire length. The pollution in the main Annapolis River, however makes it unsafe to swim in most times, and inadvisable the rest of the time.

Air
Between the Greenwood Airforce base, and the private strip in Berwick, small plane travel is at least possible into and out of the valley. Rumour has it, that MCT is building an air strip in order to decrease travel times into and out of their research facilities.

Crime in the Valley
Crime in the Annapolis Valley has evolved over the years. Even though, or perhaps because of, the travel distances are greater than they would be in a city, there is still a fair number of people who take part in illegal, or quasi-legal, activities. This is a short over view of these activities.

Organized crime:
Organized crime is a reality in the Valley, although not on the same level as in major cities. Since population density is smaller, some activities, such as kidnapping are more easily apparent, and don’t have room to grow in the area. However; loansharking, drugs/BTLs, boarding fugitives, and illegal transport do exist in decent amounts, as do prostitution and protection scams. The groups that are involved in these things is listed below.

Loansharking: This is largely the area of the Vory, and they have a group in every larger town who does it, with one or two leg-breakers. However, in one or two areas, the Mafia has a man or two hounding in on the sharking operation.
Drugs/BTLs: The Mafia has a little hand in that, but really only stop at pre-arranged locations on their way through to larger areas, such as Halifax or Lunenburg. Most often, those stops are to pick up money, and drop off product for the relevant gang to sell for them. If the gang doesn’t pay back in time, the mafia comes looking. The Yakuza also has a hand in the BTL game, although they are more permanent fixtures in the area. Selling from their own “gang” and controlling sections of the town’s back streets for a few minutes at a time.
Boarding: When you are on the run, you need somewhere to hide. If you have the right contacts, and enough nuyen, in any of the organized groups, they will hide you for a time. The Vory is much more likely to help, however, and will hide almost anyone for a price. Except a cop.
Transportation/smuggling: The Mafia do a lot of smuggling, mostly their own drugs or weapons. If they are short on man-power, they may call for a runner team, or a go-gang to deliver for them. The Vory do some transporting as well, but usually just in the immediate area.
Prostitution: Yakuza Bunraku parlours are rare in the valley, but you can find them if you know the right person. Most of the prostitution is handled by the person actually partaking. However, small groups have gotten together for mutual benfit.
Protection: This is mostly the area of the Mafia, but the Yakuza and Vory do it as well, in smaller doses.

Gangs
There are a number of gangs in the Annapolis Valley, however, many of them are just kids having fun. The ones to watch out for are listed below.

Bloods: The Bloods are a somewhat large gang, with a few chapters in the Maritimes. In the Annapolis Valley, the leader is a Hobgoblin who goes by Raghead, and runs the gang from an apartment complex in a Greenwood low income housing area, near the base. They deal in drugs, and handle some protection rackets, sometimes for the Mafia.

Wharf Rats: A Go-gang naming their selves after the annual bikers rally held in the Valley, the Wharf Rats make trouble in the fishing and port towns along the coast of the Bay. They do a lot of transportation for extra money, and a little drug dealing, as well.

Free Ride: These adrenaline junkies are the local street racing crew, spending their nights on the 101 between Berwick and Coldbrook, testing the limits of their cars, and their health.

Awakened in the Valley
In the Valley, there are a few Initiatory groups, as well as political groups for the awakened. The Ghoul community is active, and they have an office in Kentville where they meet, occasionally with officials to discuss their plans. There are rumours of a shifter pack living on the south mountain, but they have remained hidden so far. Free Spirits are occasionally around, and wild spirits have some fun in the less urban areas.

Initiatory groups
There are a few initiatory groups located within the Valley, but not many of them are particularly well off. The most well known group is the Hermetic Society of the Apple. These mages are a loose group, and tend only to meet in order to discuss the state of various things affecting the awakened in the Valley, such as by-laws, or shifts in background count. Their main offices are located in Kentville, with a couple minor offices throughout the townships.

Secondary to the Hermetic Society of the Apple is the Valley Environment and Mana Society, which is a combination outreach program for the protection of natural areas, and a Shaman initiatory group which handles the neo-pagan and shaman practitioners in the Valley. Many of the members in this society are not actually mages, but mundanes who help out with fundraising for the natural preservation side of the group. Their main office is located in Middleton, but they have chapters in most of the smaller communities, operating out of the community centers.
The final initiatory group worth mention is the God`s Children group, which handles initiations for the various Abrahamic sects in the valley. They also do some work with fundraising for community events and manage the public clothing donations. They are located in Wolfville, but a small number of people from each church have connections to the main body.

Emerged in the Valley
Technomancers are treated in the valley as they are elsewhere, largely with deference and suspicion. Being a Rural area, many Technomancers are located directly inside the townships, where they have full access to the wireless signals which give them a sense of being. Outside the towns, Technomancers find the sporadic wireless to be bothersome, like something is missing in their being.

Metahumanity in the Valley
Humans are treated with the same respect they are normally treated with. Elves tend to be treated with respect, but the conspiracy theories aren’t necessarily dead, either. Dwarves are just as overlooked as ever, and as such don’t have many problems with being prejudiced against.
Due to the original settlement of cultures in Nova Scotia, it is more common to see metavariants from the UK and Germanic areas. Especially Fomori, Night Ones, and Giants, in that order.