The Mystic County Project

[soldyne 111]

You were superb when you started but you just keep improving with each update!

these pics are amazing. the mosaics are astounding and I love the streams, rapids and waterfalls. good use of pegs hydrodam too. keep it up.

[cityhawk 12]

The storyline in this CJ of yours is probably the one I most enjoy reading out of any of the other CJs (well, there are a select couple that are just about as good as this one)! Nice mosaics, and nice stream; where did you get that stream pack? Anyway, I can't wait to see what "Project Delta" is and how Mystic County will be affected!

[ThePeoplesPerson 3]

Oh man how did I miss this CJ before! Awesome look to it. I like how most of the towns and such are all made out of lots so far, but look very, very natural.

I also have to ask, where did you find that stream pack, it looks amazing.

[6underground 11]

wow! What a mosiac, with that beautiful waterfall tumbling down to that river with the logs. Splendid! I love the region view too. Top notch!

[SpecialEddie 3]

Amazing stream (how did you do that?)! Amazing mosaic! Exciting invasion! Hmm...tanks can only mean one thing...

Driving school!

[Yoman3 5]

AMAZING WORK!!!

The story is great.

The lots look great.

Just one question.

WHERE DID YOU GET THE TANK PARKS AND RAIL YARDS!!!

if you cant answer that just tell me where you got those tank props!!!

[Darmok 34]

Hi Kant...

Alright alright, everything is simply dropdead gorgeous! Really!

Now, the niceties being said...

where the heck did you find those rapids! Or are they phoptoshopped?

Pray tell, cause we're all panting here!

**looking at watch and waitng!**

[Kayean_Henser 2]

I just had to add my voice to the chorus praising this city journal, Kant--fantastic work! Very engaging, to say nothing of how beautiful it is. Your rivers are wonderful, and I've rarely seen the in-game landmarks used so effectively.

Looking forward to what happens next...good thing someone was smart/paranoid enough to go up river to take a look......

[CDI_spy 6]

Gaa... 

I've got to stop discover new and beautiful CJs... or else I'll start visiting them all on a regular basis... and I will have no life... it's a great problem to have... 

Amazing, amazing work Kant.  Great job, and keep at it!

[anubis89 108]

again so many  details there and great lots you've made

[sorchin 18]

Hey kant:

I'm usually too busy to write in the Journals, but this one I'll have to keep my eyes open for. It's beautiful my friend. One question. Where did you get the rushing river area from? Is that a photoshop manipulation or is it an actual download?

Either way it looks beautiful

[kant01 5]

Greetings everyone! I have been overwhelmed by the response to my last update. Your kind words are very much appreciated!

To answer the questions from so many of you at once (hope that’s ok!), the river you see in the last update is a BSC creation from Citynut with the lots and modding done by Vlakhaas and BarbyW respectively. The lots are called the RPK vol 1 (River Pack Kit). As far as I know, they have not been uploaded to the STEX yet but are now available for download from the PegasusProductions forums.

PegasusProductions->PEGProductionsDownloads->TheBSC (login required)

Here are some more teaser shots from the area just north of the Empire’s new military installation in Lower Cumberland Falls:

As for the military lots, they are also available from the Peg site to download for testing as they have not yet on STEX. You can find them at the top of the BSC downloads page under SNM Project.

These are all fantastic lots and I am very grateful to the creators for all their hard work!

Now for...

Personal replies:

Anarchy - Welcome to Mystic County! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment!

Ynterboy - thank you so much for the lovely comment. That was very nice of you to say. As for the Chancellor’s plans, well...I can certainly say that trouble is afoot! You’ll just have to wait to the next update to find out more!

Battlecat - Haha! Very true, my friend. Mixed reactions, no doubt. Stay tuned for the next update for some of the initial response. Thanks for the kind words - they are very much appreciated! And I agree, the new RPK and military lots are rather amazing. Can’t wait to use them some more!

GaBoR - Thanks for the comment. I really appreciate it. Those were my first mosaics so I was a bit apprehensive as to how they would look. Yes, the RPK is from PEG’s site. I am so glad that they were finally made available.

jglei701 - Welcome to Mystic County! So nice of you to stop by. I also really like the new river set. Thanks for reading and thanks for the kind words!

jacqulina - I really appreciate the comment. I’m really glad you enjoyed Lower Cumberland Falls. Hope to see you again!

Tommy_Vercetti3 - Thanks so much for your comment! Its very nice to see you in Mystic County. Hope to see you again.

sloppet - thanks for commenting. It is always great to hear your words of encouragement.

Anarchy - haha. Well, more is on the way, you just have to be patient! But I am glad your interest is up.

Tracker - hmmm....how to answer that question. Guess you’ll just have to wait to the next update! Thanks for stopping by!

soldyne - So nice to see you again and THANK you so much for your beautiful comment. It really makes it all worth it to get such encouragement. I am really glad you liked the mosaics. I do love the new rapids. It is a touch that was really needed I think for SC.

cityhawk - I am so glad you have been enjoying the story. That really makes my day. The new RPK is from Peg’s site. See the link above. And as for Operation Delta, well, I can’t give too much away. It will definitely affect Mystic County...I can say that much! Thanks again for your lovely comment, my friend!

ThePeoplePerson - Welcome to Mystic County! It’s so nice of you to stop by and comment. Believe me, your comment is really appreciated. I have been striving for a very natural look so I am glad you noticed. The new river pack is rather amazing. See the link above more downloading.

6underground - Glad to see you in Mystic County! I’m really glad you liked the mosaics. They were my first ones and I think I feel confident enough to make some more now. I also really like the floating logs in the new river pack. I think it was a great touch. Thanks so much for your kind words - I hope to see you here again soon!

SpecialEddie - So nice to see you in Mystic County again! I really appreciate your comment. The mosaics were fun to make - although challenging. The river pack is also great - glad you liked it! Tank, tanks, tanks...lol...I wish I had one in driving school. So much more to come!

Yoman3 - Thanks you so much for your comment. I am glad that you are enjoying the story. I am having lots of fun writing it and I appreciate all the feedback. The military depot and railyard are both part of the BSC SNM collection which available from Peg’s site. They are really terrific!

Darmok - Hey thanks for the comment, really. I hope you didn’t get dehydrated waiting for my reply! Fortunately, those pics are not photoshopped but are the result of the fabulous work from Citynut, et. al. I couldn’t believe it when I found them.

Kayean_Henser - Welcome to Mystic County! So nice of you to stop by. I really appreciate your kind words. I’m also glad you liked my use of the landmarks. It has been fun to find new ways to present them. Glad you liked the story too. You never know what might come from up river! The next update is on its way soon.

CDI_spy - Greetings from Mystic County! It’s really nice to see you here and I really appreciate your comment. I am really glad you liked my CJ and I hope to see you here again soon!

anubis89 - Thank you so much for the kind words. I do really appreciate them. I’m glad you like all the details - I always think that those are the best part! Hope you stop by again soon.

sorchin - Well, my friend, I am very glad you took the time to stop by and leave a comment. I REALLY appreciate it. As for the river, its definitely not photoshop manipulation - those lots really do look that way and they are amazing! Thanks again for your comment!

Alright, that’s it for now. Thanks again everyone! The next update will be on its way soon!

[GMT 389]

what a great work here since I visited the last time...

gotta check in more often here.

so many cool things, dunno where to start....

well, the setup of the fishing dock in the last pic on page 3 reminds me of the movie message in a bottle with kevin coster (i think)... great.

and the new river set... awesome, first time to see it in action.

hm... too many to comment now, so I feel free to just say awesome work to include everthing shown here.

waiting for more

[seemurray2 21]

Very awesome pics, I like the road construction!

[cityhawk 12]

In that last pic right before and after the waterfall, are those rapids? Anyway, thanks for the link, and I'm looking forward to more of this great CJ!

[kant01 5]

There's a new update coming in a few minutes. The *shocking* conclusion to "The Invasion."

But first I wanted to take care of a few personal replies:

GMT - Thank you so much for your lovely comment! It is really appreciated so much. I'm glad you like the fishing dock areas. They are some of my favorite lots and I had a fun time arranging them. I am also glad you like the new river - so do I! I expect to be seeing it in many CJ's soon. They are really phenomenal lots. Thanks again for your comment. Stop by again soon!

seemurray2 - Welcome to Mystic County! Thanks for the nice comment! Hope to see you here again.

cityhawk - Yes, they are rapids. I love those pieces! It was something that was needed very badly and I am so thankful to citynut for creating them.

Ok...update is on its way.

[kant01 5]

The Invasion, Part IV

From the personal journals of Rufus Delacroix, kept in the records of the Linden Province Historical Society:

April 17, year ’60:

Oh god. I knew it. We are all doomed.

Last night I snuck down from the Cumberland Mountains, through some of the most spectacular falls I have ever seen, only to meet something that terrified me to my very core. A military base of the Chancellor...here in Mystic County!

I could feel the burning sensation in my stomach which I am certain is an ulcer. I felt dizzy and light headed. That burning sensation crept slowly up my body - spinning, reeling, churning - slowly up my throat – bile and acid tingling in my mouth. Before I knew it I had turned and fallen – hands and knees – the vomit pushing past my tongue and teeth. I couldn’t breath. I choked, gagged and coughed. I felt sick all over.

Right here under our noses, the Empire had built a base!

I saw tanks and ammo vehicles everywhere. Tents and fences and soldiers everywhere. Trucks and guns and weapons everywhere. The smell of the Empire’s betrayal…everywhere.

It was almost too much to believe. I had warned them all. I had told them that we could never trust the Chancellor. I had told Dale and his father. But no one listened to me. I suddenly understood what it meant to have a Cassandra complex. Burdened with my own predictions and now weighted down that all this might have been halted, might have been put off, might have been different. But no. We accepted the Empire on its terms and now we were in their grasp.

Can we now refuse? I doubt it. At one point I thought we might have withstood them, might have stood up to them with the capital so far away. Once the tanks rolled out of Warwick it seemed that we still had control. Now it seems that control was an illusion, a carefully constructed shadow of the Empire, cast down to make us appear as if we directed our own lives. All this time, enough military force, just waiting for us to try to throw off that shadow. And what if we dared to gainsay the Empire now? What if we dared to chart our own course? Could there be life out from under its clutches?

Dale, oh Dale, my best friend in the entire world, is he so taken with the illusion that even he will not be able to see what they are doing? How do I convince him? His mother has so turned and twisted his thoughts that she will probably have him wiping the Chancellor’s boots.

How can we escape? It seems impossible. And the worst part about it is that the Empire did not simply force this darkness, this blindness, this shadow upon us. No. We took and placed it over our own eyes. We accepted this construction of freedom. We accepted it and then just proceeded to go about our lives and pretend as though we were not responsible for what the Empire did.

I suppose we will all pay for this mistake.

April 18

I waited until the next nightfall to escape this wretched place. I didn’t want to stay there in that hellhole a minute longer.

I snaked around down the mountain, avoiding the base and the tanks and the soldiers and then circled back around to the bottom front of the base on the southern edge. All kinds of carefully set up road blocks and guards were in place watching the front of the base in case someone like me happened to come along. The actual entrance to the base appeared to be a couple of tunnels tucked away in the trees. I avoided those as well and wandered further west and then back again south until I found my way back to the rail tracks.

It was going to be several days back to Warwick and I knew I didn’t have any time to spare.

April 24

I returned to Warwick this evening. I embraced Dale and held him. Part of me felt that maybe just maybe if I held him and closed my eyes I could make this entire nightmare disappear. We could return to our childhood days before we ever left the capital, when our parents would hangout together and we would play in the backyard. But that wasn’t happening.

He shook me slightly and asked if I was ok. Of course I wasn’t. I had him sit down and then proceeded to tell him of what I had seen. At first the look on his face was shock and then incredulity and finally nothing. Just a blank stare. But what worried me was that he didn’t seem to have any sense of worry or panic that I felt. He just sat there, without emotion, quietly pondering the revelation.

Finally, after a few minutes, he turned to me and began to rationalize what I had seen!! “Maybe its not what you think,” he said. “Maybe they needed a remote location for testing and training?” “Maybe they have always had a base there?”

“Dale!” I screamed, “are you insane?! You cannot make this one go away. Nothing is going to change! This is only the beginning. That base was new, brand new. They built after they came here. They have not only sophisticated intelligence and surveillance technology but also high grade, long range weapons and enough tanks and troops to roll over everyone of us 10 times over! They are watching and mocking us and god only knows what they are planning!”

“But Rufus,” he protested, “why go to all this elaborate hoax? Why appear to help us? Why not just roll over us to begin with? What do they get out of it?”

That was of course part of what I hadn’t figured out. “I’m not sure,” I said. “Maybe they do need us. Maybe they don’t want a massacre but just want to coral us. Maybe they have some plan to exploit us. I don’t know. But clearly they are working on something. Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if your mother was keeping them on a tight leash.”

I knew I had gone too far. Dale Jumped from his seat, grabbed my shoulders and threw me against the wall. His nostrils flared and he breathed quickly and for a moment I thought I saw an odd glint in his eye that I had never seen before.

“My mother,” he said very slowly, “knows nothing about this I can guarantee that. We write to each other every week and I have her word that this is nothing more than a civilian operation and that it is part of the Empire’s plan to lift up the poor and disenfranchised in the remote provinces and to improve their quality of life. You know that my mother has always been the most socially progressive member of Chancellor’s council. It is part of her initiative and I will not have you dragging her into your sordid paranoia.”

I pulled away. It was not like us to fight. I sat for a moment on the bed, my head in my hands. I sobbed. I just couldn’t hold it in. I felt like we once had a chance to create an ideal life here in Mystic County and I now felt like that chance had been taken from us. What could I do?

After about ten minutes of silence Dale got up to leave but I stopped him and asked, “Then tell me, Dale, why has your mother still not come to visit you?”

From the archives of the Linden Province Historical Society, among their collected letters:

April 25, ‘60

Dear mom,

I have decided to go stay in Brush Neck Delta for a few weeks. Rufus and I have had a bad fight and I think it would help to ease the tensions. These are not easy times for any of us here in Warwick and the last thing I want is for it to affect our friendship.

I think you should know that our fight was about the Chancellor and the military base that we discovered in the western part of Mystic County. I won’t say how we know its there, but suffice to say that we know. I think it would really help things out if you could tell me what you know about that base. Rufus has agreed not to tell anyone else for a few weeks until we have heard from you. We will only make it public after I get your response. I only wish you had told me about it before.

As for Brush Neck Delta, I was planning on taking a trip there anyway so I guess this is good timing. They have really created a thriving fishing cooperative but need some help from us. Rufus and I have created a really innovative system for getting the fish ready and off to the farmers market and they had hoped to implant one similar.

Write me as soon as you can. Jacob will bring my mail over to me in Brush Neck. I am waiting to hear from you.

Your son,

Dale

April 28,

Dear mom,

Your letter is probably on its way but I thought I would go ahead and write to you. I am totally surprised by Brush Neck Delta and how much it has grown up since I was last here. Since they too have accepted imperial oversight and had their own magistrate in place, their little community has turned upside down. The rail line in particular has totally changed their lives and they now have a thriving agricultural cooperative that provides a tremendous amount of food, not only to their own people but also to many smaller settlements elsewhere in Mystic County that have started up.

Since the Brush Neck River flows through here providing fresh water they have been able to grow their agricultural co-op much more quickly than we have without the need of irrigation canals. The farms have sprouted up along the river on both sides, one after the next. They have almost every kind of crop I think they could possibly grow in this area.

And while we still only have one small freight station to move our livestock and produce about, they have constructed a massive loading station. While visiting it yesterday it seemed as if delivery trucks came constantly to unload their wares.

These really are an industrious people. It is hard to believe how much they have accomplished in such a short time, all with the help of the Chancellor. So many more homes have sprung up as well. I think at this rate there will be more people in Brush Neck than in Warwick in another year.

And of course, much of their growth is due to the rail line. There was a period when I thought it would never be built and now I can hardly imagine life in Mystic County without it!

In any case, I am still looking forward to your letter.

Yours,

Dale

April 30

Dear mom,

Still haven’t heard from you. Your letter probably arrived and Jacob is just being lazy and not bringing my mail over. You wouldn’t believe how that little runt has sprouted up but he never seems to want to do any work. You really do need to see him.

We have made great progress on Brush Neck’s fishing cooperative. The local manager and I have been retooling their processing and distribution system. They have quite the fleet of boats here and they have been rather successful at it.

Their little dock area is very well constructed. But they have also now built a small processing mill, equipped like our new one, but much smaller. Rufus and I may end up having to build one like it just for us since our fish currently go to the processing mill along with all the other produce and livestock in Warwick.

The one here at Brush Neck looks quietly over the docks and is rather conveniently located.

May 7

Dear Mom,

I have been here in Brush Neck for nearly two weeks. I guess I will be heading back to Warwick the day after tomorrow. I am really ready to see Rufus. I do miss him and I hate that we fought.

I am kind of surprised that you have not written to me. I just don’t know what to think. I thought you would have an explanation for the military base. But maybe you don’t. I trust you but if you don’t tell me anything I won’t know what to think.

From the personal diary of Rufus Delacroix:

May 8

Dale is coming home tomorrow. I do miss him so much. I cannot wait to make up with him. No matter what we learn about that base, I don’t want it to affect our friendship and I will make sure not to speak ill of his mother, no matter how vile a person I think she really is.

Much is happening here in Warwick. The new processing mill is open and operating at full steam. This is a really remarkable achievement. The magistrate offered imperial resources but the planning council agreed to build it entirely on our own. I was so glad of that. I think we need to continue to operate as independently as we can.

The one other big thing that the Empire had done for us besides the rail line is to build the new medical facility. That was one thing that was desperately needed here and so I can be thankful from that, even if it was a gift from the Empire. I was slightly surprised that they built such a large facility but magistrate Baumgartner explained that they hope to provide service to all the small communities around. It is rather odd, but I suppose it is for the best. The facility appears to be state of the art and have all the amenities necessary to handle any kind of illness or surgery. And Baumgartner even said that they plan on bringing in several skilled surgeons and doctors from the capital.

May 9

I have no words. Dale is supposed to arrive home today from Brush Neck. I thought it was going to be a happy reunion but now I don’t know what will happen. I have been waiting at the train station for him to come as I didn’t know what train he would be on. I just wanted to be there when he arrived so that I could tell him how sorry I was. But then, when the first train of the morning pulled up, who should get off?? It was Dale’s mother!

------------

Hope you enjoyed the update! That's the end of "The Invasion". Stay tuned for the next chapter!

[cityhawk 12]

Now that's what I call a well-written story! I think Dave likes to stay in denial of what's really happening, but I guess we'll see. It's also quite the suspense maker with Dale's mom coming to town; I can't wait to see what'll happen next in the story! Have you ever thought about writing a book because I think this is publisher material?! Anyway, as for the pics, I like everything: the mosaic, the overview of the towns, the base, the fishing pier, the hospital... I really am looking forward to what'll happen with that base and the rest of development in Mystic County!

[Battlecat 14]

Geez, suddenly there's a lot of stuff going on!  Hmmm.  Interesting that such a large hospital has been built.  It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next chapter!  

The development looks fantastic all around though!  Keep it up!

[Anarchy 0]

WOW nice lot editing!

[Ramona Brie 121]

This is a high-quality R-CJ (Rural City Journal).

[Yoman3 5]

Amazing work!!!!!

Great work with everything. The story. The pics. Its all great!

[jacqulina 162]

wow now thats a brilliant update i love it you have done a really great job on your cj and your pics are just awesome

[mightygoose 92]

lovely flowing update there

[jglei701 8]

Great update! I'm disappointed I won't be able to get back to it for a week and a half! Can't wait to see what you have in store for us!!

[Darmok 34]

Kant, you really have talent!

this was superb! image and storywiseMy favorite setor is the Brushneck Delta Fishing cooperative, that small area is just SCREAMING authenticity!

Loving it!

Take care

[GMT 389]

oh, just too lovely update!

it looks all so scenic, silent and nice... great work.

the mosaik is great aswell.

waiting for more

[SpecialEddie 3]

Great story! I love the custom content! The amount of work and effort put into this is astounding!

[luker91 0]

that was a big update... i like them that way .... the rocks around the tunnels were a nice touch...those farms look really good in Brush NEck Delta....great work...

Luke

[CDI_spy 6]

Amazing!   Your writing is fantastic!  I am really impressed with what I've seen!