Cancun

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Cancun

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Basics

Paradiso Statistics & Foundation

Clan de la Selva Statistics & Foundation

Primary Map

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  • Location: Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
  • Status: REQUEST. More Information
  • Regional Demonym: Cancunian
  • Languages Spoken: English, Spanish
  • Pronounciation: Can-COON
  • Foundation: ~1991
  • Meaning: Paradise (Italian)
  • Demonym: Paradiso, Paradisos
  • Species:
    • Dog - dominant
  • Population: ~35 dogs
  • Leader: Tamara des Cortes (Paradiso)
  • Foundation: ~1994
  • Meaning: of the Jungle (Spanish)
  • Demonym: Selvan
  • Species:
  • Population: ~40 coyotes
  • Leader: Maria Gabrielle (de la Selva)

Geography & Climate

Geography

Cancun is located in the Northeast corner of the Yucatan Peninsula, famous for its Mayan ruins and the warm Caribbean sea on its coastlines. Located on the edge of the Yucatan jungle, the tropical forest is home to a wide assortment of organisms and plantlife.

Across the Yucatan Channel is Cuba, and the rest of the Caribbean as well. The coast of the Hotel district is full of white-sand beaches and connected to the mainland with bridges that are in questionable states of repair. There is some noted erosion of the sand over the years. Between the mainland and the Hotel area lays the Nichupte Lagoon which was once a wildlife preserve; it is a shallow body of water that provides excellent fishing opportunities.

Swamps are common, thanks to the wet nature of the area, as well as sinkholes. Caution is advised around them as they can be potentially dangerous for the unwary. The northern tip of the Gran Arrecife Maya coral reef lies off the southern edge of the hotel zone.

Climate

Cancun is a tropical place, with a matching climate. It has relatively little fluctuation in temperature with an average of 27.1 °C (80.8 °F), having a tropical wet and dry season instead. Annual rainfall is around 1,340 millimetres (52.8 in), falling on 115 days per year. November to February is more refreshingly cool thanks to northern winds, while it is hotter and much drier in the spring months. Summer is the hottest time of the year with notable humidity and wind.

Rivalry of Proximity

Establishment

The dogs settled first; that much was established early on. After the fall of humanity, the dogs were the ones who were already there, roaming feral or house pets that were freed into the wild. Banding together, these dogs claimed a large portion of the hotel district, keen to get a chunk of the coast, the airport with all its supplies and materials, as well as a portion of land for hunting small game when the fishing was bad. They were quietly living and thriving for the first couple of years on the claim.

However, the coyote clan came soon after. They wanted a piece of the city they had been driven from with the construction in the handful of decades prior, but found that the area was settled by dogs. An intense dislike and hatred blossomed with the coyotes that fed into attacks upon the Paradiso group. Months of attacks led to full out warfare that ended in a stalemate and an agreement to leave a sizable portion of the city unmolested between the two of them. Over the years, there have been many skirmishes, raids, and attacks, though the two have not openly warred since the first war of 1995. The biggest battles since then was in 2005 when stormy weather (Hurricane Wilma) struck the region and left the dogs looking for food, and 2007 when Hurricane Dean affected their southern territory. After raiding the territory, minor battles broke out resulting in casualties and more stalemate agreements. There have been no large-scale attacks since, though the small raids, skirmishes, and brawls continue.

Cancun

The city of Cancun itself is somehow agreed upon neutral territory between these two groups. It is perhaps not the safest place to be for either member of the group, but loners and travelers are rarely molested if they are looking to use the area. Travel outside of Cancun by sea, however, falls to the Paradisos, who control access to the sea and they are the ones to approach about travel. They do not typically impede travelers looking to use the ports they established on their coast lines.

The city is more or less picked clean, but has plenty of useful material still laying around such as lumber, masonry, and metalwork. Despite hostilities between the two groups, members of each may interact peacefully in this area at times, though it is rare and far between.

A handful of neutral canines set up shop in the city, trading crafted wears with both packs, though often using the Paradiso port to transport what they have. There is an notable tavern set up in an old night club cabana in the city, where a stock of tequila and rum are regularly served with local coconuts and fresh meat. The small group of large wolfdog hybrids running the place prohibit fights, well aware of the hostilities between dogs and coyotes, and eject any who are unwilling to obey. It is a well frequented place by both Paradisos and Selvans, as well as any travelers or loners in the area with trading goods to spare.

Paradiso Gang

A group of dogs and dog-dominant hybrids, they roam the coast of the city, the Hotel district, and the area surrounding the old airport. They also control the Nichupte lagoon, giving them access to gentle fishing and swimming grounds. They are both close-knit and individualistic, working on their own frequently but coming together with relative ease. A very easy-going community, they have a notable hold over the major trade conducted in Cancun by controlling access to the seaboard. While vendors and travelers may use the ports further south, it is far easier to merely trade a meal for access to the port for the day. Naturally, they do not allow Selvans into the area, who are forced to either travel far south or hope a small boat will come into their bays.

Group Hierarchy

They are headed by a handful of people, with El Jefe at the top. At the moment, they are headed by La Jefe, a descendant of the first dogs of the group. They have utter respect for one another, especially the head of the group and her seconds, though otherwise the rest of the group are relatively equal to one another. There is rarely discord between the membership, mostly due to the easy lifestyle and strict punishment that comes from the top.

Ranks

La Jefe Tamara sits at the top of the pyramid, the leader of everyone. She has two Secundos to her at all times, who are her eyes and ears in the pack who will also mete out justice and punishment. They are also the canines responsible for going to war and leading battle groups for skirmishes. They are also the ones that schedule patrols and ensure that people behave. La Jefe makes final decisions and deals with the day to day, but the Secundos are the real hammers.

The rest of the membership have no real name or ranking, being all on level footing and expected to contribute equally to the collective. Pups are watched by their parents and those who chose to specialize in medicine or social aspects. The group is very varied, with traders, warriors, and artisans all working together to keep the entire pack fed, clothed, and in good wealth.

Culture

Dogs dominate the group, and no one joins without any dog blood. Wolves and coyotes are prohibited unless they have a noticeable portion of dog blood. It was not initially a rule with the Paradisos until after the war of 1995 and the strife that followed. Coyotes are routinely chased away unless they provide gifts and are not de la Selva.

They are perhaps the most multicultural lot with dogs of many lingual descent present. Their dominant languages are English and Spanish, though some members are capable of speaking Portuguese and French.

They reside close to one another, though typically divided into familial groups if not solitary. Some resorts are still in good condition though most prefer to modify hotel cabanas and concrete constructions for their domiciles rather than the large, imposing human structures.

Paradisos believe in work for play and will often reward themselves with swims on the beach, fun romps in the abandoned hotels, or any other sort of fun activities. They will usually see the lighter side of things and tend to have a more clear optimism. They are also fairly good at trade, considering they have access to a trading port.

Clan de la Selva

Formed by a coyote scarred and maimed from vicious dogs and humans, the old Patriarch survived the end of humanity and avoided even contracting the virus. He took his dozen children and grandchildren with him when the humans fled and the cities they built were abandoned. They returned to the jungles near Cancun, where the Patriarch's childhood home once lay. Dismayed at the city and the presence of the dog gang where his home once was, his prejudice for them infected his descendants and he started the raids, thereby beginning a decades long feud that continued on.

Now run by Matriarch Maria, a direct descendant of the Patriarch, whose name has vanished from their annals, it has expanded its claims as the numbers swelled. While perhaps a third to half the membership is related thanks to the Patriarch, there is a large slew of coyotes and coyote hybrids who joined up as a safe haven who may or may not share the anti-dog sentiment.

Group Hierarchy

Ranks

Headed by the Matriarch, she surrounds herself with a council of the skilled. They are often either the oldest or the most talented of her clan who provide guidance and offer suggestions. While she is not necessarily like royalty, she is treated with the utmost respect thanks to her noble lineage and connection to the Patriarch. This council have their group of specialists who focus on their duties for the clan such as healing, fighting, hunting, etc..

Members are divided into these groups though they are typically on a level playing ground. However, warriors are typically kept above the rest as the soldiers defending the clan. Non-warriors are expected to defer to the fighters, which can cause some strife in the clan. Unfortunately, it is often the warriors and their lead warrior that give punishment, so they are not a group to cross. Members tend to stay in their groups and have internal rankings to determine who is superior in skill, though the competition is much, much fiercer among the warriors than any other group.

A rank for the punished is reserved and slave taking is not looked down upon. The clan currently holds four dog slaves that serve the upper echelons of the clan. They are often a target for the Paradisos during raids, though they have only successfully liberated a half dozen to a dozen over the past twenty years.

Culture

An almost rigid place, the Selvans know their place and they know their duties. Fun is perfectly acceptable, but clan and duty comes first. That may make them seem as though they have a stick up their rears, but it has kept them alive and has kept their numbers high.

The Matriarch is the most social person in the clan, knowing intimately her membership, and guiding them where need be. She relies on her council to handle the duties they are delegated while she ensures that her clan operates as a well oiled machine. She is the one who soothes the hurts and emotional troubles, even if it is incredibly taxing after a time. She chooses her successor, often her own children or nephews. Rarely are Matriarchs or Patriarchs chosen outside of the family line.

They reside together in close proximity in a makeshift village of woven huts and dug dens, though the village may shift depending on the weather.

Humanization

They were slow to humanize, unlike their rivals who took to it as fish to water. They were slow to be infected with the virus, though now Luperci far outnumber the non-shifters in the clan. However, perhaps half prefer four legs to two, though all agree that hands have improved quality of life for quite a few. They are decidedly behind the Paradiso when it comes to utilizing human technology, though the Selvan have far more hunting range and more steady food supplies. They fish, though by no means to the same degree as the Paradiso. Their trade is also lacking, though they tend to employ more traditional methods of artisan manufacturing such as pottery, weaving, and crystal jewelry from their jungle home.

Catholicism

Despite starting as a very feral clan of coyotes, they have taken to humanization well. They took on the Catholic faith for themselves, though it is a bastardized version that is perhaps very unforgiving to the dogs. While the faith is encouraged, there are nonbelievers in the group. There may be snide comments, but no one is actively ostracized for not sharing the belief.

Misc

Available Adopts

Paradiso Adopts

Selvan Adopts

  • Andrés Fonseca
  • Gabriel Fontane
  • Joanna Rios
  • Crystoph Menne
  • Cyrano Navarro
  • Castigo Sozo

Notes

Status

  • Creator: Gen — see Wiki page for contact information.
  • Status: REQUEST.
    • Characters must be approved. You will need to adhere to the information within this document and show me you have an understanding of the area and its culture in order to be approved.
    • Travelers are free to reference Cancun without permission. Referencing the activities of the above packs, however, needs to be requested.

Travel

  • Travel from Cancun is likely to go by sea from the Paradiso Port, to Cuba, and up the coast eventually to Portland. It would be a long trip, likely several weeks just to get to that point.
  • Travel by land will likely take two months as it would require going all the way around the Gulf of Mexico.

Inconsistencies

  1. - References to specific hotels are omitted as well as descriptions of the area. It is a very, very vague collection of information and the rapid construction in the 80's limited map finding. The map above is based on google maps so may be inaccurate. The airport and hotel zone, however, are accurate.

References

  1. http://www.cancun.bz/cancun_info/cancun_history.php
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canc%C3%BAn
  3. http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/caribb/cancun/cancunland.htm

Name Meanings

  1. Selva - Jungle (Spanish)
  2. Paradiso - Paradise (Italian)
Category: Gen