Hudson City
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- For the Jersey City, New Jersey neighborhood formerly known as Hudson City, see The Heights, Jersey City.
Hudson City, also known as The Pearl City, is a fictional setting located on the New Jersey coast in the United States. It is the primary setting for the Dark Champions genre of games from the Hero System. In many ways it is an analogue or amalgam of New York City and Gotham City. Vigilantism is the trademark of Hudson City. For the most part, super-powerered heroes eschew the city for the likes of New York or Millennium City. Heroes who operate in Hudson City are more likely to rely on fists, guns and gadgets to protect the innocent, and morality is not a black and white subject. Characters such as The Punisher and Batman would feel at home operating in Hudson City.
[edit] Hudson City History
[edit] Founding
The area that was to become Hudson City was inhabited first by the Unalachtigo branch of the Delaware Indians. Seventeenth century explorers discovered many small villages around the Stewart River. Sometime after the initial exploration of the New Jersey coast and 1803 the Indians moved on for reasons unknown.
In 1803, the explorers Emil Hudson, a merchant, and Andre LeMastre, an expatriate Frenchman, made a thorough exploration and purchaced the land from the government. LeMastre, a self-taught architect, was responsible for the initial layout and planning of the city, which was to be established on the north bank of the Stewart River. Between 1803 and 1804 the families of Hudson & LeMastre settled along with other prominent Hudsonite families including the Bankhursts, Fraziers and Willoughbys.
The laborers who built the town from scratch had started to call the town Hudsonburg and the name stuck.
[edit] Nineteenth Century
From 1803-1812 the town of Hudsonburg gained a reputation as a vital port along the Eastern Seaboard. During the War of 1812 the British sent a force to capture the town. The Redcoats were slowed down by Revolutionary War hero Christopher Caldwell and the Hudsonburg militia, who staged a stand at Caldwell's fortified home. They were able to hold out until a larger force arrived and pushed the British army back. The house has been preserved and is known as Caldwell's Stand. It is one of the few remaining houses in the downtown area.
In 1823, just a week before the death of Emil Hudson, the city changed its name to Hudson City. At this time most of Hudson City was located north of the Stewart River, but the first southern settlements began to arise on the South Bank. In 1837 the Stewart and Delaware River Canal was finished making the city even more valuable as a center of trade. Until the outbreak of the Civil War factories and company towns started to spring up on the South Bank. The Civil War slowed the growth of Hudson City's population, but increased the amount of manufacturing.
[edit] 1867: The Hudson City Riots
After the war an enclave of African-Americans known as Freetown was established on the South Bank. The newly freed blacks in this shantytown competed with European immigrants for the worst low-paying factory jobs. Several scuffles broke out between the desperate poor of Hudson City, and crimes real or imagined were blamed on the "Negro Invaders".
A white supremacist group known as the White Riders attacked Freetown in 1867 causing a violent melee to ensue. Each side blames the other for the fires that spread to the North Bank and caused 100 buildings to burn to the ground. For several weeks after reprisal attacks occurred. Eventually some Freetowners left for good, rather than be persecuted.
The need for cheap labor during the Industrial Revolution helped calm matters, and all of the industrial company towns, including Freetown were absorbed into Hudson City. It was during this time that Hudson City began to develop its crime-ridden reputation, as ethnic gangs and organized crime began to take hold in the neighborhoods.
[edit] The Independence Day Fire of 1895
Drought conditions and low water supply caused by an inadequate water system took their toll in 1895 when faulty fireworks exploded in a Gadsden neighborhood warehouse on the North Bank. High winds fanned the flames, which crossed to the south side, and caused the fires to burn for several days before they could be put out. Seventy-five percent of Hudson City was burned or damaged by the fires.
In the wake of the disaster, the city fathers created a Grand Rebuilding Scheme. So-called bad neighborhoods were raized, winding streets were removed and a state of the art sanitation system was laid down. Many of the damaged buildings weren't rebuilt, but rather the remains were covered and built over. Even today, urban archaeologists are called in when someone digging a new foundation or laying new pipe unearths remains of the old city.
Of all the innovations brought to Hudson City after the fire, the most lasting is the Hudson City Rapid Transit Company, now known as the HCRTD (the D standing for "division"). The HCRTC began digging underneath the town and by 1913 the main lines of the Hudson City Underground were completed and working.
[edit] The Early Twentieth Century
From the time of the fire until after World War I, Hudson City saw steady growth as an industrial center, peaking during the war. This prosperity lasted through the 20s and 30s. For some reason the city didn't feel the sting of the Great Depression as badly as other places.
[edit] Pulp-Era Hudson City
During this time of prosperity was when the tradition of costumed vigilantes first developed. Mafia and other organized crime, fueled by the Volstead Act of prohibition, rose sharply and the HCPD could not compensate. The first such hero was known as the Raven, dressed in a black suit, fedora, and mask. He had a pet raven, Cagliostro; a lovely assistant, the Velvet Phantom; and a group of helpers known as the Midnight Brigade. The police did not look kindly on his intervention and he was on their most wanted list.
[edit] World War II
The war brought an end to much of the crimefighting of the era, as the heroes enlisted in the war effort. The Raven stayed at home fighting Nazi spies, while Captain Battle and the Science Police fell protecting the world from a mystical German weapon still classified to this day. Once again, great profit came to Hudson City, as the manufacturers churned out materials for the war.
[edit] The 1950s-70s
A few solo heroes emerged after the war, but their efforts in fighting crime were largely unknown by the public. Finally in the late 60s, a new group of heroes emerged to fight the mafia which was at the height of its power. Black Whisper I, Shatter, and Jason Scorpion are the most notiorious of these, but all were dead or retired by the 1980s.
One incident stands out during this time, the 100th anniversary of the Hudson City Riots. A peaceful march of remembrance turned into a three-day orgy of violence when racists attacked the marchers. Twenty-one deaths and millions of dollars of damage were the results. Throughout the 70s white flight to the suburbs combined with mafia and tong crime caused the city's already tarnished image to deteriorate further.
[edit] The 1980s to Present
The high crime rate that started in the 70s continued in the 80s, fueled by the drug trade. With the mafia hamstrung by RICO laws, new ethnic crime by the Russians, Jamacians and Japanese started to take over. Gang warfare became resurgent with several different rivals competing for turf. Black Whisper II arrived in 1983 to address the gang problem in Freetown, but he was killed by a dirty cop before he could make a lasting change. 1986 brought the Harbinger of Justice, who continues to fight crime to this day, along with costumed villains such as Card Shark. Rumors of corruption and underhanded deals are always circulating, and several minor vigilantes do daily battle against criminals around the city.
[edit] Hudson City Neighborhoods
[edit] Ardmore
Just to the northwest of LeMastre Park, this neighborhood is filled with brownstones, townhouses and condominiums. Recently a few more houses have sprung up as Ardmore gains a reputation as a safe area for young professionals to raise a family.
[edit] Bankhurst
The Downtown of Hudson City. Here is where you'll find the tall buildings and offices of the high and mighty in town. The west end of Bankhurst, known as Westhurst, has some old historical mansions and high priced living for people with six figure incomes.
[edit] Bayside
The docks of Hudson City. Cargo and fishing ships fill the piers, along with the roughnecks and sailors who work on them. A dozen little dives house rowdy men after a long day's work. In the extreme west of the neighborhood developers have bought old warehouses to convert into lofts, but there isn't much in the way of housing besides a few squalid tenaments.
[edit] Blackbridge
Located just north of LeMastre Park. This neighborhood is best known for the Hudson City Convention Center (HCCC). Most residents live in brownstones and high-rise apartments, but there are a few apartment complexes and houses in the area.
[edit] Chinatown
Chinatown is actually four distinct Asian neighborhoods lumped together by stupid "round-eyes" who wouldn't know a Chinaman from a Korean. It is located directly on the South Bank of the Stewart River.
[edit] Chinatown Proper
The western end of Chinatown is where the actual Chinese population lives. They use the term Chinatown interchangeably to refer to this portion of the neighborhood or the whole Asian district, which causes confusion to everyone but themselves.
[edit] Koreatown
The northeast portion of Chinatown, most of its residents are from Seoul with the remainder from the rest of South Korea. Of all the Asians, they keep to themselves the most.
[edit] Little Saigon
This neighborhood is in the center of Chinatown. It developed in the 70s as the Vietnam War was winding down. Most of the residents are Vietnamese, but there are also Laotians and Cambodians who call this area home.
[edit] Little Tokyo
Located on the southeast of Chinatown, this neighborhood is settled by 2 groups: Upper-class professionals who long for a bit of the old country and the working poor just trying to get by. Authentic Japanese architecture is juxtaposed with American pop influence.
[edit] Crown Point
Just to the east of Chinatown on the South Bank, Crown Point was once the center of manufacturing in Hudson City. After WWII business began moving out and housing developers moved in. Now mostly residential, the last decade has seen an influx of Middle Eastern, Indian and Pakistani immigrants. Crown Point's two main interests are the Herodome, where football is played, and Ashwood, the heart of Hudson City's GLBT community.
[edit] Eastwood
The most northeastern neighborhood of Hudson City was once home to sailors and longshoremen. It developed a seedy, rough and tumble reputation due to the daily violence and run-down housing conditions. Gradually it is becoming a relatively safe place to live as the shipping industry dies down and developers swoop in to build expensive beach-front homes where old piers and warehouses used to be. Still, the HCPD spends many man hours making sure things stay quiet.
[edit] Elmview
A working-class neighborhood on the south side of town. This neighborhood has lower and lower middle-class residents who live in refurbished tenaments or tall apartment buildings. Everyone here dreams of moving up and moving out to places like Guilford or Gadsden.
