Boulderton
Boulderton is the name of the city that Back to the Dawn takes place in. Located in the country of New Eden, the city is a contemporary metropolis, with a variety of neighborhoods catering to its largely mammalian population. The aesthetics of the city are suggestive of North America - particularly New York - with some European and Chinese influences.
Districts
Boulderton consists of at least 24 different districts. Whilst not all are named, the following have been established.
North Point
North Point is located in the north-western part of Boulderton, along the tip of the channel the goes around the city's north and western regions. Although it features commercial enterprises, North Point is reasonably close to Boulderton Prison, and thus its post office is the first place its mail is sorted.
Central District
Also known as Central City. Home to Town Hall and various political offices.
College District
Home to several colleges, one of which is where Thomas, Reed, and Maggie studied.
Downtown
Downtown is the commercial centerpoint of Boulderton, and is also home to a fair few offices. It is here that Reed has his law firm, Reed's Law Associates.
River Bay
One of the districts bordering the large channel.
Westshore
Home to a large research and development complex, known as Hopps Biotech R&D.
Skidroad
Birthplace of a fair few inmates, Skidroad is also a particularly prominent neighborhood in Thomas' story. A seedy area in the city's south-east, Skidroad is a mix of commercial, residential, and industrial projects. The area's populace are generally low-income, and crime is a recurring issue. The Lameleg River splits here, and runs through the district, flanked by numerous factories.
This combination of factors has lead to many seeing Skidroad as a place to exploit without much interest or outrage from the rest of the city. Various strip clubs with illegal immigrants, drug dens, and illegal gambling houses can all be found here if one knows where to look. The most egregious crisis facing Skidroad, however, is a more recent one: The Blackmarsh Chemical Plant has been illegally dumping its waste directly into the river. This has caused various illnesses and diseases to skyrocket in the population of Skidroad, threatening the lives of its citizens.
Media Presence
The city has two major media outlets: The Boulderton Times, and Woodpecker TV. The Boulderton Times is a broadsheet newspaper that - at least in Thomas' opinion - has 'low quality content', and is 'losing readership'. Woodpecker TV features a comprehensive news block - the station is known to send reporters internationally in order to report, and features a few award winning correspondents. Thomas was considered one of the station's leading stars, due to his passionate investigative reports, up until the Blackmarsh Chemical Plant incident.
Religion
Boulderton is a multi-faith city. Many faiths (or lack thereof) are present, with belief in The Father of the Forest being the most prominent. Baaism - a Hindu analogue - is also known to be practiced in the city. A large swarth of the general populace seem interested in various forms of mysticism, from tarot reading to divination. A small, underground cult to Cthulor also has a presence in the local prison - but not for long if Bam has anything to say about it.
