Rapid City

Rapid City was one of the numerous city-states to form after the outbreak hit, but one of the few that didn't get absorbed into larger settlements. It also had a wall built around it, encompassing 45 square miles, that was finished in September of 2026, halting the increasing number of zombies trying to get in from the south.

Rapid City has been known for its highly hedonistic ways, and barbarous nature of enslaving the people of nearby towns. The Direct Democracy there has deemed the city's population must be used to better itself, by working to find a cure, but sadly most people are more apt to participate in watching the Circuits, where Gladiators would fight enslaughts of infected in order to gain their freedom.

The people have adapted to the end of the former civilization fairly well, completely living off their instinct now and being animalistic. Rapid City is also a major tourist destination for many people in the neighboring nations of the Chicago Kingdom and of New Central Canada. Rapid Creek has become a major center of transportation for traders, and the city-state enjoys not having direct borders with any of its trading partners. The land inside the walls have been named the "Greater Rapid City" area, and outside of it the "Lesser Rapid City" area.

To those looking to find slavery long dead in the world, even after the outbreak, Rapid City has been seen as a disgrace to the world. To others, it is a representative of how the world should be, the upper class enjoying life with no work, the lower class being force labor.

Rapid City is more like the Chicago Kingdom than New Central Canada, and is slowly expanding its metropolitan area. It also has legal gambling, prostitution, and slavery.

History
Rapid City, before the outbreak, was a large city in South Dakota, with almost 75,000 citizens. When the outbreak reached South Dakota, most of the country was collapsing and crumbling, and the military was barricading the city to keep the infected out. The mayor at the time, Gerald Lee, declared that the 70,000 souls in Rapid City would be able to vote to secede or stay in the union. They voted secession. The virus hit the city, and the Battle of Rapid City took place, the military moving in, replacing several thousand and balancing the population to around 69,042 people, which was estimated back up to 70,000. After the Battle of Rapid City, Mayor Lee became the president, and an election was done to determine the flag. In the end, it was based off the old flag of South Dakota, and the city-state rejoiced.

The independent city went through anarchy at first, but eventually it went into a Direct Democracy. However, the people within the walls believed that they needed someone else to do their work for them - and sent out scouts to see what towns were un-claimed now. Wasta, Silver City, and Farmingdale were the closest to it, and they sent slavers soon. By the end of the year, 1,000 souls were enslaved, forced to farm and mine precious metals, as Rapid City made plans to negotiate with the Chicago Kingdom. Reginald Ford was elected president of Rapid City and was put in office in January of 2027.

However, to the north in December of 2026, New Central Canada formed a trading agreement with Rapid City. Rapid City was disappointed that the nation would not trade slaves with them. They still traded agricultural production as an import, and exported precious metals, found in the mines and mountains, producing great wealth between the two.

In 2027, President Ford and King Adler signed the Treaty of 2027, which allowed for trade between Rapid City and the Chicago Kingdom to be unlimited. The two opened their borders to each other, fully, and allowed unlimited trade. The slave trade from Rapid City to the Chicago Kingdom caused Rapid City to expand, and as it expanded it absorbed a few cities, until the southwest corner of South Dakota, going to White River, South Dakota, in the east; Phillip, South Dakota, to the north; in the south and west, the former borders of South Dakota were used. This divided Greater Rapid City (The walled-in area) and Lesser Rapid City, which resulted in the upper class living inside the wall, and the lower class, slaves and other poorer folks, living out in villages and towns, in the large expanse of the Rapid City area. The borders were accepted by the Chicago Kingdom, and the citizens of the Chicago Kingdom flocked to Rapid City to partake in the hedonistic atmosphere.

The next year, the scouts headed into the east and west, seeing if they could find more potential trading partners. They found none close enough to trade with, and gave up by the close of 2027, for the most part. It was during 2027 that the Circuits formed, also, when President Ford deciding that it would be a great way to increase tourism from the Chicago Kingdom (they never told tourists the gladiators were slaves), and to get better soldiers. This practice became popular quickly, and increased tourism from both the NCC and Chicago Kingdom.

In early 2028, scouts returned from out west, with reports of a city-state called New Babylon, formed by the Mormons, and the great nation of California, which had sent a caravan with the scouts. The caravan had gold and technology in it, and an offer for trade with Rapid City. Shortly before the swearing in of the re-elected President Reginald Ford, a caravan of ten slaves and three pounds of silver was sent to California, as well as an accepting of the trade agreement.

Government
The Government of Rapid City is a Direct Democracy, with a President, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Trade. The Ministers regulate things for the people, while the President merely signs treaties that bind the people. However, every internal law is by the people, making it a long political process. Lacking much written government, it is closer to an anarchy of merchants and slavers, but it still consists of a military that protects its citizens from all harm.

Geography and Population
Immigrants to Rapid City have accounted for 2,000 of its population, and its population is still increasing. Plans for expansion south to account for the population growth, have been made, and may occur in the next few years. As stated previously, the upper class (35% of the population) lives in the Greater Rapid City Area, and the lower in the rest of Rapid City, making the Greater Rapid City Area a lot more densely populated.

Economy
Being a city-state, the economic state of Rapid City is small and focused, on slavery mainly. They export 1,000 slaves a year, so far, and have 1,000 of their own working on farms and mines. They focus on trading precious metals, and are extremely wealthy, with a GDP of $10,000,000 in total, with a GDP Per Capita of $4,000. It has extensive trade, and has a wealth of automobiles used for trade. It uses buses for long-distance trade with the Chicago Kingdom and New Central Canada, and a group of buses headed across highways in either nations is not uncommon to find. Boats are also used, traveling along rivers throughout the area, and a water route to the Atlantic is soon going to be used to find new trade partners.

The gambling industry has boosted its economy as well, and Rapid City's legalized prostitutition, drug use, and every other previously illegal activity (other than murder and theft) has left it a major destination to would-be criminals.

Military
Rapid City, much like New Central Canada has a small military, but its military has five tanks and advanced armor from the Chicago Kingdom. While they only have 1,000 men in the army, the Rapid Cityans take pride in their army, and it is very proud as well. The military of Rapid City has no motto, but its soldiers typically are egotistical enough to make up for the lack of a motto. It is weaker than any army nearby, causing several citizens to be concerned.

Culture
The culture of Rapid City can be described in one word - blasphemy. It is a culture of prostitutes, slavery, gambling, binge drinking, pot heads, and some of the worst people alive after the outbreak. It has no religion, people using churches as homes for the slaves they own, and the entire culture is focused on﻿ segregration and division of the upper and lower class. Compared to the other nations in the area, Rapid City is the sinner's paradise.

Modern Problems
Rapid City has been called by King Adler a "cesspool of filth and vermin, but very good salesmen all the same," and this statement, to many, fully describes the nation. It has the lowest opinion of Chicago and the NCC, and yet tourism is a major industry there. Slavery has become a major part of it, many people outraged by that from other nations. Rapid City is, without a doubt, the worst of the worst in one place, but yet manages to attract tourists from all over.

Appearances
Rapid City has appeared in the side-story "The Gladiator", which is currently being rewritten.