Rucianka
Rucianka is somewhat comparable to an American frontier town, though far more crude. None of the original village remains. What hasn't been burned down was torn down and the materials used to help build a shantytown directly next to the peat field. It's all flimsy shacks, immobilized vehicles, trailers, tents, and various combinations of said shelters. Mostly shacks though.

There's a tavern, a cookhouse, sleeping quarters, storerooms, a bathhouse (aka brothel/barber/etc), a workshop (carpenter/blacksmith/sawmill), smoke house, charcoal kilns, and animal pens. There's no running water or sewage, and virtually no electricity. What it does have though is peat and charcoal, lots of it, so it's always warm, despite the drafty housing.

It's governed by a fellow referred simply as The Boss; he's basically a typical strongman.

Merchant caravans arrive regularly to pick up peat bricks, charcoal, and lumber. They deliver food, as well as serve as a not-always-reliable source of outside/regional news. Bandit gangs often prey on the trade caravans on the roads linking the few inhabited communities and farmsteads. A collection of marauder gangs have been unified under the banner of something called Warmia Awakening. They have numbers and are growing.

The peat field is difficult to police. It's too big to build a wall around with the resources available... and probably not worth the cost. A wire fence, including concertina wire take from old defensive positions, is in place along the far end of the perimeter (opposite side from the shantytown). It's also surrounded by forest on most sides so it's easy for someone to get close to the fields without being seen. Guards are supposed to patrol and look for people getting in to cut/dig out peat at night. The policy is to capture and beat up first time offenders, then put them to work to "pay off" their "fine". Lethal force is supposed to be used for repeat offenders, but it doesn't always happen like that.

The permanent population is about 40-50 depending on how many die or quit, arrive, etc. People die just from getting sick often (there's no doctor). The numbers fluctuate. Life is very difficult. It also swells by another 5-15 whenever trade caravans or salvage parties arrive. Most stay at least one night as to avoid travelling in the dark. The Polish army are supposed to come by and help patrol but the don't seem to have the manpower to spare.

Russian troops are known to now be defending the peat moss operation here, likely providing fuel for Kaliningrad Oblast.


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