A Historical Account: Fortune's Folly and the Genesis of Nocturnis's Shadow
Date: May 29, 1975 Prepared For: Nocturnis City Archives, Special Collections Division Subject: The Oil Boom of 1865-1866 and its Enduring Impact on Nocturnis
I. Introduction: The Ghost of Fortune's Folly
Nestled within the sprawling, rain-slicked concrete of modern Nocturnis lies a forgotten scar – the district colloquially known as "The Folly," or simply "The Old Fields." Its crumbling foundations and skeletal derricks stand as a stark monument to a forgotten chapter, a mere blink in time over a century ago, yet one that irrevocably cast the die for the city's future. This document aims to chronicle the meteoric rise and catastrophic fall of "Fortune's Folly," the boomtown that birthed the fortunes and the shadows that define Nocturnis in the 1970s.
II. The Genesis of Greed: The Black Gold Strike of 1865
In January of 1865, a seismic shift occurred in the sparsely populated marshlands and low hills just west of what would eventually become the heart of Nocturnis. The "Blackwater Well," drilled by a consortium of ambitious, often ruthless, prospectors, struck an unprecedented vein of crude. Reports, likely exaggerated but rooted in truth, claimed a daily yield of 250 barrels of oil. This discovery ignited a "general stampede to the area," drawing in a desperate, hopeful, and often lawless tide of humanity from across the continent.
III. The Fever Dream: The Rise of Fortune's Folly (May - September 1865)
The subsequent months witnessed a spectacle of raw, unchecked capitalism and human desperation. By May of 1865, a makeshift city, optimistically christened "Fortune's Folly," began to materialize around the gushing wells. This was no planned settlement; it was a chaotic organism of hastily erected shanties, saloons, and supply stores.
The growth was staggering. By September of 1865, a mere four months after its inception, Fortune's Folly boasted an estimated population of 15,000 inhabitants. It was a place of wild extremes:
Economic Hub: Two banks, operating with dubious oversight, handled the torrent of cash.
Temporary Luxuries: Over 50 hotels (ranging from opulent, if crude, establishments to glorified flophouses) sprang up to accommodate the endless stream of speculators, laborers, and opportunists.
Communication Nexus: Its post office, a testament to the sheer volume of correspondence and financial transactions, was reputedly the 3^{rd} largest in the entire region, a staggering feat for such a nascent settlement.
Fortune's Folly was a microcosm of the American frontier spirit, distilled into its most potent and dangerous form. Fortunes were made and lost on the turn of a card, and the rule of law was often supplanted by the rule of the gun.
IV. The Inevitable Implosion: January 1866
The boom, however, was built on a foundation as unstable as the marshland it occupied. The oil veins, though initially prolific, were finite and rapidly depleted. By January of 1866, a mere year after the first gusher, the wells began to run dry. The "stampede" reversed course with equal, if not greater, speed. Fortune's Folly, once a pulsating hive of activity, became a deserted village almost overnight. Businesses shuttered, buildings were abandoned, and the population vanished, leaving behind only the ghosts of ambition and the skeletal remains of a city that never truly took root.
V. The Enduring Legacy in 1970s Nocturnis
The brief, violent life of Fortune's Folly is not merely a historical footnote; it is the very bedrock upon which modern Nocturnis was built, and its shadows still stretch long across the city's grimy streets in the 1970s.
The Physical Scar: "The Old Fields" District: The ruins of Fortune's Folly were eventually subsumed by Nocturnis's outward sprawl. Today, "The Old Fields" is a blighted, forgotten district – a maze of crumbling brick, rusted metal, and overgrown lots where once-grand structures stood. It is a haven for the desperate, the criminal, and those seeking to disappear. Its perpetual decay serves as a grim reminder of the city's foundational greed.
The Architects of Power: The "Cosmic Apocalypse" Families: The true beneficiaries of Fortune's Folly were not the thousands who flocked there, but a select few. The ancestors of the powerful, often unseen, families who now pull the strings of Nocturnis (the very same who speak of "creating, controlling, and imploding" grand schemes) were the ones who moved with foresight and ruthlessness. They secured vast land holdings, monopolized the most productive wells, and, crucially, diversified their wealth before the inevitable bust. Their immense, untraceable fortunes, which fund their current empires and influence every facet of Nocturnis life, were forged in the chaotic crucible of Fortune's Folly. The "implosion" of the boomtown was merely a controlled demolition for them, clearing the way for their next grand design.
The Rise of the Underworld: The lawlessness of Fortune's Folly provided fertile ground for nascent criminal enterprises. Gangs and syndicates formed in the saloons and back alleys, preying on the newly rich and desperate. The ancestors of Nocturnis's most entrenched criminal families honed their craft in the Folly, establishing networks of illicit trade, protection rackets, and violence that would evolve into the sophisticated underworld operations of the 1970s. The Old Fields district remains a traditional stomping ground for these organizations.
The Echoes of the "Tiger Force Shadow Saga" Families: While not the primary beneficiaries, many ancestors of the "Tiger Force Shadow Saga" families would have been caught in the undertow of Fortune's Folly. They might have been:
The Exploited Laborers: Drawn by the promise of work, they endured brutal conditions and were left destitute when the boom collapsed, leaving a legacy of hardship and resilience.
The Dispossessed: Small landowners whose property was forcibly acquired or swindled during the land rush.
The Honest Few: Lawmen or citizens who witnessed the rampant corruption and injustice, instilling a deep-seated cynicism or a quiet, burning desire for justice that has passed down through generations.
VI. Conclusion: A City Forged in Greed
Fortune's Folly was more than just an oil town; it was a crucible. Its brief, intense existence laid the foundation for Nocturnis's economic power, its deeply ingrained corruption, and its pervasive sense of cynicism. The wealth generated there continues to fuel the city's elite, while the abandoned ruins serve as a stark reminder of the human cost. In the neo-noir landscape of 1970s Nocturnis, the ghost of Fortune's Folly is not just a historical curiosity; it is a living, breathing part of the city's dark soul, influencing every deal, every crime, and every desperate struggle for survival.
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