Mesa Mitchell

The base itself is populated entirely by American Armed Forces personnel and Sauropodan Tome Knights. The town, known as "Jurassica,"¹ is populated by about 2000 people, most of whom support the operations of the base, or attend the small community college or the tiny World Literomantic Academy campus that is attached to the college.

Sauropodan government is complicated. According to King RPGDinosaurBob, when the Protectorates were formed, the Sauropoda Protectorate "let Washington think it was still in charge." So the Sauropodan Protectorate's military forces are, in fact, loyal to the remnants of the United States of America, and still call themselves "Americans." Most of the airmen, spacemen, and soldiers at Mesa Mitchell Command are no exception.   The village of Jurassica, however, as well as Mesa Mitchell itself, is considered sovereign Sauropodan territory, independent of Washington, and the roughly 2000 civilians and Literomancers who live in the area are Sauropodan citizens. So are all the Tome Knights and their families stationed in and around Mesa Mitchell.   Officially, the American Armed Forces are stationed there as part of a "joint operation" between Washington and the Stone Throne, but everyone knows this is a convenient legal fiction, and the population of both the base and the town answer directly to King Bob, or Regent Dazzlinkat in his absence. The Mesa Mitchell area, including Jurassica and the surrounding state park area, has "special territory" status with the "American" government.

Modeled after the technology of Cheyenne Mountain, the bunker is built to deflect a 30 megaton nuclear explosion as close as 1.2 miles. There are sets of 25 ton blast doors and another for the civil engineering department in a mountain tunnel, built so that they can always be opened when needed. Should a nuclear blast hit the building, they are designed to withstand the blast wave. A network of blast valves have filters to capture airborne chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear contaminants.

At the moment, the largest sources of income for Mesa Mitchell and Jurassica is the export of stone and mineral assets, and tuition at the WLA campus. Recently, thanks to the terms of the Claw Summit's Fudge Festival and Treaty, they have also begun expanding trade in Literomantic Bio Fuel and Georgia peaches to the Ailurus and Meles Protectorates. They have also been known to trade in Primordial Venus Flytrap with some of the other literomantic Houses.

The Mesa Mitchell complex was modeled after the facilities in Cheyenne Mountain, but construction proceeded much more quickly, driven in part by Literomancy, and in part by big dinosaurs doing some "creative construction and landscaping."   The main chambers were built under 2000 feet of granite on five acres of land in the Appalachians. Like Cheyenne, the complex is certified to be able to sustain a high-altitude EMP. There are cots for most of the personnel, including suites for high-ranking officers within the bunker. It also includes a small hospital, store, cafeteria, and fitness centers, both inside and outside the mountain.   The complex has its own power plant, heating and cooling system, and water supply. The mountain springs produce more water than the base requires, and a 1500000-gallon reservoir ensures that there will be enough water, even in event of fire. A reservoir of 4500000 gallons of water is used as a heat sink. There is also a "giant" reservoir for Literomantic Bio Fuel and a Literomantic Battery bank with redundant power generators.   Outside of the military complex are parking lots, a fire station, and outdoor recreational facilities, including what remains of the Black Mountain Trails.

The small Sauropodan settlement of Jurassica had long been hidden in the Appalachian Mountains. According to the Sauropodans, this had been the case since the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction, and the subsequent destruction of the Dinosaur Civilization some 66 million years ago. Ancient wards discouraged exploration and deflected examination, in a form of warding described by Queen Sable Aradia as "an SEP field."   However, with the advent of satellite technology in the 1950s and 60s, that all changed. From that point, the Sauropodans made efforts to make Jurassica look like any other small town that would be typical of middle America, and they rebuilt most of the community to a more Human-sized infrastructure. They began construction on what would eventually become the Mt. Mitchell Complex at that time, but initial progress was slow due to the limited nature of Literomancy, and the fact that dinosaurs digging around underground would have made seismic disturbances, and therefore, would have been noticed.   Once The Iron Tome awakened in 2020, however, and the zombie apocalypse ensued and a new age of Literomancy began, all bets were off. The Dinos researched the Cheyenne Mountain Complex specifically, and did their best to mimic its construction with literomantic power. Their imitation is not exact, however, as changes were dictated by the difference in the local terrain, and differing standards of technology changed some of the materials and processes used in the construction. A dino-sized castle was also built for the Sauropodan monarch, RPGDinosaurBob.   Construction was still incomplete in 2021 when The Second Word War began, and House Sauropoda was driven from their home early in the war, taking refuge first with House Tiki, then House Chiroptera, and finally, House Lapin. While the mountain complex remained mostly undisturbed, Jurassica was levelled by the invading undead, and they were forced to rebuild.   However, the complex was completed in early 2022, which put House Sauropoda in an excellent position to weather The Third Word War. Vast reservoirs of Literomantic Power preserved their stronghold so effectively that the tables were completely turned, and it was the other Great Houses who found themselves taking refuge with the Dinos.   Jurassica was wiped out again in the devastation of the Battle of Mount Mitchell, however —as was the surrounding terrain, mostly as a result of literomantic combat, aerial bombardment, and forest fires. Even the complex itself required repair as a result of magical combat taking place within the bunker. However, the determined Dinos rebuilt again.   In the wake of the catastrophic death toll, and the disappearance of The Missing, Sauropoda's literomantic defense, and dino-power, were significantly reduced. As a result, they were hard-hit in the early stages of The Fourth Word War. All too conscious of their disadvantage, the Sauropodans acted as soon as they heard that The Undead Horde were once more on the move, and they stowed all their treasures and literomantic artifacts deep in the bowels of the mountain.   As Jurassica and the Mt. Mitchell Complex were overrun by zombies, and the Sauropodans were forced to retreat, King Bob called down a Meteor Swarm on the mountain, flattening it.  

I will not have the Horde desecrating the sacred halls of my castle!

— King Bob at the Battle of Assateague Island

  The blast shattered the top of the mountain, shearing it right off and utterly pulverizing the surrounding forest. However, once the war had ended, again, the determined Dinos went right back to work excavating the mountain complex and their treasures, and rebuilding their little town. This was when Mt. Mitchell was renamed "Mesa Mitchell."   Just as every citizen who lived in Jurassica was able to move back into solid structures, out of the tents, RVs, and other temporary structures they had been situated in, The Fifth Word War broke out, and right away, the town was burned to ashes as a result of the first battle against The Undead Horde.  

Undead setting fire to the town... grumble grumble...

— Regent Dazzlinkat

I don't know what they're mad at us about. They did it to themselves. shrug

— Archon The Bard with Many Names

  Now that the war is over, once again, the Sauropodans are rebuilding.  

Please... buy some of our rock. Please?

— Regent Dazzlinkat

While tourism from hikers, bikers, and climbers is currently much reduced, those who come to Mesa Mitchell for "magical tourism" are somewhat making up for it. And of course, children all over the world relish the opportunity to meet real life dinosaurs! There is still a steady autumn and winter tourism industry as well, with enthusiasts coming from all over the world to see "the colors" or to cross country ski.

Before the most recent devastation, architecture was mostly in the American Colonial Revival style, especially King Bob's castle. Currently, the Jurassica community is constructed much like a refugee camp, with only a few reconstructed public buildings, and most of the population crowding into the mountain complex in inclement weather.

Mesa Mitchell was once the highest peak in the Appalachian Mountains, and the highest point east of the Mississippi River. It is part of the Black Mountain subrange of the Appalachians and is protected within Mount Mitchell State Park. While the view is somewhat marred now by the scars of devastating forest fires, and the shifting of massive parts of the landscape, it is still one of the most beautiful places in the North American continent.

The climate of Mesa Mitchell is temperate, with seasonal color changes in the deciduous forests that still bring people from all over the world every year, despite its many misfortunes.

Stone and minerals (feldspar, lithium minerals, scrap mica, olivine, pyrophillite, limestone, phosphate rock, uranium). Despite the damage to the forests, timber remains a major resource as well. Literomantic Bio Fuel and Primordial Venus Flytraps might also be counted among their natural resources, except that the Sauropodans often have to import the bio-fuel in order to literomantically charge it.