Old Town Stockyards

Old Town Stockyards – Market District of Duf-Dub

Overview
Inside the fortified walls of Duf-Dub, the Old Town Stockyards are not a chaotic wasteland bazaar—they are a regulated, semi-stable market district built atop preserved pre-End infrastructure. The bones of the historic Fort Worth Stockyards still define the space: brick lanes, timber pens, auction barns, and long cattle runs.

This is where the wasteland comes to trade under rules.

Tone Shift (Inside the Walls)

Unlike the open wastes, the Stockyards are:

• Guarded and patrolled

• Relatively clean and maintained

• Economically structured

• Violence-controlled, not absent

Hazards exist—but they’re managed risks, not constant threats.

District Layout

The Pens (Primary Market Floor)

Rows of restored livestock pens now function as permanent vendor stalls.

• Ranchers selling cattle, goats, and mutated but stable breeds

• Traders offering hides, preserved meat, and bone goods

• General merchants dealing in tools, clothing, and salvage

Each pen is leased, marked, and taxed.

Exchange Hall (Auction House)

The old auction building has been reclaimed as a formal trade exchange.

• Scheduled livestock auctions

• Bulk trade agreements (fuel, ammo, grain)

• Contract labor agreements (indenture, not open slavery)

Transactions here are recorded and witnessed.

Cattle Run (Main Thoroughfare)

A wide corridor once used for cattle drives now serves as the district’s central artery.

• Caravan entry point

• Traffic lane for pack animals and vehicles

• Heavily monitored by gate guards

Smoke Row (Food & Craft)

A controlled strip of cookfires and workshops.

• Butchers and smokehouses

• Brewers and distillers

• Leatherworkers and tanners

Fires are regulated; uncontrolled burning is a serious offense.

The Catwalks (Security & Oversight)

Elevated walkways and rebuilt platforms provide overwatch.

• Town guards patrol constantly

• Spotters monitor crowd movement

• Signals and horns coordinate response

Nothing escalates here without notice.

Governance & Control

The Stockyards operate under the authority of Duf-Dub’s ruling structure.

Stockyard Marshal’s Office

• Enforces trade law

• Settles disputes

• Controls licensing and stall ownership

Gate Wardens

• Inspect incoming goods

• Collect tariffs

• Confiscate contraband

Peacekeepers

• Armed patrols inside the district

• Respond rapidly to violence

Law & Order

• Weapons must remain sheathed or slung

• Violence results in immediate intervention

• Theft leads to fines, branding, or expulsion

• Contracts are binding if witnessed by officials

This is one of the few places where rules actually matter.

Adjusted Hazards (Low to Moderate)

Guided by principles from GURPS After the End 2: The New World, but scaled down for a controlled settlement:

• Disease (Low Risk):
  Livestock and crowds can spread illness, but sanitation and inspection reduce outbreaks

• Crime (Moderate Risk):
  Pickpockets, quiet deals, and black-market trades occur—but open gang violence is rare

• Fire (Managed Risk):
  Dense structures and cookfires create danger, but strict regulation keeps it contained

• Toxic Materials (Rare):
  Dangerous goods are restricted to licensed traders and monitored storage

• Tension Between Factions:
  Conflict exists, but it’s political and economic—not openly chaotic

Economy

The Stockyards serve as the primary trade hub of Duf-Dub.

Common currencies:

• Coinage or script issued by the town

• Fuel chits

• Ammunition

• Livestock

• Skilled labor contracts

Prices are more stable here than anywhere else in the region.

Factions

Pen Holders
Licensed merchants with long-term claims to stalls.

Drovers’ Guild
Controls livestock movement and caravan scheduling.

Scrap Factors
Dealers in salvaged tech—regulated but influential.

Town Authority
Keeps balance and prevents any one group from dominating.

Adventure Hooks

• A disease slips past inspection and begins spreading through livestock

• A high-value auction item turns out to be stolen from a powerful faction

• Someone is smuggling restricted tech through legitimate caravans

• A Pen Holder refuses to pay tariffs—testing the Marshal’s authority

• A dispute in the Exchange Hall threatens to spill into open violence

Function in Campaign

The Old Town Stockyards are:

• A safe haven compared to the wastes

• A social and economic crossroads

• A place for negotiation, intrigue, and controlled conflict

It’s where players can breathe…
…but never fully relax.