TEXT: The Morrow Project Travel Guide - Iowa
  IOWA
  Iowa today is a mix of rolling farmland and scattered Midwestern-style towns. It was supposed safety in
  open spaces that attracted many refugees to the state during the chaos following the nuclear strikes. The
  local population resisted this invasion, and open warfare soon erupted. Some towns managed to force back
  the refugees, but in the majority of cases, sheer weight of numbers won the battle. When the refugees did
  get into the towns, they found that the situation was not as good as they had been led to believe, and more
  fighting resulted. The winter of 1989 in the Midwest was one of the worst on record, and many of the
  refugees died of exposure. The next year saw the survivors trying to improve their lot, but numerous
  marauder bands had sprung up and the state degenerated into chaos again. And then came the Warriors of
  Krell, rampaging across the plains like Mongol hordes of old. 150 years later, the state is mostly an empty
  dustbowl littered with abandoned farmsteads, bleached skeletons and horse paths. Only along the rivers are
  there functioning towns and sizeable populations, some of them quite large and well-defended.
  1) NUCLEAR TARGETS
  Des Moines, SS-18M1 
  Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Burlington, SS-17
  2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
  Due to the excessive Krell influence, MP teams in Iowa have so far had a 0% awakening success rate so far.
  3) WESTERN IOWA
  As with other states in the Great Plains region, the Warriors of Krell have slowly and inexorably forced most all the
  remaining farmers and townspeople out of this area, leaving huge tracts of empty land and abandoned farms and
  settlements. These displaced persons had to travel long distances, endure hardships and bandit attacks, to get to places
  where they were often not welcomed. No one likes a large refugee column coming into their town, draining their
  resources, and gunfights were often the end result of their treks. The land they left behind is often very productive
  agriculturally, it was just too dangerous to live there with the Krell constantly threatening to pillage and burn them out.
  The brutal empire of Krell now firmly controls the Missouri River bank from Sioux City south to the border; Krell
  patrols from Krychek City have been entering the interior of the state for decades, scooping up slaves and salvage. In
  Iowa, you will not find any "peaceful settlements of hard working farmers and their daughters" anywhere west of
  Interstate 35. Even east of that arbitrary line, there are few settlements that do not exist in a constant state of fear and
  preparedness in expectation of a Krell attack.
  Sioux City: Fields around the slowly crumbling ruins of Sioux City, and most of western Iowa along the Missouri River,
  are a fertile area. As such, Sioux City is occupied as the northernmost outpost of Krell influence. A large expedition is
  currently forming here, preparing for a spring-time move across the Mississippi River into Illinois for some good ole'
  fashioned looting and plundering. This army is composed of approximately 3,000 men, supported by some armored
  pick-up trucks.
  The ruins of Des Moines: Hit by a large nuclear warhead, Des Moines died in an orgy of heat, fire, and death. There is
  little of value left here anymore, and most wise travelers steer clear of the ruins.
  Ames: This small city's story is typical of hundreds across the natio. Ravaged by riots and refugees in the aftermath of
  the chaos, the population battled to the death with desperate and starving outsiders. With no will or way to fight out of
  control fires, thousands of buildings were destroyed and neglect has brought down many more over the last 150 years.
  Wind-blown dust is knee-high in some areas, broken bits of glass lay under every window, and the rusted hulks of cars
  clog the avenues. Packs of feral dogs and abnormally large and aggressive cats now prowl the alleys, far outnumbering
  
  The Morrow Project Travel Guide - Iowa
  the 30 to 50 people still alive in Ames today.
  Mason City: Home of a small Inquisitor enclave, based out of an old church in this small town along the Winnebago
  River. These are self-styled do-gooders out to purge mankind of his sins, using the Spanish inquisition as their role-
  model. They will kill and torture in the name of their god, though at times it seems they do it just for pure sadism. They
  have some hidden pre-war technology, but mainly travel around on horseback. They are mostly armed with simple blunt
  and edged weapons, but have some firearms. Their cruelty has appealed to the Krell, who have visited Mason City
  numerous times and have let them be. Year after year, there are fewer and fewer people for them to "purge of their sins",
  forcing them to travel great distances to find the repentant. The Krell have occasionally helped in this, dropping off
  sinners on their way back from raiding expeditions into Minnesota and Illinois.
  Site-U: This small Snake Eater Base (12 Green Berets and 3 support staff) have their bunker located near Waterloo.
  Buried just days prior to Warday, their equipment was in transit to their bolthole when the war started. The vehicles,
  support weapons and extended supplies were re-routed to units still in action elsewhere in the country. Consequently,
  with the exception of their personal weapons and ammo, their small facility is empty. No trade weapons, extra medical
  supplies or extended support equipment of any type. Total vehicle complement is just one M151 unarmed Jeep and even
  the fuel bunkers are empty. The team is still sleeping.
  The Plane: In the middle of Rural Highway 80, just south of Sheldon sits a long abandoned vestige of the war. A Pan
  Am 747 jumbo jet, its electronics fried by EMP, made a emergency landing here on Warday. The aircraft dominates the
  skyline in this desolate and empty part of the country, as well as totally blocking the road. The wings now touch the
  ground and the wheels of the long flat tires have sunk into the former asphalt. The doors are open and the interior is now
  a aviary of sorts for local birds. The luggage areas are long since looted and although the aircraft will never fly again,
  the huge Pratt and Whitney turbofans, while exposed to 150 years of sand and corrosion, might yield some useful
  salvage to inventive teams.
  4) NORTHEASTERN IOWA
  The far corner of the state has survived better than any other area of Iowa. The terrain is more hilly and there are more
  local streams to keep agriculture up. The Krell have been through this area before, but the locals have usually managed
  to hide enough of their treasures and women in the hills to sustain a reasonable life.
  Decorah: In this small former college town, nestled into the valley of the Upper Iowa River, a very unique society has
  developed. Amongst the refugees that came to the town following the nuclear war was a former History professor from
  the University of Minnesota, a world renowned expert on ancient Greece. Within a short period of time he had
  influenced the town's civic leaders to adopt a Spartan-style militia to keep out bandits and to keep morale high. Over the
  generations, this Spartan lifestyle has become part of the everyday life of the town, and has created sharply divided
  classes of warriors and citizens. Today, out of a total town population of 975, some 225 men serve in the militia, mostly
  part-time, and they drill and train weekly. They have some old, well-maintained M-16s and one hand grenade, but
  mostly they use flintlock muskets and crossbows. Ammunition for the M-16s is limited (about 100 rounds) and the M-
  16s are only used if the town itself comes under attack. Twice in the last 80 years the Krell have ventured to this town.
  The first time they killed a few young men and ran off with a few cows. The second time, however, they were ambushed
  and slaughtered by the militia. The townspeople wisely hauled the dead on horse-drawn sleds south for nearly fifty
  miles before depositing them around an abandoned town. The Krell, generally not being the brightest people, bought the
  deception and didn't come to Decorah looking for revenge.
  Elkader: Before the war, Clayton County and the town of Elkader was a peaceful farming community just a little
  northeast of Dubuque, nestled in the scenic Turkey Creek valley west of the Mississippi River. Elkader's one weird
  claim to fame was that is was named after Abd el-Kader, a young Algerian hero who led his people in a resistance to
  French colonialism between 1830 and 1847.
  The War: Thanks to a freak of wind patterns on that fateful day in 1989, much of the Clayton County region seemed to
  be in a small pocket roughly 15 miles long and 7 or so miles wide that was untouched by fallout from strikes to the east.
  But the loses from the ensuing refugee migrations north from Dubuque and Cedar Rapids all but destroyed Elkader and
  
  The Morrow Project Travel Guide - Iowa
  the area with the rioting and raiding that went on. When the dust finally settled about 20% of the cropland was usable
  and only about 25 people were left alive in the town.
  Elkader today: Clayton County has returned to a somehwat normal cycle of life. The folks mainly raise hogs and corn
  which are thriving enough to feed the familys. Over the years number of hogs have escaped and gone feral and become
  Slashers. There are few modern firearms left, though sometimes you might see a old family deer rifle. Most men use
  bows constructed from local wood, and they hunt Slashers with big long spears. A number of blockhouse-like structures
  have been built near each town in the county where a family is always living on a rotational basis. By far the biggest
  town, Elkader has a livery, a tavern and a mercantile store, as well as an area for a monthly market. There is some
  trading with towns to the north and south but much has remained the same. All told, about 250 people live in the
  Clayton County area, about half in Elkader. They still fly the old American flag in Elkader, but they no longer call
  themselves "Americans" but rather, amusingly, "Turkeys". They are also know to regional traders as the "Quad City
  Allaince" or even the "Turkey Creek Confederation". East of the old county line is a dry and less fertile region
  inhabitited by little more than black flies, crows and Dragon Lizards. The old Mississippi River sports electric catfish
  and snappers, which make good meat if you can catch one. The southern part of the county is having an infestation of
  Maggots, Blue Undead and Scraggers. Many in the area are considering abandoning their homes as there seems to be an
  unlimited source of these creatures migrating up out of the ruins and wastes of Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. Krell patrols
  are being seen to the west of Elkader occasionally, but haven't made themselves dangerous yet.
  5) SOUTHEASTERN IOWA
  Over the decades of droughts and dwindling water tables, much of southeastern Iowa has withered away into almost
  nothing, leaving only dry empty ruins of farming towns and bleached skeletons of unlucky travelers. The larger towns in
  the region, from Cedar Rapids and Iowa City in the north, to Mount Pleasant and Ottumwa in the south, are all virtually
  deserted. There might be 20 inhabitants in each of the larger towns, subsisting on scavenging. In closer to the
  Mississippi River, where limited irrigation is possible, there are a number of operating communities.
  Clinton: The 350 helpless people living here are now controlled by a slaver gang led by a man named "Chicago Slim".
  Slim's business is women and guns, valuable products throughout all of human history. Having come here two years ago
  from Illinois, he has made Clinton his personal playground. He has expanded and reinforced a low wall around parts of
  the downtown area that the locals had started and the highway approaches are now controlled by roadblocks. Just this
  fall, there was a schism in the gang, with a group of twenty or so slavers under Jimmy Bob Murphy splitting off and
  moving northwest to the Maquoketa Caves State Park. Here they have built a stockade out of an old Park Rangers office
  and are planning on attacking Clinton next spring to get revenge on Slim. The residents of the town are hoping that any
  fight will provide them with an opportunity to free themselves.
  Muscatine: A small enclave of security, home to a well-organized community of farmers and canoe traders on the bank
  of the Mississippi River. The town is surrounded by old walls of wood reinforced with metal plate, razor wire, and even
  the odd homemade landmine or two to keep out marauders. While this wall was mostly built a hundred years ago, it has
  been maintained by the current residents and is quite formidable. They are 150 people in the town, and most adults are
  armed with weapons of some sort, including a few rifles. They have a number of dairy cows, some small industry
  making farm implements and watercraft and are determined to hold onto their homes in spite of the odds.
  People who have contributed to this entry: 
  John Raner 
  Chris Van Deelen 
  Cruzan
  Karl Zohler
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/The Morrow Project/Unofficial/Nathan Decker's Travel Guide/The Great Plains/Iowa.pdf