Sheldrake Road
| Sheldrake Road
Kempsterbank [59, 73]
Basic Info:
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Description
A dark abandoned road that serves essentially no purpose, as it leads to the desolate wastelands to the south and west. Along the road is a 9-foot tall marble statue of Warren Zevon with both its arms missing, laying on its side.
History
Before World War I, Sheldrake Road was a bustling city square where children would play stick-ball, and adults would engage in various forms of lively political debate. The road was flanked by statues of historical American figures, and led east to where it ended at a giant fountain with a 17-foot tall replica of the Statue of Liberty at its center. Young children would often walk across the fountain pool with one arm in the air to re-enact the scene in Ghostbusters II when the Statue of Liberty crossed the Hudson River.
To the immediate west of Sheldrake Road was Boyle Bank (which is now currently "Byewell Bank"), a known haven for Bolshevik sympathizers, which contained a secret printing press that produced pamphlets and counterfeit war bonds. One block south of Sheldrake Road was Boyle Hall, an extravagant opera house that had been built by the early Malton aristocracy. To the east of Boyle Hall was Boyle Arms, a high-class hotel with giant ornate chandeliers and fireplaces, and a 38,000 square-foot ballroom.
1/19/1919 upheaval
As World War I came to a close, the neighborhood experienced a period of unrest. The rabble-rousing Evo Shandor was frequently attracting crowds outside the bank, and lambasting against the disproportionate number of statues of capitalist heroes along Sheldrake Road (especially the three Abraham Lincolns facing Boyle Bank with what appeared to be a functioning artillery piece containing live shells). After weeks of vandalism by both sides, street violence finally erupted on the night of January 19th, 1919.
Prominent composer, music director, and outspoken communist sympathiser Van Owen was performing at Boyle Hall, despite protests on Sheldrake Road that almost prevented the orchestra from reaching the building. That night, Old Man Sheldrake allegedly said "That son of a bitch Van Owen won't leave this city alive". During the middle of Van Owen's most politically controversial musical piece, an artillery round burst through the window and exploded in the horn section. Boyle Hall promptly caught fire, and due to the lax fire-codes of the time, none of the 872 Bolsheviks inside were able to escape.
As the fire raged on and spread to the nearby Boyle Arms and fountain park, Evo Shandor and his followers (many of whom were WWI veterans) retaliated against the monuments and citizenry of Sheldrake Road. Fighting raged throughout the night, and by sunrise Sheldrake Road and many of the surrounding blocks were in ruins.
To this day, the area remains undeveloped, and the grand monuments that once stood tall have since been broken apart by marble scavengers. Boyle Bank, the only building to remain standing, was re-named Byewell Bank to rid the city of the now-infamous Boyle name.
1/19/1919 rumors and conspiracy theories
A variety of rumors have persisted concerning the events of 1/19/1919. The most prevalent involve the origin of the artillery round which started the violence. While it is historically accepted that Old Man Sheldrake fired the shot, some believe that the statues of Abraham Lincoln briefly came to life and fired their cannon. Others say that Evo Shandor committed the deed, and assassinated Van Owen as part of an internal power-struggle within the Communist Party. Another theory is that a society of Anarchists known as the Fandetti 19 (containing 19 members, all with birthdays on the 19th of every month), sought to commit a random act of anarchy on 1/19/1919, and that the location was purely a coincidence.
Since the zombie outbreak, there have been sightings of 1/19/1919 casualties rising from their graves and returning to this site. Many come here to either finish playing the symphony piece, continue the fight, or simply listen to the music. It is advised that you do not disturb these zombies, since they pose no threat to survivors.
