Wellington Wells

This was last updated during game version Alpha V.38678

A randomized Wellington Wells. Here you can see all islands accessible as of 13/04/2017.

A view of the rendered islands of Wellington Wells, with the Mainland observed behind it.

Wellington Wells is a dystopian island city and the setting for We Happy Few.

Geography

Wellington Wells is sprawling habitat built on several close islands, located in a river somewhere in the United Kingdom. Each island is a "holm" (an old English word meaning an island in a river). As of Alpha build v.38678, the currently accessible islands are Eel Pie Holm, Luds Holm, St, George's Holm, Maidenholm, and Apple Holm. There is also references to "Holm of Usglass" and the Parade District (which is assumed to the final of the 5 main islands and may possibly be a "holm" in it's own right). Each island is connected to others via bridges, which is the only way to traverse between them, as the waters are treacherous, and you cannot swim.

In happier times, the city was linked by an underground metro system called the Wellington Underground. However, the metro has since fallen into disuse and severe disrepair, and the trains no longer run. Some stations (like Eel Pie Holm) have been re-purposed to serve as Motilene pumping stations.

Wellington Wells is administratively divided into two districts so far; the Garden District (where Wastrels live), and the Village of Hamlyn (where Wellies live).

As Wellington Wells sits in the middle of an (as of yet unnamed) river, the player can observe vast expanses of land either side of it. This is possibly the fated "Mainland" (i.e. the mainland United Kingdom), to which player characters may try to escape in the final version of the game.

Every new campaign of We Happy Few will randomly generate an entirely new version of Wellington Wells, meaning that no two playthroughs will take place in the exact same iteration of the city. This also serves as a lore mechanic. Any in-game character who overdoses on the local happy pills will completely forget the lay of the land and will have a brand new town to explore (from their point of view). Real life players of We Happy Few will obviously not overdose and forget, so a new Wellington Wells is created to serve the purpose of the *player* suffering Joy-induced amnesia.

The Garden District

The Garden District is where Downers and Wastrels are forced to live, in order to protect the decent citizens of Wellington Wells from bad memories and negative vibes. The Garden District is a true wasteland, with no established government or infrastructure, aside from the odd waterpump. Bombed out houses and overgrown hamlets dot the landscape. The Garden District suffers from major food shortages.

Eel Pie Holm

The starter island for all new campaigns, Arthur, after the events in the prologue, is chased by bobbies all the way to Motilene Station 4 in Eel Pie Holm. This island is considered part of Garden District. After the story quest "Wellington Underground" is completed, Station 4 becomes the player's first shelter.

Lud's Holm

The second island of the Garden District. Player encounters lots of plague-infected Wastrels at night. There is a safe house in this area.

The Village of Hamlyn

Hamlyn village is the first section of Wellington Wells proper that the player will encounter. Picturesque villages, groovy rainbow roads, and Joy dispensers can be found here, and it obvious that "normal" life reigns, with the presence of a city government maintaining roads, gardens, and Motilene infrastructure. A local uniformed police force is also present, preventing crime and investigating reports of Downers. Food is much more plentiful here.

St. Georges Holm

The first island of Hamlyn, and the first area that is Wellington Wells proper.

Maidenholm

The second and larger island of Hamlyn, usually far more dangerous for any downers lurking about. Can sometimes be connected to Lud's Holm, meaning one can avoid visiting St. Georges Holm altogether.

Inis Holm

The island bridged to Maidenholm. No joy booths, can only look for joy pill from trash bins. No save house for recovering and hiding at night and rather difficult to find food and extremely difficult to look for water.

Apple Holm

A placeholder island currently serving as the "end" of the game in build v.38678. This island contains an abandoned mansion, a crashed V-1 rocket, a LOT of toxic fog, and the hatch Arthur must access in order to escape to the Parade District and finish the game. Accessible only from Maidenholm.

Unseen/assumed/removed/referenced locales

The Parade District

The economic and political centre of Wellington Wells, Arthur is chased from his job and happy life here all the way to the Garden District. The Parade District also contains "Britannia Bridge", which is the final bridge and connects to the Mainland.

Holm of Usglass

Currently only exists as a reference from the note "Haworth Laboratory". It is where Haworth Laboratory, and Dr. Verloc Ph.D, are based.

Emerald City

No longer in game.

Inhabitants

Wellington well is inhabited by humans. St. George's holm and Maidenholm are populated by wellies. Ludds holm and eel pie holm are populated by the wastrels. Disease is rife in Ludds holm, but has not spread to the other holms because of the collapse of infrastructure.

Government

The city hall of Wellington wells is based in the parade district (as seen by looking out of the window in Arthur's office) and provides services such as utility staff and police officers. The city hall is in a state of extreme disrepair, with broken pneumatic tubes and lots of unfiled paperwork present in the offices. The dwellers do not see it, though.

History

During World War II, England was attacked by German airplanes and the Germans succeeded in occupying England. The residents of Wellington Wells did something called "the very bad thing" which caused the residents to become depressed. To counter this, a drug called joy was invented. Taking this pill, residents become happy and forget their dark past. Due to this, anyone who is not under the effects of Joy are known as downers.

Background and trivia

• The name of the town is based on Tunbridge Wells in that it's like every English village.
• The citizens of Wellington Wells are also "Well, well, well!" which is the reason for the reduplication in the name.
• Another meaning behind the name is due to the citizens being called Wellies. They are insulated from the outside world, as if they were wearing wellies.
• The town also shares its name with John Wellington Wells, a character from the Gilbert and Sullivan opera The Sorcerer. Wells is the eponymous sorcerer who doses an entire English village with a love potion.