Demilitarized Zone
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Basic Information

A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area, line or boundary in which military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. This often lies along an established frontier or boundary between two or more military powers or alliances. it could be an international border, such as the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or the 9-mile wide area between Iraq and Kuwait, or an entire region such as Antarctica or outer space preserved for scientific exploration and study. Most often these zones are established due to a truce, or treaty from a costly war.

Sources

Bibliography
1. full source reference

Game and Story Use

  • Exploration of the boundary, is it magical in nature, is it to keep monsters out, or does it divide two warring factions.
    • Consecration of some kind may apply in the right setting: dedication of the ground as sacred to a god of peace might work in some settings, whilst in medieval Europe transferring the land to Church control would be effective.
    • The "divides two warring factions" is important to consider - how active is the antagonism between the separated powers? The Korean DMZ is a much more dangerous place than the Iraq/Kuwait border, whilst in Antarctica or Outer Space, the environment is the main problem.
  • What would it mean if a group needs to cross the zone to retrieve an Item or find a person.
    • These areas could actually serve as a sort of Casablanca style neutral zone in which hostile powers meet to do business.
    • Equally, such a space could fill up with bandits and other outlaws, given that any significant operation against them is liable to stir up the peace.
  • Is this a wall that both sides want torn down that has divided a once whole country, but the powers in charge do not want to let go of their power.
  • Places like the Rhineland between 1919 and 1936 are interesting examples: deliberately demilitarised by international treaty, they exist in a sort of limbo - even more so when under the de-facto control of the Entente and so having the added bonus of divided authority.
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