Mexico

Mexico

"Where European Ambition Met New World Chaos, And the Dead March Under Foreign Banners"

In 1863, while Americans bled each other at places like Gettysburg and Vicksburg, a different conquest unfolded south of the Rio Grande. France, seeking to expand its influence in the Americas while the United States tore itself apart, invaded Mexico. By year's end, French forces occupied the capital and installed Emperor Maximilian on a throne that had never existed before. The proud Mexican Republic became an empire at bayonet point—though France called it "liberation."

Today in 1877, Mexico remains under foreign occupation. Emperor Maximilian rules from Mexico City with French military might backing every decree. The northern states simmer with resentment, the southern territories struggle under harsh governance, and along the border with the Confederacy, the Foreign Legion garrisons remote outposts where deserters and criminals in French uniforms raid caravans and terrorize travelers. Meanwhile, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna—the disgraced "Napoleon of the West"—commands expeditions into the California Maze, leading an army that marches by night and doesn't breathe.

Mexico has become a powder keg of competing interests: French colonial ambitions, Maximilian's dreams of legitimate monarchy, Confederate diplomatic maneuvering to keep France friendly, Union concerns about a hostile neighbor, and Mexican resistance that never truly accepted foreign rule. For Troubleshooters whose work takes them south of the border, Mexico represents dangerous politics wrapped in beautiful scenery—where one wrong word can land you in a French prison, and the wrong road gets you fed to Santa Anna's undead soldiers.

Geography and Regions

Mexico stretches from the Rio Grande in the north to the jungles of the Yucatan in the south, encompassing vast deserts, towering mountains, fertile valleys, and both Pacific and Gulf coastlines. The country's diverse geography creates distinct regions with different challenges, climates, and levels of French control:

The Northern Border States: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas form Mexico's frontier with Texas and the American Southwest. This harsh desert country is sparsely populated and poorly controlled. French garrisons dot the landscape, but vast stretches remain lawless. The Foreign Legion patrols here—and raids here. Confederate and Mexican citizens cross the border regularly for trade, refuge, or less legal purposes. Texas Rangers sometimes pursue criminals into Mexico despite having no jurisdiction, leading to occasional diplomatic incidents that neither side particularly wants to escalate.

Central Mexico: The heart of the empire encompasses Mexico City, Puebla, Guadalajara, and the fertile valleys where most Mexicans live. French control is strongest here. Maximilian's government functions relatively smoothly in the major cities, though resentment simmers beneath the surface. The countryside sees more resistance—bandits, revolutionaries, and simply people who refuse to acknowledge foreign rule. Travel the main roads with proper papers and you'll likely reach your destination. Stray into the backcountry and you're on your own.

The Gulf Coast: Veracruz, Tampico, and the eastern coastal region serve as Mexico's connection to Europe and the Caribbean. French military presence is heavy here—these ports are how reinforcements and supplies arrive from across the Atlantic. The climate is hot and humid, with tropical diseases a constant threat. Ghost rock shipments sometimes move through Veracruz, though the California Maze remains the primary source.

The Pacific Coast: From Acapulco south to the Guatemalan border, this mountainous coastline remains partially beyond French reach. Guerrilla fighters operate in the mountains, and local strongmen sometimes rule their territories with little interference. The climate is brutal—steaming jungles that swallow armies. French forces have learned to control the ports and leave the interior alone.

The Yucatan Peninsula: This remote southeastern region is nominally part of Mexico but effectively independent. The Yucatan's Maya population has resisted outside control for centuries. Neither Maximilian nor the French have resources to spare for conquering jungle-covered ruins. Travelers who venture here do so without any government protection—Mexican, French, or otherwise.

Climate and Hazards

Mexico's climate varies dramatically by region and altitude:

The Northern Deserts: Brutal heat during the day, freezing cold at night. Water is scarce. Travelers who don't prepare properly die of dehydration within days. The desert shares characteristics with Arizona and New Mexico—and shares their dangers. Rattlers, scorpions, and things worse than either hunt the wastes.

The Central Highlands: Mexico City sits at 7,400 feet elevation, giving it a temperate climate despite tropical latitude. The air is thin—newcomers from sea level tire easily. The mountains surrounding the valleys are beautiful and treacherous, with bandits controlling many passes.

Coastal Lowlands: Hot, humid, disease-ridden. Yellow fever, malaria, and cholera kill more people than violence. The rainy season from May through October transforms roads to mud and rivers to raging torrents. Travelers attempting the journey from Veracruz to Mexico City during summer often don't survive.

Emperor Maximilian's Rule

Fear Level: 2 (3 in resistance areas)

Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph, formerly Archduke of Austria, rules Mexico as Emperor Maximilian I—a title imposed by French bayonets rather than Mexican choice. History will judge whether he's a well-meaning monarch trying to bring European enlightenment to Mexico, or a foreign puppet serving French colonial interests. In 1877, he's simply the man on the throne.

The Emperor's Character

Maximilian arrived in Mexico with idealistic visions of benevolent monarchy. He studied Mexican history, learned some Spanish, and genuinely believed he could unite the country under progressive leadership. His wife, Empress Carlota, shared these ambitions and proved the more politically astute of the pair.

Reality proved harsher than dreams. Maximilian discovered that French military support came with strings—namely, serving French interests first and Mexican welfare second. His attempts at liberal reforms alienated conservatives who'd supported the monarchy. His cooperation with French occupation alienated everyone else. Caught between French demands and Mexican resistance, Maximilian's idealism curdled into pragmatic survival.

By 1877, the Emperor has become what the situation demanded: a figurehead who signs what France tells him to sign, speaks what France tells him to speak, and hopes history remembers he meant well. His court in Mexico City maintains European ceremony and Mexican aesthetic, trying to blend two worlds that won't blend.

The Government Structure

Maximilian's "empire" operates through a cabinet system nominally headed by Mexican ministers but actually controlled by French advisors. Key positions:

The Imperial Cabinet: Ministers handle domestic affairs, taxation, justice, and administration. Most are Mexican conservatives who supported the monarchy hoping for stability. They have limited real power—French military commanders can overrule them on security matters, which France defines broadly.

French Military Governor: The actual power in Mexico resides with the French commanding general, who controls troop deployments, major policy decisions, and anything affecting French interests. Maximilian can request, recommend, and plead—but ultimately France decides.

Local Administration: Outside major cities, local strongmen, hacendados (estate owners), and military commanders run their territories however they please. Some acknowledge Maximilian's authority. Others ignore it. A few actively resist it. The empire's writ extends as far as its soldiers can march—and no farther.

Relations with Other Powers

Maximilian's foreign policy consists of whatever France tells him:

The Confederacy: France maintains cordial relations with the South, hoping Confederate victory will weaken American opposition to European presence in Mexico. Maximilian exchanges diplomatic pleasantries with Richmond and occasionally entertains Confederate visitors. The relationship is polite, cautious, and built entirely on France's strategic interests. Neither side trusts the other, but both recognize mutual benefit in cooperating against the Union.

The Union: The North refuses to recognize Maximilian's government, still considering Mexico a republic under temporary occupation. Union diplomats refuse to present credentials to the "so-called emperor." This hostility serves both sides—Maximilian can blame the Union for Mexico's problems, while President Grant can point to French intervention as justification for staying allied with Britain.

Great Britain: The British also maintain relations with Maximilian's government, though more cautiously than France. Britain's primary interest is keeping French ambitions in check while maintaining access to Mexican resources.

Major Cities and Locations

Mexico City

Population: ~200,000
Fear Level: 2

The ancient capital sits in a high valley surrounded by volcanic peaks. The city blends Spanish colonial architecture with Aztec foundations—literally, as many Spanish buildings incorporated stone from demolished indigenous temples. Wide boulevards, grand plazas, and ornate churches give the city European character, while markets, food vendors, and street life remain distinctly Mexican.

Emperor Maximilian governs from Chapultepec Castle, a hilltop palace overlooking the city. The French military maintains barracks throughout Mexico City, ensuring visible presence. The wealthy districts could pass for Paris or Vienna—fashionable Europeans in tailored clothes dining at elegant restaurants. The poorer barrios remain Mexican, where resentment toward foreign occupation runs deep and revolutionaries plot in back rooms.

Travelers with proper documents can visit Mexico City safely enough. The French keep order strictly in the capital—they can't afford chaos at the empire's heart. But watch what you say and who hears it. French authorities don't appreciate criticism of Maximilian's government, and Mexican patriots don't appreciate foreigners defending it.

Veracruz

Population: ~30,000
Fear Level: 2

Mexico's primary Gulf port remains France's lifeline to Europe. French military presence is overwhelming—the harbor bristles with warships, the fortress guards the waterfront, and soldiers patrol constantly. This is where French reinforcements disembark, where supplies arrive from Paris, and where anyone attempting invasion would have to fight through heavy fortifications.

The city is hot, humid, and disease-ridden. Yellow fever kills regularly, especially during summer. French troops stationed here consider it punishment duty—miserable climate, away from the pleasures of Mexico City, and constant disease risk. The locals resent the occupation but make money from it, creating uncomfortable coexistence between occupier and occupied.

For travelers, Veracruz serves as a gateway to Mexico's interior. Ships from New Orleans, Galveston, and Caribbean ports call here regularly. Getting through the port requires proper papers and tolerance for French customs officials who assume everyone's smuggling something. The road from Veracruz to Mexico City is well-traveled but dangerous—bandits know valuable shipments move along this route.

Guadalajara

Population: ~70,000
Fear Level: 2

Mexico's second-largest city sits in a fertile valley west of the capital. Guadalajara maintains more independence than Mexico City—the French garrison is smaller, local authorities exercise more autonomy, and the culture remains distinctly Mexican rather than European-influenced. The city is known for mariachi music, tequila production, and proud regional identity.

French control here is lighter but still present. The roads connecting Guadalajara to Mexico City and the Pacific coast see regular military patrols. The surrounding countryside, however, harbors resistance fighters who use the rough terrain to avoid French forces. Travelers should be cautious—sometimes the people who stop you on lonely roads wear French uniforms, sometimes they claim to be Mexican patriots, and sometimes they're just bandits using chaos as excuse for robbery.

Monterrey

Population: ~40,000
Fear Level: 3

The largest city in northern Mexico sits nestled against the Sierra Madre mountains, less than 150 miles from the Texas border. Monterrey serves as regional capital for Nuevo León state and France's northern command center. This is where the Foreign Legion concentrates when not patrolling the border, where Confederate traders come to conduct business, and where anyone traveling between Texas and central Mexico must pass through.

The city has seen violence. During the Mexican-American War in 1846, US forces under Zachary Taylor fought house-to-house here. The French conquest in 1863 brought more fighting. Resistance remains strong—the mountains shelter guerrillas, and locals remember when Mexico governed itself. French authorities rule with harder hand here than in central Mexico, knowing they're closer to American territory and farther from reinforcement.

Military Forces

The French Occupation Army

Approximately 30,000 French regulars garrison Mexico, concentrated in major cities and along supply routes. These are professional soldiers—disciplined, well-equipped, and experienced from France's European wars. They're not happy about tropical diseases, guerrilla attacks, and being stuck in Mexico while missing whatever glory France finds elsewhere, but they're effective occupiers.

French commanders learned from the initial conquest: don't fight Mexico everywhere at once. Control the cities, the ports, the major roads. Let the countryside simmer as long as it doesn't explode. Use overwhelming force when challenged, otherwise maintain stable occupation. It's not conquest—it's expensive, frustrating management of hostile territory.

La Légion Étrangère (The Foreign Legion)

When Maximilian needed troops for Mexico's northern border, France sent its stepchild: the Foreign Legion. These garrisons are composed of deserters, debtors, criminals, and adventurers from across Europe and beyond. Some joined seeking redemption or fresh starts. Others were given choice between Legion service or French prison. All ended up at remote outposts along the Texas border where regulations mean less than survival.

The Legion has valiant fighting record when properly led, but along the Mexican border in 1877, the "good" Legionnaires are vastly outnumbered by the corrupt ones. These soldiers raid Ghost Trail caravans out of greed or boredom. They attack travelers who stray too close to their outposts. They smuggle contraband, sell weapons to bandits, and generally embody France's worst reputation.

France and the Confederacy maintain cordial diplomatic relations, but Legionnaire raids threaten that carefully managed peace. Confederate authorities—especially the Texas Rangers—know which outposts are responsible for attacks. They can't pursue across the border without risking international incident, so they seethe and wait for Legionnaires to raid north into Texas, where Rangers have jurisdiction to shoot back.

The Foreign Legion outposts are dangerous for travelers. Some Legionnaires are honorable soldiers trying to do difficult job in terrible conditions. Others are criminals with official sanction for violence. Travelers can't tell which type they're meeting until it's too late, and by then you're either dead or lucky.

The Mexican Armada

France built Mexico a navy—or more accurately, built itself a navy that flies Mexican colors. The Mexican Armada operates in two parts:

Coastal Patrol Ships: Fast clipper ships commanded by Capitán Sangre (almost certainly not his real name—"Captain Blood" seems chosen for intimidation rather than baptism). Sangre was infamous Barbary Coast pirate before France commissioned him to raid ghost rock shipments heading east from the California Maze. His fleet consists of undisciplined mercenaries, French expatriates, and Spanish pirates united by opportunity to attack American ships legally. Where French regulars are disciplined, Sangre's crews are chaotic, cagey, and brutal. They're pirates with letters of marque—all the violence, now with government approval.

Maze Ironclads: Wind-powered ships can't navigate the Maze's unpredictable channels, so France built Mexico a fleet of steam-powered ironclads armed with cannons, flamethrowers, grapnels, and experimental weaponry fresh from European laboratories. These vessels are manned by actual Mexican naval crews—disciplined, ruthless, and effective. Unlike Sangre's chaotic pirates, the ironclad crews are professional sailors doing professional work: controlling the Maze's channels, raiding ore barges, and supporting Santa Anna's undead army when it strikes prospector camps.

Collectively, the Armada dominates the Great Maze. Neither Union nor Confederate Pacific fleets can match it in numbers or firepower. The few American victories came through wit rather than strength—occasionally the Northern and Southern navies even ally against their common French enemy, proving desperation makes strange friends.

Santa Anna's Crusade

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna—Mexico's former president and the self-proclaimed "Napoleon of the West"—commands Mexican forces in the California Maze under Maximilian's orders. His story is one of humiliation seeking redemption through conquest:

Santa Anna lost Texas at San Jacinto in 1836, where he also lost his leg. The victorious Texans kept the severed limb as trophy—the ultimate insult. He lost to the United States again during the Mexican-American War in 1848, cementing his reputation for defeat. After those failures, he went into bitter exile.

When France conquered Mexico in 1863, the new Emperor Maximilian made stunning offer: command of the remaining Mexican army. The world expected Santa Anna to refuse this humiliation—accepting command under foreign occupation. Instead, he rolled over like whipped dog and agreed. Rumor claims Maximilian promised to build Santa Anna an army to invade Texas and reclaim his honor—but only after he conquers the ghost rock-rich California Maze first.

Santa Anna has fewer troops than his glory days, so he's resorted to terror tactics. His brilliantly uniformed regular cavalry rides through California's wasteland—a show for spies and witnesses. But his real army moves at night, commanded by his aide-de-camp Xitlan—a mysterious shaman who claims descent from ancient Aztec sorcerers and is actually an undead liche.

The Ejército de los Muertos (Army of the Dead) consists of zombie soldiers raised by Xitlan's dark magic. These undead warriors wear the green tunics and bronze breastplates of the Tulancingo Cuirassiers, carrying carbines, sabers, and lances. They're disciplined, ruthless, utterly loyal, and feast on human brains when given opportunity. Xitlan controls them through special plant mixed with their rotting diet.

Santa Anna's forces raid settlements throughout the Maze, massacre residents, and force survivors to flee. His scouts range as far as Arizona and the Texas border, searching for something. What that might be remains unknown—which worries everyone who knows about it. A general commanding undead army actively looking for something specific is never good news.

Daily Life in Mexico

For Mexican Citizens

Life under occupation depends heavily on where you live. Mexico City residents endure French presence but benefit from stable government and relative prosperity. The French need the capital functioning smoothly, so they maintain order, collect taxes at almost-reasonable rates, and generally leave people alone who don't cause trouble. Speak against the Emperor and you'll face consequences, but keep your head down and life continues tolerably.

In the countryside, life is harder. French troops demand supplies from villages they pass through—sometimes paying, sometimes not. Bandits claiming to be resistance fighters rob travelers. Actual resistance fighters rob travelers and call it revolutionary taxation. Local strongmen exercise authority France can't project this far from cities. Survival depends on navigating between competing powers without offending any enough to get killed.

Along the northern border, existence is particularly precarious. Foreign Legion raids terrorize communities. Texas Rangers sometimes cross the border pursuing criminals. Confederate traders bring commerce but also trouble. Mexican citizens here remember when this was Mexican land defended by Mexican soldiers—now it's occupied territory where foreign soldiers answer to no one.

For Foreign Travelers

Americans visiting Mexico need proper documentation—travel papers, letters of introduction, and usually official reason for presence. Confederate citizens have easier time due to French-Southern relations. Union citizens face more scrutiny but can still travel if their papers are in order.

The bigger challenge is cultural navigation. Mexicans resent foreign occupation—including foreigners who cooperate with it. Speaking Spanish helps. Showing respect for Mexican culture helps more. Not assuming everyone speaks English or wants to hear about how things work "back home" helps most.

Money talks. Silver and gold work everywhere. Confederate and Union currency are accepted in border towns and major cities. Deeper into Mexico's interior, precious metals become essential—paper money from nations Mexico doesn't recognize has less value.

Economic Conditions

French occupation drained Mexico's economy. France's "reconstruction" mostly benefits French interests—new roads go where French armies need them, new ports serve French shipping, new fortifications protect French garrisons. Mexican businesses that cooperate prosper. Those that don't find themselves frozen out or requisitioned.

Silver mining continues—Mexico has produced silver for centuries and will produce more. Ghost rock deposits exist but pale compared to the California Maze. The Spanish knew where the rich mineral deposits were and spent three centuries extracting them. What's left requires more work for less reward.

Trade with the Confederacy helps Mexico's northern states economically. Goods flow across the Rio Grande both directions—legal trade and otherwise. Confederate merchants buy Mexican silver, leather goods, and agricultural products. Mexican traders buy Confederate manufactured goods, weapons, and ghost rock technology. Both sides profit while France takes its cut through tariffs and corruption.

The Resistance

Not all Mexicans accepted foreign occupation. Since 1863, resistance has flickered across the countryside—sometimes as organized campaigns, more often as guerrilla actions against French targets. By 1877, full-scale rebellion seems unlikely. France is too strong, too entrenched. But resistance persists in forms large and small:

Guerrilla Fighters: Small bands operate from mountain hideouts, raiding French supply convoys, ambushing patrols, and disappearing into terrain they know intimately. They're not strong enough to defeat occupation, but they're stubborn enough to make it expensive. Some groups maintain clear political goals—restore the republic, drive out France. Others are bandits using "resistance" as excuse for robbery.

Political Opposition: Even in Mexico City, some voices dare criticize the empire—carefully, obliquely, in ways French authorities can't quite justify arresting them for. Newspapers print coded messages. Priests deliver sermons with double meanings. Professors teach history emphasizing Mexican achievements over European influence. This cultural resistance preserves Mexican identity under occupation's weight.

Passive Resistance: The most common form. Mexican citizens simply don't cooperate with French authorities beyond minimum necessary to avoid trouble. Officials need translator? Nobody speaks French well enough to help. Troops need directions? Everyone suddenly becomes geographically confused. Small rebellions that don't risk execution but collectively frustrate occupation.

Supernatural Threats

Mexico's supernatural landscape predates European contact. Indigenous cultures knew things walked these lands that Spanish conquistadors dismissed as superstition—until they met them. French occupation hasn't changed what lurks in Mexico's wild places; it's merely added new horrors to old ones.

The Ejército de los Muertos

Santa Anna's zombie army represents the most visible supernatural threat in Mexico—and one of the few openly acknowledged by authorities. Xitlan's power to raise and control the dead is no secret to anyone who's witnessed his army on the march. What remains secret is Xitlan's true nature: not merely a shaman using dark magic, but an undead sorcerer—a liche who's neither Harrowed nor zombie but something entirely his own kind of abomination.

Pre-Columbian Horrors

The Aztecs didn't perform human sacrifice because they were primitive savages—they did it because they knew what happened when they stopped. Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations made deals with dark powers, built temples on places where reality grew thin, and developed rituals to keep certain things satisfied and contained. Many of those temples now lie in ruins. Many of those rituals are forgotten. Some of those things are no longer satisfied or contained.

Travelers exploring Mexico's archaeological sites should remember: the Spanish didn't conquer the Aztec Empire through military superiority alone. They conquered it because the empire was already crumbling under weight of demands from entities that fed on blood and terror. Those entities didn't die when Cortés toppled Moctezuma—they just got hungry.

La Llorona and Other Spirits

Mexican folklore speaks of countless supernatural entities: the weeping woman La Llorona who drowned her children and now drowns others; El Chupacabra that drains livestock of blood; brujas (witches) who work dark magic in remote villages; naguals (shapeshifters) who walk as human by day and beast by night. French occupation hasn't affected these spirits—they predate France by centuries and will likely outlast it.

What occupation has done is make supernatural threats harder to address. French authorities dismiss such stories as peasant superstition. Mexican communities that might have organized defense now struggle under occupation's weight. Old protective rituals fall out of practice when everyone's worried about survival. The darkness finds opportunity in chaos.

Ghost Rock Corruption

Mexico has ghost rock deposits—not California Maze-level riches, but enough to attract miners and the supernatural problems they bring. Mine accidents release things from deep places. Ghost rock burns create manifestations. Workers exposed to the black mineral develop strange ailments that no doctor understands.

Travel Guidance and Survival

If your work as Troubleshooter takes you into Mexico, here's what you need to know:

Documentation

Never cross the border without proper papers. French authorities take documentation seriously—it's how they track who's entering their occupied territory. Confederate citizens have easier time obtaining travel permits through diplomatic channels. Union citizens face more scrutiny but can still get papers through, strangely enough, French consulates in Northern cities. France may occupy Mexico, but it maintains diplomatic presence throughout the United States.

Forged papers are available—this is the Weird West, after all—but getting caught with false documents means French prison, and those aren't pleasant. Only resort to forgery if legitimate channels fail and your business is urgent enough to risk consequences.

Border Crossings

Official crossings exist at several points along the Rio Grande: Brownsville-Matamoros, Laredo-Nuevo Laredo, Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras, El Paso-Ciudad Juárez. These towns have French customs officials, Mexican police, and usually Confederate observers watching who comes and goes. Crossing officially is safest but slowest—expect delays, questions, inspections.

Unofficial crossings happen constantly along the river's length. Smugglers, refugees, criminals, and people who simply don't want French bureaucracy involved ford at countless points. This is faster and avoids documentation but comes with risks: Texas Rangers patrol the north side, Foreign Legion patrols the south side, and bandits operate everywhere. Many who cross unofficially never reach their destination.

Language

Spanish is essential in Mexico—more essential than in Texas or New Mexico where English often suffices. French is useful in major cities and when dealing with occupation authorities, but most Mexicans won't speak it on principle even if they know it. English is understood in border towns and sometimes in cities, but don't assume.

If you don't speak Spanish, hire translator. Many border towns have professional guides who speak multiple languages, know the routes, and understand local politics. A good guide is worth their fee several times over—they'll navigate you through situations where language barrier could prove fatal.

The Foreign Legion Problem

Avoid Legion outposts when possible. The good Legionnaires can't protect you from the bad ones, and you won't know which you're meeting until it's too late. If you must pass near Legion garrisons, travel in groups, stay on main roads during daylight, and have your papers ready for inspection. Don't carry anything that looks worth stealing—Legionnaires supplement low pay through "confiscation" of travelers' valuables.

If Legionnaires stop you and their intentions seem hostile, compliance is often smarter than resistance—unless you're certain you can win the fight. These are trained soldiers, usually drunk, definitely armed, and operating far enough from supervision that they can claim almost anything and not face consequences.

Revolutionary Contact

You'll likely encounter resistance fighters or bandits claiming to be resistance fighters. The former want France gone; the latter want your money. Distinguishing between them requires judgment. True revolutionaries are selective about targets—they hit French military, government officials, and collaborators. Bandits hit everyone.

If stopped by supposed revolutionaries, stay calm and respectful. Don't defend French occupation—that's likely to get you killed. Don't criticize it either—you might be talking to French spies pretending to be rebels. Neutral responses like "I'm just passing through" or "I'm here on business unrelated to politics" work best. Offering "voluntary contributions" to the revolution sometimes gets you released faster.

Major Cities

Stick to established areas when visiting Mexico City, Guadalajara, or other large cities. French control means these places are safer than countryside, but that doesn't mean safe. Crime happens. Political violence happens. French authorities are more concerned with maintaining occupation than protecting foreigners from robbery.

Register with Confederate consulate if you're Southern, or leave word with trusted contacts about your location and plans. If you disappear, someone needs to know where to start looking—and Mexico is very large place to vanish in.

Supernatural Precautions

Mexico's supernatural threats are real and well-established. Unlike the United States where authorities deny the Weird West exists, Mexicans openly acknowledge that dark forces walk their land. Take local warnings seriously. If villagers tell you to avoid certain ruins, avoid them. If they say something hunts a particular area at night, believe them.

Santa Anna's army of the dead is particularly dangerous for those operating near the California Maze. If you encounter green-coated soldiers with bronze armor riding at night, run. Don't try to reason with them—they're zombies following Xitlan's commands. Don't try to fight them unless you have overwhelming force—they don't tire, don't feel pain, and are surprisingly skilled with carbines and lances for corpses. Just get away and warn authorities if you can.

Health Concerns

Mexican water will make you sick if you're not accustomed to it. Drink bottled water, beer, or boiled water. Avoid raw vegetables washed in local water. Coastal regions carry yellow fever, malaria, and cholera risk—consider whether your business is worth potentially dying from disease. Many travelers who survive Mexico's human dangers succumb to microscopic ones.

Confederate Relations

Southern citizens have advantage in Mexico due to Confederate-French diplomatic cooperation. Presenting Confederate papers usually results in better treatment from French authorities. This also makes you potential target for resistance fighters who view anyone cooperating with occupation as enemy. There's no perfect solution—just understand that your nationality has different implications depending on who you're dealing with.

Mexico in 1877 is a proud nation suffering foreign occupation—where French troops garrison cities, a puppet emperor signs decrees he didn't write, and Mexican citizens endure daily indignities while remembering when this was their country governed by their own. Along the northern border, the Foreign Legion degrades from professional military to sanctioned bandits. In the California Maze, Santa Anna's army of the dead marches at night, searching for something that worries everyone who knows about it. And throughout the countryside, resistance flickers like dying embers that refuse to go fully cold.

For Troubleshooters operating in or near Mexico, understand that this is complicated territory where politics, nationalism, occupation resentment, and supernatural threats create dangerous combinations. France controls the cities and main roads but not the country. Maximilian signs what he's told to sign. Mexican citizens cooperate enough to survive but not enough to accept. And in the mountains, ruins, and remote villages, things older than any nation watch foreign soldiers march across land they once called home—and wait for the right moment to remind everyone that some territories were never meant for human conquest at all.