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| - Take the worst or grimmest and darkest side of society, give them a place where all their sins are given free roam to be expressed, and collect it into a system that can just barely sustain itself and you get the Wretched Hive. The Wretched Hive has a few Sub Tropes in increasing size: Opposite of the Sugar Bowl and Utopia in general, and Shining City more specifically. Often paired with Crapsack World, but differs in that while the setting is less than ideal, the people in it need not be unhappy or universally sociopathic, nor is the worst result the most likely to happen.
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| abstract
| - Take the worst or grimmest and darkest side of society, give them a place where all their sins are given free roam to be expressed, and collect it into a system that can just barely sustain itself and you get the Wretched Hive. It will be a mostly lawless setting, usually (over) populated by criminals. There may be no actual government in this Wild West or Scavenger World because it is miles or light years away from civilization, and if there is it's probably a Dystopia that's corrupt, incompetent, obstructive or perhaps just uncaring enough to not bother to spread its reach to all corners of society. If this hive has any truly good authorities, expect them to be extremely overworked, incapable of controlling the sky-rocketing crime everywhere, or just too idealistic to survive. An alternative is to have it as a gang-like system ruled by a mob boss, Big Bad or Evil Overlord who allows evil, but only to a certain standard. It could be truly lawless with no authority other than the big stick you carry with you. This lawless setting is often wonderful for allowing all varieties of creativity, ideas and/or tropes to flow in, be played and interact in interesting ways, and many plot conveniences that the protagonists need to get away with doing active work rather than just handing problems over to the police or running into Fridge Logic when they don't get arrested for taking the law into their own hands, while there are several takes on all sorts of unlawful or devious acts. Gangs, cons, gambling, underground fighting, rampant prostitution, a thriving blackmarket (ranging from one guy with some watches under his coat to a literal market), jaywalking and many more. This can be portrayed as anything from guilty fun, inevitable underbelly of humanity to constant danger. The heroes can always find some misdeed around them to solve and the villains will have little problem finding a safe hideout or Bad Guy Bar to get together and plot schemes. Compare Tortuga and Gotham to take two recent film examples. The Wretched Hive has a few Sub Tropes in increasing size:
* Den of IniquityA room in the Big Bad's lair where the mooks get to indulge in various forms of debauchery.
* Bad Guy BarA tavern of ill repute where the crooks get together to scheme or get a drink. The tenuous peace is only held together by The Bartender and his Bouncers.
* The City NarrowsThe back alley to the entire town; a small section of a city that has a bad name for a good reason and gets avoided by decent folk with any sense.
* Red Light DistrictA street, block, or even complete district of a city devoted to prostitution and other illicit trades.
* Outlaw TownA settlement run by criminals, for the benefit of criminals
* Not-So-Safe HarborA port, harbour or coastal town that has fallen into wretchedness due to the flux of sailors and pirates and the sort of rough entertainment they desire.
* Vice CityAn entire urban sprawl that has fallen to wretchedness including its authorities which provide little sense of escape but also little constraint. Opposite of the Sugar Bowl and Utopia in general, and Shining City more specifically. Often paired with Crapsack World, but differs in that while the setting is less than ideal, the people in it need not be unhappy or universally sociopathic, nor is the worst result the most likely to happen. Overlap occurs with the Gangsterland when the criminal activities become more overt. A City Noir or Industrial Ghetto is often this. Also overlaps with Soiled City on a Hill when the city grows so corrupt that it's beyond redemption and must be destroyed. Has nothing to do with bees. Examples of Wretched Hive include:
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