Wellington Wells is the name of the whole city and setting of We Happy Few.
Wellington Wells is a microstate-sized city-state that exists largely independently from the rest of Great Britain. It is governed by the Executive Committee.
Layout[]
Wellington Wells is sprawling habitat, built on a small archipelago located in the Bristol Channel, in the south-west of Great Britain.
Each island is a "holm" (an old English word meaning an island in a river) that are connected to each others via Bridges, and the bridges are the only way to traverse between the islands, as the ocean is way too toxic and too low for anyone to enter.
Before WWII, 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 have been re-purposed to serve as Motilene pipeline stations.
Wellington Wells is administratively divided into three districts; the Garden District (where Wastrels live), the Village of Hamlyn (where lower- and middle-class Wellies live), and the Parade District (where upper-class Wellies live and where the government is situated).
As Wellington Wells sits in the middle of the Bristol Channel, the player can observe vast expanses of land to the North (Wales) and the South (England). This is the fated "Mainland" (i.e. Great Britain), to which player characters will try to escape.
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. However, there will be slight similarities in the landscapes.
Inhabitants[]
The citizens of Wellington Wells can be divided into two main "classes". Maidenholm, St. George's Holm and Apple Holm are populated by Wellies and the main police force of the island, the Bobbies. Barrow Holm, Eel Pie Holm, and Lud's Holm are populated by Wastrels and Downers.
The Wellies can be further subdivided into two societal classes: Maidenholm and St. George's Holm are populated by Lower- and Middle-class Wellies while Apple Holm is populated by Upper-class Wellies.
Known diseases include the rabies-like, although curable Plague, which is rife in Lud's Holm, but is contained. Along with the less malignant but still deleterious Joy spiral.
In Hamlyn Village and the Parade District, there is a massive machine called The 'Headmistress' who can detect any nearby person who is not on Joy, thereby summoning an electrical circle to not only stun the Downer, but also alerts anybody to their presence in order to take care of them.
Government[]
The main governing body and the closest thing that the city get to its own government is the mysterious Executive Committee, which is in charge of everything in Wellington Wells and operates in the Parade District, specifically at the Broadcast Tower, and provides services such as maintenance and utility staff. They're also responsible for commanding the police force and maintaining order in the city. The Executive Committee is also responsible for supplying food, goods and Joy to the citizens of Wellington Wells.
One of the most well known influential (and infamous) figures of both the government and the island itself is General Byng. Another influential person is Doctor Verloc, who is responsible for mass-producing Joy and supplying it to the population.
History[]
In-Game[]
Wellington Wells is a city haunted by the ghosts of its recent past. In 1914, this world deviated from our own, as the events of WWI would greatly impact the future. With Erwin Rommel as the Führer of Germany, he'd launch an invasion on Great Britain, successfully occupying the country in 1943-1947.
While the state of the rest of England is unknown, most of Wellington Wells is left in ruins. After the occupation of England, Wellington Wells was placed under the administration of the Executive Committee.
In 1947, Colonel von Stauffenberg and General Byng agreed to have all of the British children under the age of 13 be sent on a train to Germany, however, only Stauffenberg knew the true purpose behind this decision. While this event is never mentioned in the game, many have come to refer to it as The Very Bad Thing.
This left the citizens of Wellington Wells distraught and guilt-struck, as they believed they couldn't have done anything to stop the Germans from occupying their country while also doing things that they didn't even ask them to do, such as hanging three traitors who attempted to burn the registry to save the children from being taken.
In 1951, Harry Haworth was commissioned by the Executive Committee (with support from General Byng) to create something to make everyone happy again and to pacify the population and restore order; Joy.
Joy was designed to make the user forget the past, no matter how long ago it was. If people couldn't remember the past, there'd be nothing to be upset over. Eventually, the government would do everything in their power to keep its citizens happy, anything from censorship and deceit, to downplaying the severity of their situation and finnaly cracking down on anyone not taking Joy.
Food and other essential materials would eventually stop coming over from Britannia Bridge (the only Bridge connecting Wellington Wells to Great Britain), and toxic wastes would cause a severe plague to emerge. It wouldn't take long before many of the citizens would run out of food to eat, with barely any animals left alive to herd. The citizens are never informed of what is going on in the outside world, as the only news they get revolves around their city.
In 1960, Helen Faraday would manage to create a portal connecting Wellington Wells to Planet X, where she'd lure alien robots across and dismantle them for parts, using them to create highly advanced devices to protect citizens from Downers. In the process, Thiomotilene crystals would begin to grow in the Wellington Wells mines, these crystals would later be shortened to simply Motilene. Motilene would become the new fuel for the city, replacing petrol.
Over the years, the materials needed to create Joy would dwindle, resulting in "Bad Batches" which would cause the user to be unable to take any more Joy. Downers would populate the Garden District, the plague would worsen and infect more citizens, and there wouldn't be any more food left for people to eat.
Wellington Wells is a city on the edge, only time will tell what the future has in store for this troubled town.
How to be Happy: Guide Book[]
In the How to be Happy: Guide Book, two pages are dedicated to describing the brief, happy history of Wellington Wells. Below are the exact paragraphs as said from the book. Because the book is said to have been published by the Executive Committee, the descriptions shouldn't be taken literally.
Pagan Britain[]
"Wellington Wells boasts an ancient henge, which local scholars believe to have been the site of much prehistoric merriment. Until recently, people wrongly believed that pagans practiced human sacrifice here, but we now know that their ritual was more like a game of duck-duck-goose."
Dark Ages[]
"Very little is known about the Dark Ages, as very little was written down during this time - perhaps because it was too dark to see to write. However, archaeologists have discovered evidence of a medieval tavern on Rat Holm, so we know that Dark Age Wellies already knew how to have a good time!"
Norman Conquest[]
"William the Conqueror came to England in 1066, most likely because he was bored with France and its rich sauces. A little known fact: many people believe William the Conqueror's name was Norman, but it is actually William. Be sure to impress your friends with this tidbit!"
Tudor Era[]
"The Tudor period is best known for its quaint half-timbre architecture and the easing of divorce regulations - both of which we can still enjoy today."
The Glorious Revolution[]
"The name says it all, doesn't it?"
Victorian Era[]
"Queen Victoria is famous for being easily amused - at least, that is what local scholars believe. Many of our loveliest buildings in the Parade date to the Victorian era. Queen Victoria loved parades. At least, we think she did. At any rate, we love a good parade, don't we?"
20th Century[]
"From the turn-of-the-century through the 1930's, Britain enjoyed decades of great progress. The 1950s are an even more impressive golden age of technology - most notably with the inventions of Joy and Motilene. (Very little is known about the 1940s, because it was much too long ago for anybody to remember!)"
Overview[]
The city of Wellington Wells is made up of several islands, divided into several districts and separated by bridges. Each of these bridges are heavily secured to restrict movement, with some bridges even being deliberately kept closed under the guise that they are broken.
A train system known as the Wellington Underground used to connect all the islands, but it has been boarded up. The tracks can still be used by the player to quickly move about the city if they can find the access hatches.
Garden District[]
The Garden District was the rural part of Wellington Wells, nearing the Victory gardens. The place suffered heavy bombing and was left in ruins while the rest of the city redeveloped itself. This is where Downers and Wastrels are forced to live, in order to protect the decent citizens of Wellington Wells from remembering their incredibly upsetting past.
The Garden District is a true wasteland, with no established government or infrastructure, aside from the occasional water pump. Bombed out houses and overgrown hamlets dot the landscape. The Garden District suffers from major food shortages.
Now overgrown and run-down, the Garden District is used to cast away the Wastrels, former Wellies who react badly to Joy and become Downers. Those survivors took over whichever houses were still standing and installed traps to defend themselves.
The Garden District is made up of three islands;
Barrow Holm[]
The first island that Arthur Hastings finds himself in after escaping from City Hall. Arthur, after the events in the prologue, is chased by bobbies all the way to Barrow Holm. After the story quest, Wellington Under is completed, the underground shelter is the first hatch the player unlocks.
The game-world generation of this holm is fixed. It will, therefore, be laid out exactly the same way in any given playthrough.
Eel Pie Holm[]
The first randomly generated island of the Garden District. This is where the player is free to explore the land as they please.
Lud's Holm[]
The second randomly generated island of the Garden District, which the government has locked down for the purpose of quarantining a rabies-like plague so that it doesn't reach the rest of the city, the plague has only started spreading through Lud's Holm, but it won't take long until it spreads even further.
Lud's Holm contains many plague-infested Wastrels, who only really appear at night (as for Act I) and are rabidly hostile to everyone nearby who is not infected. They'll relentlessly chase after any would-be victims, desperately trying to kill them, all while ranting and raving in Old English.
Victory Memorial Camp[]
The old British military camp, previously used by the occupational authorities, has now become the training area for the remaining soldiers, all preparing for when Germany returns for WWIII. It is made up of one Island.
Much like Barrow Holm, The camp is fixed and will appear the same on every playthrough.
Ravensholm[]
Is the site of the Victory Memorial and the Victory Memorial Camp, where General Byng and his old soldiers of the Home Guard hold a terrible secret. Arthur and Ollie infiltrate the camp on a quest to steal some things, with Arthur sabotaging the power as a distraction.
As Arthur makes his way into the camp, he finds the old tanks the Germans used to threaten Wellington Wells into willingly giving away the children. He also discovers that they aren't real tanks at all, but are actually made out of papier-maché. Wood, newspaper, and glue.
Hamlyn Village[]
Hamlyn village is the first section of Wellington Wells that the player will encounter. This is where the lower and middle-class Wellies live, protected by Bobbies and other security systems. It has the appearance of a quaint small town, with old buildings painted in bright colors, and rainbows paving the roads.
Picturesque villages, groovy rainbow roads, and Mood Booths can be found there, it's also there in which '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 while brutally apprehending and subduing anyone present. Food is much more plentiful here but security is also much more strict.
It's also been upgraded with Motilene pipes running between many of the houses, and has large gaunt buildings, which serve as important points of interest on the map. Hamlyn Village is made up of three islands.
Maidenholm[]
The first island of Hamlyn. The Church of St. Genesius and the Wellington Wells Constabulary is located here. It's randomly generated every time.
St. George's Holm[]
Located next to Maidenholm. This is the second and larger island of Hamlyn.
St. George is far more dangerous for any lurking Downers as there are Joy Doctors strolling about, who can detect anyone who isn't on Joy.
It's here that the Hamlyn "O" Courant is located, as well as a bridge leading to Haworth Labs.
Holm of Uskglass[]
A tiny island just off St. Georges Holm. This small island is occupied solely by Haworth Labs, where the city's supply of Joy is manufactured. The purple fumes produced by the Lab can be seen from pretty much anywhere in Wellington Wells.
Parade District[]
The Parade District is the economic and political center of Wellington Wells and is the final main area visited by Arthur and Ollie after Hamlyn Village. This is where the wealthy, upper-class Wellies live.
Apple Holm[]
The one and only holm of the Parade District, Apple Holm has the Britannia Bridge - which is the final, and only, bridge that connects back to the Mainland. It also houses Arthur's old job, the Department of Archives, Printing & Recycling, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and lastly, the Broadcast Tower.
It's in the Broadcast Tower that Uncle Jack's shows are filmed and distributed, as well as the place where the Executive Committee is based.
Every citizen here is well dressed, and security is even more strict, with lots of Red Bobbies, Peepers, and two Headmistresses. Buildings are much taller and grander, though they cannot be infiltrated.
The Parade District, much like Barrow Holm and Ravensholm, is a fixed location. It'll appear the same on every playthrough.
Ratholm[]
An island that is not connected to any of the others by a bridge, and can only be reached by using the old train tunnels.
Anton Verloc once had a laboratory there, but it was abandoned due to employees quitting, for they believed that the Factory's waste water caused the plague.
Despite this, experiments still took place, with some employees experimenting on Wastrels for a cure against the Plague.
It's currently being used as a dumping ground for Haworth Laboratory's chemical waste, which has made the island extremely toxic, though the player won't need a gas mask to venture forward.
It's also inhabited by hoards of Plague Wastrels, so the player will have to be extremely careful when venturing forward.
DLC[]
Inis Holm[]
A Village which is seen during the events of They Came from Below. Faraday's Workshop was once located there.
the Village consisted of a back alley with a nearby house, two Mood Booths, a Shop, a round circle of houses, with a Headmistress in the center.
There are only two people here who has had some sort of history with Roger Bacon, given his contact with them at the beginning of the DLC; Peggy Allgood, who is implied to have romantic feelings for Roger, and Vivien Eastwood, the local shop owner who is later killed by the invading alien robots.
Eventually, Roger finds Inis Holm to be completely and utterly obliterated, which sort of explains its absence during the main events of We Happy Few.
Dunkerton District[]
A separate island district in Wellington Wells only found during the events on We All Fall Down, it is home to Dunkerton Waterworks, where Joy is pumped into the water supply.
Waterloo District[]
A separate district in Wellington Wells, this is where the Waterloo House is located.
Old Bailey District[]
A separate district in Wellington Wells, it is here that the Pill Allocater transports Joy pills throughout the Mood Booths.
The Bridle Path[]
A small street connected to the Waterloo District, Dunkerton District and Old Bailey District.
Removed Locations[]
These islands were present, and thus part of Wellington Wells, in earlier game builds but have since been removed and no longer exist in-game.
Emerald City[]
Emerald City was the forerunner to the Parade District in Wellington Wells as it contained the escape hatch which Arthur had to get to in order to escape Wellington Wells. Emerald City was removed in later alphas and replaced by the current Parade District and the Escape Hatch was supplanted by the Britannia Bridge, located in the Parade District.
Apple Holm (Placeholder version)[]
This island was a placeholder island which served as the semi-final area of the game in build v.27755. This island contained an abandoned mansion (now present in Mastermind) which contained an escape hatch that Arthur had to access in order to escape to Emerald City (Parade District in later builds) and finish the game. It was accessible only from Maidenholm.
The island was infested by toxic fog, and the player needed a Gas Mask to venture through.
In later builds, Apple Holm would also include several ruined houses.
Activities[]
Wellington Wells has a number of activities the Wellies take part in, and while some are mentioned in the game, others have been specified in the How to be Happy: Guide Book.
Holidays[]
- Victory Day - First Tuesday of every month
- Twelfth Night - January
- Joy Anniversary - February
- Ides of March (Marching band parade) - March
- May Day (Summerisle Picnic and Weenie Roast) - May
- Midsummer - June
- Apple Holm Medieval Fair - (Cancelled)
- Samhain - (October)
- Poppy Day - (November)
- Servant's Ball (Parade District only) - December
- Yule (or Christmas) - December
"Medieval Day has been cancelled due to repeated injuries from unauthorized jousting. The Lady of the Lake Beauty Pageant will be rescheduled. To make up for the lost holiday, all Wellie workers are now invited to take off on their birthday!" - the How to be Happy: Guide Book.
Entertainment[]
Archaeological Museum[]
"As previously noted, people have been enjoying life in Wellington Wells for centuries. Normally archaeologists must painstakingly dig for evidence of these past eras, however the recent bombing in the Garden District has fortuitously created craters in which one can see multiple layers of history without any effort."
Fine Dining[]
"Wellington Wells is currently enjoying a culinary boom. Our victory gardens overflow with delicious produce, and trade from across the river is brisk. As a result, new see-and-be-seen hotspots seem to open every week. There's no need to settle for good old beans-on-toas anymore - though, of course, we do still love our B-on-T."
Journalism Appreciation Day[]
"We Wellies love our newspaper, The "O" Courant. Every spring we celebrate this journalistic treasure by folding it into paper hats and into paper boats that we sail down the river."
Marionette Theatre[]
"The Simon Says Society mounts occasional marionette shows on the Rorke's Drift Bridge. These shows began in the 1940s with the amateur performers Sholl & Danlip, though our town's marionette tradition apparently dates back to the Tudor era."
Outdoor Concerts[]
"Enjoy the musical stylings of the Tunnel Rats Octet every week in Mrs. Chippy Park. Admission is free, although gratuities are appreciated. Pop star Nick Lightbearer also performs regularly, though locations are kept secret until the day of the event, to prevent throngs of lady fans from swarming the venue."
Sporting Fun![]
"Wellington Wells is has a number of sporting events - such as cricket, croquet, lawn tennis, and fencing - that villagers can watch or participate in. Whilst Wellington Wells no longer plays teams from other villages, we still enjoy rousing Croquet Team Fight Song."
Societies[]
The Geographical Society[]
"Wellington Wells is an area of surprising seismic activity. If you sometimes feel that locations are not where you thought they were, it's not your imagination. Things really do move around! The Geographical Society keeps track of all our to-ing and fro-ing, in addition to sponsoring Treasure Hunt Tuesdays."
The Jacobean Society[]
"Do you adore Uncle Jack? Do you like wearing jaunty red hats? Of course you do! Why not get together with your fellow Jacobeans for trivia nights, lectures, and watching the telly? Club suppers feature the latest Uncle Jack recipes from "That Tastes Delicious - What Is It?" Join the fun!"
Nick Lightbearer Fan Club[]
"Our local pop star's fans get together every week to both write and answer fan mail. "It makes sense to keep the letters all in one place, to save on postage," says club president Penelope Snug. Membership is open to any attractive female who has not yet been married to Nick."
The Reform Society[]
"Do you wish to better your fellow man? Perhaps you wish to be improved yourself, but need a guiding hand. Madame Wanda's new Reform Club is for you! An invitation from a current member is mandatory, but rubber suits are optional."
The Rose Society[]
"The Rose Society is a gardening club. It does not currently have an actual garden, but plans are afoot for a lovely botanical park once co-presidents Clive Birtwistle and Harry Plantagenet can agree on whether to grow white roses or red roses. If you would like to join the rose Society, please submit your genealogy (ideally 10 generations or more) to either Harry or Clive."
The Simon Says Club[]
"We Wellies love to do as we're told! The Simon Says Club (formerly the Foreign Visitor Welcome Committee) hosts daily games in Mrs. Chippy Park. The games are free, and all are welcome!"
Trivia[]
- The demonym for Wellington Wells is "Wellsian" and "Wellingtonian", both used interchangeably.
- In a reddit post asking which part of England is Wellington Wells, Alex Epstein, the narrative director of We Happy Few, responded with "It's roughly Bath, England".
- Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, a location that's been mentioned a few times in regards to Wellington Wells' location.
- The city shares its name with John Wellington Wells, a character from the Gilbert and Sullivan opera The Sorcerer, John Wells is the eponymous sorcerer who doses an entire English village with a love potion, not unlike the Executive Committee supplying Joy to the citizens of Wellington Wells.
- The motto of the city is "In Posterum Cum Gaudio" which translates roughly from Latin as "Into The Future With Joy", which could be taken temporally.
- This motto can be found on the Wellington Wells emblem.
- In the quest "Moon Juice Leech", one of the bobbies says that half of the Wellington Wells Fire Brigade are gone on holiday, which means that if a major fire breaks out in Wellington Wells, it could cause major damage to the city, assuming that the city cannot marshal in replacement manpower.
- As to the above, there appear to be no real emergency services in town, which means that unless the Bobbies collectively handle all such services, (which they most likely don't) there is nothing to aid people in the event of an emergency or natural disaster, such as a major storm.
Gallery[]
Concept Art[]
Early Development[]
Final Game[]
Other[]
References[]
Kickstarter Game Description
https://wehappyfew.gamepedia.com/Wellington_Wells