World
The world of Area 19 is the same as the world of Harry Potter, though extensive knowledge of the books and movies isn't strictly necessary in order to RP here. In this world, magic exists, and though it is kept hidden from those without the power to use it, it is nonetheless a driving force in both domestic and world affairs.

Though it traces back to the first settlers, the magical tradition of the United States is nowhere near as ancient as that of other countries, and immigration from the world over has led to diverse collection of beliefs and practices. The largest and most famous American school of wizardry is located in Salem, Massachusetts, though most states have public schools of magic similar to those for Muggles. Magical America is represented by a Cabinet position, the Secretary of Magic, and by a third house of Congress which functions much like the Senate and House of Representatives.

The use of magic in international conflict was forbidden at the end of World War Two, and officially, the U.S. military has no magical combat units and does not accept witches and wizards into its ranks save in support positions. However, since the Cold War rumors have thrived of hidden research facilities and secret armies, and with the recent War on Terrorism these rumors have brought themselves again to the public's attention. Few take them seriously, though they are much discussed. The government denies everything, as governments are wont to do.

Time
Present day, present time. Two years after the September 11th attacks, America has come to terms with its vulnerability by tightening security, increasing military spending, and waging a loosely defined War on Terrorism against ever-changing targets. Additionally, though Muggle Britain is America's closest ally, the British wizarding world is still recovering from its devastating war against Voldemort, and has little to contribute. Though it has the verbal support of most of the Western world, American wizardry stands for the most part alone.

The magical community becomes increasingly insular with each new threat. Foreign wizards are looked upon with suspicion, especially those from Middle Eastern countries. The wizarding forces in the U.S. government, never great proponents of progressivity, have become almost frighteningly conservative, supporting stronger separation from the Muggle world, the restriction of future wizard immigration, and even 'blood-protection' measures that some see as reminiscent of Voldemort's policies. Dark magic has been outlawed since the Civil War; however, most are in consensus that any threats on America must be defeated by any means necessary. Magical households are taxed at a slightly higher rate than their Muggle counterparts, and it is a telling measure of the community's trust in the government that people rarely ask why.

Place
Area 19 can be found in the northwestern corner of the Nevada Test Site, one of the world's largest restricted-access military areas and the home of that most well-known of top secret bases, Area 51. Very little distinguishes Area 19 from the surrounding desert wastes. It, along with the adjacent Area 20, is designated for nuclear tests; however, very few tests have taken place here in comparison to the rest of the range. Conspiracy theorists have siezed upon this, as well as rumors of extensive drilling in the area, to suggest a hidden base or underground installation, a rumor borne out by two strange details. First are two roads, officially said not to exist but visible in satellite photos, that form concentric circles. Second and most telling is a single high-capacity power line, said to carry enough energy to power the entire Nevada Test Site, which terminates for no visible reason at the center of these circular roads.

In this game, Area 19 does indeed hide a top-secret base, known as the United States Center for Thaumaturgic Research and Education -- CTRE for short. The CTRE was founded in 1967, to protect against a similar program supposedly implemented by the USSR. At its height, the base was home to hundreds of students, staff, and researchers, and though this number was cut back considerably with the end of the Cold War, the installation remains impressive. Currently the CTRE houses 100 students in seven levels of study, and approximately fifty staff members in teaching, administrative, and research positions. The increased military spending means that growth is imminent.

The base itself consists of five underground levels, drilled into the bedrock of Dead Horse Flats, as well as a large laboratory located inside a nearby mountain. Aboveground, a single hangar houses an elevator large enough to carry a small airplane. No roads link Area 19 to any major highways; the sole access to the base is through a hidden airstrip, concealed by invisibility spells from eyes and satellites alike. The base's location deep underground defends it from physical attack, and a series of powerful wards, beginning with the concentric roads on the surface, protect it from any magical incursion.

Officially, there is no base at Area 19, and at the present time the magical world is uninclined to believe otherwise. However, the CTRE is poised to grow beyond the stage at which people start asking questions, and their rather unorthodox methods of 'recruitment' ensures that Area 19 cannot remain a secret forever. More about the Nevada Test Site and the real Area 19

People
Many of the educators and researchers at the CTRE are themselves graduates of the program, including the base commander Maj. Gen. John Pinkerton, and the rest were recruited from the best America's wizarding schools had to offer. The education and research divisions both answer to General Pinkerton; however, their missions are often at odds with each other, and much rancor exists between the two departments. The highest-ranking staff members are permitted to travel freely both around the base and to and from the various small towns in the area, but not all staff members are offered these freedoms, and staff of lower rank are almost as restricted as the students themselves.

Students at the CTRE range in age from 11 to 18, and 85% of them are Muggle-born. The remaining 15% are the children of highly placed politicians and career-soldiers, and are training in a parallel program tobecome officers. These are the only students who enter the school voluntarily and with foreknowledge, and who can leave during breaks in the academic year.

The others, the Muggle-born students, are chosen at birth by the CTRE's records department, and carefully watched throughout their childhood. Each year, the most promising are taken secretly from their homes and brought to the CTRE. Their course of study is rigorous both physically and mentally, and although the teachers make every effort to ensure no student is left behind, some do falter and fail. And those who fail simply disappear.

Security at the base, like at Area 51, is handled by a private firm. Nicknamed 'Camo Dudes' by UFO hunters and conspiracy theorists, they are charged with chasing away curious outsiders, making sure no one leaves without clearance, and keeping order within the base itself. The Camo Dudes are a mysterious group, even to the residents of the base; they answer only to General Pinkerton and have little unofficial contact with either students or staff.