Government Constitutional Monarchy
Population 45,000
Maximum Vampire Population: 90 / 401
Notable NPCs
Sheriff Guard Jiranda Hollis
Master Fallor Pollux
Bodhimatr Felicia Gyatso
Metropolitan Callixtus Bardo
Lord
Mayor Alton Ralderac
Rules:
Corruption: Number of dice rolled when determining resistance to change in the city as well as degradation of player improvements in the city. Rolled each season.
Crime: Dice rolled for likelihood of players or NPC's becoming targets of crime on the streets. Rolled each day spent active in the city.
Economy: Dice rolled to assist in city improvements
Law: Dice rolled for likelihood of the law being around at inopportune times. Rolled during player activity.
Society: Dice rolled each season for the city to improve itself, also used to resist corruption attempts. Rolled each season.
Disease Rate: Number of dice rolled to see if character comes into contact with a disease. Rolled each month.
The basic difficulty for all the rolls
is 6, though certain player actions can increase or decrease the
difficulty.
Population: The
population is based on the population of the city as well as the
immediate surrounding arera.
Maximum Vampire Population: The
two numbers indicate the maximum vampire population based upon two
styles of society. The first number indicates a masquerade style,
where vampires keep their presence hidden. The second number
indicates open knowledge of the vampire population. The second option
also means that vampires would have to limit their feeding to only 2
blood points a night, the first option allows for unrestricted
feeding.
1. The Palace -
The palace was
originally inhabited by Sir Orfeo before leaving close to 80 years
ago. Sir Orfeo, like many other cities in the old kingdom of the fae,
ruled over the city for generations. The rule of fae in most cities
tends to be distant, allowing the people to largely control their own
day to day lives. Before leaving Sir Orfeo bound a luck spirit to the
palace to care for it. The spirit cared for the palace by cursing
those who purposely damaged it with bad luck in proportion to the
damage they did, conversely the palace gifted good luck to people who
helped with its upkeep in proportion to the amount of work they did.
The spirit was bound to the palace until another fae came to take
rightful residence within it. All those who attempted to reside in
the palace met with grisly accidents, making it a place many visit
but none dared stay.
2. City Market -
The city markets
are places one can find items from across the world. With the uneven
spread of technology through the world, one can find rail guns next
to axles for wagons. All manner of items can be found in the city,
and with the current laws in place nothing is illegal as long as one
can afford it.
3. Thaumatech Station -
Thaumatech is a
nearly lost art of combining magic and technology in such a way that
it does not harm or diminish the magic. This art was pioneered by the
vampiric community, most notably clan Tremere. Though thaumatech
stations are pieces of a forgotten art, it is rumored that clan
Tremere still knows how to produce such technology. It is said that
the clan guards such knowledge as a way of maintaining their own
power. In these facilities magic and enchantment is used to provide
utilities as well as the construction of goods in small automated
factories. Currently the Thaumatech Station barely provides enough
clean water and electricity, making brown outs a common place
occurrence. The station is set outside the city walls in case of a
catastrophic malfunction that could lead to unpredictable
consequences.
4. The Harbor -
The harbors of the
city provide 90 percent of non-food products to the surrounding area.
It is generally not advisable to visit the harbor during the day and
outright dangerous to visit after sundown.
5. The Library and College -
The Library and
College are the primary institutes of learning for hundreds miles,
and is renown for its education of Doctors and Navigators. The
library has one of the largest collections of arcane literature
outside of the libraries of Avalon. It is rumored that there are
numerous secret rooms filled with rare and valuable tomes.
6. Court -
The judicial
system of Aunios is based on a single judge deciding cases between
parties randomly assigned representatives provided by the court. The
court is funded by taxes levied by the city, as part of public
services. The judges and representatives are appointed by the lord
mayor, the jobs being highly sought after due to the bribery
involved.
7. Town Barracks -
This is the
headquarters of the town guard, and while it has rooms for the guards
to live in, most live in private quarters in town. The town guard is
funded by taxes levied by the city, though part of a guard's 'salary'
is earned through various protection rackets. Sheriff Jiranda Hollis
is a semi-corrupt individual who is willing to overlook many crimes,
including protection rackets, for the right price. However, being the
daughter of a former slave, she takes a hard stance against the
trafficking and selling of slaves. Her actions have put her at odds
with Pao Maso and Rinlo Maso who have been rumored to have slave
auctions in House Dumas, auctioning off children and adults for use
in the sex industry. Their connections with Metropolitan Bardo and
appointed judges have made stopping their auctions nearly impossible.
8. Holy Sites -
A. Cathedral of the Visionary: The
cathedral belongs to the Aeon of the Meta-Eschaton, and has been
sanctified in the name of the Visionary. The cathedral is presided
over by Master Fallor Pollux, who is considered by most to be an
expert in both Divine Name magic as well as other forms. While the
inquisitors under the command of Pollux are highly skilled, their
advanced age makes their effectiveness limited. Master Pollux does
not openly accept bribes, though he does promote individuals to his
congregation if the correct gifts are given. Though his good will can
be gained through gifts, he takes his position as the protector of
the city very seriously, and has never accepted a bribe to call off
his inquisitors.
B. Basilica of Saint Cyril: The
basilica belongs to the Orthodox Church, and has been sanctified in
the name of Saint Cyril. Saint Cyril lived roughly 2300 years ago,
and was the theologian to Oberon and Titania. Through his work he
founded the Orthodox Church of the Fae, though most Fae who worship
in their churches seem to do it as a perverse form of entertainment.
Saint Cyril disappeared after venturing into the Hedge to establish a
church among the Seelie Fae. The basilica is presided over by
Metropolitan Callixtus Bardo, who is considered to be one of the most
corrupt leaders in the city. Outwardly he appears to be a very pious
man, stating that the numerous renovations to the basilica and the
metropolitan's estate are for the greater glory of God. Privately, he
uses his clout to traffic highly addictive substances as well as
pirated goods. His inquisitors are nothing more than a squad of
enforcers he uses to seize materials and money in the name of
fighting the 'evil hordes of supernaturals'. While some members of
the town guard have attempted to expose his crimes, no one has yet to
find proof, or live long enough to show the proof to the authorities.
C. High-Temple of Arhat Godric: The
high-temple belongs to the Church of the Bodhijinas, and has been
sanctified in the name of Arhat Godric. Arhat (Saint) Godric lived
roughly 3000 years ago, and had ended the tradition of mandatory
ghouling of factory workers in clan owned factories of the vampiric
kingdom. Though it is still unknown how he gained access to Caine's
private estate, he was able to approach Caine and voice his
grievances. While many kindred have died for even speaking out of
turn in front of Caine for speaking out of turn, he managed to pique
Caine's interest. After spending an entire night speaking with Caine,
the Lord of Vampires decreed that no man may be forced into accepting
the blood of a vampire. Godric was martyred when he was immolated by
a Tremere magus named Alrica, whose business venture suffered due to
the ruling made by Caine. For her crime Caine cursed her to
continuously see the world around her while unconscious, he then had
her staked and sealed in a stone pillar. The pillar sits outside the
Court of Baphomet as a warning to those who would deny the law of
Caine. The temple is presided over by Bodhimatr Felicia Gyatso, who
is known for her piety and lack of attachment to material goods. Her
current residence is a simple tent behind the temple in its
meditation garden, where she can be found when not fulfilling her
duties. She has created many programs to assist the poor of the city,
providing food and shelter to families in exchange for help in the
maintenance of the temple. Rumor has it she has even gone so far as
to debase herself before many of the most powerful men in the city by
allowing them to use her sexually in exchange for large sums of money
which she uses to further fund her charities. Her beauty has helped
her win over many powerful individuals to support the needs of the
temple. She uses the inquisitors under her command sparingly, but
when she does command them to find a threat they continue their
search without thought to time, cost, or their lives.
9. Theater -
The theater is one
of the few forms of entertainment available to the general rabble of
the city. Theaters are home to both plays and films. Films and play
scripts are a highly sought after commodity for trade between cities.
Outside of the theaters, local and long-range radio programs are the
only other form of entertainment to the common people.
10. Brothel -
A. Ivory Lady: The
Ivory Lady is the brothel that most commoners and sailors use to
'blow off steam'. The brothel also serves as a tavern and a dance
hall. The Ivory Lady is run by an ex-hunter named Nell Gwyn who lost
her arm while battling a werewolf who was preying on the inhabitants
of a village. Unfortunately few opportunities are open for a maimed
woman, so she took to prostitution to feed herself. Through years of
'working' as well as beating and killing pimps, she made a name for
herself as a madame who ensures the safety of the women and men she
employs. It is a well known fact that she has bribed the town guard
to allow her to mete out her own justice on those who would injure
her employees; first offense is the removal of the perpetrator’s
nose.
B. House Dumas: House
Dumas does not employ prostitutes, rather they provide the affluent
of the city with courtesans to while away the hours. The ladies and
gentlemen of House Dumas are highly educated and skilled at playing
at least two musical instruments. The time of the courtesans of House
Dumas comes at a high price, making it a gathering spot for only the
most affluent of the city. House Dumas is owned and run by Pao Maso,
a prominent figure in the city's theater industry. Pao is a recluse
and handles his business through his son Rinlo, who handles his
father's interests with an iron hand. There have been many courtesans
who sought to blackmail their clients, only to be found days later
floating in the harbor.
11. Lord Mayor's Manor -
The manor is the
traditional home of the Lord Mayor who is elected by those who have
purchased voting rights. The price of the voting right is such that
only the affluent of the city can afford the privilege. The office of
Lord Mayor has only been held by the monied of the city, and thus has
only served the needs and wants of the rich. To ensure the happiness
of the poor and less affluent, the Lord Mayor commonly holds various
holidays involving parades and the giving away of cheap food. Lord
Mayor Alton Ralderac is no different from his predecessors, being
generally aloof to the plight of the common man. He also possesses a
sadistic streak in his dealings with the poor. He has instituted a
weekly feast in the name of Saint Antonius, the Orthodox patron saint
of the starving poor. The feast involves a presentation of a large
and crude wooden statue of Saint Antonius outside the gates of the
manor to the gathered poor. The statue is festooned with hot cuts of
meat from the bottom to the top of the statue. The meat is attached
to the statue with barbs and hooks, as well as barbs being
interspersed between the cuts of meat. The larger and more prime cuts
of meat are more towards the top, requiring the poor to climb the
statue, which almost always results in at least one or two becoming
skewered on their way up or down. The Lord Mayor is rumored to take
great enjoyment around watching the poor climb over one another in
the scrabble to get to the meat. The servants of the Lord Mayor take
special care to put only enough meat on the statue to allow for only
half of the people in the crowd to have food. Bodhimatr Felicia
Gyatso has been banned from the 'feast' since the last time she was
there she organized the poor so that the food was divided up evenly
among everyone and so that no one was injured on the skewers of the statue.
Since the return of the Fae lord, the office of the Lord Mayor has
been returned to its previous position of presenting potential tax
and criminal laws for the Fae lord's approval.
No comments:
Post a Comment