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BRC
2009-08-21, 08:16 PM
Possible Campaign Idea


Kenrik's Origional Shield has vanished from the museum. The Order of the Bone Shield blames the Holy Swords, who arn't exactly helping things, and the PC's, under the employ of M.I. must race against the rising tensions to recover it before the two organizations go to war.

Renrik
2009-08-22, 12:28 AM
Does Humans First hate the undead, too?

Strawman
2009-08-22, 06:57 AM
Maybe they're okay with human undead? :smallconfused:

50cr4t3s
2009-08-22, 11:59 PM
I'd imagine they'd have a problem with anyone who isn't human. So the question becomes whether you considered a human undead to still be a human or a non-human.

Renrik
2009-08-23, 01:01 AM
I'd say they'd probably be okay with human undead, because they are biologically (er... necrologically?) human, with human minds (unless they're brainless) an human souls. I imagine they would be unhappy about human zombies and skeletons being used as labor for the primarily non-human grove.

50cr4t3s
2009-08-23, 03:43 PM
Much earlier in the project someone asked what gods were worshiped in the city. I've been thinking recently, that while the gods found in normal DnD campaigns may be present, what if the city has it's own pantheon of "Patron Saints." We've already established that the city canonized Baltin and Merkiel, why not others.

ideas, feel free to add more.

The Ishka Pantheon
Kenrik
Patron Saint of undead, lost causes, and the oppressed

Baltin
Patron Saint of paladins, law, and those fighting defense in of their homes

Merkiel
Patron Saint of healers, medicine, and community Service

Bretre
Patron Saint of negotiators, diplomats, and all those who work for peace

Olliden
Patron Saint of love, bards, and truth to one's self

Personally, I like the idea of a city with it's own pantheon.

BRC
2009-08-23, 04:04 PM
Much earlier in the project someone asked what gods were worshiped in the city. I've been thinking recently, that while the gods found in normal DnD campaigns may be present, what if the city has it's own pantheon of "Patron Saints." We've already established that the city canonized Baltin and Merkiel, why not others.

ideas, feel free to add more.

The Ishka Pantheon
Kenrik
Patron Saint of undead, lost causes, and the oppressed

Baltin
Patron Saint of paladins, law, and those fighting defense in of their homes

Merkiel
Patron Saint of healers, medicine, and community Service

Bretre
Patron Saint of negotiators, diplomats, and all those who work for peace

Olliden
Patron Saint of love, bards, and truth to one's self

Personally, I like the idea of a city with it's own pantheon.
Ooh, I like. I imagine Kenrik dosn't have anything devoted to him in the temple district, but he's probably very popular in the necropolis, as well as in poorer areas and areas with oppressed populations.


So lets say that, origionally, the city used the standard DnD Pantheon, but that at this point, pretty much all the prayers go to on patron saint or another, depending on the nature of the prayer.

BRC
2009-08-23, 04:33 PM
Sorry for the Double Post.

The First Builder, Patron saint of Workers, Structures, and Architects.

The First Builder's name has been lost to time, but his (or her) deeds have not. The First Builder noticed that the city was growing, and predicted that it was only a matter of time before it began to grow upwards as well. He founded the Streetbuilders, laid out the basic plan for the city's eventual growth, the rules he wrote for keeping the city intact are still used by the Streetbuilders, and Museum contains, as one of it's most priceless artifacts, a set of tools supposably used by the First him/herself to help build and design the first grand support pillar in the city, and his blessing is invoked for every new structure built.

Nobody knows what race the first builder was, but he is generally depicted as a dwarf with his face hidden under a helmet. In his hands he either holds a hammer, shovel, or architect's compass.
Humans First is constantly petitioning to have him depicted as a human, and in certain parts of the city he is depicted as a Gnome, Goblin, or Stone Giant. However, no matter the race or gender, the First Builder is always depicted faceless and holding his tools.

50cr4t3s
2009-08-23, 06:37 PM
Here's two new Saint ideas

Cassandra the Brass Saint
Cassandra was a gnome of great vision and even greater ambition. As she saw the city growing around her, she envisioned a way to power the entire city without the use of magic. She spent years tinkering in her shop on the edge of poverty, until she was finally willing to unveil her great work. Cassandra built the very first Steamworks, and the system that delivered the power of the Steamworks to the rest of the city. Unlike many of the Saints, very much is known about Cassandra, as she kept meticulous records and journals. She is the Patron Saint of the Steamworks, technicians, and development of new technologies.

The Twin Dragons
The same dragons that dwell at the center of The Draconic Heritage Collective. Because of their continued contribution to the city's development throughout it's history, the City Council accepted a petition to have them canonized as Saints. Because they are still living, they are often considered to be the least revered of the Saints. Despite this, the dragons have a small, but very devoted following. The dragons have on several occasions asked to be listed as separate Saints, but they have been continuously denied, as it is believed that their contribution would never have existed without both of them.

Owrtho
2009-08-23, 07:39 PM
On the first builder, I would suggest that they came up with they're plans after the first few layers, and they're responsible for the standardizing of how layers are built instead of having them just built by whoever could afford to extent they're structures. They would also be responsible for the early reenforcement of the lower layers.

Owrtho

Renrik
2009-08-23, 10:53 PM
On the Wild and Saints: I don't think the Wild should have a saint that represents them- the city would never canonize such figure, and they don't seem like the type who would worship a set saint figure anyway.

Just to nip it.

UserShadow7989
2009-08-24, 12:03 AM
We could even cut out the basic D&D pantheon and have the saints as a complete replacement, if we want. I'm not sure if that'd be a good idea, but it's possible. Anyways, here's a saint idea:

Minerva, the Unbreakable Saint (Edited on 8/25/09 to flesh out concept)
Patron Saint of determination, physical ability, and quick thinking.

Minerva was a human with no talent for magic, but unbelievable physical strength, endurance, and agility of both mind and body. She was one of the first members of the Gatekeepers and the most well known. She was fascinated by the art of war, the grace of a duel and the tactics of a large-scale battle. Her obscession with combat lead her to refining both her body and her mind to the best of her ability, training in the most horrid conditions and strenous courses available.

Minerva would always be seen fighting tirelessly against massive numbers of raiders and beasts deposited by gates. She never backed down from a fight unless continuing would lead to harming bystandards. In exceptionally dangerous situations, she would send her allies away and continue fighting alone, and many times had to be dragged from the field of battle by companions fearing for her health.

She retired at age 60 after settling at least 89 incidents (with 132 more commonly atributed to her but never confirmed, not counting small scale skirmishes that were never documented), losing her right eye and use of her right arm, and penning the training manual for aspiring fighters that is still used by the Gatekeepers today. She passed away at the impressive age of 84, happily married and with many descendants. A small group of people insist that she was proficient in magic capable of boosting physical strength, but there is no evidence of this. Her lance is still on display in The Museum.

jagadaishio
2009-08-24, 07:14 PM
I'm liking the saints. What exactly would the Twin Dragons be considered saints of now that they've been canonized? Dualities, wealth, commerce, and dragonkind? I agree that the Wild would never have an official saint of their own, though districts having unofficial saints wouldn't be uncommon, whether they are unrecognized because of having too small of a following or because they are too controversial. I think that the Glades would likely have some kind of elder treant canonized.

Would the saints be able to possess willing hosts as per the Vodoun Loa? It would be like being a deity's avatar, but instead of having a massive divine boost, they just gain control of your actions. Tiny street shrines tucked away in nooks and crannies to the saints like shrines to the christian saints tucked away throughout Rome? People dressed up in exaggerated costumes of saints during carnivals?

Speaking of carnivals, we haven't really designed any holidays yet. In a city of this size, there would be a number of holidays in a smattering of districts every day, and probably some kind of a minor city-wide holiday or festival every week. Major city-wide holidays would probably be limited to once a month at most. I would imagine that, depending on the holiday, there could be anything from subtle decorations and street shrine overflowing with offerings to massive parades and revelry in the streets that puts Mardi Gras to shame. The should run the gamut.

Fleet-Footed Jack: Unofficial patron saint of athletes, anarchists, and thieves. Nobody ever knew exactly who Jack was; even the name is just a fabrication of his fans and patrons. What is known is that a humanoid always enshrouded in a long cloak and loose clothes would descend upon a member of a district's guard, steal an item of insignificant value, and then flee the guard(s), always keeping the hem of his cloak just out of reach. Jack would sprint great distances, scale buildings, run across walls for short distances, and engage in other acts of extreme athleticism, occasionally sprinting ahead and then stopping to taunt his pursuers. The whole time, he would cackle madly to himself, apparently greatly amused with his own antics. After he grew bored of a chase, he would drop the stolen item and sprint off, disappearing into the district's layers. He was active for the better part of a century before never being seen again.

His greatest heist is universally considered to be the time that he stole every single historical, priceless document from the museum, leaving behind a sheet with a drawing of a grinning face left in each of the documents' place. It was half an hour before one of the curators discovered what happened, and Jack ended up being chased by hundreds of M.I. agents from district to district for weeks. At certain points they would close off entire districts only to have him turn up in another district hours later. It's rumored that M.I. even offered Vault prisoners in exchange for Jack if the Alliance ever managed to grab him. After weeks of chasing, Jack finally spun about and handed a large folder to a very confused rookie M.I. agent chasing him and then sped off. In the folder was every stolen document, all undamaged. To this day, mages concoct divination spells just to try to figure out how Jack did it.

The most curious fact about Jack is that in none of his heists, even the Museum heist, did any sort of lingering magical aura appear, and the scrutiny it was given my M.I. mages was QUITE exhaustive. It's believed that Jack did all of this without magic. It's what made him so endearing. Anarchists, thieves, and athletes will mutter a prayer to him before doing anything particularly risky and will leave offerings in his street shrines, all of which are hidden in parts of the city that don't have walkways to them; you need to climb or jump to an overhang or some such thing to reach it. These days, copycat thieves attempt crimes in the style of Jack, but they almost all get caught, and none seem able to go about it in so nonchalant of a manner as to laugh the entire time.

50cr4t3s
2009-08-24, 09:17 PM
I like the recommendations for the Twin Dragon's portfolio, I forgot to add it but i like what Jagadaishio has added.

As for the possession idea. I don't consider the Saints to be as obviously involved with the city as the rest of the divine beings of the DnD world. If we run with the possession idea, then tensions like the one between the Holy Swords and the Purge Squads wouldn't exist, since they could just get someone to channel Saint Baltin and ask him which group has more accurately interpreted his teachings. Perhaps in this setting, divine power should be procured from the faith and devotion to the Saints rather than being directly given by the Saints themselves. Of course, so as not to alienate the idea of divine campaigns in the City, it should be possible to contact and commune with the Saints. However, so as to avoid the aforementioned issue, it should be significantly harder than merely heading down to the closest shrine of Saint Baltin.

New Saint Idea
Hulutch of the Underdark
Hulutch is not a very popular Saint in the city. Hulutch was a mindflayer of incredible power, but unlike the rest of his kin, who are methodical and calculating in their ever evolving and horrific plans, Hulutch was the living embodiment of Choas. He was a terrifying force to behold and would seek to reap madness and destruction where ever he went. He was so terrible, that even his own Illithid kindred feared him. They betrayed him, and sealed him deep in the earth, inside a cavern so deep, they believed he would be trapped for all eternity. What his kin did not foresee, was the ever expanding tunnels of the city. The miners who discovered Hulutch fell into a deep madness the moment he entered his presence, and returned to the surface screaming of horrifying things. With Hulutch's release, his madness swept through the city. The City Council sought out Hulutch with the intent of killing him, but when he was found he offered no fight, and instead asked to speak with the Council. Although they would not meet him face to face, they arrange a method to speak to one another. Hulutch's captivity had done more damage to him then simple deprivation, he was dying. Hulutch had learned much of the city, and had actually found it fascinating. He offered the Council a deal: canonize him as a Saint, and not only would he end his disease of madness within the city, but he would use his powers to help the city.

The Council accepted his deal, and ordered his canonization. But as you have most likely guessed, Hulutch should not have been trusted. The moment the ceremony was complete, Hulutch let out a sickening laugh and killed himself. Now with the powers of a Saint, his maddening hold on the people of the city increased. Fortunately, Hulutch had not realized the price at which his canonization came. The moment he became a Saint, he was subject to the direct scrutiny of the rest of the city's pantheon. Saint's who had been mortal enemies in life, like Kenrik and Baltin, joined forces to stop Hulutch and his ever expanding madness. While they could not undo Hulutch's canonization, they imposed a fate on him similar to the one his kindred had once imposed. He is now sealed in a personal hell, from which he cannot escape.

Despite his despicable nature, Hulutch still has a small following within the city. His followers meet at secret shrines hidden to those not willing to surrender themselves to madness. The primary goal of his followers is to release Hulutch from his prison, and while it is not documented by any agency (other than The Eyes) they have come very close on several occasions. He is the Patron Saint of madness, anarchy, and destruction.

BRC
2009-08-24, 09:25 PM
The only problem I have with Hulutch is the idea that the city conciously canonizes the saints, and that the act of Canonization itself causes them to get power.I imagined they would rise to power due to the devotion or adoration of people due to their deeds, not the council just saying "Okay, you're a saint"



Also, when it comes to "Contacting" saints I more imagine this. The one wishing to contact the saint will throw themself into a frenzy of some activity appropriate to the Saint. Simple Prayer in a vigil. Working (For the First Builder) exersize (For The unbreakable), stealing somthing and leading the guards in a chase (For Flat Foot Jack). They do not stop this vigil, not for food or drink or rest, until they receive a vision from the saint. If people disagree with a vision, they simply say it was a hallucination brought on by the vigil.

50cr4t3s
2009-08-24, 10:32 PM
Alright, let me amend the back story of Hulutch. He did not become canonized by the order of the city council. How about this:

Hulutch studied the city extensively once he escaped his prison. Even as his madness began spreading through the city he obsessed over every detail of this massive nation-state that had been over his head all these years. He quickly formulated a plan that was to be his most sickening act ever. As more and more citizens fell into the clutches of Hulutch's madness, he planted a thought into their tormented minds. These screaming and wailing people fell to their knees and praised the name of Hulutch. They mutter prayers and oaths of devotion so terrible, I dare not repeat them here. When Hulutch was confident that his madness had infected a large enough portion of the city. He took his own life, absorbing the blind devotion of his followers, and ascending to Sainthood. But Hulutch was careless, and had not realized the price of Sainthood.

After this point the story would be the same. Hulutch has never been officially accepted into the city's pantheon, but nonetheless, his shrines are very real, and his followers, even more fanatical.

BRC
2009-08-25, 10:59 AM
Alright, let me amend the back story of Hulutch. He did not become canonized by the order of the city council. How about this:

Hulutch studied the city extensively once he escaped his prison. Even as his madness began spreading through the city he obsessed over every detail of this massive nation-state that had been over his head all these years. He quickly formulated a plan that was to be his most sickening act ever. As more and more citizens fell into the clutches of Hulutch's madness, he planted a thought into their tormented minds. These screaming and wailing people fell to their knees and praised the name of Hulutch. They mutter prayers and oaths of devotion so terrible, I dare not repeat them here. When Hulutch was confident that his madness had infected a large enough portion of the city. He took his own life, absorbing the blind devotion of his followers, and ascending to Sainthood. But Hulutch was careless, and had not realized the price of Sainthood.

After this point the story would be the same. Hulutch has never been officially accepted into the city's pantheon, but nonetheless, his shrines are very real, and his followers, even more fanatical.
Mindraping your way to sainthood, that works to create a nice "Dark God" for the city.

BRC
2009-08-26, 04:31 PM
Festival: Builders day
This is the holy day of the First Builder, it celebrates when he first approached the city council with his ambitious plans, as well as the point, exactly a year later, when the first Streetbuilder projects were begun.

Traditionally, there is a big party, centered around the Big pillars. It, and the day after it, are the only days of the year that no streetbuilders work, this is not because of any festive spirit on the part of the management, in fact it would be in the spirit for the Streetbuilders to work their hardest on this day. However, because the city is very short on people willing to let the boys in grey pay for drinks on the Builders Day. As a result of this, pretty much every streetbuilder parties constantly, and as a result is in no shape to work. The next day they spend recovering from the festivities.

Owrtho
2009-08-26, 05:43 PM
So, just thought about it, but will Graveyard Shift be continued?

In other thoughts:
Saint Idea
The Stone Raven
The patron of impartial justice, laws, observers, and law-keepers.
Given the rather well known nature of Ravenshome, it was only a matter of time before some began revering the raven statues found throughout for they're impartial keeping of justice. As such small shrines soon began appearing around the city with one or more raven statues in them. An odd, or perhaps expected, thing is that there are no shrines to the stone raven within a mile or so of Ravenshome in any direction. Similarly any who have some kind of dedication to the stone raven can almost be guaranteed to have never been to Ravenshome themselves, or if they have, only in passing and never for any length of time at that. Most who visit the shrines however are those who have recently been wronged and hope for justice to be carried out, or law-keepers currently on a difficult case hoping for guidance in punishing the culprit. All the shrines also seem to give the unshakable feeling of being watched however, making them among the most unpopular to visit without reason. They are also considered the most unpopular among lawbreakers, yet very rarely do any risk vandalizing them, afraid that the same enforcement found in Ravenshome might fall upon them at the shrines if they do.

Owrtho

BRC
2009-08-26, 10:31 PM
So, just thought about it, but will Graveyard Shift be continued?

In other thoughts:
Saint Idea
The Stone Raven
The patron of impartial justice, laws, observers, and law-keepers.
Given the rather well known nature of Ravenshome, it was only a matter of time before some began revering the raven statues found throughout for they're impartial keeping of justice. As such small shrines soon began appearing around the city with one or more raven statues in them. An odd, or perhaps expected, thing is that there are no shrines to the stone raven within a mile or so of Ravenshome in any direction. Similarly any who have some kind of dedication to the stone raven can almost be guaranteed to have never been to Ravenshome themselves, or if they have, only in passing and never for any length of time at that. Most who visit the shrines however are those who have recently been wronged and hope for justice to be carried out, or law-keepers currently on a difficult case hoping for guidance in punishing the culprit. All the shrines also seem to give the unshakable feeling of being watched however, making them among the most unpopular to visit without reason. They are also considered the most unpopular among lawbreakers, yet very rarely do any risk vandalizing them, afraid that the same enforcement found in Ravenshome might fall upon them at the shrines if they do.

Owrtho

I could imagine a devotee of the stone raven who goes on a pilgramage to Ravenshome, looking for a glorious utopia, and ends up breaking some obscure and irrational law (Like "Do not wear a red hat on an odd numbered day when the day of the week has a vowel as the second letter") and ends up vanishing.

Owrtho
2009-08-26, 10:37 PM
Lol. So could I. Course it is the saint of impartial justice. Wouldn't really be impartial if it made exceptions for its devotees.

Owrtho

50cr4t3s
2009-08-27, 12:15 PM
Place of Interest
Name: 1st Absolute Bank
Other Names: The Bank, Tax-dodgers Paradise

After the Dark City was annexed by the Ishka, very few Drow stayed. The martial law imposed by the Dark Army at all times made life there barely tolerable to it's once proud and noble people. The Drow spread out to the rest of the city, most settling in remote tunnels or darker districts, trying to return their lives to some semblance of normalcy. However, a group of Drow made their way up to the city proper, and saw an opportunity. They established a bank, but not just any bank, this bank had a strict "NO QUESTIONS" policy. With the Cut-Throat Alliance, The Wild, and a dozen other barely legal organizations, the market was perfect to set up a don't ask don't tell bank. The bribes paid to Councilmen to make this bank legal were massive, but by the end, laws were put in place to protect the bank, and it's privacy.

The bank itself appears to be nothing more than a simple shop near the district of Stadel. It appears simple enough inside as well, a large lobby of marble and limestone, and several desks to service customers. But the shop is merely the public front of the business. The true nature of this bank is a closely kept secret, and wisely so. When the bank was founded, the Drow investors met with a powerful Arch-Devil. Little is known about the details of the arrangement, but from that day on, the Bank has been allowed to store its customers possessions in the deepest circles of Hell. Here they lie safe from the prying eyes of the Municipal Investigators or anyone for that matter (even the Arch-Devils are forbidden from looking as part of the contract with the bank).

1st Absolute Bank boast an unbroken record of maintaining its customers privacy, but this is a lie. Fleet-footed Jack once stole a safe-deposit box from the bank, the contents of which are not known, and proceeded to make his way through the city. The Bank however, never publicized this incident, fearing the damage it would do to their reputation. They instead, assembled a squad of assassins to hunt down Fleet-footed Jack. They came very close to catching Jack on several occasions, and it's rumored that one assassin even discovered Jacks true identity. Obviously, this was simple not the fun Jack had been looking for, and he soon grew bored and miserable with the chase. He promptly returned the box, and washed his hands of the situation. The assassins however, never stopped hunting Jack, and some even say that the reason Jack disappeared was because the Bank finally caught up to him.

IcarusWings
2009-08-28, 05:21 PM
I personally quite like the idea that the saints gain power from canonization, it gives the city a more official and administrative feel, which an urban campaign should have...

Also, I realise everyone sees the city as buildings built on top of buildings, but I myself prefer the image of it being cut into the canyon, I also like the idea of actually having "gaps" between the districts e.g. 5 foot wide fissures which extend all the way down to the bottom layer.

And personally I'd rather the steamworks were all clumped in one district, the groves likewise, it gives the city a more sprawling metropolis feel in my eyes...

Merlin

Renrik
2009-08-28, 06:19 PM
I like the Steamworks and groves spread out. the city is massive on a scale we can only imagine and wouldn't be able to survive if all the heavy industry were in one place. The rest of the city would be economically disadvantaged and the Steamworks would be dead from pollution. I would make a similar argument for the groves. The fact that they are spread out is what to me gives it the metropolitan feel.

BRC
2009-08-28, 06:59 PM
I personally quite like the idea that the saints gain power from canonization, it gives the city a more official and administrative feel, which an urban campaign should have...

Also, I realise everyone sees the city as buildings built on top of buildings, but I myself prefer the image of it being cut into the canyon, I also like the idea of actually having "gaps" between the districts e.g. 5 foot wide fissures which extend all the way down to the bottom layer.


1) Dosn't make much sense. First of all, it invalidates Saints like Fleet Footed Jack, and the City Council is a governing body, nothing more, nothing less. It has politics and corruption and power struggles. By giving them the power to create a god with a piece of paper, they become almost supernatural.

Mind you, since Saints arise through worship and adoration, the Council's official say-so goes a long way towards that.. It spreads the word that everybody should celebrate this person's deeds, establishes official holidays, gives them an official temple, ect.

2) No. The city as one big built-up block has been what we've been working under this entire time, and it flows much more naturally without "Gaps" between the districts. Why would they leave such gaps instead of filling them in? And while the idea of gaping gaps might make a nice mental image, it dosn't work nearly as well otherwise. Also, if the city was "Carved out" of the canyon, we would have to re-write a good deal of the city's history, since it would grow down instead of up.
3) Once again, while the idea of one big steamworks and one big groves area makes more sense if you're just trying to draw the city, But it dosn't make sense from an urban planning standpoint. People work in the steamworks, they don't live there, they live near it. If you condense the steamworks into one district, there simply wouldn't be enough room nearbye for people to get to work from their homes and back again in a reasonable time.



Really, what you're describing is kind of what Blizzard did with Azeroth in WoW. Putting a lush lake area right next to a badlands right next to a scorching volcanic wasteland right next to a pastoral countryside with just a mountain wall clearly dividing these zones. This makes sense for a video game like WoW, where you want to clearly define zones to players don't wander off into a higher-level zone, but we don't have that restriction, so we can make Ishka seem like a city with different parts, rather than several cities right next to each other.

Owrtho
2009-08-29, 01:48 AM
Just a thought I had for an organization.

The Ravens Eyes
The Ravens Eyes is an organization that consists of people who worship the Stone Raven. While fairly widespread through the city, the membership tends to be fairly low. One reason is likely the lack of official recognition. Another would be the fanaticism of most members in their following of the Stone Raven. Not many care to join an organization that will turn against them as soon as anyone else.
Despite this, it is recognized as having some power. Members tend to fall into one of two categories. The 'eyes', or the 'tallons'. The eyes are the members who usualy lack fighting skills, so simply observe the happenings of their part of the city and look out for any breaking of the law. Due to this they also are know for being among the better information brokers in the city as they refuse to lie. The problem is they also tend to be careful who they give information too, and refuse if they think it will aid in breaking the law. When the eyes note a crime, they will try to contact the local law enforcement and possibly the talonsusually. The talons will then see to it that the law breaker is properly punnished.
The talonspunishedtalons are known for being rather ruthless when it comes to enforcing higher crimes as well. Often rather that trying to land killers in jail, they will just make them 'disappear'. Also due to their fanaticism they tend to hone their fighting skills beyond that of most other law enforcement groups. Largely this is to make up for their lack of members and thus the need to be able to take care of individual situation quickly.
The common opinion of the Ravens Eyes is mixed. On the one hand they attempt to deal out justice in an unbiased manner. On the other, they almost entirely ignore context, and seek to follow the letter of the law rather than the spirit. They for instance been known to kill people who were responsible for an accident resulting in others deaths.
Members of the Ravens Eyes will all tattoo their right arm with a raven in the style of the marks that criminals get on their left arm in Ravenshome. The most fanatical are even known to go to Ravenshome and intentionally commit a minor crime to get the mark, then leave and have an at temp made to dispel it so that they will get a stone raven mark growing out of their arm.

Well, that sorta describes it. Ended up coming out badly once I tried to type it out. But basic idea gets across.

Owrtho

jagadaishio
2009-08-29, 11:42 AM
Here's something I was wondering: does the raven tattoo grow if you're caught in an area of effect dispel effect whose original intention was not to remove the tattoo, ignoring context, or does it only grow if the intention of the dispel effect was to remove the tattoo? In the former case, individuals would be loathe to accept aid spells like Break Enchantment even to remove debilitating effects. If it was the latter, few adventurers or anyone else who might need the restorative effects of a dispel effect would ever risk crossing through Ravenshome.

Owrtho
2009-08-29, 04:17 PM
I'd say that it would only grow if the intent were to remove it or a portion of the body with the mark on it was targeted. Thus if an area of effect break enchantment was used, and the part of your body that has the mark on it was within the area, it would grow. Also if someone tried to dispel other effects such that they focused through the mark (such as being on that side of the person or touching where the mark covered), it would grow. But if they tried to dispel effects where the mark wasn't in the way it would be fine. Also effects that dispel everything on the person would set it off.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2009-08-30, 02:28 AM
I was under the impression that the Raven Tattoo only grew if someone specifically tried to remove it. If they have an effect on them besides the tattoo, they can recieve a dispel on that effect but if they are hit by a general Dispel Magic then yes i'ld say the Tattoo would grow....though ultimately it's up to the DM to decide what make the tattoo grow and what doesn't.

Owrtho
2009-08-30, 02:56 AM
I'd agree with Silverscale on that. Also it is true that when it comes down to it the DM has the final say.

Owrtho

50cr4t3s
2009-08-30, 04:48 PM
New Holiday
The Day of Little Demons
In a city the size of Ishka, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, and lose sight of what's important. Scholars which studied human behavior thought that this would have an overall negative effect on the city. So a day was set aside where the traditional rules of the city no longer apply, a day when you can tell your boss he's an (insert expletive), run down the street naked, and generally do whatever you want.

Of course, the laws of the city do not vanish on this day. Murder, theft, and assault are all still very illegal and will have the guard on you in no time. The purpose of the day, is the total suspension of social inhibitions (within the confines of the law) without fear of the social repercussions. Telling your boss to pull his head out of his ass would get you fired on any normal day, but on the Day of Little Demons, you can tell him to go (insert expletive) and you'll still have a job the next day.

Over the years since it was started, the holiday has become a day of practical jokes (much like april fool's day). With escalating prank wars covering the city, sometimes even between two whole districts, it's only natural that Fleet-footed Jack has a history with this holiday. He would stage a new and daring heist every year in the early more of the Day of Little Demons and would run through the streets to the cheers and whistles of fans till the sun set.

Strawman
2009-08-30, 08:25 PM
I imagine certain districts will not allow the Day of Little Demons to be celebrated there. However, the citizens can still travel to a nearby district and celebrate there.

jagadaishio
2009-08-31, 11:14 AM
I would also imagine that the Day of Little Demons would have especially strong followings in certain districts and, even more specifically, on certain streets. Some parts of the city would see people going about their daily lives and maybe telling their boss to sod off. Others would see people having orgies in the street and a generally crazy, exultant time. It would vary.

Holiday Ideas:

Day of Life:
While originally started as a holiday by the Holy Hands, it currently resembles what it once was very little. Originally, it was a day when healers who were not of the Holy Hands would join up for a day and walk into the poorest parts of the city and stand on street corners healing sickness, curing blindness, and healing injuries. Many such healers, however, took to standing in the Necropolis, offering "healing" to every undead resident that passed. The undead took offense to it but, rather than complaining about it, they decided to go in a whole new direction with it.

The undead started celebrating the lives they once had and what was left of them. It became a day of gluttony in the necropolis: those that were still physically capable of it would eat food they couldn't digest just for the hell of it, vampires would drink whole kegs of blood while ghouls would feast on body after body, saved up for the celebration. Those still physically capable of it would host orgies and have other pleasures for the senses. The entire Necropolis would have bright paper lanterns and colourful decorations strung up, and undead would wear colourful costumes as they marched about, dead things celebrating life.

To this day, the Holy Hands continue with their holiday as per their original intentions, even standing and offering final death to smiling necropolitans dancing past in bright dresses and suits. Most people, however, know it as a festival of ecstatic undead and bright colours, where food and drink perfectly suitable for living consumption is plentiful and free in the necropolis. Poor people and people who love to party flock to the necropolis on this day and slowly filter back out over the next few weeks as the food and drink suited for human consumption is eaten or goes bad.

Solar Eclipse:
Though I don't think that they would necessarily have any sort of official names, I think that various eclipses would be very short, small-time holidays in the city. On these holidays, creatures with a sensitivity to bright light or a weakness to sunlight would flock up to the surface of the city, forming small, celebrant flash-mobs which would dance and sing in the heat of the day and the dark of the night. They would only last as long as the eclipse, or shorter for those that can only be out during the full eclipse. At the end of that time, they would flood back into the under-levels of the city as if they had never been there at all.

BRC
2009-08-31, 07:27 PM
Organization: Fresh Start!

Fresh Start's cheerful offices are a common sight throughout the city, especially in the Necropolis. Since any more-or-less intact corpses may rise as undead, it was only a matter of time before somebody figured out a system for what to do with them. Fresh Start is very well funded by the government of the Necropolis, and offer a reward for people to turn in newly-awoken undead. Once these undead are turned in, Fresh Start assesses how much they remember from their life, what skills they have, the resources they have available, ect. Since most reanimations take place within a week or two of death, it is traditional for a will to remain sealed for three weeks after a person is declared officially dead, in case they come back with enough sense of self to claim their possessions. Fresh Start does it's best to take the newly risen undead and find some use for them in society, setting them up with a home in the necropolis, finding a job for them, and essentially helping them acclimate into society. Oddly enough, most Fresh Start staffers are living, as they find having locals run offices in various districts cuts down on violence and vandalism perpetrated against the offices. Actually, with some exception, most people, even those who dislike undead, look kindly upon Fresh Start, even if they simply like it because it gets the undead out of their district. In the temple district Fresh Start offices are mainly run by the Holy Hands, who offer the undead in question "True Rest", if they refuse, they are sent to a Fresh Start office in a neighboring district for processing.

jagadaishio
2009-09-01, 12:21 PM
Organization: Fresh Start!

Fresh Start's cheerful offices are a common sight throughout the city, especially in the Necropolis. Since any more-or-less intact corpses may rise as undead, it was only a matter of time before somebody figured out a system for what to do with them. Fresh Start is very well funded by the government of the Necropolis, and offer a reward for people to turn in newly-awoken undead. Once these undead are turned in, Fresh Start assesses how much they remember from their life, what skills they have, the resources they have available, ect. Since most reanimations take place within a week or two of death, it is traditional for a will to remain sealed for three weeks after a person is declared officially dead, in case they come back with enough sense of self to claim their possessions. Fresh Start does it's best to take the newly risen undead and find some use for them in society, setting them up with a home in the necropolis, finding a job for them, and essentially helping them acclimate into society. Oddly enough, most Fresh Start staffers are living, as they find having locals run offices in various districts cuts down on violence and vandalism perpetrated against the offices. Actually, with some exception, most people, even those who dislike undead, look kindly upon Fresh Start, even if they simply like it because it gets the undead out of their district. In the temple district Fresh Start offices are mainly run by the Holy Hands, who offer the undead in question "True Rest", if they refuse, they are sent to a Fresh Start office in a neighboring district for processing.

Please let this be the prelude to another piece of the Graveyard Shift.

Silverscale
2009-09-01, 01:01 PM
Oooo Yes! When are we going to get another installment of "Graveyard Shift"? It's a really good story that is just begging to be continued. :elan:

BRC
2009-09-01, 01:05 PM
Oooo Yes! When are we going to get another installment of "Graveyard Shift"? It's a really good story that is just begging to be continued. :elan:

Well, I'm working on the 100th Rob and Jack right now, but I could sit down and do some Graveyard shifting when I'm done with that.

Sequinox
2009-09-01, 01:21 PM
Well, I love this setting. It fascinates me moreso than any setting on the forums has so far.

However, this is really, really unorganized, and that can be what kills a project.

So, the opening poster should probably start a compilation on the first post, or designate someone to compile everything here so far.

(I'd offer to do it myself, but school's just starting to get rolling, and I've been pretty busy.)

BRC
2009-09-02, 01:57 PM
Alright, at popular demand.
Graveyard Shift!

Jack the Nimble, Jack the Quick
Help me flee, help me trick.
Cloud their eyes and damp my noise
trip their feet and take their toys
Tommy “The Rat” Lemmor muttered the prayer and hoped the smiling saint was listening, and would intervene before his pursuer, whomever it was, caught up with him.
The man had entered the Squeaky Wheel and instantly started approaching Tommy’s table. Tommy thought he smelled something off about him, but this close to the East Steamworks, even a wererat’s smell was only of limited use.Tommy didn’t start to worry until he spied a gleam from the man’s coat pocket, Silver.
At this point Tommy, who made a point to always know the fastest way out of wherever he was, bolted for the door, the man in hot pursuit. That was ten minutes ago. Tommy considered himself pretty fast, but this guy was relentless, while Tommy scrambled and jumped and climbed his way through the tangle of backstreets, the guy just ran, keeping up a steady pace, never tiring. What was up with this guy. If he didn’t lose him soon he’d have to run into the copper junkyard, and while he could doubtlessly find him there, he could easily break a leg and be lost forever in that mess. Tommy turned to look back, to see if he’d shaken his relentless pursuer, only to run headfirst into what felt like a wall of iron. When the stars cleared he felt himself in the firm grip of a burly man in the uniforms of the Merchant Agents.
The guy, his pace slowed to a jog, approached, pulling out a pair of silvered handcuffs and a badge.
“Detective Gordon Tordely, Municipal Investigations. I’ll take it from here”.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Thanks for lending me a hand here Ollie”
“No problem Gordon, besides, since it looks like our cases have some overlap here”
“You mean Jonny Quickfinger”
“Yeah”
“We don’t even know if either your corpse or my safecracker WAS Quickfinger”.
“It fits though, and don’t pretend it doesn’t. Dorkal got sketches from all three Streetbuilders that matched the archive’s description of Johnny Quickfinger. He pulled the bank job, then somebody gave him a new knife. We just have to figure out who and why”.
“Which brings us to our friend. A contact of mine says he’s an information broker, got ears everywhere in the underground. The Allies use him to spy on each other, but since all he does is ask and listen it’s nigh-impossible to actually pin anything on him”.
“So, what’d you drag him down here on?”
“Resisting Arrest, I chased him between the Commons and the Steamworks, ergo, it’s multiple districts, and our jurisdiction”.
“What were you going to arrest him on?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to talk”
“No judge in Ishka will let that fly and he knows that”
“How about murder? A Wererat was implicated in a stabbing near his stomping grounds”
“We caught that guy didn’t we?”
“Tommy doesn’t know that”.
Oliver grinned “You know what, I take that back. For the next ten minutes, I’m pretty darn sure we’re still looking for a wererat who stabbed a guy on Gramer Street”
“I agree, let’s squeeze us a Rat”.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Guy (Gordon, that was his name, right?) and a gnome entered the room (a Gnome, that explained the little high-chair on the other side of the table).
The Guy spoke first “Just so you know Tommy, this is a formality. We could get you into the Vault in no time”.
The Gnome spoke next “It was your bad luck really. You decide to stab some guy, happens to be a bureaucrat from the treasury. Which makes that Murder of a City Official, we can send you to the Vault a good long time for that”.
“WHAT, I never stabbed anybody”.
“Do you have an Alibi we couldn’t arrest you for?”
Tommy thought. Meeting with several wanted Alliance members wasn’t exactly the type of thing you wanted to talk about in this room, especially with the anti-lie runes his chair was covered with.
“Alright, what do you want. I know you’re playing games here, you don’t want me in the Vault, you want information. So, what do you need to know?”
“Johnny Quickfinger, that’s what. What jobs was he pulling recently”
“Johnny? Lessee, he broke in the Warehouse, stole a crowbar from the Streetbuilders, got some help from some guys. In exchange he’d do some work for them”.
“What sort of work, what guys!”
“I dunno, I just heard rumors, no facts!”
“I like rumors”
“Alright, rumor said that Bloody Jack had some of his boys give Johnny a hand with the Warehouse job, and in exchange Johnny would help work the Graveyard Shift”.

I've got some airplane rides today, so I might just get some more done later.

Edit: Since Fleet Footed Jack is an unofficial saint, there are probably countless different prayers to him (it's not like the more centralized religions where everybody is quoting from the same prayerbook). I took the liberty of making one up, it's kind of a silly rhyme, but considering Jack's playful nature it seemed appropriate.

jagadaishio
2009-09-04, 07:24 AM
Alright, at popular demand.
Graveyard Shift!

Jack the Nimble, Jack the Quick
Help me flee, help me trick.
Cloud their eyes and damp my noise
trip their feet and take their toys
Tommy “The Rat” Lemmor muttered the prayer and hoped the smiling saint was listening, and would intervene before his pursuer, whomever it was, caught up with him.
The man had entered the Squeaky Wheel and instantly started approaching Tommy’s table. Tommy thought he smelled something off about him, but this close to the East Steamworks, even a wererat’s smell was only of limited use.Tommy didn’t start to worry until he spied a gleam from the man’s coat pocket, Silver.
At this point Tommy, who made a point to always know the fastest way out of wherever he was, bolted for the door, the man in hot pursuit. That was ten minutes ago. Tommy considered himself pretty fast, but this guy was relentless, while Tommy scrambled and jumped and climbed his way through the tangle of backstreets, the guy just ran, keeping up a steady pace, never tiring. What was up with this guy. If he didn’t lose him soon he’d have to run into the copper junkyard, and while he could doubtlessly find him there, he could easily break a leg and be lost forever in that mess. Tommy turned to look back, to see if he’d shaken his relentless pursuer, only to run headfirst into what felt like a wall of iron. When the stars cleared he felt himself in the firm grip of a burly man in the uniforms of the Merchant Agents.
The guy, his pace slowed to a jog, approached, pulling out a pair of silvered handcuffs and a badge.
“Detective Gordon Tordely, Municipal Investigations. I’ll take it from here”.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Thanks for lending me a hand here Ollie”
“No problem Gordon, besides, since it looks like our cases have some overlap here”
“You mean Jonny Quickfinger”
“Yeah”
“We don’t even know if either your corpse or my safecracker WAS Quickfinger”.
“It fits though, and don’t pretend it doesn’t. Dorkal got sketches from all three Streetbuilders that matched the archive’s description of Johnny Quickfinger. He pulled the bank job, then somebody gave him a new knife. We just have to figure out who and why”.
“Which brings us to our friend. A contact of mine says he’s an information broker, got ears everywhere in the underground. The Allies use him to spy on each other, but since all he does is ask and listen it’s nigh-impossible to actually pin anything on him”.
“So, what’d you drag him down here on?”
“Resisting Arrest, I chased him between the Commons and the Steamworks, ergo, it’s multiple districts, and our jurisdiction”.
“What were you going to arrest him on?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to talk”
“No judge in Ishka will let that fly and he knows that”
“How about murder? A Wererat was implicated in a stabbing near his stomping grounds”
“We caught that guy didn’t we?”
“Tommy doesn’t know that”.
Oliver grinned “You know what, I take that back. For the next ten minutes, I’m pretty darn sure we’re still looking for a wererat who stabbed a guy on Gramer Street”
“I agree, let’s squeeze us a Rat”.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Guy (Gordon, that was his name, right?) and a gnome entered the room (a Gnome, that explained the little high-chair on the other side of the table).
The Guy spoke first “Just so you know Tommy, this is a formality. We could get you into the Vault in no time”.
The Gnome spoke next “It was your bad luck really. You decide to stab some guy, happens to be a bureaucrat from the treasury. Which makes that Murder of a City Official, we can send you to the Vault a good long time for that”.
“WHAT, I never stabbed anybody”.
“Do you have an Alibi we couldn’t arrest you for?”
Tommy thought. Meeting with several wanted Alliance members wasn’t exactly the type of thing you wanted to talk about in this room, especially with the anti-lie runes his chair was covered with.
“Alright, what do you want. I know you’re playing games here, you don’t want me in the Vault, you want information. So, what do you need to know?”
“Johnny Quickfinger, that’s what. What jobs was he pulling recently”
“Johnny? Lessee, he broke in the Warehouse, stole a crowbar from the Streetbuilders, got some help from some guys. In exchange he’d do some work for them”.
“What sort of work, what guys!”
“I dunno, I just heard rumors, no facts!”
“I like rumors”
“Alright, rumor said that Bloody Jack had some of his boys give Johnny a hand with the Warehouse job, and in exchange Johnny would help work the Graveyard Shift”.

I've got some airplane rides today, so I might just get some more done later.

Edit: Since Fleet Footed Jack is an unofficial saint, there are probably countless different prayers to him (it's not like the more centralized religions where everybody is quoting from the same prayerbook). I took the liberty of making one up, it's kind of a silly rhyme, but considering Jack's playful nature it seemed appropriate.

Looking good as usual, BRC. Every new installation of the Graveyard Shift that you post just leaves me itching for more.

Holiday Ideas:
Carnival of the Theatre, Carnival of the Arena, and Carnival of the Gallery

The three biggest holidays in the Entertainment District are their three annual carnivals, each dedicated to a different aspect of the district at large. Carnival of the Theatre focuses on musicians and stage performers, Carnival of the Arena focuses on the gladiators, fencers, any any other individual who entertains through false or real combat and athletics, while the Carnival of the Gallery focuses on crafted pieces of art. During the Carnival of the Theatre, whole acting troupes and musical groups put up make-shift stages decorated with colourful paper decorations and give free performances to the people. Many troupes first get spotted by owners of theatres on this day; they tend to scope the scene for new talent. Theatres that charge money always give a hefty discount on this day, and usually choose this day to run any sort of new or risky material that they've come across over the course of the past year.

During the Carnival of the Arena, spectators crowd the streets of the Entertainment District. Bedecked with wooden swords and wearing shirts and jerseys in the colour of their gladiator or athletic team, their raucous cheers fill the streets on these days. People fence across the roof-tops with safety foils, bedecked in brightly-coloured sashes to please the people below. Wrestlers grapple in chalked-in circles and people following in the tradition free-run through the streets, across the walls, and over the roofs.

The Carnival of the Gallery is a somewhat more sombre affair than that of the Arena, but is no less gorgeous. Amateur artists (or professional artists without a patron) erect makeshift works and build small shrines around older ones that never sold. The art galleries open their doors on this days for free, and people who would never be caught dead in one of those galleries on a normal day are seen wandering the halls. As in the Carnival of the Theatre, the artists on this day hope that by showing off their chalk drawings, paper and wood sculptures, and hastily-painted canvases they might find for themselves a patron. Unlike the Carnival of the Theatre, only the best of the best do; most are forced to go back to working their normal jobs the next day.

Silverscale
2009-09-04, 11:54 AM
I have a question about the Lake District. Is it completely covered by buildings with more underwater, or do the surface buildings merely ring the lake, perhaps coming in over the water about 50 yards, and then there is an Underwater section of the city that sits at the center of the lake?:smallconfused:

Strawman
2009-09-04, 05:52 PM
I imagined the buildings covering part of the lake in a triangle formation. Maybe half buildings, half water surface. The underground part varies from location to location as to how much of it is buildings.

Of course, that sort of thing would be easy for DM's to alter for their own campaign. The "official" version could be kept intentionally vague.

50cr4t3s
2009-09-04, 07:01 PM
The image I had when fleshing out Mere (the lowest district on the lake that isn't underwater) was that from above, it does look like the entire lake is covered in buildings. However, the first layer is actually at least 100ft above the lake's surface. The layers above the lake are supported by massive pillars which reach from the bottom of the lake, to the highest layers. On the surface of the lake, surrounding the pillars, are man-made islands, which serve as harbors for both local small ships, and large ships Gated in and out of the lake to some other body of water (perhaps a nearby ocean). During the day, a daylight spell keeps these islands in the light, but in the evening the spell deactivates, and the magical light-show I mentioned in the description of Mere begins. The pillars are large, and there are quite alot of them, but the lake is also massive, and most of it's surface is exposed.

Silverscale
2009-09-04, 08:27 PM
The image I had when fleshing out Mere (the lowest district on the lake that isn't underwater)...........

Hmmm this does make one wonder......What effect has the lack of natural light had on the ecosystem of the lake? And the valley Ishka was built into for that matter?

EDIT: Although that's probably part of the problem that The Wild have with Ishka in the first place.

Strawman
2009-09-04, 09:20 PM
That is interesting. We don't have any Earth counterparts that inhabit both light-depraved and fresh-water areas at once. Not that I know of, anyway. Sounds like a great place for new monsters to be invented. Giant goldfish with glowing eyes. Seaweed that gets energy by entangling and eating creatures.

Owrtho
2009-09-04, 09:41 PM
I think there are a number of subterranean fish aquatic creatures that do, but still can be interesting.

Owrtho

BRC
2009-09-04, 10:53 PM
It's almost midnight, and I need to be awake in the morning, so i'll make this quick. The Great Lantern
The Great Lantern is one of the few completed Streetbuilder construction projects, it's a cube that takes up four layers, and the entire thing is a rune-carved three-dimensional maze that makes up a magical pattern. Essentially, it's a magical engine of massive power all dedicated to casting one spell, Dancing Lights. These lights are spread throughout the entire city (Well, most of it) keeping it lit. Individual building either have to light themselves or have windows open to the street to let light in. The government of each district can alter the ambient light levels as they see fit, which is why the market district is always bright, while the Necropolis is very dim.

jagadaishio
2009-09-06, 01:57 PM
On the topic of natural light and the aquatic environments, I would suggest that the fact that, as 50cr4t3s mentioned, as long as daylight spells are cast during the day, the fact that normal sunlight doesn't actually reach some areas shouldn't matter.

As for other districts, the industrial nature of the Steamworks would mean that little would grow there anyway, the negative energy pollution of the Necropolis means that anything that tries to live there long-term would sicken and slowly die, and the Groves would see the sort of perpetual night at the floor that all primordial forests see. The Temple, Mages', and Entertainment districts would all have manicured gardens and parks, but probably little natural life. The Mage's District especially would have some bizarre, unnatural things living there.

Mithral Heights would probably have private gardens, the four elemental outposts would be unable to support any non-elemental life, and Gulliver's Heights would probably see "small" gardens and lawns the size of city parks. Smallville would probably have few plants, and Ravenshome would have few people willing to risk breaking the law by growing something illegal or growing it in an illegal way.

What else am I missing?

Owrtho
2009-09-06, 03:28 PM
The hunting grounds would likely have a cycling day night system using the daylight spell set up before the were closed.

Owrtho

jagadaishio
2009-09-10, 10:47 PM
Is anyone willing to index this thread at this point, and has everyone else run out of ideas? Just wondering about the posting hiatus.

Owrtho
2009-09-10, 11:00 PM
Well, I can't think of anything at the moment. But I hardly would say that the well has run dry for ideas with this setting. Also, people could try making some more campaigns similar to the Garbage Campaign. I'd almost be willing to index the thread, but I have allot of stuff I need to do in RL (and I'm lazy...). Anyways, we could try filling out some of the more ignored districts at the moment.

Owrtho

Strawman
2009-09-16, 05:33 PM
I'm going to be too busy with RL to get much work done on the Garbage Campaign now that my semester has started. If anyone wants to take that and run with it, feel free.

Silverscale
2009-12-06, 09:34 PM
I'm sad to see this project seems to have died *Thread Necromancy*
I'm planning on using this setting to run a new campaign with my gaming group....you see we are trying to get to the point where each of us has a game that we're running so that we have options in case someone is unable to show up or we just want to do something different for a while.

UserShadow7989
2009-12-10, 06:50 PM
Yeah, it's a shame. I really liked the direction of the setting and making a couple of contributions. If anyone is still willing to work on it, I'd be glad to chip in.

Owrtho
2009-12-11, 02:54 AM
Well, first I'd not that it seemed less like the project died and more like people couldn't think of much else to ad and saw that it was at that point fully functional as a setting. Thus they left it.

That said, I wouldn't be oppoed to helping if people wish to work on it again.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2009-12-11, 06:41 AM
If nothing Else I'd love to read more about "Graveyard Shift"

Silverscale
2009-12-12, 05:34 PM
I've just spent the afternoon copy/pasting all the posts from this thread so that i can pair them down to a usable format for the campaign I'm starting.....all told there are 130 pages worth of posts.

I'm still looking forward to more "Graveyard Shift" if BRC ever gets around to writing more.

Vadin
2009-12-12, 06:46 PM
Silverscale, any chance you could put that into a pdf and throw up a link here so the rest of us could download it?

Silverscale
2009-12-12, 07:23 PM
Actually I was going to pair it down for my own uses and re-post a concise version....probably a series of posts for the different sections including but not limited to History, Districts, Places of Interest, Notable People, Holidays, and a single post of "Graveyard Shift". If I come up with any other ideas as I go, I'll put them in too......In the mean time let me see what I can do about a PDF for you.

Unfortunately I don't have any way of making a PDF:smallannoyed:......sorry

Silverscale
2009-12-12, 08:03 PM
Since I already had it separated out here is a complete posting of "Graveyard Shift' by BRC

Graveyard Shift part 1

Graveyard Shift
The Steamcart clattered along the deathly quiet streets, the Column and Road crest on it’s side proclaiming to all that it belonged to the Streetbuilders. Not that it could have belonged to anyone else. Such vehicles were rare outside of the Steamworks, and even then it wouldn’t be driven by a kobold, with a young human in the passenger’s seat and an ogre in the back. And even if such a group came together under other circumstances, they wouldn’t be escorted by a pair of steely-faced and suspicious-eyed Civil Servants
The Kobold spoke first. “Something the matter kid?”
“I just don’t like being here. I don’t feel safe.”
“The Necropolis is perfectly safe. The Bonesheilds will come down hard on anybody who tries to mess with us, and we’ve got the Civil Servants here in case they do.”
The Kid, whose name was Patrid, knew all these things to be true, but they gave him no confidence. He had grown up near the temple district, he’d volunteered at the Hands hospitals, and listened to the sermons. When possible, he always tried to attend services at the little all-purpose chapel that abutted the Streetbuilders barracks where he now lived. Because of this, he had trouble with the idea of trusting the undead, even those that belonged to the Order of the Bone Shield, and while the two Civil Servants certainly looked tough, he doubted they could do much against the shambling horde of flesh-hungry ghouls he expected to rush them from the shadows at every moment.
“Geeze kid, lookatcha. You were just fine on last weeks Trimming Job in the Oakgrove, and we all know what can happen on those. Besides, you get along just fine with Rattle”.
“Rattle’s not like these undead”. Patrid gestured at some of the zombies walking on the street outside the window.
“Of course not. He’s a skeleton. These guys are more similar to you than he is. At least they’ve still got flesh on ‘em”.
The Kobold, whose name was Kritlid, stopped the steamcart and checked his map. He didn’t want to admit to the kid that he’d felt the exact same way on his first job in the Necropolis. Perhaps less so, since his eyes were better in the dark, but not that much. He’d just have to get over it. The Streetbuilders served the city, not just the parts they liked. He’d feel better once the job got started, one he had something to do.
Kritlid stopped the cart in front of a derelict looking house and checked his map again. This was the place. He was about to tell everybody to get out and get started, but instead he turned to the human sitting next to him.
“Kid, you ever done a 470 before?”
Patrid shuffled through his memory. 400 jobs were for small groups, but he knew that from the team in the cart. His mental index came up blank. Then he remembered that the Ogre had brought his sledgehammer.
“A Demolition job?”
“Close, Demolition/repair. This building has some load-bearing pillars that are starting to crack. I don’t need to tell you what happens if they fail, especially with the new developments being built on the upper layers. What’s going to happen is this, Tark’s gonna knock out a pillar with his hammer, then we’re going to assemble the mold around it and pour the concrete. Now we’ve already got some reports of subsidence on the layers above, so we’ll want to be quick about it. Surveyor reports say we should have more than enough time to replace the pillars before things start collapsing on our heads, but that’s no excuse to dally once Tark’s done his thing. Now get out of the Cart and start unloading.”
As the Civil Servants took up their positions on either side of the doorway, the Streetbuilders began to haul their equipment inside. Patrid dropped the mold piece he had been carrying with a yelp when he witnessed somebody step out of the shadows.
Kritlid glared “Hey, you, get out of here. Streetbuilders at work yaknow.”
The figure, whose face was obscured both by the darkness and by a hood spoke, but without the
trademark rasp of the undead. “My apologies, I was merely interested in which pillars were scheduled
for replacement”. The figure gestured towards the red X’s the surveyor team had left on some of the pillars.
“Well you’ve seen. Now Git!”
“As you wish”. And with that the Figure slipped into the street.
“Who do you think that was?”
“A squatter probably, I dunno and I’m not interested. He wasn’t supposed to be in here and he knew it, but he also knew we weren’t going to go through the trouble of doing anything about it, which we aren’t. Now get those molds built”.
It took them ten minutes to assemble and place the first of the molds, getting it positioned around the first of the pillars. One everything was to his satisfaction, Kritlid gave the signal, and Tark hefted his hammer, smashing into the massive support pillar, and emerging from the other side.
“Nice swing Tark!” Patrid squealed, only to be cut off by the ogre’s grunt.
“Wasn’t me. Dis tings hollow”
Six eyes at varying heights off the ground looked in confusion at what, according to the records, was five feet by five by ten feet of mortared brick. Instead, they saw only one layer of brick, minus the hole the ogre’s hammer had made.
What was more disconcerting was what was inside. A Halfling, with a knife in his chest, lying slumped against the wall. A bottle of wine clutched in his hand.
“Hey, what’s the big idea!” the Halfling rasped.
Kritlid screamed a draconic word that translates to "Sleeping on rocks". Tark dropped his hammer, it punched a hole in the floor and interrupted a heated debate on the nature of life between two ghouls downstairs. Patrid simply fainted.
Graveyard Shift part 2

Gordon Tordely consulted the address on the slip of paper and moved to put his glasses back on, only to remember he didn’t need them here. He was one of the lucky ones. He’d been found early, with a decent amount of cash on him, and by somebody who brought him straight to the Office of New Awakenings. As such, he’d been able to afford a tattoo of gentle repose that stopped the rotting before it began, which let him pass for human most of the time . But it couldn’t help his eyes. Nothing short of an illusion would make his eyes look anything but dead, and he didn’t feel like paying for something he could cover up with a pair of glasses. Besides, it was useful when he needed to unnerve a suspect. Still, he preferred to hide what he was.
But here, in the Necropolis that wasn’t a problem, so he left the glasses off and walked to the building, its “Work Zone” sign was covered up with one that read “Crime Scene”. A pair of Skeletons stood outside in black armor, wielding nasty looking maces and carrying shields of bone. He nodded to them and walked in. A Ghoul in a black cloak pinned with a clasp that looked like the shields outside was sniffing around.
“Hey there”, Gordon searched for a name, and made a guess “Chim?”
“It’s Chris, but nice try.”
“Alright Chris. Tell me what’s going on here.”
“A Streetbuilder team was in here, they knocked in the wall and found a secret room with a recently dead halfling”.
“Where’s the body?”
“Ran off as soon as they cracked it open. Knifed one of the Streetbuilders on the way out, we sent him to the Holy Hands, he should be fine.”
Gordon sighed. In a city where any fresh corpse could rise again, cases like this weren’t half as unusual as detectives would like, which brought up the question of why he had to handle it.
“Okay. Why did you call M.I. in. Why am I here”. It had been in the initial report, but Gordon had barely read it, and had forgotten pretty much everything about it on the way in.
“Suspected Alliance activity”
Oh boy, this was getting better and better wasn’t it. The Cutthroat alliance was the slipperiest band of criminals in a city full of them. Actually, being the most anything in a city like Iska was an achievement, considering it’s population was comparable to that of many nations. Either way, anytime the Cutthroat alliance was suspected to be involved with a crime, it instantly fell under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Investigators.
“All right. What makes you think ‘Alliance’”.
“The Streetbuilders said the corpse was fairly fresh, which means the murder happened recently, but their foreman said the brickwork is old, so the pillar wasn’t replaced recently. No signs of hidden doors or panels, which means magic. Big magic, which means Alliance”.
At this point Gordon accepted that this case did indeed fall under his jurisdiction, and was therefore his job to solve, unless he could pass it off to somebody else when he got back to headquarters. Either way, he was officially out of excuses to get out of here and go back to his book. Resigned to an investigation, Gordon looked around the scene.
The room was mostly barren, except for the stuff the Streetbuilders had brought in. A wheelbarrow stood to one side, it’s concrete now solidified past usefulness. A hole in the floor, some molds for the Concrete, a little bit of blood on the ground, and a scattering of bricks.
The hollowed out column itself proved even less useful at first sight. It seemed completely barren of everything except dust. Which is, in itself useful.
Gordon looked closely, there were two patches where the dust was lighter. One was definitely where the Halfling had been lying, but the other was been distinctly rectangular. Something, about a footacross either direction. He made a note of these things, then he reached and put on his glasses. Not the normal ones he used to hide his clearly dead eyes. The special ones with crystal lenses and silver frames that he’d bought from a fast-talking sorcerer in the Magic district. Technically, it was a business expense, but Gordon couldn’t find “Form 8b” or whatever the pencil pushers at Headquarters said he needed to fill out and then get approval from, at which point Gordon lost track. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the system was deliberately set up to be as difficult and confusing as possible.
Oh wait, he did think that.
He mumbled the words the sorcerer had taught him, then mumbled them again. Then he tried again, finally feeling the distinctive tingle as the magic on the glasses took effect.
A few seconds later, he began to see glows through the glasses. The faintest bit of necromancy from where the Halfling was. Some Abjuration on the square spot of less dust, and, ah, there it was. Conjuration on one of the walls. In a familiar pattern too.
“Yup, that’s an alliance door alright. I think this is everything I’ll get from this site, but send me your notes. You said they took the Streetbuilder to the Hands?”
“Yeah, Saint Radlen’s Mercy, on the outskirts of the Necropolis”.
Gordon Sighed. The Hands were okay, even though they always looked at him like some sort of sick freak, but they hung around with the Holy Swords, who always seemed about two inches away from chopping off your head and dumping holy water down your neck, but Gordon supposed it was unavoidable.
With a sigh Gordon took off the silver glasses and started for the door. He had a feeling that he should pull a flask out of his pocket and drink it, to fortify himself for what was to come. But then he remembered that M.I.’s were prohibited from drinking while on duty, and that he was physically incapable of getting drunk anyway. So instead Gordon just walked out into the unlit streets and tried to think of a way to get somebody else to handle this nightmare of a case.
Graveyard Shift part 3

The Halfling huddled in an alleyway. He shouldn’t have stabbed the human, he realized that now. It was the outfit. The Face had been wearing that outfit. He didn’t know the Faces name. He felt he had known that name once, but did not now. All he knew was the Face, staring at him, that was the last thing he knew before the Hammer. He wished he knew The Face’s Name. He wished he knew his own name.
As his mind reached into the foggy, death-clouded memories, the word “Quick” floated up, and the Halfling decided that it was his name.
Quick stumbled through the streets of the necropolis, wondering why he knew, really knew, knew in the same way he knew he had hands. Why did he know that he could get through any of the locks on that street in less than five seconds.
__________________________________________________ ____________
Gordon made sure his glasses were on before he approached the hospital. He was still technically in the necropolis, but here on the outskirts the living were actually in the majority, and he didn’t feel like aggravating the Swords any more than necessary.
As he walked towards the engraved doors, an armored figure with a Red and White tabard stepped to block his path.
“You hide your nature, but I see you for what you are, Dead Thing. If things were as they should be, I would strike you down right now, for you are a-“
“Can it. You’re on guard duty, not a crusade, and I haven’t done anything aggressive, so if I see so much as an inch of steel, I’ll have you brought in for Assaulting a Municipal Authority”.
Gordon reached into his pocket and pulled out his badge. “Detective Gordon Tordley, Municipal Investigations, I’m on the job, so move it”.
The Sword grumbled and stepped aside, allowing Gordon entry to the Hospital.
__________________________________________________ ______________
The Grindly Arch (Fig 2), can only have a maximum width of 10 feet before it loses structural integrity. However, at a five foot width, it can support considerable weight depending on the materials used (Table 3).
Patrid was about to read table 3 when he heard a knock on the door. He looked up to see one of the clerics that had treated him standing in the doorframe. Behind her was a pale looking man in a rumpled leather coat, battered hat, dark glasses, and a grey shirt.
“Are you okay Patrid? This is Detective Tordley, he wants to ask you a few questions about what happened”.
There was something odd about the way the detective walked, but Patrid couldn’t quite put his finger on in. The detective looked down at the book he had been reading.
“Studying?”
“Yeah. I’m supposed to take my Apprentice Engineer exams in a month. Rattle lent me this book, he’s an engi-”
“Well good for you. I hope you pass. Now, I need to know what happened with the Halfling”.
“Um…”
“Start with a description. You got the best look at him”.
“He was…um…short, with dark hair, he had a knife in his chest, and then…”
“He stabbed you with it, I know that part. What’s next”.
“He ran really fast, I mean, I passed out, but I heard that he got away before the Civil Servants could grab him, and…um…”
“Do you remember what he was wearing?”
“No, not really, it all happened so fast.”
Internally, Gordon sighed. This wasn’t helping. It always happened “so fast”. A golem could stumble into a crowded room, stab somebody twenty times with a butter knife, then stick around to talk politics for twenty minutes, and everybody would say “it all happened so fast”.
“There were two people with you. Where are they now?”
“Well Tark couldn’t fit into the hospital, Kritlid stuck around for abit, but now they’re both back at the barracks probably”.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Tark is an ogre name, and Kritlid sounded like a kobold. Halflings didn’t get along well with either of them. Prejudices like that tend to survive the transition between life and undeath. So why did this Halfling stab the human, and where did this speed come from? Even accounting for the surprise, the civil servants at the door should have had time to block it. This also didn’t seem like blanket aggressiveness some undead feel towards the living. This Halfling had the presence of mind to pull a knife out of it’s own chest, use it, then flee. If he was mindless or semimindless, he probably would have just started trying to pummel the ogre with his fists. Something was definitely off here.
After confirming that the useless kid didn’t remember anything else, and would work with an M.I. sketch artist, Gordon left him to his studies. He doubted the other witnesses would be any more helpful, and the sketch artist would probably end up with something completely useless. He contemplated calling in sick, but then remembered that he couldn’t get sick, on account of the whole undead thing.
__________________________________________________ _______________
The Man who had been lurking in the building stepped out of a wall and approached the table.
“We’ve got a problem. The Streetbuilders found Quickfinger. It looks like M.I.’s involved”.
“Have they identified the body?”
“Not likely, it ran off on them”.
The room was silent for a minute.
“… Sometimes I hate this town.”
Graveyard Shift part 4

The portal Whooshed, and Gordon appeared in “Detectives Square”. The massive edifice of the M.I. offices filled up one corner of the square, and took up a good piece of space directly above it as well. The other four sides were largely taken up with living quarters, warehouses, bars, and other things the detectives needed to make it through the day.
Gordon could hear a bell ringing, and was almost bowled over as a column of hobgoblins in riot gear rushed past. He was about to shout something when a voice answered his question preemptively.
“Gate raiders in the Steamworks, heavy team is moving in to contain before they cause too much damage”.
Gordon looked down, a gnome was standing there grinning behind a pair of blue-tinted glasses.
“Hey Ollie”
“Hey Gordon, why the long face?”
Off in the distance, a Wizard obviously on loan from the Academy teleported the riot team away with a Pop. The two detectives started walking towards the big double doors that led into the Municipal investigations central offices.
“Bad case, looks like the Alliance killed some poor halfer, left him inside a pillar. Then, when some streetbuilders find him, he reanimates and runs off. I don’t suppose you’re free to give me a hand with it?”
“Ooh, nice try Gordon, but next time wait until I’ve agreed to tell me about the corpse running off. Besides, I’ve got my hands full”.
“Doing what?”
They were inside now, and Ollie smelled the distinct scent of a fresh pot of coffee and took a sharp left. Gordon followed.
“Robbery case up in the merchant’s district. A bank job, real slick too. Four guys walk in and start brandishing weapons, collecting wallets and things like that. The bank’s got a few trolls on retainer though, and once they show up the perps throw up a fogcloud and skedaddle. When the Trolls get back to the vault they find it opened and empty, they swear they couldn’t have been gone more than a few minutes, and that was a serious safe, one of them custom jobbers the kobolds make, with all sorts of gears and hidden traps and the like. It’s the type of safe a dragon would trust with it’s gold”.
“When did you become such an expert on Safes”.
“When I heard the manager blather on for twenty minutes about all the features on it. He seemed more distraught that they’d gotten through that thing than that the cash was gone”.
“Ouch, so, what are you doing here”
“Putting the rookie they saddled me with to use, having him pull the blueprints from the arc while I grab my tools from my locker.”
“You didn’t bring them with you?”
“Slipped my mind, besides, it gave me a chance to think about what I’m going to do with ‘em on the way back. Good luck finding you’re runaway corpse”.
Gordon grabbed a mug of coffee, it wouldn’t do him very much, but the warmth would be nice, it might help him make some headway on this nightmare.
__________________________________________________ ______________
It was a nightmare. Not the case, Oliver relished a challenge, that’s why he got into the business, and it’s why he spent two years at the Academy so he could get his Occult Investigator certification.
No, the nightmare was this rookie. He was plenty bright, but he was fresh from training, and was going for his Occult certification as well, so he was like a big friendly puppy. Always asking if he could help, wondering what Oliver was doing, asking if he could help. Oliver had a Process, he didn’t mind working with Gordon, who also had a Process. But both their Processes involved very quietly looking at things and thinking quietly. The Rookie (Oliver didn’t find him deserving of a name yet) also had a process (Oliver did not find it worth of capitalization). His process seemed to involve saying “Detective Midersen, look at this!” every two minutes. Oliver did not approve of the rookie’s process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Detective Midersen!”
Oliver turned around. There was the big human, all elbows and knees, Carrying a binder under one arm and a roll of blueprints under the other. “I found the blueprints for the bank. In addition, I grabbed a copy of the Known Criminal Index, Volume four, safecrackers, lockpickers and-”
“I know what’s in volume four. All right, let me grab my tools and we’ll get back to the scene”.
Junior Detective Rekin watched his mentor with awe. The gnome stood in the safe, softly chanting, eyes closed behind those blue-tinted glasses. He’d sprinked some powder around. Rekin made a note of that. He made a note everytime Detective Midersen took something out of his bag. The Detective hadn’t said what the powder was, so Rekin just wrote down “Powder for spreading (divination aid?).
Detective Midersen’s bag was a constant source of wonder for Rekin. It contained the tools of the Occult Investigators trade. Each object in it was like some priceless artifact, an ancient blade that the Detective used to cut through the lies and find the truth. He would like nothing more than to search through the bag and see just what was in there.
“Detective Midersen”
“What!” The detective sounded testy. He must have found something.
“What have you found?”
“None of you’re business”. A Test. The Detective wanted him to figure it out on his own. The Detective was always doing that, keeping Rekin on his toes. He was considerate like that.
“Well, they obviously didn’t use magic to break in. The safe is warded against that according to those runes, though they might have used magic to get the money out, since it’s not an A.M.F.”
“Alright, very good”. The Detective said that oddly, he must really be concentrating on the spell.
“Also, the criminal was most likely a Gnome, Halfling, or Goblin”
__________________________________________________ _______________
Oliver stopped his spell; he wasn’t picking up much of anything. What looked like a Gust of Wind, which explains how they moved the bills that quickly. They probably held a Bag of Holding or a portable hole or something open to catch most of the bills.
Now, normally he wished the rookie would shut up, but here he had to see what the idiot was babbling about.
“Alright, what makes you say that”.
“The Blueprints sir”. The rookie pulled them out, dropping most of them in the process. “I was looking for a way they got in without going through the lobby, and I found something interesting”. He finally found what he was looking for. “The Ceiling, up there, it’s solid stone except that it’s at the base of a Dormanger type pillar, which means there should be a Streetbuilder’s accesses tunnel at the base. According to the blueprints, the tunnel is built to Gnome standard. It’s the only way they could have gotten in and out without alerting the Trolls.
Oliver threw some dust at the plain stone ceiling and started focusing, and what do you know, transmutation magic.
“I’ll be damned. They busted a hole, then fixed it up, looks like a Stone Shape or something. Which means a two-man job. The caster and the safecracker.”
Oliver took another look at the safe. It’s massive door stood ajar, it’s inside revealing a mess of clockwork that made his brain hurt.
“Rookie, do you got that book of Safecrackers?”
“Yes, I have it right here Detective-”
“Good, Shaddup and look in there for a Rank A small-sized Safecracker known to use strength enhancement, he’d need it to budge that door.”
The rookie started looking through the book while Oliver took another look at the lock. The runes were all in check and glowing softly, but he saw the faintest scratches in the metal.
“Add in that he’s probably got mithril tools, that stuff might not show up in there, but these crackers love their tools more than anything.”
“Here’s one, Krazzlik Gordash, a goblin, his brother’s a sorcerer. He mainly specializes in smaller lockboxes according to this. No mention of tools, but he may have picked up a new set”.
“Nice guess but no. Books out of date, Krazzlik and his brother got caught trying to do a job in Mithril heights. The Brother’s in the Vault, Kraz is feeding the ghouls in the necropolis. What else ya got?”
“Here’s one, Jonathan Quillan, Halfing , suspected alliance member. Last year it was suspected that he pinched an enchanted crowbar from the Streetbuilders, which would let him open that safe door. Alias Johnny Quickfinger”.
Graveyard Shift part 5

Jack the Nimble, Jack the Quick
Help me flee, help me trick.
Cloud their eyes and damp my noise
trip their feet and take their toys
Tommy “The Rat” Lemmor muttered the prayer and hoped the smiling saint was listening, and would intervene before his pursuer, whomever it was, caught up with him.
The man had entered the Squeaky Wheel and instantly started approaching Tommy’s table. Tommy thought he smelled something off about him, but this close to the East Steamworks, even a wererat’s smell was only of limited use.Tommy didn’t start to worry until he spied a gleam from the man’s coat pocket, Silver.
At this point Tommy, who made a point to always know the fastest way out of wherever he was, bolted for the door, the man in hot pursuit. That was ten minutes ago. Tommy considered himself pretty fast, but this guy was relentless, while Tommy scrambled and jumped and climbed his way through the tangle of backstreets, the guy just ran, keeping up a steady pace, never tiring. What was up with this guy. If he didn’t lose him soon he’d have to run into the copper junkyard, and while he could doubtlessly find him there, he could easily break a leg and be lost forever in that mess. Tommy turned to look back, to see if he’d shaken his relentless pursuer, only to run headfirst into what felt like a wall of iron. When the stars cleared he felt himself in the firm grip of a burly man in the uniforms of the Merchant Agents.
The guy, his pace slowed to a jog, approached, pulling out a pair of silvered handcuffs and a badge.
“Detective Gordon Tordely, Municipal Investigations. I’ll take it from here”.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Thanks for lending me a hand here Ollie”
“No problem Gordon, besides, since it looks like our cases have some overlap here”
“You mean Jonny Quickfinger”
“Yeah”
“We don’t even know if either your corpse or my safecracker WAS Quickfinger”.
“It fits though, and don’t pretend it doesn’t. Dorkal got sketches from all three Streetbuilders that matched the archive’s description of Johnny Quickfinger. He pulled the bank job, then somebody gave him a new knife. We just have to figure out who and why”.
“Which brings us to our friend. A contact of mine says he’s an information broker, got ears everywhere in the underground. The Allies use him to spy on each other, but since all he does is ask and listen it’s nigh-impossible to actually pin anything on him”.
“So, what’d you drag him down here on?”
“Resisting Arrest, I chased him between the Commons and the Steamworks, ergo, it’s multiple districts, and our jurisdiction”.
“What were you going to arrest him on?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to talk”
“No judge in Ishka will let that fly and he knows that”
“How about murder? A Wererat was implicated in a stabbing near his stomping grounds”
“We caught that guy didn’t we?”
“Tommy doesn’t know that”.
Oliver grinned “You know what, I take that back. For the next ten minutes, I’m pretty darn sure we’re still looking for a wererat who stabbed a guy on Gramer Street”
“I agree, let’s squeeze us a Rat”.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Guy (Gordon, that was his name, right?) and a gnome entered the room (a Gnome, that explained the little high-chair on the other side of the table).
The Guy spoke first “Just so you know Tommy, this is a formality. We could get you into the Vault in no time”.
The Gnome spoke next “It was your bad luck really. You decide to stab some guy, happens to be a bureaucrat from the treasury. Which makes that Murder of a City Official, we can send you to the Vault a good long time for that”.
“WHAT, I never stabbed anybody”.
“Do you have an Alibi we couldn’t arrest you for?”
Tommy thought. Meeting with several wanted Alliance members wasn’t exactly the type of thing you wanted to talk about in this room, especially with the anti-lie runes his chair was covered with.
“Alright, what do you want. I know you’re playing games here, you don’t want me in the Vault, you want information. So, what do you need to know?”
“Johnny Quickfinger, that’s what. What jobs was he pulling recently”
“Johnny? Lessee, he broke in the Warehouse, stole a crowbar from the Streetbuilders, got some help from some guys. In exchange he’d do some work for them”.
“What sort of work, what guys!”
“I dunno, I just heard rumors, no facts!”
“I like rumors”
“Alright, rumor said that Bloody Jack had some of his boys give Johnny a hand with the Warehouse job, and in exchange Johnny would help work the Graveyard Shift”.

Owrtho
2009-12-14, 03:45 PM
Unfortunately I don't have any way of making a PDF:smallannoyed:......sorry

Well the easiest was is to use a program like CutePDF which acts like a virtual printer you select when printing something from a normal text editor, but instead of actually printing it out it has you save it as a PDF.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2009-12-14, 11:11 PM
Is it free? Cuz that's the budget I'm working with right now.

Owrtho
2009-12-15, 02:47 AM
Yes, it is. At least so long as you have a functioning computer with internet (which from your posting here I assume you do).

Owrtho

Silverscale
2009-12-15, 06:38 AM
OK I have a PDF ready of the whole thread minus every ones sigs and a few redundant quotes. So how do I post a link to it here on the forum?

drakir_nosslin
2009-12-15, 03:31 PM
I've never used it, but I think that Google docs allows you to upload pdf:s, and then all you have to do is post a link here, just write flavor text (URL goes here)

Silverscale
2009-12-18, 06:41 AM
Well folks, If I've done this correctly then HERE (https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B3eFBmg3c5acNWMwOWRhNGMtYzU2MC00YzViL TkwZmQtZDg0MGZiMmVjMGVh&hl=en) is the entire forum up to the top of page 11 minus every ones Sig and a few redundancies.

Work and the Holiday season is getting in the way of pairing everything down but I'm already half way through and I should be able to finish the rest shortly after the holidays.

Renrik
2009-12-18, 01:35 PM
Everything you need to know about The Wild:

http://www.greenanarchy.info/index.php

Well, mix that with some crust-punks, neotribalism, and deep ecology, with a bit more mysticism and a bit less social critique.

The Collective is essentially the One Big Union idea, so if you need inspiration, imagine the IWW, but way, way more militant.

Now, we have a Humans First hate group. Do you think we should make other hate groups? Or a goblin nationalist group? I already have a Goblin Nationalist group ready to go. Two of them, in fact. I developed them in The Town down in Silly Message Board Games. You've got the more secular, nationalist, and federationist Goblin Statehood Army (GSA), and the fundamentalist, racialist, and theocratic Sons of Maglubiyet (SoM).

BRC
2009-12-18, 02:45 PM
Ah, Ishka. This thread brings back memories...

Silverscale
2009-12-20, 10:34 PM
Everything you need to know about The Wild:

http://www.greenanarchy.info/index.php

Well, mix that with some crust-punks, neotribalism, and deep ecology, with a bit more mysticism and a bit less social critique.
So tree-hugging Radical-hippies



Now, we have a Humans First hate group. Do you think we should make other hate groups? Or a goblin nationalist group? I already have a Goblin Nationalist group ready to go. Two of them, in fact. I developed them in The Town down in Silly Message Board Games. You've got the more secular, nationalist, and federationist Goblin Statehood Army (GSA), and the fundamentalist, racialist, and theocratic Sons of Maglubiyet (SoM).
Not necessarily Hate groups but if all the races with a large enough representation (Elves, Dwarves, Kobolds, etc) had they're own "Mafia" style group....perhaps as part of the Alliance or perhaps separate.

Renrik
2009-12-20, 11:12 PM
So tree-hugging Radical-hippies

If hippies killed you.

BRC
2009-12-20, 11:32 PM
If hippies killed you.
And regularly attacked roadworkers, only roadworkers trying to stop the city from collapsing.

Owrtho
2009-12-21, 02:32 AM
This setting is quite fun. It's nice to look over it again and be reminded of everything I'd forgotten. BRC, you should certainly write some more graveyard shift. It was quite good, and I would most certainly look forward to the conclusion.
Also, if anyone were to run a game with this setting, I might be interested in taking part.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2009-12-21, 09:18 AM
And regularly attacked roadworkers, only roadworkers trying to stop the city from collapsing.

You mean the Street-Builders?

What do people think of my idea for race specific Mafia groups to add to the list of Hate groups?

Owrtho
2009-12-21, 03:40 PM
I'd expect they wouldn't really be hate groups. Likely more of an 'business' group that seems to be made almost exclusively of members of a single race or handful of races and is rather entrusting of people not of said race or races.
They'd likely be willing to cooperate with other races, just highly unlikely to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-01-02, 02:04 PM
While I've been away visiting Family for the holidays and unable to work on pairing down the posts, which I will get back to soon, I had an idea for a Point of Interest

Point of Interest: Millennium Tree
Location: Grove District
Situated near the bank of the river as it comes off the lake, before plunging into the canyon, is a massive tree that has been growing there since long before the City of Ishka grew up around it. The tree is dwarfed in size only by the very largest of the temples and the Mithril Tower.
The central feature of one of the largest sections of the Grove District, this tree is home to a large number of fey and a tribe of Elves who guard over it. There is also a sect of Druids who commune with the tree for it is indeed a very magical and ancient sentience. Though few can say for certain that they have ever heard it "speak" The gifts it has given and the ones it has chosen to give those gifts to point to a very wise intelligence. The tree even seems to be able to sense when danger is approaching and warn those around it before danger comes.

Sorry this isn't a very good description. For those of you who have read through any of the "Rifts" books you'll recognize what I'm talking about.

Silverscale
2010-01-03, 11:52 PM
I've just realized that we've overlooked an important part of the city. Since Ishka started out as a fishing village, part of it would have naturally grown into a sea port. Therefore in the interest of completeness....

District: The Port District
Other Names: Port-town, The Waterfront, Pirates Cove
Government Type: Guild Masters Collective. While each guild in the area runs itself fairly efficiently, the Guild Masters come together once a month to share information and ideas. The Collective votes every two years on who gets sent to the City Council.
Police Force: Ishka Port Authority

I'm bad at fluff. Someone else can write some if they like.

Owrtho
2010-01-04, 02:19 AM
I thought it started as a mining town. Still a port district makes some sense.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-01-04, 10:45 AM
I thought it started as a mining town. Still a port district makes some sense.

Owrtho

However it started, I've always envisioned Ishka as covering the entire length of a great river that starts at the Lake District, flows through the canyon, and winds up at the Port District by the sea. I mean it is described as being 450 miles long, which if you think about it, the city is longer than the State of Maryland.

Silverscale
2010-01-04, 09:28 PM
At long last, I have the whole thing paired down into 6 different documents covering Districts, Places of Interest, Organizations, City History, Important Figures, and Holidays......
I have not extracted the Garbage Campaign since I don't plan on using it for my own campaign.
I've already posted the entirety of Graveyard Shift in an earlier post.

What would be the most helpful/easiest to read method for me to post the documents here?

50cr4t3s
2010-01-15, 10:20 AM
I stop by on a whim to reread some stuff, and wouldn't you know the thread started up without me.

If you'll recall, the village is believed to have been a fishing village, but much of the actual details of that time have been lost to time. There are of course ports in the Lake District, but it makes sense that there would be another large port further down the river.

As for the Millennium Tree. Should we consider this tree's Consciousness a member of the Saints?

[Edit]
Here's the list of all the Saints mentioned so far:
(Mentioned in Graveyard Shift) Saint Radlen
Saint Kenrik
Saint Bretre
Saint Baltin
Saint Merkiel
Saint Cassandra
Saint Olliden
Saint Minerva
First Builder
Fleet-Footed Jack
Hulutch
The Twin Dragon Saints
The Stone Raven

Silverscale
2010-01-16, 04:09 PM
If you'll recall, the village is believed to have been a fishing village, but much of the actual details of that time have been lost to time. There are of course ports in the Lake District, but it makes sense that there would be another large port further down the river.
That's kinda what I figured, although I was envisioning the Port District to be all the way at the other end of the canyon where the river meets the ocean.



As for the Millennium Tree. Should we consider this tree's Consciousness a member of the Saints?

[Edit]
Here's the list of all the Saints mentioned so far:
(Mentioned in Graveyard Shift) Saint Radlen
Saint Kenrik
Saint Bretre
Saint Baltin
Saint Merkiel
Saint Cassandra
Saint Olliden
Saint Minerva
First Builder
Fleet-Footed Jack
Hulutch
The Twin Dragon Saints
The Stone Raven

As for the Millennium Tree...two things really
1. Yes that actually sounds like a good idea considering it plays a major part in protecting a large portion of the city.
2. The similarity between the Millennium Tree and The Home Tree from AVATAR, is completely unintentional but also undeniable....as previously stated the idea came from a Rifts Setting Book but, for those who have not read the source book, it is a lot like the Home Tree, at least as portrayed in the movie.

Silverscale
2010-01-17, 10:58 PM
Finally for your viewing pleasure....and because I have nothing better to do right now.....no these have not been Alphabetized sorry......

The Districts of Ishka
Name: The Necropolis
Other Names: Shambletown. Boneville. Gravecity.
Government Type: Lichocracy.
Police Force: Order of the Bone Shield.
The Necropolis is ruled by a lich named Graveborle the Uncaring. He has been "Alive" so long that he no longer has any interest in actually running the district. Instead, he appoints ministers to handle things for him, so the powerful undead in the district are always trying to figure out how to interest him so he picks their candidate of choice. Interesting novelties, especially books, are prized in the district as they are the best way to attract his favor. Each minister serves for a decade, or until Graveborle is convinced to dismiss them from service and choose somebody to replace them. They are currently represented on the council by the vampire Lord Charles Marche.

Name: Primordium
Other Names: The Beginning, The First District, The Ancient City
Government Type: Seat of the City's Ruling Council
Police Force: Eternal Guards
As the city grew larger and larger in the canyon, a group of mages thought it would be prudent to preserve part of the original city before it was lost in the massive network of bridges, tunnels, and towers. They transported the entire original village into an extra dimensional space, in order to preserve it. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. After the last of the mages died, a new order of mages decided to expand upon the original village, to make it a more fitting place to house the City Council. The extra dimensional space is now a city in it's own right, with some of the most beautiful architecture in all the city. It is guarded by an order of immortal warriors (not undead) who have pledged to guard Primordium, and the council members, for all of eternity.

Name: The Steamworks
Other Names: The Clanks, Factory District, Rustland
Government Type: Unions/Merchant Leaders
Police Force: The Merchant Agents
The Steamworks is the generic name given to the various steam-powered factory regions scattered throughout the city, nestled away in the old caves. Their industry is powered by vast steam turbines, fueled by permanent elemental fonts. They are the source of almost all modern technological advances and house the best craftsmen of the city. Most of the structures in this area of the city are made of riveted metal, and they rust extremely quickly in the steamy, humid climate, leading to its nickname of Rustland.
There is a constant competition between the unions of the Steamworks and a council of the most powerful merchant managers in the region, always vying and competing with each other to be recognized as the district government. They do this by trying to win the favour of the Merchant Agents; those that do so are virtually guaranteed of being the official governing body for as long as they can maintain that favour. The Merchant Agents are a skilled police body which both maintains the peace in the district and ensures that the industry remains profitable and efficient. Proposing new plans for increased efficiency is a good way to win favour from the Agents.
The rapid rusting that occurs in the Steamworks means that the Streetbuilders spend an inordinate amount of time keeping the Works together.

Name: Customs and Immigrations
Other Names: Foreigner's Corner, Little Gateville, CnI
Government Type: Under the direct control of the city council, this is the one area that sends no representative there
Police Force: The Social Inspectors
In C&I, there are large gates to other planes. Not one-way gates or gates that allow travel between to points in the city, but an array of several gates to small inhabited cities on other planes. It is here that immigrants to the city must pass through if they wish to achieve legality, and it's the Social Inspectors (commonly referred to as the SI) who decide this. If they think you speak proficient enough Common, have enough wealth, and have some useful talent, they'll let you stay. If you can't prove you're worth it, however, they'll send you right back through the way you came without a second thought (and you don't get your warp fee back, either).
The Social Inspectors have gotten in trouble with the past for denying certain kinds of visitors more often than others, but there is often little anything beyond a direct decree from the city council can do to stop immigration discrimination.
Some of the most frequently used gates are the ones from the Elemental Chaos (home to many genasi and the raw elemental forces that power the Steamworks), the Astral Plane (classy illithids and less class giths and ganks find their way from here), and Celestia (common immigrants are aasimar, rogue leonals, and other 'less-than-divine' visitors who can't quite take the rigors of perfect living anymore).

Name: The Grove District
Other Names: The Woods, Little Wilderness, Faerietown (like Little Italy and Chinatown, respectively), the Groves
Government Type: Each ethnic group major enough to be recognized sends a single representative to a sort of elder's council. The council then picks a single trusted representative for their entire district. Notable ethnic groups are the Lycanthropes, who almost always have a Werebear on the council, the Treants, the Greater Fey, who usually post a Dryad, the Myconid, the Sprites, and the Druids. Other ethnic and political groups come and go. The Wild has been trying to get a seat on the elder council for years, and has yet to do so.
Police Force: The Rangers. The rangers (not all of them being actual rangers, of course) roam the levels of trees in their Groves, stopping any sort of exploitation of nature, keeping balance, and (when forced to) enforcing the laws of the city. There have been many a time when the rangers have ignored a crime because they didn't feel like enforcing it, and then arrested someone for harvesting green wood instead of dead wood.
I like the idea of Grove Districts, which would be single districts in the sense that the Steamworks is a single district. Throughout the city, there would be areas that massive groves grew, their branches growing higher than the top of the canyon and spilling out to make a massive canopy in those districts (most districts would not have that canopy cover). This would be the district of the city where plant creatures, some sentient animals, nature fey, druids, and most of the Wild tend to make their residence. The Steamworks and their residents tend to dislike the Groves, feeling that they waste too many resources that could be used for industrial and mercantile purposes. Indeed, the relatively slow trickle of darkwood out of the Groves keeps them well funded, artificially inflating the cost of darkwood, when a team of lumberjacks sent in to clear the place out could provide enough darkwood for a century in a single day.

Name: The Draconic Heritage Collective
Other Names: Dragonland, Dragon's Roost, Slayer's Hell
Government Type: A consulate of two ancient dragons
Police Force: The Dragonfire Brigade (The brigade is comprised exclusively of Dragonfire Adepts of a variety of races)
Way back in the day, a pair of ancient dragons (one red and one gold) decided to settle their difference in a rousing game of strategy. The loser was to be banished, and the winner to hold dominion over the loser's lands. Both brought with them a contingent of kobold worshippers, who were to serve and provide for them as they played in an isolated cave in a canyon wall, miles down river from and above a tiny human fishing settlement. Centuries later, at the end of their game, they emerged from their cave to find a massive, opulent temple built around their cave. Around the temple had been built a district dedicated to those with draconic ancestry of some kind. The dragons, whose game had come out to be a ties, set about on a new game (one so vast and infinite that it couldn't possibly be won or lost). The dragons started playing the markets, becoming merchant kings, and possibly the two richest beings in the city (if not the richest organization as a whole). To this day, they rule as consuls of the district, appointing one of their followers to represent them in the city-wide council.
This district includes Half-dragons, Young dragons, Dragonborn, Kobolds, and all manner of other sentient Dragon kind. Pseudodragons can be seen swooping through the skies catching birds in the same manner as the falcons that roost on skyscrapers in modern cities

Name: The Mithral Heights
Other Names: Wingtown, The Clouds, Snob Heights, The Skydocks
Government Type: The Highest. Those who can afford it and live in the Heights pay their way onto a small committee which charges an exorbitant entrance fee. One of them is then chosen (they really just bribe bribe their way) into the great position of the Highest, who has the greatest authority over the Falcons and the rest of the committee.
Police Forces: The Falcons. The Falcons are a private paramilitary force funded by the richest of the rich people who live in the Heights. They're all equipped with the best of magical equipment and standard-issue flying devices and extremely finely crafted bows.
The Mithral Heights is the name of the district made up of the airship skydocks, floating platforms, and housing the surrounds the Tower, suspended in mid air. This district's population is largely made up of the richest of the rich, airmen, and aerial species. As such, the district ranges from very rich to very poor. The rich ones are the only ones with actual power, though, so that hardly matters as far as the rest of the city is concerned.
On the topic of the tower, I think that its origin would likely have been that a wealthy business man found a massive deposit of mithral in a part of land that he had purchased. Rather than sell it to craftsmen, he used it as the building material for a massive tower. The tower's base is where the opening of the old mine is, and the tower itself extends up beyond the clouds. Indeed, because it converted the mine that its material came from into actual carved-stone, finished rooms, it extends nearly as far below the surface as it does above. The business man has actually had a great deal of success with the tower, renting out space to wealth individuals as apartments and to successful business as work places. The stone rooms below serves mostly as warehouses, stock rooms, and vaults. They are so heavily warded that it is considered suicidal to try to steal from them. The base of the tower rests in the Steamworks, and it technically governed by them. The building's owner is adamantly of the anti-union stance. It's rumoured that he may also be involved in Alliance works.

Name: The Commons
Other Names: Plainville, the "In Between", NorCo/SoCo
Government: Aristocratic Republic
Police force: The Watch
The Commons is the largest of the city's districts, and in fact spreads throughout the city. Filling in the pieces between the other districts. It's population is largely human, but there are enough non-humans there so they don't attract attention.
The District used to be ruled by a noble class, but after a few uprisings they adopted a more democratic stance. Elections are held, but only those with noble blood can hold major office. The District is actually split into two separate districts, the North Commons, and the South Commons, mainly for political reasons. However, North and South commons are politically and culturally similar enough that they don't need separate entries.

Name: The Academy
Other Names: Scholarville, Magetown. Wizland.
Government: Magocracy
Police Force: The Custodians.
The Academy is one of the two major magical districs in the city. Unlike the Mages District, which is home to many independent practitioners, the Academy is one institution. Though Magic is it's focus, the Academy studies all the sciences, and it's magical students are highly encouraged to study at least one other science. The lower levels are for Novices and Apprentices, containing living quarters, classrooms, recreation areas, library, workshops, ect. The layers above those are more of the same, but designed for older, more advanced students. This pattern continues until the very top layers, the "Searchers Circle", where the ultimate graduates spend the rest of their lives in study. Though experimental labs and research happens throughout the district, once you become a "Searcher", the implication is that you know so much that, anything else you might learn about your science, you will probably have to discover for yourself.
Most Students leave the Academy upon reaching adulthood, often moving to the Mages District, but some stay, pursing Knowledge for Knowledges sake, For these individuals, their education never ends. Most become assistants for a Researcher, though some become Professors, or find some other position in the Academy.
The Academy is patrolled by a force known as the Custodians. Their numbers are actually quite small, but if need be, they can have Academy Wizards prepare for combat and join their ranks, or summon creatures to assist them in combat.

Name: Stadel
Other Names: Out Town, Lost Land, The Lost District
Government Type: King of Stadel
Police Force: Stadel Guard
Long ago, when the city was still fairly new, an entire district of the city vanished. Merchants travel to this district one morning and found it simply gone, with nothing left in its place. Mages and scholars spent months of sleepless nights pondering the fate of this district, but in the end, no answer was ever discovered. Many attempts to build on the site of the district were made, but no matter how stable the structure, or how powerful the magic, it all vanished in the blink of an eye. The city continued to grow, and the gap in the city was closed so as to prevent further loses.
Less then a decade ago, citizens were shocked to wake up one morning, and as mysteriously as it had appeared, the district had returned. Unfortunately, time had not stopped for this lost district, and their newest generation believed they were under attack when they found themselves suddenly in the center of a vast and never ending city. A small battle ensued, quickly put down by the forces of the city. It ended with the "King" of the district surrendered and swore loyalty to the City Council.
Little is known about what happened to the district. But tales from it's inhabitants described growing up with their district surrounded by a dark and terrible void from which no one had every returned. Their ancestors had apparently survived only by the wit and cunning of their most noble family, the Stadel. Their ancestors had renamed their home in honor of these heroes. They even went so far as to make the Stadel family the monarchs of there small land.
The inhabitants are distrustful of the rest of the city, and will rarely speak with outsiders. They keep to themselves and have little to do with any of the cities organizations (even the Alliance).

Name: The Vault
Other Names: Prison, The Pokey, The Clink, The Hole
Government Type: The Warden. The Warden, an supposedly immortal construct of vast intellect and magical prowess, is the sole governor of the Vault. It rules with a merciless iron fist, and communicates remotely with the city's council instead of going in person as the district's representative.
Police Force: The Guard. The Guard is made up mostly of sentient and mindless constructs, animated by the Warden to police the Vault. They are absolutely loyal to the warden, and follow its edicts without question.
With all of the people in the city, the criminals need to go somewhere. When a suspected criminal is arrested, they're put to trial. If convicted, they are either fined, given some sort of probationary punishment, or sent to serve a certain term in the Vault. There is no death sentence. The vault is a massive extradimensional space constructed by the Academy, staffed by an immortal workforce of constructed. Beings there are kept in solitary confinement in sections of the vault based on how much of a potential threat they could be to others.
People serving short sentences for petty crimes are allowed a lot more time out of their cells. People serving life sentences rarely see anything other than the blank face of a construct. Rumours about that sinister acts are performed on lifers, using them for magical and surgical experimentation, among other things. These rumours are unsubstantiated, but whether that's because lifers are in for life or because they're false is unknown.

Name: The chambers
Other names: Exile's cavern, The hole
Government: Anarchy
Police force: The Sentinels
The chambers are a group of mined out tunnels and caverns where dangerous criminals are sent. The sentinels make sure no-one leaves but other than that, no law exists. the chambers are an unpleasant subject that are rarely talked about among the city's other inhabitants. What goes on there is unknown, but its no doubt unpleasant for most involved. the sentinels are lead by commander Tergan, a Dwarven warrior of no small skill who has foiled every escape attempt in the last three decades. the council representative Leutenant Brigg is often requesting more funds for their efforts. The chambers are warded against extadimensional travel.

Name: Hedon
Other Names: The Pleasure District, The Red-light District, The Flesh Market
Government Type: Madam and Master (independently expensive)
Police Forces: The police forces of this district have no actual name. Violators of the law in Hedon are captured and sold into the flesh trade until the debt of their offenses has been paid.
Hedon is a district devoted entirely to indulgences of the flesh. It is located in a cave below the city, with a wide entrance revealing a spiral expanse that continues deep into the earth. At the entrance to the District the shops include hundreds brothels catering to nearly every species. As people continue down the spiral, the cave contains shops catering to thousands of tastes that many might find "devient." As the districts continues down the spiral one begins to see shops catering to tastes viewed by all but the most depraved and vile individuals to be absolutely disgusting. Hedon is publicly denounced by nearly every Councilmen, yet despite this, Hedon is one of the greatest economic forces in the entire city.

Name: The Art Community
Other Names: Bardnest, pretension-ville, party district.
Government Type: Oligarchy made of rich art patrons.
Police Forces: The Watch (if they have time). Law enforcement is poor in this district.
The Art Community mainly houses bards and bardic schools. There are also less spectacular artists there, and the patrons who commission their art. This is a small community with little wealth outside the patrons. However, much of the city’s culture and local color comes from this district. People will often come to this district for festivals, parties, and plays.

Name: The Monastery
Other Names: The district where time has stopped, purity-town, the awful lawful.
Government Type: The head abbot/abbess both rules this district and reports to the council.
Police Forces: Individual residents take care of themselves.
The Monastery is where monks, paladins, and other quiet lawful types go to meditate. Very little goes on here, except for the training of monks. It is the quietest part of the city, and it has the lowest crime rate. People may come here for quiet, for spiritual advice, or to convince one of the monks or paladins to help them with some good and lawful quest. The Monastery is located in the cave farthest from the city. The tunnel connecting the cave and the city is long and dark. This district is poor, mostly by choice of its residents.

Name: The Collected Colleges
Other Names: The School, The Book Stacks, The Nerdland
Government Type: Merit based council of Experts
Police Force: Law Enforcement Networked System (devices mounted on every street corner and in every building are capable of immobilizing criminals until the Watch arrive)
The Book Stacks are the home of the most intelligent and best educated people in the city. These men and women are called upon by nearly every organization in the city, from the Streetbuilders and Merchant Agents to the Alliance and The Eyes, consult the Collected Colleges when they need the opinions of experts. The Collected Colleges have apparently made discoveries that allow technology to rival magic, but since magic is so much cheaper, these technologies have not spread to much of the city. The Steamworks owe much of their success to the developments and discoveries of Nerdland.

Name: Ravenshome
Other Names: That district, the place, that place, the district, place of the stone ravens, That place where those bloody bird statues are always watching everything you do
Government Type: Marital
Police Forces: The Sentinels
No one is quite sure where it came from. One popular theory is that the place used to be the home of a powerful spellcasters who had somewhat better defenses than needed. Others say that it was always there and just hadn't been noticed until later. Still others say the Sentinels came with raiders from a random gate in the distant past. None the less, that the place exists can't be denied.
People who enter that district will quickly notice the abundance of raven statues, most of which are slightly larger than a human (usually the first notice it with the large pair that sit on either side of every way in and out). People who are there for more than a few minutes will notice the feeling that the statues are watching them, and don't seem to stay in the same place. Asking the residents will just get the answer that they're the sentinels. Thats about all that is known about them. It has been noticed though that while no one has ever seen them move, they do seem to do so, as sometimes they will show up where it is known there weren't any before, or not be where you just saw one. Similarly covering them will always result in the cover having somehow come off as soon as you aren't looking. Attempting to break them will result in it wither being intact again as soon as you look away, or it and the rubble missing when you look back again.
It is also noted that wherever you go, the statues are there. Even inside the buildings and homes, any room one enters there will always be one of the statues there. Due to this, the place is not very popular to live. The reason people will go there to live however is that it boasts the lowest crime rate of any place in the city. Something attributed entirely to the sentinels. No one is quite sure what they do, but people who break the law seem to have a high tendency to disappear the next time they go somewhere alone. Those that don't, usually the one with only smaller crimes, will usually find the place suddenly become dark, and the next time they can see they will find an ornate raven tattoo on their left hand and arm (its head on their hand and its wings extending up their arm). Looking closely one can see their crimes listed in over 100 languages making up the lines of the wings (which are proportional to their crimes and the severity of them in length). While normally harmless, if they try to cover it, they will feel a burring pain, after which they will find the mark has bled through what they used to cover it and the wings will be longer under the charge of avoiding justice. Some have tried going so far as to cut off their arm, which will have similar result with the whole mark showing up at the point they cut the arm off and the wings much larger under the charge of preventing justice. The mark is also noted to grow with every crime the person commits. No one is quite sure what else the mark does, but some have noticed that the statues that are around the person will frequently have red gemstones in their eyes, and that once the mark gets too large the people seem to vanish.
Due to this, criminals tend to avoid the place, and when they must enter are quite well behaved. Some have thought that if they leave they can remove the mark only to find that if they're mark is too large they can't seem to get past the sentinels at the exits of the place, and always seem to become disoriented and take a wrong path whenever they get too close. Others have tried having the mark dispelled or having it removed like a curse. None have been found to be effective, instead they will cause the mark to grow and a stone bracelet with a raven head carved in it will grow out of the persons arm, seeming to match up with the mark. These are found to be irremovable in a similar way to the mark, and are believed by many to be smaller portable versions of the sentinels. This has even lead to the theory that those who disappear are actually turned into sentinels. For such reasons those who are marked are often avoided by other criminals.
Those who have tried to use magic for crime in the district will also quickly find that the sentinels seem to be able to form an anti-magic field between three or more of them. Oddly enough, they seem to be able to function just fine inside the fields, or at least are believed to be able to (considering no one has ever seen them do anything). Their marks also seem unaffected by anti-magic fields, to the general dismay of their bearers.
Outside the sentinels, there is no government in the district. None seem to be able to gain any control over them, nor can they figure out why they are there or uphold the rules they do. The laws of the district are displayed on a pillar that was made in the center after the actions of the sentinels were found. The laws have been mainly determined by what people do before disappearing and what the marks say. Every so often someone will find a new offense that causes a mark to be found on them and it will be subsequently added to the list.
Also, while there is no real proof, there are some that would swear the district has been gradually getting bigger, and the sentinels at the exits have been getting further and further from the center over the years. Though most dismiss the idea as paranoid.

Name: Ungul
Other Names: Hoofs Heights, The Donkey Path, Animal Farm
Government Type: Tribal federation of centaur tribes, in which other
Police Forces: Various tribal forces enforcing unwritten but commonly understood law.
This town, which borders heavily on one of the Grove areas, is constructed entirely to fit the needs of four-legged inhabitants, and is as such inhabited primarily by centaurs, bauriars, unicorn, and their ilk. It has a certain resemblance to the grove, albeit with less trees, in that it is not all cobblestones and houses. The centaurs founded the district and maintain control over it, though other races therein increasingly demand representation in their government. They don;t push too hard, though- they'd rather live here unrepresented than live elsewhere with a vote, and the centaurs aren't particularly oppressive.

Name: Gulliver's Heights
Other Names: Bigtown, the Tall Heights,
Government Type: Thranething, a council made of representatives of each of the giant races living in the district, with speaking, nonvoting places for ogres and other non-giant big guys. How the selection works is left to each race. The Thranething chooses its representative for the council, currently a wealthy merchant named Jonyrhing 'Little Jon' Rhutthym, a fire giant of great size.
Police Forces: Mountain Guard, a force made up of various giant races, but with a disproprotionate number of Stone Giants and Fire Giants. Answers to the Thranething.
The giants in Gulliver's Heights tend not to venture into the uncomfortably cramped areas of the rest of the city, instead allowing little folk who would seek their company to brave the broad streets of Bigtown. Different parts of the district are dominated by different races of giant, and the clouds above it are stationary- they're part of the district, too, and the home of cloud and storm giants. The district has a few guest rooms in cupboards, closets, and such, for medium and small visitors. One curious bylaw of the community is that it is illegal to cultivate beans within its limits.

Name: The Dark City
Other Names: The City of Midnight, Underland, Downtown
Government Type: Aristocratic Republic
Police Force: The Dark Army (A standing army supported by the aristocrats who maintain martial law in this district.)
As the mines of the great city continued down into the earth, it was only a matter of time before the City came face to face with the elves of the Underdark. The first miners to encounter the Drow in these deep caverns never returned to the surface. The city sent M.I. agents to investigate the disappearances, and they quickly learned of the miners fate. A brutal war was fought between the Underdark and the surface. However, by this time the City was already so massive, its forces simply overwhelmed the unsuspecting Drow, until they were trapped in their own city with the enemy closing in. The Matriarch of the Drow refused to surrender. She planned to fortify herself within a fortress she had instructed her most powerful mages and skilled craftsmen to build at the city's center, where she was confident she could outlast the will of these invaders. It became clear to many nobles of the Drow, that the Matriarch had limited room in her fortress, and would take only a small number of nobles with her. Outraged by here strategy, a large number of Drow nobles defected to the City and attack the Matriarch's forces. The coup was quick and bloody, but the Matriarch did escape with a small circle of nobles to her fortress. To this very day, the Dark Army besieges this fortress in a never ending vigil.
The remainder of the Drow agreed to be annexed by the City. Most civilians have left the Dark City district in the many years since the siege began, and it is mostly inhabited by the Dark Army and their families, and the few Drow too stubborn to be uprooted. What used to be the civilian quarters of the city have been converted into employee housing used by mining corporations for their deepest expeditions, and much of there former merchant district has been converted into a large branch of the Steamworks.

Name: Everdark
Other Names: The lightless district, the dark place
Government Type: Council with members chosen by the main groups as they see fit
Police Force: The Lurkers
Everdark is a place mainly for nocturnal creatures. As such any form of light is not allowed in public. This tends to mean that people who lack the ability to see in the dark must usually get magical help or a guide. The Lurkers are a police force that focuses on stealth. Members are generally so good at hiding that even those who see easily in the dark are likely to miss them. As such it is no uncommon for newer criminals in the district to find they are attempting to commit a crime only a few feet from a Lurker.

Name: Shadowgate
Other Names: The place of shadows
Government Type: not sure, someone else decide
Police Force: The Shades
Bordering on Everdark, it is hard to say which is darker. Shadowgate is noted for its large number of gates to the plane of shadows. And due to the general populace and decor, it can often be hard to tell when you accidental step through one. The large number of gates are usually marked, though occasionally a new one appears or one closes. This is in part due to the citizens taking advantage of them to populate both the material plane version and the shadow plane version of the district. As such when trying to find a location it is often important to check which plane it is on. While light is allowed, unlike in Everdark, it is rare to see the inhabitants using it, and there are no streetlights. The Shades are a rather normal (if somewhat shady) police force, with the exception that all members much be able to freely cross between the material plane and the plane of shadows.

Name: Ether. (Poe's Hollow, Phantom Reach, Claud's Hamlet, 2 others)
Other Names: Ghost Town, The Haunting, Casper's Booville.
Government Type: Minimalist government of elected officials, who run the Wraithwatch, collect a small tax for infrastructure repair, and
Police Force: Wraithwatch, a force of elite already-dead guards utilizing ghost touch weapons.
The Aether does not take up any space in the city, instead being a confederation of small, spread-out districts that borders transistively on the Necropolis, the Commons, and other regions. The district is home to the ghost and ethereal population of the city. The districts are mostly around permanent gates to the ethereal plane, and have long-distance portals between them on a hub-spoke system centering on Poe's Hollow.
Notable inhabitants include:
Bloody Marian, the ghost of a Merkielite sister who ironically became an undead after her death (by murder), apparently as punishment for failing to guard the children in her charge from a marauding ghost. She cannot rest until she avenges their death personally. Unfortunately, their death has already been avenged. Hence, Bloody Marian is stuck forever in undeath, She is deeply depressed by this, especilly given her religious convictions. She attempts whenever possible to care for children. Whether to play her as the kind suffering mother of ghost children (whose parents are restfully dead), or as a malignant crazed threat to living children, is up to the DM.
Commodore Vleigenhoek- The ghost of an interplanar skyship captain. Whoever gets the joke first gets to flesh him out.

Name: Smallville
Other Names: The Mansion, The Hive, Littltetopia
Government Type: Council of Elders
Police Force: Splinter Squad, a force made of small and tiny members. Getting into the higher ranks of Splinter Squad typically requires the ability to fly.
In Gulliver's Height, an evil giant had a huge amazing mansion. He kept many small and tiny creatures as prisoners, often eating them. One day the prisoners staged a revolt. They killed the giant, and turned the huge mansion into a district capable of holding millions of small and tiny people.
Since then, other Smallvilles have opened up in various parts of the city. The preferred method is still to turn an existing building into accomadations for huge populations.
The Spintler Squad has vowed never to let the giants of the world take advantage of the little people.

Name: Galdren
Other Names: Farmland, The Fields, The Big Farm
Government Type: Communal Representative Council
Police Force: Walkers
At first glance, Galdren appears to be the largest district in the city. This is not actually the case. While Galdren has the largest single footprint of any district, it is a district on a flat expanse of land on the cliff overlooking the canyon. One of the only districts placed on only one layer, Galdren is proud to be one of the very few farmlands in the city to be planted in natural soil, and cultivated by real farmers (most farmers in this district are very vocal in there opposition to undead labor). These farms stretch from the edge of the canyon out to as far as any mortal eye can see.The residents of this district organize themselves into smaller communes within the district so that farming families can pool resources and cultivate more land. Once a month, these communes send a representative to a meeting of all the commune representatives, where they discuss the status of the crops, share new techniques, and yearly choose a representative to send to the City Council. Galdren is covered by a vast network of pipes, built by the Streetbuilders, that irrigate the entire district with clean water directly from the elemental plane of water. The farmers here have serious objections to the concept of undead labor, seeing it as a threat to their livelihood and way of life. The policing force of this district, the Walkers, is more of a neighborhood watch program than an actual guard. Those with the title of Walkers, are those who are considered qualified to handle dangerous criminals when the community has identified them.

Name: Annark
Other Names: Town in Flames, Chaos, Land of the Lost
Government: None (Anarchy).
Law Enforcement: None (Many residents hire Perfect Warriors).
In any city there are people who hate the structure and restrictions. For those people, the favored district is Annark. It is a district without rules or government, and there are many incarnations of Annark throughout the city. They do not have a representative for the City Council. There is an unspoken agreement that the Council will not enforce citywide laws inside Annark, and residents of Annark will abide by the laws if they are outside their own district. The unstable nature of Annark means that a branch of it may close at any time, and another may rise if a part of another district becomes overly chaotic.
Organization: Perfect Warriors
This organization is a mercenary group available for hire by anyone. They are as good as the next mercenary group, but use the name Perfect Warriors as a marketing ploy. Any member of Perfect Warriors may refuse a job for personal reasons, as they work by commission. The only enemies that the Perfect Warriors refuse to go up against are the Law Enforcements agencies of various districts. Residents of Annark often hire the Perfect Warriors as bodyguards or as a localized police force.

Name: Redmere
Other Names: Cinder, The Smokes
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Fire Platoon
Redmere is the citadel on the Elemental Plane of Fire. It is built of bricks of solidified fire, and all of its inhabitants are either naturally immune to the effects of fire, gain healing from fire, or have some sort of acquired, likely magical immunity to fire. The sole job of these soldiers is to tour the city's extended holdings throughout the plane and make sure that the gates from the elemental plane of fire to the city are safe and clear. It is because of the Fire Platoon that fire elementals don't flood the Steamworks and wreck havok in the city. Aside from that, the occasional trading party reaches Redmere, though these parties are few and far between. Though originally the Fire Platoon saw much action when Redmere was first built, the elementals have learned to avoid the city's holdings, and this is therefore considered to be a relatively boring post. The elementals know the fortress as Cinder.

Name: Aquarane
Other Names: Current, The Wash
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Water Platoon
Aquarane is the citadel on the Elemental Plane of Water. It is constructed of riverine and all of its inhabitants have the ability to breath water and either some sort of natural or acquired immunity to high-pressure environments. This is considered to be the worst assignment for members of the Elemental Army, as not only do members of the Water Platoon see less action than any other detachment, their daily responsibilities consist of clearing the much away from the gates to the city broken up only by the rare, uneventful patrol around the city's water holdings. Aside from the weekly exports of riverine, the fortress sees a fair amount of trade, but almost all of that is through-traffic to the city proper, carrying supplies of all manner of rich resources of the plane. The occasional Lake-dweller will visit Aquarane, but the reverse is more true. The elementals know the fortress as Current.

Name: Aerodyne
Other Names: Draft, Breezeland
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Air Platoon
The Air Platoon is considered one of the more fun positions in the Element Guard for a number of reasons. The first is that a ton of extraplanar airship traffic comes through it. Some stop there on the way to other planar locales, and some are going through to moor at the Tower, but all of them carry exotic wares and interesting passengers. The Guard sees to it that ships are protected from elementals and that the portals providing fresh air to deep tunnels and the upper floors of the Tower remain unimpeded. It's a common occurrence to need to chase rogue elementals away from the massive pumps, both to protect the pumps and to keep the elementals from getting hurt by being sucked in. The average member of the Air Platoon uses a longspear, a long bow, and a whip with either some sort of natural flight or a magical effect. Air elementals are usually chased away with long poles rather than lethal force. Many Falcons are former members of the Air Platoon and vice versa.
Aerodyne is a massive fortress of wood, paper, and clothe anchored in a massive fog bank in the elemental plane of air. The natives of the plane know the citadel as Draft.

Name: Terradome
Other Names: Brick, Mount Metal
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Earth Platoon
Terradome started as a mountainous adamantine nugget buried half way into the floor of the cavern in the Elemental Plane of Earth in which it was discovered. After a few centuries of excavating this super-hard material, the miners were left with a perfect, polished sphere of adamanium half-buried and completely hollow after the first two feet. The Earth Platoon, at the time operating out of an isolated network of tunnels, saw this as a great opportunity and acquired the sphere, building a citadel inside out of living crystal, making something of an artificial geode.
Hallways and rooms are lit by luminescent crystal formations, and fantastic sweeping vistas are formed of carefully moulded, carved, and sculpted crystal. The Earth Platoon oversees the prospecting of new caverns for mining crews and the protection of said crews from any elemental onslaughts that may occur. Terradome itself has a thriving economy, in part because they take a small tax on all minerals brought through to the city and in part because the beautiful, almost palatial crystal construction of Terradome is considered a fantastic locale in the city's tourist industry.
Terradome is a favoured position for any Guardsmen with a burrow speed, the earth glide ability, or a love of dark places like vampires. The locale denizens of the region know Terradome as Brick.

Name: Mere
Other Names: The District of Love, Pompousville, Town on the Water
Government Type: Council of Nobles
Police Force: House Guards
Mere is district comprising of the first few layers of the city built over the great lake. While the upper parts of this district look much like other parts of the city, what sets this district apart from the rest of the city is the lowest layer. This layer of the district is made up of island like expanses surrounding the massive supports for the layers above. The waters between these islands are always full of small boats. During the day, these boats are mostly there fishing, but during the night, the enchantments placed on this layer produce a brilliant display of light and color. This display is considered quite romantic, making a night in Mere one of the biggest tourist attractions across the entire city. The district has such a high cost of living that the only permanent residents of Mere are wealthy families of aristocrats. This high density of nobles has lead to a reputation for the district as pretentious and snobbish. The noble families of this district run Mere by convening in a "Council of Nobles" which determines policy and chooses a representative to their district's seat on the City Council. This districts government has face severe scrutiny from the rest of the city by denying less wealthy merchants and other district residents without noble heritage a say in their district. One of the most vocal groups opposing this district's government is actually the radical group Humans First, who oppose the Council of Nobles due to the high percentage of elf and other none human nobles. They claim that a place so beautiful should be put in more capable hands (human hands). The police force of this district, is actually several different police forces, one for each noble house. These house guards patrol the territory of each noble house and punish criminals based on the laws of each house.

Name: The Port District
Other Names: Port-town, The Waterfront, Pirates Cove
Government Type: Guild Masters Collective. While each guild in the area runs itself fairly efficiently, the Guild Masters come together once a month to share information and ideas. The Collective votes every two years on who gets sent to the City Council.
Police Force: Ishka Port Authority
Spoilered because it's a 14 page Doc.File
More coming soon....if people seem interested

50cr4t3s
2010-01-19, 09:48 PM
I'm really glad a list was put together as it was getting hard to keep track, but I do have a bit of nit-picking to do:

1. We decided that Everdark and Shadowgate were actually the same district (one inside the other essentially)

2. Annark was abandoned as a district idea as it didn't really make much sense.

3. We also kinda left the Chambers alone as it was a redundant idea of the Vault.

Even with these oversights, thank you for getting all this info in one post.

Silverscale
2010-01-21, 10:10 AM
I'm really glad a list was put together as it was getting hard to keep track, but I do have a bit of nit-picking to do:

1. We decided that Everdark and Shadowgate were actually the same district (one inside the other essentially)

2. Annark was abandoned as a district idea as it didn't really make much sense.

3. We also kinda left the Chambers alone as it was a redundant idea of the Vault.

Even with these oversights, thank you for getting all this info in one post.

All were left in for the sake of completeness in case anyone wants to use them in their own version of Ishka.

And for the next installment, also not in ant particular order....

Places of Interest
Name: Crystal Observatory
District: Mithral Heights
Description: Crystal Observatory is a huge telescope in Mithral Heights. Several rich professors from The Academy own Crystal Observatory. The telescope uses crystal lenses. The owners are always willing to spend their riches for better crystals that could allow them to see just a bit farther into space.

Name: The Copper Junkyards
District: The Steamworks
Description: Each Steamworks has a massive pile of junk and scrap metal. This pile is called a Copper Junkyard. Poor inventors and builders come here for supplies. The Wild uses the Copper Junkyards as examples of everything wrong with the city. Every now and then a rust monster emerges from a Copper Junkyard and attacks someone.

Name: Holy Ground
District: The Temple District
Description: The Holy Hands and The Holy Sword refuse to sell their fall comrades to the Necropolis. It is expensive, but they maintain their own graveyard.

Name: The City Forge
District: The Steamworks
Description: All of the giant pipes and machines in The Steamworks have to come from somewhere. Extraordinary craftsmen make them in The City Forge. It is a monstrously huge forge that many people cannot work in due to the extreme heats. Most of the people who work in The City Forge are old tough dwarves.

Name: The Hunting Ground
Other Names: The Jungle, The World in a Box
Government Type: None
Police Force: None (occasionally the Rangers try to reassert control over this district, with no success)
This could either be considered a District unto itself or a very large Place of Interest as the DM wishes
As the city grew, and began to incorporate more and more species into it's citizenry, it became apparent that many of these species had a physical or psychological need to hunt. These citizens obviously couldn't roam the streets for prey, and so a district was built. Backed by the combined wealth of many rich adventurers, The Hunting Ground was built as an enormous big-game park for citizens who wished to hunt and kill for food or sport. The park was originally populated with only mildly dangerous animals, but many adventurers who hunted for sport were not satisfied with easy prey. With the help of the Cut-throat alliance, highly dangerous animals were smuggled into the Hunting Ground. The first of these creatures were quickly hunted down and killed, but the hunters demanded even more challenging prey. Finally, the Alliance smuggled in creature too powerful for these hunters. The Hunting Ground soon became overrun with the most terrifying creatures imaginable. The owners of the district begged the Rangers of the Grove (the most experience and capable hunters in the city) to bring the Hunting Ground under control. The Rangers refused at first, but when the creatures started to escape the Jungle and spill into the city proper, they reluctantly agreed. After months of trying to cull the monsters of the Hunting Ground, the Rangers advised the City Council to have the street builders seal the Hunting Grounds forever. The Hunting grounds remain sealed to this day, The only exceptions to this are the occasional attempts by the Rangers to retake it, and the rumors that the Alliance will grant people access for the right price.
Name: The Sleeping Army
During a forgotten war between the City and a now dead nation, a vast army was constructed for the city. An army of calm, emotionless constructs that cut across the battlefield impervious to the weapons of the enemy. They were better soldiers than the best estimates of their creators. The war ended with these soulless warriors burning this rival nation to the ground. Every man, woman, and child dead so that they may never pose a threat to the City ever again. After the war, there was a cry to destroy the army, but the City rulers at the time believed that one day there may be an enemy so terrible, that they would be forced to call upon this army again. A deep cave was selected, a vast and yet uncolonized cavern, and the army was placed there to sleep until called upon to defend the city again.
Today, the warriors stand in rank and file, motionless, sleeping the eons away. A man can walk up to one and curse at it all day, and it will not stir.
But they are still vigilant.
If any weapon is brought into the cave of these soldiers, thousands of eyes turn to the carrier of the weapon and speak the one word they know: EXTERMINATE!!
For this reason, the only people to come to this cave are those on the run. Whether one is trying to hide from the law, or the lawless, the Sleeping Army offers protection for the defenseless, without judgment.
There has been a cry from criminals and law enforcement alike to have the army permanently disassembled, but the City Council fears the army's wrath should they consider this a threat. And so the Army remains, never leaving the cave, waiting for the day when they are needed. But most hope it will never come.

Name: Arcane Sewers
District: The Mages District
Description: The Mage District contains a great deal of spilt potions, magical waste, and broken objects of a magical nature. When all of these combine and fester in one place, stuff happens, usually bad. That is why The Mage District has a separate sewer/garbage system for potentially dangerous magic waste. This area is sectioned off, and barricaded so that creatures born of the waste cannot escape into the city. A special division of The Trash Corps takes care of the Arcane Sewers. They are required to have arcane magic, and they carry around bags of holding to transport more dangerous waste.

Name: Lab V
District: The Vault
Description: Depending on whether or not the DM decides if the rumors about the vault are true, there is Lab V. This lab is hidden in the vault. It is a place where experiments are conducted on prisoners. Golems guard every room of the lab, and powerful physical and magical restraints are available for all manner of beings. There are machines that produce electricity, stretch limbs, create a vacuum in a closed off room, and all manner of disturbing implements. At first glance the lab looks more like a torture chamber.
Alternatively, Lab V could be a place where prisoners are genuinely rehabilitated as well as possible. The portion of the vault would probably contain a pleasant garden and numerous doctors of the mind. Candidates for the program are chosen for good behavior. The candidates cannot have contact with the other prisoners, as they are deemed bad influences. This leads to rampant rumors about disappearing prisoners. In fact, the other prisoners came up with the name Lab V.
Or, Lab V could be both those things, with the more awful version being an extreme form of rehabilitation.

Name: The Vents
District: Mithral Heights
Description: Mithral Heights has a problem with cold temperatures during the winter due to its altitude and separation from most of the city. They may have great fireplaces, but that doesn’t keep their cobblestone streets warm. Their solution is to have pipes coming up from the Steamworks with the hot air. During the winter the residents of Mithral Heights can open vents to let out the hot air and warm Mithral Heights.

Name: The Dorms
District: The Academy
Description: A part of The Academy. Fairly self-explanatory, the dorms are a housing location for young students. Although many of the learning establishments have dorms that follow certain school rules, The Dorms are an apartment complex populated and run by students that belong to various learning establishments. Imagine a college dorm without rules, where many of the students know magic. Law enforcement keeps things in The Dorms from getting too crazy, but enough goes on to give low-level characters a challenge.

Name: Racing Track
District: Ungul
Description: The Racing Track is a place for various creatures to race each other, and centaur races are the most popular. This place of interest used to be in the Entertainment District, but residents of Ungul moved it to their own district. The residents of Ungul decided that they enjoy racing, they did not enjoy the idea of others profiting from their effort.

Name: Element Guard HQ
District: Mage's District
Description: The headquarters of the Element Guard is a large brick building in the Mage's district. Within it are massive libraries of historical texts, cultural texts, and maps of the various elemental planes compiled by generations of arcanists and Guardsmen. The headquarters is regularly staffed only by scholars and officers with other Guardsmen only passing through to and from their posts. The main hall has four massive doors, each carved with the name of the element of the plane it leads to in a hundred different languages. The Water and Fire planes both have environment-controlled airlocks before their gates, but the Earth and Air doors lead directly into the main halls of Terradome and Aerodyne.

Name: Founder's Museum
District: Primordium
Description: The Founder's Museum was created shortly after the Primordium was completed. The Museum contains many artifacts and items from the city's history. While there are many recent items relating to big events, the name comes from the handful of items that are believed to be from the city's early days. There is little known of the items that can't be discerned just by looking at them, and even the museum itself doesn't have much information about the items. Founder's Museum lists a name, where the item was found, and several theories about the owners and what they used for it. If these stories are true or just folk lore, and what the items are is up to the DM.
The Museum is patrolled by several constructs, and while there are daily tours the security is tighter then Fort Nox ever dreamed. Alarms that teleport the would-be thief straight into a holding cell when tripped. Very thick walls of admantium. Placement of varrying runes in layer after layer. Constant montioring by five high level wizards via scrying at any time. Several imitations of the items scattered throughout the facility, ensuring that actually stealing what you were looking for is a guessing game. Teleportation is blocked at all times using several redundant layers of enchantments. The building's walls are covered in detection spells and turrets of the highest quality, to deter riots or anyone bold enough to seige it. To top it all off, dozens of constructs patrol the building in perfectly timed shifts and paths that ensure no inch will be unmonitered for even a second. If all else fails, the wizards will raise an alarm, attracting the attention of any and all available Eternal Guards.
Stealing so much as a change purse from an inattentive tourist while in this building will be difficult, to say the least. This may serve as an epic level challenge for an evil party. Beating back a small army of thieves alongside the building's defenses then capturing the crooks responsible is also a quest for do-gooders or mercanaries.

Some stuff that could be in the museum-
Whether each object is as described or a fake depends on the DM's preference.

A warhammer that was used by one of the Streetbuilder's original members. Possibly an artifact or at least a powerful magic item.

Fossils that were dug up by miners. The fossils might be ressurected, introducing some original or old creatures into the campaign.

The original cornerstone of one of the city's early layers.

A magically preserved painting of a miner's family during the early years of the city.

Preserved weapons from the army of the small nation that attacked the city.

The official directives of an organization (at its conception) on a document signed by the founding members of the organization. A hall in the museum could contain one of these for each organization that is important to the city. Of course, secret or illegal organizations probably would not have one. Some organizations may have lost theirs over time. Most people think this, and most people are wrong. Nearly every group, legal or criminal, is on register here. No one but the curator and the curator's assistant are allowed to view the Full Index, however.

The design plans for the big tower.

Paintings of various important events in the city's history.

Sculptures of important people in the city's history.

Paintings of Coliseum Grand Champions (those who have become champion in all coliseums in the city)

Paintings and dioramas of the city at various points during its history (10 levels, 15 levels, mid big tower construction, etc.)

The original “bone shield” wielded by a fallen paladin that fought for undead rights. It is a powerful magic item or artifact.

The museum doubles as a neutral ground for the various groups within the city. Some of the biggest treaties have been secretly negotiated while two seemingly innocent civilians stand observing an exhibit and mumbling between themselves.

Name:The World’s Restaurant
District: The Entertainment District
Description: This massive restaurant is in the Entertainment District. It features meals that contain every potential food ingredient in the world, as well as many from other dimensions. There are even magically preserved ingredients made from extinct animals, sold at extremely high prices. Those ingredients are guarded by high-level Halflings that appreciate a good meal.

Name: Dr. Hope’s Quiet House
District: Necropolis
Description: This house is in the Necropolis. Just as the Holy Hands offer undead a chance to repent, Dr. Hope offers the living a chance to sell their living bodies for the benefit of their loved ones. Dr. Hope is a lich that will offer a substantial amount of cash for a living person willing to give up their body and/or soul. The cash is given to a recipient designated in advance. If the soul is sold, the amount of money is substantially greater. Dr. Hope makes his customers as comfortable as possible before he takes his payment, a process always done very quickly.

Name: Colosseum Gigantica
District: The Entertainment Disctict
Description: The largest arena in the city. The arena itself is a demiplane housing nothing but a two-mile-radius arena. The building in the city is a block-sized round building in the Entertainment District with a gate in an archway every ten feet. Events that take place in the Colosseum Gigantica range from gladiatorial matches to sporting events to wizard duels. Whole wars are sometimes even fought by foreign parties using the field as neutral grounds. The purchase of a ticket also provides the purchaser with a pair of binoculars that magically enhance the user's vision to allow the viewing of the entire arena floor; the binoculars are teleported back to a storehouse at the end of the match for which they were purchased. The Colosseum required an enormous investment to get started, but at only one gold per ticket, no matter the event, enough people go to events that its draconic investors have been seeing massive profits from the venture.

Name: Sin
District: Hedon
Description: It's rumoured that at the bottom of the spiral that is Hedon is a venue so vile, so perverse, and so despicable that it can only be called Sin. It is supposed to hold things that even some of the most evil of gods would cringe at the sight of, all for the pleasure of the bizarre clientèle that can make it that far. Those who have gone there and come back are all either incurably insane (as the spell) or unwilling to admit that they got that far and weren't repulsed. As such, the place remains little more than a rumor to this day.

Name: Mhol's Theatre Extraordinaire
Disrtict: The Entertainment District
Description: This theatre sits soundly in the upper levels of the Entertainment District. From the outside, the theatre looks relatively unremarkable. Indeed, until the show starts, it remains quite ordinary. However, once the show begins, it becomes obvious that there is something odd about the actors: there is only one. The whole theatre is manned by a single changeling, all of the lights and stage crew work performed by invisible servants. Mhol himself changes shapes between lines to play each part, conversing with himself. It's said by some that there is nothing more peculiar than watching this charismatic, hyperactive changeling sword fight or act in love scenes with only himself.

Name: The Hole in the Ground
District: Up to the DM
Description: The Hole in the Ground was discovered by builders converting a second-story shopfront in an apartment. When removing the floor, instead of seeing the room below they saw the Hole.
The hole is exactly 20ft in diameter and appears to be bottomless. It also has the curious ability to prevent all form of flight, both magical and mundane (starting 50ft from the top).
The Hole in the Ground is now a major tourist attraction. For a mere 1 Silver you can look in to hole and for 4 silver more you can drop something into it.
In addition a thriving rope making industry has developed in the area around the Hole to provide for those who wish to climb down.

Name: The Warehouse
District: Demi-Plane
Description: The Municipal authorities need to store things. Lots of things, so spread throughout the city is a series of Warehouses. However, each of these individual warehouses leads to a single pocket dimension exactly twice the size of all the warehouses combined. With the exception of a few civil servants at the doors, most of the space is unguarded, simply containing vast amounts of raw materials and tools for the Streetbuilders, Trash Corps, and Cave Knockers, as well as Food stockpiled in times of plenty as proof against famine,. However, better guarded sections contain the City Archives, a massive arsenal of outdated weapons (in case the city needs to raise an army), collections of magic items, and even the city treasury.
One feature of the Warehouse is that books and food (in their respective sections) will not rot or decompose.
The space is truly massive, and with the exception of people coming to collect stuff, and a few simple constructs, few people spend much time there, and some far-away areas may not have seen outsiders for centuries. Who knows what could be lurking back there between rows of crumbling bricks or shelves of tomes full of agricultural and tax data.

Name: The Rules of the Ravens
District: Ravenshome
Description: In the center of Ravenshome is a large square pillar 15 feet by 15 feet reaching from the top of the highest level of the district to the bottom of the lowest level of the district. The entire pillar is decorated with ravens, etched in a style similar to the marks that appear on the arms of criminals in the district, and the corners of the pillar are carved to look like the raven statues that can bee seen wherever you go, one atop the other each on a small perch. In the central level of the district, the populace has gone and started carving in blank areas of the pillars, all the rules that the ravens seem to enforce with the mark, and the approximate length of the mark they cause. They have also noted the crimes that seem to cause disappearances among the district such as murder. Every so often when a new rule is found people have it carved in a blank spot on the pillar. Aside from the pillar, the area is known as being where most who move to ravens home to hide from the alliance or other powerful groups move to (at least at first) so that they are able to easily check what the rules are in case they forget.

Name: Letty's Dive Bar
District: Mere
Description: This dive bar is more literal than most. Mostly attended by water breathing creatures, this bar has both and above-water and under-water section. Many of the bored rich folk of Mere enjoy the novelty.

Name: 1st Absolute Bank
Other Names: The Bank, Tax-dodgers Paradise
District: Up to the DM
Description: After the Dark City was annexed by the Ishka, very few Drow stayed. The martial law imposed by the Dark Army at all times made life there barely tolerable to it's once proud and noble people. The Drow spread out to the rest of the city, most settling in remote tunnels or darker districts, trying to return their lives to some semblance of normalcy. However, a group of Drow made their way up to the city proper, and saw an opportunity. They established a bank, but not just any bank, this bank had a strict "NO QUESTIONS" policy. With the Cut-Throat Alliance, The Wild, and a dozen other barely legal organizations, the market was perfect to set up a don't ask don't tell bank. The bribes paid to Councilmen to make this bank legal were massive, but by the end, laws were put in place to protect the bank, and it's privacy.
The bank itself appears to be nothing more than a simple shop near the district of Stadel. It appears simple enough inside as well, a large lobby of marble and limestone, and several desks to service customers. But the shop is merely the public front of the business. The true nature of this bank is a closely kept secret, and wisely so. When the bank was founded, the Drow investors met with a powerful Arch-Devil. Little is known about the details of the arrangement, but from that day on, the Bank has been allowed to store its customers possessions in the deepest circles of Hell. Here they lie safe from the prying eyes of the Municipal Investigators or anyone for that matter (even the Arch-Devils are forbidden from looking as part of the contract with the bank).
1st Absolute Bank boast an unbroken record of maintaining its customers privacy, but this is a lie. Fleet-footed Jack once stole a safe-deposit box from the bank, the contents of which are not known, and proceeded to make his way through the city. The Bank however, never publicized this incident, fearing the damage it would do to their reputation. They instead, assembled a squad of assassins to hunt down Fleet-footed Jack. They came very close to catching Jack on several occasions, and it's rumored that one assassin even discovered Jacks true identity. Obviously, this was simple not the fun Jack had been looking for, and he soon grew bored and miserable with the chase. He promptly returned the box, and washed his hands of the situation. The assassins however, never stopped hunting Jack, and some even say that the reason Jack disappeared was because the Bank finally caught up to him.

Name: The Great Lantern
District: The Commons
Description: The Great Lantern is one of the few completed Streetbuilder construction projects, it's a cube that takes up four layers, and the entire thing is a rune-carved three-dimensional maze that makes up a magical pattern. Essentially, it's a magical engine of massive power all dedicated to casting one spell, Dancing Lights. These lights are spread throughout the entire city (Well, most of it) keeping it lit. Individual building either have to light themselves or have windows open to the street to let light in. The government of each district can alter the ambient light levels as they see fit, which is why the market district is always bright, while the Necropolis is very dim.

Name: Millennium Tree
District: Grove District
Description: Situated near the bank of the river as it comes off the lake, before plunging into the canyon, is a massive tree that has been growing there since long before the City of Ishka grew up around it. The tree is dwarfed in size only by the very largest of the temples and the Mithril Tower.
The central feature of one of the largest sections of the Grove District, this tree is home to a large number of fey and a tribe of Elves who guard over it. There is also a sect of Druids who commune with the tree for it is indeed a very magical and ancient sentience. Though few can say for certain that they have ever heard it "speak" The gifts it has given and the ones it has chosen to give those gifts to point to a very wise intelligence. The tree even seems to be able to sense when danger is approaching and warn those around it before danger comes.

Silverscale
2010-01-22, 06:10 PM
To continue with the next installment

Organizations:
The Order of the Bone Shield:
The city has learned how to cope with the unusual needs of it's inhabitants, especially it's undead ones. In a city where there is no room for cemetery's, corpses that are not to be raised are left for a few days, to see if they are going to rise, and if not, the Ghouls take care of them. Vampires must always pay for their blood, and they must provide for the healing and recovery of their "Dinner Partners". And for the most part, these rules work. However, sometimes they don't, which is when the Order of the Bone Shield steps in. The Bone Shields are Paladins, largely undead, who enforce the laws of the undead community, while at the same time protecting them. If a pack of ghouls eats a merchant in the street, or if a vampire decides to drink from an unwilling citizen, the Order arrives to mete out justice. At the same time, if a out-of-towner cleric decides to start waving his holy symbol at some undead miners trying to go about their buisness, or some stake-happy idiot tries to stab a vampire while he's enjoying the opera, the order will defend them as well.
1. A member of the Undead may not be killed or attacked unless that member has threatened harm on another being. The exception to this is during a consensual duel that allows for kills.
2. A member of the Undead may not come within five feet of a child of a species without the permission of at least one parent of the child. If an Undead breaks this rule, it counts as a threat when considering rule 1.
3. An undead may not make use of a corpse without the permission of those responsible for the corpse’s care. Corpses that no one is responsible for belong to whoever first claims the corpse.
4. Civilians in public places may not use devices that produce an equivalent to natural sunlight. This is to protect members of the Undead who may be hurt by sunlight.
5. Non-sentient members of the Undead may be destroyed if they are impeding business or damaging property. This is due to non-sentient members of the Undead being thought of as property. If the owner of a business has entered into a prior agreement with a controller of undead concerning the undead's behavior, this law does not apply.
6. members of the Undead that are citizens must abide by the same laws as all other citizens, and are protected by those same laws. Some of these laws overlap with The O.B.S. rules, but general opinion in the O.B.S. is that ignorant people need to be reminded of the rights of undead.

The Cut-throat Alliance:
The alliance, as it is commonly called refers to a network of the underground agencies, many based in the less savory districts, and their smaller branch offshoots. While there are many different underground agencies, almost all belong to the alliance, mainly for the benefits it grants. Among other things, the alliance has a general rule of not interfering with other members 'buisness'. While very little enforces it, it is seen as a mutual arangment, and has other groups in the alliance more willing to render aid. They also have set up a network of secret gates between they're various bases. This can make catching thieves, and cut throats rather difficult to catch as you chase them into a building only to find they aren't anywhere inside and aren't on the level above or bellow (the went through the small 3' by 3' gate behind the false pannel on the wall that has now been closed for the rest of the day, and are now in a different district). While certaintly not on the best terms, the alliance has caused a spread of crime through many parts of the cities. Often even in the better districts members can be found near the edge or in more rundown buildings. They are however frequently hunted by the council of the city and its various law enforcement groups.
Alliance Holes: These are places where alliance members seems to be able to just disappear into. The more notable ones tend to be buildings that are owned by alliance members (normally they tend to be normal business owners who don't mind making some money on the side helping underground organizations and getting some protection from them) that are designed with places to hide alliance members or have gates designed to help them escape. They usually have a few other alliance holes they are linked to, and will have different gates to go to different ones. The gates are usually small (often less the 4' by 4'), and can be activated and deactivated on command (usually unique to the gate). many now have the ability to be closed and made unusable for a set number of days. It is also not uncommon to have other features tied to them such as being able to make a changeable room's door slam shut and lock when used (just in case there are guards close behind and you want to throw them off). Some alliance holes even have gates built into the doors of some rooms so that if opened the right way it makes a gate until closed.
When alliance holes first started being found, it was considered a highly punishable offense to own one. However, the alliance realized this and stated having alliance holes made in the homes and businesses of those who opposed them, as well as random businesses. Due to this, the punishment for having alliance holes has gone away, though attempts are made to record where they are (a feat made more complicated by fake ones being made as well).

Alliance Builders: Alliance builders are the ones who make alliance holes. it tends to be a rather lucrative job, though is rather risky as it has come to be treated as a crime as bad or worse than murder depending on the area (by the government, not as much the people). Alliance builders usually work as builders or mages for other groups. However, every so often either at the alliances command or at the request of the owner of an alliance hole, they will make the workings for an alliance hole in one of their jobs. The builders work the physical parts into the construction, while mages (if contacted in the case that a real one is being made and not just a fake), will come by later and add the enchantments to make it work.
This has lead to it being almost impossible to tell what places might have alliance holes or not. It also makes it much worse if you make the alliance want you dead, as you never know where you can go without worrying about cut-throats coming after you. Even in a locked room you might suddenly find a panel sliding away for a group of alliance member to come finish you off. It is also for this fact that alliance builders and knowing alliance hole owners will rarely go back on their deal with the alliance.
A Note on the Cutthroat Alliance it's more a conglomerate of the majority of the crime groups in the city (likely around 80% of the organized groups and 50% of the more small time or solo criminals). It has allot of infighting (which while discouraged isn't cared about by most), but tends to work together mainly to protect its members from authorities. Even uniting to take out people who are thought to threaten the alliance. Also they set up networks for use of their members in escaping, hiding, information gathering, etc. Many of the more shady businesses also tend to be members of the alliance.

The Streetbuilders:
The City is constantly falling apart, being torn down, and being rebuilt. Most of this work is done by private construction firms, but some work can only be tackled by the Streetbuilders. Since the city is built on top of the city, which is built on top of more city, one pillars worth of disrepair can cause a disaster. The Streetbuilders are in charge of preventing such disasters, and ensuring the physical stability of the city. They are a massive organization, employing everything from common unskilled laborers to expert mages. Most of the time, they are too busy making sure everything dosn't fall apart, but sometimes enough things get fixed that they can devote resources and manpower to large-scale construction projects, often at the whim of the director at that time. For the most part, these projects are abanoned halfway through when money runs out, or when the number of nececssary repairs becomes too great for the Builders to spare workers, and the city is dotted with half-built architectural wonders, though a few projects are finished. The current director is a dwarf named Modrin Klackgradle.

The Eyes:
The Eyes are the most complex and efficient network of spies to ever see you when you're sleeping and know when you're awake. The organization was started by a particularly brutal regime in the cities history. One which intended to keep an eye on it's citizens to ensure a rebellion could never be organized. The Eyes consist of an unknown number of informants, hundreds of undercover agents, and dozens of powerful scrying mages. After the fall of the tyrannical regime that started the eyes, a massive effort to shutdown the order was organized by the new government. But while many operatives were found and executed, the order was never fully disbanded, and the effort was eventually given up. Some how, The Eyes still send reports to the City Council on activity within the city, despite the Council's public opposition to the organization. If you can find them, the information they collect may even be for sale. For those willing to pay the price.

The Holy Hands of Saint Merkiel:
A coalition of clerics and holy-men from dozens of religions, who have banded together for the common good. "Temples" of this guild can be found all over the city, offering affordable healing to any who ask for it. The guild is essentially serving as the hospitals of the city, and have at least one "temple" per district, with multiple ones in more heavily populated districts. They are highly vocal in their opposition to the existence of the Necropolis inside the city, holding protests and pressuring Councilmen to propose legislation on a regular basis. The guild has set up a controversial establishment within the Necropolis, offering its undead inhabitants "A Chance at Redemption." (you can guess what that means) The building has sparked a heated debate in most areas of the city over undead rights.

Humans First:
Much knowledge concerning the original village that started the city has been lost to the passage of time. Whether it's the truth or a fiction, this faction believes that the original village was an exclusively human settlement. They see the multitude of other races that now flood the city as usurpers of their birthright. They believe that the city should be ruled by the race that had the foresight to settle in the canyon eons ago. They despise non-humans in any form, be they Undead, Gnolls, Elfs or Dwarfs. They are considered a small radical group by most in the city, but those in the know believe they may have more influence on the Council then most would think. Most members of this radical group keep their membership a secret, but many are quite vocal about their beliefs.

The Civil Servants:
This is a powerful organization that spans the entire city. To become a member, you must be Lawful Neutral. The Civil Servants are essentially bodyguards for all the other city organizations, like the Street Builders, who are not able to defend themselves.
The Civil Servants are not a police force, but rather a bodyguard service. Policing is generally left to each district's own system, like The Order of the Bone Shield.
The Municipal Investigators
With the city so divided, Criminals seem to have it easy. Since the various districts have their own, often rival, police forces, all A criminal needs to do to escape arrest is move from one district to another. At least, until the Municipal Investigators get involved. They do not personally make arrrests, preffering to determine the location and nature of the criminals, then leave the actual arresting to the police. However, when that's not an option, the Investigators will make the arrests personally, which usually causes problems as the local police get offended by the "Munnies" doing their job for them.
The Munnies are the standard enemies of the Cutthroat Alliance. When Alliance involvement is proven, the Investigators always take the lead personally, not trusting the local police to be uncorrupt or competant enough to help against the Alliance.

The Collective:
It's more than a union, it's a particularly strong one, and then some. It's name is awful, and can be changed, of course. Basically, this organization is put in to provide drama and tension in the steamworks, and so the DM can easily explore some socialist ideas in-game. The Collective is your standard-issue fantasy communist organization, bent on overthrowing the capitalists and installing a network of worker's councils to oversee the production of goods in collectively owned steamworks factories. Bend them as you see fit- they've got branches. Their primary activities include distributing their philosophies, holding rallies, performing strikes, bombings and assassinations of the merchant class, sabotaging capital to preserve jobs, occupying factories, and organizing unions. Unlike most unions, the collective includes members of the agricultural labor force, too.

The Wild:
Not everyone likes the city. It's a depressing, dehumanizing place, far removed from the natural way of life. In a city, everything is created, planned, and defined by sentient standards, meant to fit into sentient goals and expectations, held by systemic order and made to conform to predictable sentient law.
Not everyone is happy with this arrangement. The Wild represents a kind of network, or perhaps more of a series of cells, of people bound by a common philosophy: the city is a blight and must be destroyed. Anti-consumerist and anarchic (of the luddite, primitivist strain) to a fault, these people do not appreciate the destruction of the once vibrant living community of the canyon with the unsustainable monoculture that is the city. They reject the idea of 'civilization', pointing out that the only thing that really separates us from the animals is that they don't ruin their own habitats and they don't fight wars. The scoff at the notion of 'progress'- progress assumes a goal, and the only foreseeable result of this reckless use of the earth is the annihilation of the entire living community. This is not a goal the members of the Wild support.
The Wild, whose members are alternately known as Ludds, is by turns both a friendly and supportive community and a guerilla warfare campaign on civilization. Among their own, Ludds try to carve out little and restore some balance to their surroundings. Most of the world, however, only knows of the Wild through their attacks on merchants lords, factories, the street builders, and others. Some members of the Wild also hate magic (other than that of druids and their ilk), though others see it as a part of the natural world. Most members of the Wild are refugees from non-city areas who are disgusted with their new surroundings, or are converts to the ideology, usually after visiting an area not covered in cobblestones. Their membeship includes, naturally, plenty of druids, rangers, barbarians, and shugenjas, among others. Most refuse to work a regular job, and so instead scavenge the city and squat wherever they can. As a result the average Ludd looks like a grimy homeless person- which is yet another reason, in addition to the poor law enforcement and deterioration of the buildings, they live in some most depressed areas of the city.

Shadow Martyrs:
This organization is basically a guild of thieves and sneaky types that are good aligned. They try to improve the city through stealing from bad people, giving to poor, and ambushing evil people. Paladins are not fans of them, and many people do not trust them. The Shadow Martyrs try to have a presence in every district. Many thieves who do not want to be spies for a government or a member of The Alliance decided to join the Shadow Martyrs. They enjoy etching their symbol in the wall of any place where they did a good deed. Their symbol is a balrog with a dagger in its back. The Shadow Martyrs typically wear a cloak designed to blend in with cobblestone roads.
Some members of the Shadow Martyrs claim that their actions are the only thing keeping The Alliance from ruling the city. No one knows enough about either organization to verify the claim.

Cave Knockers:
This organization is mostly comprised of dwarves. The organization designs where a new tunnel goes, and makes sure it is safe. They also regularly do maintenance on older tunnels. This organization is required for two reasons. One is that the Street Builders have a different set of skills for maintaining a city. The other is that when making tunnels, the occasional ancient evil or burrowing monster is uncovered. The Cave Knockers are tough and well equipped for a surprise enemy.
Many groups try to build tunnels without the permission of the Cave Knockers. For this reason the Cave Knockers have to regularly map out the tunnel system to make sure there are not extra tunnels. The maps are available to buy, or steal, from important members of the Cave Knockers.

The Gatekeepers:
Ever since the first gate to unleashed the strange and mysterious raiders opened, the Gatekeepers have been looking for them. Although they keep a small presence in the city to assist local police in defense against the raiders, the majority of the Gatekeepers and not even in the city. Gatekeepers organize themselves into patrols, searching the multiverse for the origin of the plague that haunts their great city. Patrols leave the city for months, sometimes years, return to resupply and leave to continue their search.
Gatekeepers sign on for a certain number of patrols (depending on destination and length of the patrol overall), after which they are given the option to leave or sign up for a new patrol. It is considered a great community service to have gone on patrol with the Gatekeepers, and adventurers wearing a Gatekeeper membership ring rarely pay for their own drinks.

The Element Guard:
The Element Guard was formed when the inhabitants first started exploiting the permanent portals that connected to the elemental planes, be they the naturally-forming ones so common in the city or the artificial ones made for industry and agriculture. The purpose of the guard was to secure the extraplanar territory surrounding the gates to make sure that the workers on the other side were safe and the industry remained efficient. Organizations which use protected gates pay a tax to the city which goes to the pay of the Guardsmen.
Guardsmen are paid highly, and when the organization was new they saw much danger in exotic and impossible planar locales. In modern times, though, these chunks of territory have been fortified and stabilized to the point that a position in the guard is considered to be stable and lucrative but boring. Guard members are famed for their extreme drinking and partying when in the city proper, which they do to relieve the oppressive boredom than anything else. It's said that the deepest layers of Hedon cater almost exclusively to bored Guardsmen.

Trash Corps:
The Trash Corps pick up the trash and bring it to landfills, burn it, compact it, recycle it, etc. They also maintain the sewers (except for its structure, which is left for the Street Builders). They are generally understaffed, although for some reason the richer districts always have their trash collected on time.

The Council of Ministers:
The Council of Ministers is appointed by the Grand Council, and consists of the directors of the various citywide departments. Each seat has two chairs, one for the minister themselves, and one reserved for their second, usually the director of some powerful organization.
The Minister of the Interior: the head of the bureaucracy that runs the Streetbuilders, the Cave Knockers, and the Trash Collectors. The second seat is held by the High Engineer of the Streetbuilders.
The Minister of Justice: Heads the bureaucracy that inspects and coordinates all the police-departments, primarily the city-controlled ones (Like the Elemental Guard, the Vault Wardens, and M.I.). The second seat is held by the M.I. Director.
The Minister of Magic: Part of the bureaucracy that keeps track of and handles most of the magic items the city controls. Conducts a census on the number and power of spellcasters in the city, and general handles the magical affairs the government needs too. The second seat is held by the Arch chancellor of the University.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs: Handles all relations between the City and the world outside. The second seat is held by the current leader of the Merchants Guild.
The Minister of War: Theoretically, this seat would be held by the Commander of the City's armed forces. However, because the city lacks a standing army, this seat is held by a bureaucrat who leads a small department that keeps track of the city's preparedness for war, and would, in the event of a conflict, become the top commanders of the city's army. They are almost never consulted.
Minister of the Treasury: keeps track of the budget and the city's funds. The second seat is held by the president of whatever is the largest bank in the city at that time.
The Minister's Council has no actual voting power, instead serving to run their departments and advice the Grand Council on various issues.

The Peacekeepers:
(Alternately known as "The Peace". The latter can be used to prevent confusion with or the false assumption of affiliation with the Gatekeepers.)
The city's massive size, variety of cultures, and large number of violent and intollerant organizations makes it's social structure unstable, and the possibility of civil war or riots high. As people grew concerned for their livelyhoods and the posibility of getting caught in a war zone, they scrambled to find a way to prevent disaster. Eventually, people from all over the city banded together to found The Peacekeepers.
The Peacekeepers are lead by the original founders and people they hand pick, who only contact the members and issue orders through magic. The identity of the leaders and how many there are is known only to the leaders themselves. When sending a message, they suggest methods with which to accomplish the goal. Judging by their suggestions, they are most likely Neutral Good or Chaotic Good.
The Peacekeepers work as intermidiaries or buffers between groups that share hostilities to reduce the odds of a sudden riot. They also send anonymous tips to police organizations in an effort to solve hate crimes. The members often hire and work alongside bounty hunters to hunt down criminals and gangs that threaten to cause chaos, and even donate to help cover the cost of paying bounties.
Some Peacekeepers work behind the scenes, using blackmail or other unsavory means to force violent groups to back down or a crooked politicion's retirement. Few even murder to accomplish their goals. This is not the Peacekeepers as an organization's doings, but that of individuals. Most of the group's members are disgusted by the very idea, and do not see the perpatrators as real Peacekeepers. The leaders also frown on these actions, sending members to capture and turn in the murderers when alerted.
Because of the extreamists among their number, the public view of the Peacekeepers can varry wildly; From heroes keeping the city from falling apart to bloodthirsty hypocrites who only care about their own safety, and everything inbetween. Several policing forces are only held back from shutting them down by the lack of evidence connecting the extreamist members' crimes to the group's agenda.
Hate groups see the Peacekeepers as enemies, and many will refuse to provide servaces to or even attack someone they identify as or suspect of being one. Most criminals don't care about the group's existance, so long as they don't get in the way.
Because of the negative and even violent views some have of The Peacekeepers, there is no symbol or uniform identifying the group and it's members have a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy about membership. Many will work their way into small social groups when looking to reqruit, and will study it's members carefully before deciding if they should extend an inventation to join.
Peacekeepers work individually or in small groups so as to not attract attention. This is also so one member's discovery won't lead to a large number of Peacekeepers being identified by hate groups, as well as making it harder for spies to weasel their way in. This secrative and criminal like behaviour only reinforces the distaste for the group from law agencies.
The members can be of any alignment. Most are Good and leaning towards Chaos, but Evil members working to prevent a war they could get caught in and Lawful members trying to capture lawbreakers are within it's ranks as well. The leaders are unknown, but are likely Chaotic Good or Neutral Good.
Humans First, The Wild, and the Cut-throat Aliance are all in opposition with The Peacekeepers. While not in direct opposition, the Peacekeepers attempt everything within their power to keep organizations known for quarelling with each other from doing anything drastic and try to keep interdistrict strife to a minimum (e.g. they try to keep the Temple District and the Necropolis out of one another's buisness).

The Purge Squad:
This group is made of fallen paladins from The Holy Swords. Named after the purge squads that fought the same disease as Baltin, this organization takes similarly drastic measures to fight evil. They openly attack evil, and sometimes they attack groups of residents they beleive are allowing evil to continue. They operate mostly in secret, but occasionally a member will try to make himself into a public martyr so that people will accept their cause. The amount of public support gained by this varies, but The Purge Squad are generally considered a criminal and possibly evil organization. They are sometimes described as a hate group against the undead. Both The Purge Squad and The Holy Swords claim that their group is more true to Baltin.

The Guild of Freelancers:
The Guild is an organization of generalists. Rather than being specialized, as the Mage's Guild, the Fighter's Guild, and so on, it accepts people of all manner of specialization and skilled generality. When the Guild receives a commission, it posts it on the boards in all of their guildhouses throughout the city, the required specializations and number of people listed at the bottom. The boards are magical and updated in real time, so as soon as someone of a required specialization signs up, the requirements on all the boards change to account for the new individual. The guild is considered a fantastic organization for bored adventurers, and it pays well if infrequently. The guild typically only receives commissions that no other guild is capable of, whether it's because it requires a number of specialities or because it requires a very broad skill base.

Clerics of Passion:
The Clerics of Passion, is actually not a religious group in any way, though any member will tell you it is. The founder of this group was a bard by the name of Olliden, who was deeply in love, with love. Olliden loved the very concept of love. He was amazed at how in the whole multiverse, two beings (or more) could come together and share even a brief moment of pure happiness in their lives.
He was determined to bring love to everyone he met. He would travel the city, playing his instruments (he was a master of many) trying to inspire people to chase after their love. His songs could give men and maidens the courage to confess truly profound feelings of passion, a gift he gave without need of thanks or praise. Olliden's message of love touched the hearts of many bards, so much so that a group began to follow him, aiding in his work, and listening to his musings on the nature of romance.
Upon his death, his followers were determined to continue his work, and so they spread throughout the city, inspiring love, where ever they could. The organization has very little structure to it. In fact, the only thing that makes it an organization, is the many lodges it has spread throughout the city. These lodges are places where followers of Olliden's path can meet and share stories of how they have inspired true love in their travels through the city.

The Ravens Eyes:
The Ravens Eyes is an organization that consists of people who worship the Stone Raven. While fairly widespread through the city, the membership tends to be fairly low. One reason is likely the lack of official recognition. Another would be the fanaticism of most members in their following of the Stone Raven. Not many care to join an organization that will turn against them as soon as anyone else.
Despite this, it is recognized as having some power. Members tend to fall into one of two categories. The 'eyes', or the 'tallons'. The eyes are the members who usualy lack fighting skills, so simply observe the happenings of their part of the city and look out for any breaking of the law. Due to this they also are know for being among the better information brokers in the city as they refuse to lie. The problem is they also tend to be careful who they give information too, and refuse if they think it will aid in breaking the law. When the eyes note a crime, they will try to contact the local law enforcement and possibly the talonsusually. The talons will then see to it that the law breaker is properly punnished.
The talonspunishedtalons are known for being rather ruthless when it comes to enforcing higher crimes as well. Often rather that trying to land killers in jail, they will just make them 'disappear'. Also due to their fanaticism they tend to hone their fighting skills beyond that of most other law enforcement groups. Largely this is to make up for their lack of members and thus the need to be able to take care of individual situation quickly.
The common opinion of the Ravens Eyes is mixed. On the one hand they attempt to deal out justice in an unbiased manner. On the other, they almost entirely ignore context, and seek to follow the letter of the law rather than the spirit. They for instance been known to kill people who were responsible for an accident resulting in others deaths.
Members of the Ravens Eyes will all tattoo their right arm with a raven in the style of the marks that criminals get on their left arm in Ravenshome. The most fanatical are even known to go to Ravenshome and intentionally commit a minor crime to get the mark, then leave and have an at temp made to dispel it so that they will get a stone raven mark growing out of their arm.

Fresh Start:
Fresh Start's cheerful offices are a common sight throughout the city, especially in the Necropolis. Since any more-or-less intact corpses may rise as undead, it was only a matter of time before somebody figured out a system for what to do with them. Fresh Start is very well funded by the government of the Necropolis, and offer a reward for people to turn in newly-awoken undead. Once these undead are turned in, Fresh Start assesses how much they remember from their life, what skills they have, the resources they have available, ect. Since most reanimations take place within a week or two of death, it is traditional for a will to remain sealed for three weeks after a person is declared officially dead, in case they come back with enough sense of self to claim their possessions. Fresh Start does it's best to take the newly risen undead and find some use for them in society, setting them up with a home in the necropolis, finding a job for them, and essentially helping them acclimate into society. Oddly enough, most Fresh Start staffers are living, as they find having locals run offices in various districts cuts down on violence and vandalism perpetrated against the offices. Actually, with some exception, most people, even those who dislike undead, look kindly upon Fresh Start, even if they simply like it because it gets the undead out of their district. In the temple district Fresh Start offices are mainly run by the Holy Hands, who offer the undead in question "True Rest", if they refuse, they are sent to a Fresh Start office in a neighboring district for processing.

Silverscale
2010-01-22, 06:18 PM
And since I have nothing better to do right now

History of IshkaHistory Of Ishka
The city started out as a small fishing village on the river banks at the bottom of a canyon. Precious metals and minerals are discovered in the canyon walls, so the villagers start to mine the canyon. The wealth of the mines attracted the interest of people abroad and the population of the village spiked as people immigrated.

The hollowed out parts of the canyon walls were thus converted into houses and shops to accommodate the growing population. Eventually, the miners reached the top of the canyon walls and the city extended over the cliffs above the canyon.

Bridges were erected to help citizens commute between neighborhoods on either wall of the canyon. These bridges continued to expand and expand to accommodate the increased traffic, until the bridges themselves become neighborhoods, with there own dwellings and businesses.

All the while this is happening on the surface, miners continued to dig deeper and deeper into the canyon. The oldest of these mines, directly beneath the original village, unexpectedly opened a massive cavern and connected network of caves. The caves were full of even more riches then their previous mines, so the digging continued.

As the miners dug, once again the tunnels and caves behind them are annexed as new sections of the city. While the city continued to expand below the canyon, massive skyscrapers are erected along the cliffs of the canyon, even as the city expands out horizontally.

After much horizontal expansion, the city reached the lake at the head of the river. The creatures living in this lake reached an agreement with the city. In exchange for not being forced out of the lake, and a large monetary settlement, the city was be allowed to expand onto the lake.

the city constructed buildings on supports that extend to the bottom of the lake, and skyscrapers built on the water become a new luxury of the city. Beneath the water, the cities best craftsmen constructed entire communities at the very bottom of the lake.

The next development of the city was perhaps the oddest. As more and more powerful mages were draw to this city over time. Their magic began to react with the natural magical forces of the canyon, and the amazing destiny of the city.

The reactions created a number of permanent Planar Gates throughout the city. Seeing an opportunity, the citizens poured through the gates and began to colonize the other sides. These colonies were not really new cities, but rather extensions of the original city through the gates.

The city eventually became the fiscal and cultural center of the world, with a citizenry of almost every intelligent race.

After the mines that were level with the canyon floor began extending upward, some miners began complaining about always having to walk back down whenever they wanted to take a break for food or a drink. One of the more inventive tavern owners near the canyon walls happened to hear this while they were having a meal at his establishment. From this he had an idea. He spent a large sum of his money to have additions built onto his tavern adding a third story common room, and built a walkway to the cavern wall and had a passage opened to the nearest mining tunnel. The venture paid off and soon he had much more business than before and began expanding to better accommodate the large number of miners who enjoyed not having to track back though a number of tunnels to the level below. Other businesses noted his success and soon began imitating his idea. Soon even the stores not near the canyon wall began making pathways that linked to the pathways of the closer buildings. Over the course of the year such pathways formed a spiderweb across the entire community extending from one side of the canyon to the other. Despite this though, you could only get to the upper level through the buildings that had levels there or the mines. Seeing this, a somewhat wealthier miner had his house extended to the upper level passageways. Some less wealthy miners who saw this decided to do the same, but had to sell the lower levels of their home to afford it. In this way the first level was formed.
It was not long though until the mines extended higher up the canyon wall. Businesses this time businesses immediately went and expanded higher up. Some new businesses even were built only on the first and second level without a place on the canyon floor. This process continued each time the mines reached a higher level. The first four levels could only be crossed between through buildings and the mines, but the fifth level and up began building stairs between the levels as well. It was not until the tenth level however that the manner of building the next level ceased to be a random spider web of walkways and began to become standardized. Along with this, some buildings and businesses continued to be successful extending from the canyon floor to the highest level, while others went out of business and stopped expanding and still other were started on higher levels and extended up from there.
Occasionally, raiders of an unknown persuasion or a random monster will spill out of one of the temporary, randomly-occuring gates. The monsters will rampage and are almost always put down by some sort of peace-keeper. The raiders spill out, gank stuff, stab people, and retreat back into the gate just as it closes. They have been captured before, but they all seem to die shortly after the closing of the gate. No two seem to be alike - while all having the same basic abilities, they all are structurally quite different, with different dental patters, eye count, finger count, limb length, skin colour and texture, and so on.

Defeating a raider party or putting down a gate beast is a good way to earn a bit of prestige in the eyes of law-enforcement organizations.
Fifty years ago, a small nation attacked the city because it had a known Necropolis. They managed to destroy a sizeable portion of the city, which killed many and disrupted the flow of the city for decades. The city, in response, banded together just about every organization and every district and went to war. They used the more advanced technology available in the city, its huge population, and a suprisingly patriotic attitude towards the city to utterly devastate the small nation. Afterwards a few of the more evil parts of the city even turned the masses of dead in the small nation into an undead army. That army stood around the city for years, until it was decided by the city that the "message was sent" to the world's nations. As records are sketchy, people to this day debate whether the undead army was destroyed or hidden.

Since then, nobody has messed with the city. The worst to happen is the occasional infiltration and internal attack, but the Customs and Immigration organization catches most of those.

Some Numbers About the City
Total population of city: 3,375,100,000.
Population of city(Canyon layers): 3 billion.
Length of Canyon: 400 miles.
Width of Canyon (average): 2000 feet.
Height of Canyon: 1600 feet.
Layers in Canyon: 40.
Average Height of a layer: 40 feet.
Height of Mithral Tower (starting from top of city): 1000 feet.
Population of big tower: 100 thousand.
Number of extraplanar settlements: 50
Average population of extraplanar settlement: 50-100 million
Size of lake: 80 square miles. Between 10 and 500 feet deep.
Population on and in lake: 300 million.

If the average district contained 100 million people, there would be about 30 districts total. The average district size would around 13 miles long, with a presence on all 40 layers. Of course, this is just the average, and each district varies in its own way. Mithral Height, for example, is certainly not on the lower layers.

Artifact: Founder’s Fishing Rod

This fishing rod functions as a +5 quarterstaff.
It grants the bearer the extraordinary abilities to breathe underwater and walk on top of water.
The bearer can also cast Control Water at will as a 20th level caster, and Summon Monster IX (Elder Water Elemental) twice a day as a 20th level caster.
The bearer is immune to all spells and damage from water based spells.

Story - A fisher owned the Founder’s Fishing Rod before it was an artifact. That fisher was extremely talented and gained fame in a small fishing town at the bottom of a canyon. When she died, the town kept her fishing rod on a pedestal. Eventually the town grew into a mining community. An enterprising mage came to the town to gain riches.
That mage was named Ishkar Bolt. He was a lonely man, and like most people who came to the town to mine, the fishing community disliked him. In order to get their approval, he decided to honor the famed fishing rod by giving it a powerful enchantment. The plan failed. However, when a couple of dragons nearly destroyed the town with their underground duel, Ishkar was able drive the dragons further underground with the fishing rod and his spells. Ishkar became a hero.
The townspeople renamed their town “Ishkar,” and for many years Ishkar performed the role of the town’s guardian. Ishkar saved many miners. One of those miners was so grateful that he became a financial partner with Ishkar. They used a combination of fourth generation miner know-how and magic to find the best ores around.
Their biggest find was a massive vein of mithril. They were rich overnight. The miner took his share and left for richer pastures, and his name has since been forgotten. Ishkar used the mithril to reinforce the city that was starting to grow around the town. He remained an important figure in the city for many years and was known for always carrying around the fishing rod that he used to save the town.
As he grew old, he decided to do one final act for the city. He used all of his remaining mithril to build a gigantic tower. After Ishkar died, he was put in a grand tomb near the top of the tower. Inside the tomb his perfectly preserved corpse holds on to the fishing rod.

Saint Merkel and Saint Baltin Included here because it includes history of the city as well
The City is very crowded, and sanitation and health services are often rare. It is not uncommon, therefore, for plagues and disease to be a problem. One such disease later named “Saints Foe”, was especially deadly. It swept through the city, laying waste to vast numbers of people. Some districts or levels barricaded themselves off to prevent contamination, and it was not uncommon for “Purge Squads” to start fires in areas with suspected cases, in order to contain the disease. It seemed as if the city was about to fall into anarchy.
Then, an elderly cleric named Merkel arrived in the city, or maybe he was already there. Nobody is sure, people aren’t even sure which church he belonged to, as most of the good-aligned churches claim he was a member. What everybody does agree on, is the Speech,
Merkel went out and toured the city. He sought out those districts most ravaged by the disease, lending help where he could. Then, he wen’t back to the temple district, and called for every cleric, alchemist, healer, or person who could wrap a bandage to come to the temple square. Once there, he stood atop a simple stage and described what he had seen, and he told the people who had gathered what he intended to do about it.
The next day, the first Holy Hands set out from the temple district, to stop the disease in any way they could.
Meanwhile, some people noticed something. With all the deaths, the population of the necropolis swelled. The Undead could also easily carry the disease, while not being affected by it. Some people put two and two together, and began to suspect that the disease was created by the Undead, to turn the entire city into a necropolis. Fear turned to anger, and before long one of Merkel’s followers, a man named Baltin, was up on the same stage, calling for a crusade. Many people rallied to his banner, and before the council could do anything about it, they had a war on their hands. People from all over the city joined what soon became known as “The Holy Swords”. Many people could not aid the Hands, because they lacked the skills needed to help against the disease, but provided they could swing a club, Baltin had need of them. In the end it got so bad that Gravelbore himself was forced to leave his citadel and take to the field.
Then, suddenly, when things looked their worst, the disease stopped. Some say that Merkel developed a cure, others say that Baltin killed the undead responsible for it, and others say it simply ran out of people vulnerable to it. All that is known is that, suddenly the Holy Hands found themselves receiving no new cases, and the ones still in their care started getting better. Also, after that day, which is currently celebrated as a festival, neither Merkel or Baltin was seen again.
Both movements lost a lot of people. With the disease gone, most simply went back home, though those that stayed to continue Merkel’s work became the Holy Hands. All but the most fanatic members of the Swords left, and those that remained, unable to continue their crusade, made peace with the undead and became the police force of the temple district, and bodyguards for the Holy Hands.
Both Merkel and Baltin, since nobody knew which one of them truly defeated the disease, were both made Saints by every church in the city.

Silverscale
2010-01-22, 06:27 PM
Historical Figures
Kenrik the Fallen
AKA Kenrik the Protector AKA Kenrik the Boneguard
During the Era of Baltin's Crusade and the dread plauge, it was traditional for several paladins to receive special titles and duties. Of these, the most important was the title of "Protector", the paladin charged with defending the occupants of the city from evil. Now, this was an unofficial position held up by the churches with no support from the state, but the position of "Protector" was still a powerful one. At the time of the Crusade, the Protector was a paladin named Kenrik. Baltin called upon Kenrik to lead an elite strike force into the Necropolis to establish a foothold there and draw undead troops away from Baltin's main force. However, upon arriving Kenrik found, not sinister undead brewing up plauge cauldrons and feasting on the flesh of the living, but simple working folk, indistinguishable from most of the city's population except by their rotting state. When the time came to give the order to attack, Kenrik halted. He turned towards his troops and loudly proclaimed that these undead were no less citizens of the Ishka than any other, and that it was his duty as Protector to defend them as he would anybody else. His forces didn't listen, instead they attacked him, stripped him of his armor and weapon, left him for dead, and proceeded to slaughter Undead. When the paladins finally left, Kenrik was found and nursed back to health by some undead that had hidden and survived the initial purge. Having been disowned by his own people, Kenrik was taken to the obsidian citadel of Graveborle, who charged him with creating an official force to help defend the necropolis. Before, his emblem had been a shield of steel and gold, now he took up one of bone, and began training those undead that were willing in the ways of the warrior and the paladin. These new undead took up Kenrik's emblem, and began calling themselves the Order of the Bone Shield. Throughout the crusade, the order battled the Holy Swords, serving as their most formidable opponents. Kenrik was a skilled strategist, and he taught his disciples the same. Most of the undead in the district were able to fight, but it took a Boneshield to take command and provide the strategic guidance to make them truly effective.
During the war, Kenrik was slain, many claim by Baltin himself, and his body was hacked to pieces by Baltin's followers in order to prevent a ressurection. However, the Bonesheilds managed to make off with his equipment, most of which stands in their hall in the Obsidian Citadel, though the famed shield itself, along with a replica of the equipment, is kept in the Museum. After the war, the Order of the Bone shield moved from a military force into a policing role, both ensuring the law is upheld in the Necropolis, and protecting the undead and living from each other throughout the city.

Bretre the Peaceful
Upon the end of the dread plague, neither the Holy Sword nor the Order of the Bone Shield were willing to end their fight outright. Even with Kenrik and Baltin gone, their most devoted followers were determined to achieve a final victory. And so Bretre stepped in to help. Bretre was a scholar who had taught at the academy for many years, and some say he was the most respected member in the Collected Colleges at the time. He approached both groups and convince them to meet him and discuss a peaceful solution. Both sides believed it to be a waste of time, but Bretre convinced them that if they agree to a meeting, then they could claim the moral high-ground by saying they had at least made an attempt at peace.
The meeting was held in a neutral pocket dimension, but even as both sides arrived and entered the people of the city knew the negotiations would fail. No one emerged from the extradimensional space for three days and nights, and a rumor began to circulate that the parties had in fact killed each other. But just after dawn on the fourth day, Bretre and the representatives from both groups emerged, and declared that the fight was over.
To this day, no one knows how this feat was accomplished. Bretre never spoke of how he'd convinced these mortal enemies to lay down arms, and the representatives from either organization claimed to have sworn an oath to Bretre to never speak on it either. It is a mystery that confounds the City's scholars to this day.

The First Builder
Patron saint of Workers, Structures, and Architects.
The First Builder's name has been lost to time, but his (or her) deeds have not. The First Builder noticed that the city was growing, and predicted that it was only a matter of time before it began to grow upwards as well. He founded the Streetbuilders, laid out the basic plan for the city's eventual growth, the rules he wrote for keeping the city intact are still used by the Streetbuilders, and Museum contains, as one of it's most priceless artifacts, a set of tools supposably used by the First him/herself to help build and design the first grand support pillar in the city, and his blessing is invoked for every new structure built.
Nobody knows what race the first builder was, but he is generally depicted as a dwarf with his face hidden under a helmet. In his hands he either holds a hammer, shovel, or architect's compass.
Humans First is constantly petitioning to have him depicted as a human, and in certain parts of the city he is depicted as a Gnome, Goblin, or Stone Giant. However, no matter the race or gender, the First Builder is always depicted faceless and holding his tools.

Saint Merkel and Saint Baltin
The City is very crowded, and sanitation and health services are often rare. It is not uncommon, therefore, for plagues and disease to be a problem. One such disease later named “Saints Foe”, was especially deadly. It swept through the city, laying waste to vast numbers of people. Some districts or levels barricaded themselves off to prevent contamination, and it was not uncommon for “Purge Squads” to start fires in areas with suspected cases, in order to contain the disease. It seemed as if the city was about to fall into anarchy.
Then, an elderly cleric named Merkel arrived in the city, or maybe he was already there. Nobody is sure, people aren’t even sure which church he belonged to, as most of the good-aligned churches claim he was a member. What everybody does agree on, is the Speech,
Merkel went out and toured the city. He sought out those districts most ravaged by the disease, lending help where he could. Then, he wen’t back to the temple district, and called for every cleric, alchemist, healer, or person who could wrap a bandage to come to the temple square. Once there, he stood atop a simple stage and described what he had seen, and he told the people who had gathered what he intended to do about it.
The next day, the first Holy Hands set out from the temple district, to stop the disease in any way they could.
Meanwhile, some people noticed something. With all the deaths, the population of the necropolis swelled. The Undead could also easily carry the disease, while not being affected by it. Some people put two and two together, and began to suspect that the disease was created by the Undead, to turn the entire city into a necropolis. Fear turned to anger, and before long one of Merkel’s followers, a man named Baltin, was up on the same stage, calling for a crusade. Many people rallied to his banner, and before the council could do anything about it, they had a war on their hands. People from all over the city joined what soon became known as “The Holy Swords”. Many people could not aid the Hands, because they lacked the skills needed to help against the disease, but provided they could swing a club, Baltin had need of them. In the end it got so bad that Gravelbore himself was forced to leave his citadel and take to the field.
Then, suddenly, when things looked their worst, the disease stopped. Some say that Merkel developed a cure, others say that Baltin killed the undead responsible for it, and others say it simply ran out of people vulnerable to it. All that is known is that, suddenly the Holy Hands found themselves receiving no new cases, and the ones still in their care started getting better. Also, after that day, which is currently celebrated as a festival, neither Merkel or Baltin was seen again.
Both movements lost a lot of people. With the disease gone, most simply went back home, though those that stayed to continue Merkel’s work became the Holy Hands. All but the most fanatic members of the Swords left, and those that remained, unable to continue their crusade, made peace with the undead and became the police force of the temple district, and bodyguards for the Holy Hands.
Both Merkel and Baltin, since nobody knew which one of them truly defeated the disease, were both made Saints by every church in the city.

Cassandra the Brass Saint
Cassandra was a gnome of great vision and even greater ambition. As she saw the city growing around her, she envisioned a way to power the entire city without the use of magic. She spent years tinkering in her shop on the edge of poverty, until she was finally willing to unveil her great work. Cassandra built the very first Steamworks, and the system that delivered the power of the Steamworks to the rest of the city. Unlike many of the Saints, very much is known about Cassandra, as she kept meticulous records and journals. She is the Patron Saint of the Steamworks, technicians, and development of new technologies.

The Twin Dragons
The same dragons that dwell at the center of The Draconic Heritage Collective. Because of their continued contribution to the city's development throughout it's history, the City Council accepted a petition to have them canonized as Saints. Because they are still living, they are often considered to be the least revered of the Saints. Despite this, the dragons have a small, but very devoted following. The dragons have on several occasions asked to be listed as separate Saints, but they have been continuously denied, as it is believed that their contribution would never have existed without both of them.

Minerva, the Unbreakable Saint
Patron Saint of determination, physical ability, and quick thinking.
Minerva was a human with no talent for magic, but unbelievable physical strength, endurance, and agility of both mind and body. She was one of the first members of the Gatekeepers and the most well known. She was fascinated by the art of war, the grace of a duel and the tactics of a large-scale battle. Her obscession with combat lead her to refining both her body and her mind to the best of her ability, training in the most horrid conditions and strenous courses available.
Minerva would always be seen fighting tirelessly against massive numbers of raiders and beasts deposited by gates. She never backed down from a fight unless continuing would lead to harming bystandards. In exceptionally dangerous situations, she would send her allies away and continue fighting alone, and many times had to be dragged from the field of battle by companions fearing for her health.
She retired at age 60 after settling at least 89 incidents (with 132 more commonly atributed to her but never confirmed, not counting small scale skirmishes that were never documented), losing her right eye and use of her right arm, and penning the training manual for aspiring fighters that is still used by the Gatekeepers today. She passed away at the impressive age of 84, happily married and with many descendants. A small group of people insist that she was proficient in magic capable of boosting physical strength, but there is no evidence of this. Her lance is still on display in The Museum.

Fleet-Footed Jack
Unofficial patron saint of athletes, anarchists, and thieves. Nobody ever knew exactly who Jack was; even the name is just a fabrication of his fans and patrons. What is known is that a humanoid always enshrouded in a long cloak and loose clothes would descend upon a member of a district's guard, steal an item of insignificant value, and then flee the guard(s), always keeping the hem of his cloak just out of reach. Jack would sprint great distances, scale buildings, run across walls for short distances, and engage in other acts of extreme athleticism, occasionally sprinting ahead and then stopping to taunt his pursuers. The whole time, he would cackle madly to himself, apparently greatly amused with his own antics. After he grew bored of a chase, he would drop the stolen item and sprint off, disappearing into the district's layers. He was active for the better part of a century before never being seen again.
His greatest heist is universally considered to be the time that he stole every single historical, priceless document from the museum, leaving behind a sheet with a drawing of a grinning face left in each of the documents' place. It was half an hour before one of the curators discovered what happened, and Jack ended up being chased by hundreds of M.I. agents from district to district for weeks. At certain points they would close off entire districts only to have him turn up in another district hours later. It's rumored that M.I. even offered Vault prisoners in exchange for Jack if the Alliance ever managed to grab him. After weeks of chasing, Jack finally spun about and handed a large folder to a very confused rookie M.I. agent chasing him and then sped off. In the folder was every stolen document, all undamaged. To this day, mages concoct divination spells just to try to figure out how Jack did it.
The most curious fact about Jack is that in none of his heists, even the Museum heist, did any sort of lingering magical aura appear, and the scrutiny it was given my M.I. mages was QUITE exhaustive. It's believed that Jack did all of this without magic. It's what made him so endearing. Anarchists, thieves, and athletes will mutter a prayer to him before doing anything particularly risky and will leave offerings in his street shrines, all of which are hidden in parts of the city that don't have walkways to them; you need to climb or jump to an overhang or some such thing to reach it. These days, copycat thieves attempt crimes in the style of Jack, but they almost all get caught, and none seem able to go about it in so nonchalant of a manner as to laugh the entire time.

Hulutch of the Underdark
Hulutch is not a very popular Saint in the city. Hulutch was a mindflayer of incredible power, but unlike the rest of his kin, who are methodical and calculating in their ever evolving and horrific plans, Hulutch was the living embodiment of Choas. He was a terrifying force to behold and would seek to reap madness and destruction where ever he went. He was so terrible, that even his own Illithid kindred feared him. They betrayed him, and sealed him deep in the earth, inside a cavern so deep, they believed he would be trapped for all eternity. What his kin did not foresee, was the ever expanding tunnels of the city. The miners who discovered Hulutch fell into a deep madness the moment he entered his presence, and returned to the surface screaming of horrifying things. With Hulutch's release, his madness swept through the city. The City Council sought out Hulutch with the intent of killing him, but when he was found he offered no fight, and instead asked to speak with the Council. Although they would not meet him face to face, they arrange a method to speak to one another. Hulutch's captivity had done more damage to him then simple deprivation, he was dying. Hulutch had learned much of the city, and had actually found it fascinating. He offered the Council a deal: canonize him as a Saint, and not only would he end his disease of madness within the city, but he would use his powers to help the city.
The Council accepted his deal, and ordered his canonization. But as you have most likely guessed, Hulutch should not have been trusted. The moment the ceremony was complete, Hulutch let out a sickening laugh and killed himself. Now with the powers of a Saint, his maddening hold on the people of the city increased. Fortunately, Hulutch had not realized the price at which his canonization came. The moment he became a Saint, he was subject to the direct scrutiny of the rest of the city's pantheon. Saint's who had been mortal enemies in life, like Kenrik and Baltin, joined forces to stop Hulutch and his ever expanding madness. While they could not undo Hulutch's canonization, they imposed a fate on him similar to the one his kindred had once imposed. He is now sealed in a personal hell, from which he cannot escape.
Despite his despicable nature, Hulutch still has a small following within the city. His followers meet at secret shrines hidden to those not willing to surrender themselves to madness. The primary goal of his followers is to release Hulutch from his prison, and while it is not documented by any agency (other than The Eyes) they have come very close on several occasions. He is the Patron Saint of madness, anarchy, and destruction.

The Stone Raven
The patron of impartial justice, laws, observers, and law-keepers.
Given the rather well known nature of Ravenshome, it was only a matter of time before some began revering the raven statues found throughout for they're impartial keeping of justice. As such small shrines soon began appearing around the city with one or more raven statues in them. An odd, or perhaps expected, thing is that there are no shrines to the stone raven within a mile or so of Ravenshome in any direction. Similarly any who have some kind of dedication to the stone raven can almost be guaranteed to have never been to Ravenshome themselves, or if they have, only in passing and never for any length of time at that. Most who visit the shrines however are those who have recently been wronged and hope for justice to be carried out, or law-keepers currently on a difficult case hoping for guidance in punishing the culprit. All the shrines also seem to give the unshakable feeling of being watched however, making them among the most unpopular to visit without reason. They are also considered the most unpopular among lawbreakers, yet very rarely do any risk vandalizing them, afraid that the same enforcement found in Ravenshome might fall upon them at the shrines if they do.

Spirit of the Tree
The spirit of the ancient and massive Millennium Tree has help protect Ishka ever since the city grew up around it as it expanded toward the great lake at the head of the river.

Silverscale
2010-01-22, 06:30 PM
And last but certainly not least

Festivals:
Builders day:
This is the holy day of the First Builder, it celebrates when he first approached the city council with his ambitious plans, as well as the point, exactly a year later, when the first Streetbuilder projects were begun.
Traditionally, there is a big party, centered around the Big pillars. It, and the day after it, are the only days of the year that no streetbuilders work, this is not because of any festive spirit on the part of the management, in fact it would be in the spirit for the Streetbuilders to work their hardest on this day. However, because the city is very short on people willing to let the boys in grey pay for drinks on the Builders Day. As a result of this, pretty much every streetbuilder parties constantly, and as a result is in no shape to work. The next day they spend recovering from the festivities.

The Day of Little Demons:
In a city the size of Ishka, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, and lose sight of what's important. Scholars which studied human behavior thought that this would have an overall negative effect on the city. So a day was set aside where the traditional rules of the city no longer apply, a day when you can tell your boss he's an (insert expletive), run down the street naked, and generally do whatever you want.
Of course, the laws of the city do not vanish on this day. Murder, theft, and assault are all still very illegal and will have the guard on you in no time. The purpose of the day, is the total suspension of social inhibitions (within the confines of the law) without fear of the social repercussions. Telling your boss to pull his head out of his ass would get you fired on any normal day, but on the Day of Little Demons, you can tell him to go (insert expletive) and you'll still have a job the next day.
Over the years since it was started, the holiday has become a day of practical jokes (much like april fool's day). With escalating prank wars covering the city, sometimes even between two whole districts, it's only natural that Fleet-footed Jack has a history with this holiday. He would stage a new and daring heist every year in the early more of the Day of Little Demons and would run through the streets to the cheers and whistles of fans till the sun set.

Day of Life:
While originally started as a holiday by the Holy Hands, it currently resembles what it once was very little. Originally, it was a day when healers who were not of the Holy Hands would join up for a day and walk into the poorest parts of the city and stand on street corners healing sickness, curing blindness, and healing injuries. Many such healers, however, took to standing in the Necropolis, offering "healing" to every undead resident that passed. The undead took offense to it but, rather than complaining about it, they decided to go in a whole new direction with it.
The undead started celebrating the lives they once had and what was left of them. It became a day of gluttony in the necropolis: those that were still physically capable of it would eat food they couldn't digest just for the hell of it, vampires would drink whole kegs of blood while ghouls would feast on body after body, saved up for the celebration. Those still physically capable of it would host orgies and have other pleasures for the senses. The entire Necropolis would have bright paper lanterns and colourful decorations strung up, and undead would wear colourful costumes as they marched about, dead things celebrating life.
To this day, the Holy Hands continue with their holiday as per their original intentions, even standing and offering final death to smiling necropolitans dancing past in bright dresses and suits. Most people, however, know it as a festival of ecstatic undead and bright colours, where food and drink perfectly suitable for living consumption is plentiful and free in the necropolis. Poor people and people who love to party flock to the necropolis on this day and slowly filter back out over the next few weeks as the food and drink suited for human consumption is eaten or goes bad.

Solar Eclipse:
Though I don't think that they would necessarily have any sort of official names, I think that various eclipses would be very short, small-time holidays in the city. On these holidays, creatures with a sensitivity to bright light or a weakness to sunlight would flock up to the surface of the city, forming small, celebrant flash-mobs which would dance and sing in the heat of the day and the dark of the night. They would only last as long as the eclipse, or shorter for those that can only be out during the full eclipse. At the end of that time, they would flood back into the under-levels of the city as if they had never been there at all.

Carnival of the Theatre, Carnival of the Arena, and Carnival of the Gallery:
The three biggest holidays in the Entertainment District are their three annual carnivals, each dedicated to a different aspect of the district at large. Carnival of the Theatre focuses on musicians and stage performers, Carnival of the Arena focuses on the gladiators, fencers, any any other individual who entertains through false or real combat and athletics, while the Carnival of the Gallery focuses on crafted pieces of art. During the Carnival of the Theatre, whole acting troupes and musical groups put up make-shift stages decorated with colourful paper decorations and give free performances to the people. Many troupes first get spotted by owners of theatres on this day; they tend to scope the scene for new talent. Theatres that charge money always give a hefty discount on this day, and usually choose this day to run any sort of new or risky material that they've come across over the course of the past year.

During the Carnival of the Arena, spectators crowd the streets of the Entertainment District. Bedecked with wooden swords and wearing shirts and jerseys in the colour of their gladiator or athletic team, their raucous cheers fill the streets on these days. People fence across the roof-tops with safety foils, bedecked in brightly-coloured sashes to please the people below. Wrestlers grapple in chalked-in circles and people following in the tradition free-run through the streets, across the walls, and over the roofs.

The Carnival of the Gallery is a somewhat more sombre affair than that of the Arena, but is no less gorgeous. Amateur artists (or professional artists without a patron) erect makeshift works and build small shrines around older ones that never sold. The art galleries open their doors on this days for free, and people who would never be caught dead in one of those galleries on a normal day are seen wandering the halls. As in the Carnival of the Theatre, the artists on this day hope that by showing off their chalk drawings, paper and wood sculptures, and hastily-painted canvases they might find for themselves a patron. Unlike the Carnival of the Theatre, only the best of the best do; most are forced to go back to working their normal jobs the next day.
There you have it in an Easy-to-ready and All-right-there format.

the doomed one
2010-01-31, 10:37 PM
I have started running a campaign with this setting, and my players love it.


EDIT: I was going to say more but I seem to have forgotten what that was...:smalleek:

BRC
2010-01-31, 10:42 PM
I have started running a campaign with this setting, and my players love it.


EDIT: I was going to say more but I seem to have forgotten what that was...:smalleek:
Ooh! Details, Details!

What type of stuff have you done so far, where have you sent them?

Owrtho
2010-01-31, 11:00 PM
Ooh! Details, Details!

What type of stuff have you done so far, where have you sent them?

I agree. Details are needed.

Owrtho

the doomed one
2010-01-31, 11:45 PM
OH! right

well I suppose I should start with the party.
(note that i am using pathfinder)
Coderizon -- Drow Rouge
Grimlock -- Dragonborn Fighter
Tarnon -- Elf Wizard with a strength of 17:smallamused:
Nexray -- Elf Cleric

Thus far (only about two sessions spread out over three) while working for the watch, they interrupted some Alliance goons while they were ransacking one of the hand's temples (and killed them dead). They found an injured priest and decided to carry him to the next nearest temple.

After resting they decide to search the temple. It was empty except for a small leather bound journal and a large hole in the canyon wall at the back of the sub-basement.

The brave adventurers went into the hole on a small wooden pathway that led around the outside of the hole. At the back they found a small passage filled with Troglodytes, they valiantly fought their way through the hordes to the troglodyte leader, who, Grimlock challenged to single combat, and who's head was promptly bashed in. The party then found there way to a chasm on the other side of which was a portal, the party made it across, the last four Troglodytes, tragically, fell to their doom. The party went through the portal, and this is more or less where we left off.

I haven't decided what the journal is going to contain.

EDIT: I am fairly certain I used the wrong their (I think, I can never remember, but it looked wrong).
EDIT2: If any of my players see this let me know if I left anything out, also found some more spelling errors.

Silverscale
2010-02-01, 08:07 PM
I've started my own game as well....mostly we've only done character creation.
So far we have:
--A Fairy/Goblin (magical experiment) Wild Mage named Oops who has a sigil on her chest that prevent REALLY bad wild magic from happening
--A cube-shaped Warforged Artificer (think a D6 with arms legs and clockwork wings to aid in jump checks) who travels around with Oops
--A LG Illithid Exalted Bard who's taken a VoP
--A NG Lamia Ranger who has taken to watching after the Bard whenever he wanders into her grove.

For the sake of plot I've decided that the districts they live in are all close together.

When I went over for gaming we were going to be playing a completely different game so I didn't have anything prepared. So far they've met eachother while wondering around for the Day of Little Demons Festival.

BRC
2010-02-01, 08:37 PM
OH! right

well I suppose I should start with the party.
(note that i am using pathfinder)
Coderizon -- Drow Rouge
Grimlock -- Dragonborn Fighter
Tarnon -- Elf Wizard with a strength of 17:smallamused:
Nexray -- Elf Cleric

Thus far (only about two sessions spread out over three) while working for the watch, they interrupted some Alliance goons while they were ransacking one of the hand's temples (and killed them dead). They found an injured priest and decided to carry him to the next nearest temple.

After resting they decide to search the temple. It was empty except for a small leather bound journal and a large hole in the canyon wall at the back of the sub-basement.

The brave adventurers went into the hole on a small wooden pathway that led around the outside of the hole. At the back they found a small passage filled with Troglodytes, they valiantly fought their way through the hordes to the troglodyte leader, who, Grimlock challenged to single combat, and who's head was promptly bashed in. The party then found there way to a chasm on the other side of which was a portal, the party made it across, the last four Troglodytes, tragically, fell to their doom. The party went through the portal, and this is more or less where we left off.

I haven't decided what the journal is going to contain.

EDIT: I am fairly certain I used the wrong their (I think, I can never remember, but it looked wrong).
EDIT2: If any of my players see this let me know if I left anything out, also found some more spelling errors.
Heh, when they finish what they are doing wherever the portal is and get back out, they should find construction crews everywhere building houses in the chasm (Space is at a premium in Ishka, and people move quickly). A Haggard Streetbuilder supervisor yelling at the workers, maybe a few MI agents standing around looking at chalk outlines of the dead troglodytes (The local watch didn't want to deal with it, said that since there was an Alliance operation nearbye and this was in an unmapped tunnel there was evidence for Probable Alliance Activity, and handed the case over to MI), some protesters standing around decrying the senseless slaughter, A blockade of Gatekeepers watching the portal, a guy from the temple claiming that this is all temple property and would everybody please clear out, ect.

Things move fast in Ishka.

As soon as they step out, roll a D8 and consult this table.

1. A construction worker approaches them, hands the Dragonborn a load of bricks, says "Give this ta jimmy", and then goes on to argue with the Streetbuilder.
2. One of the MI's approaches and starts asking questions.
3. The entire party promptly get's tackled by Gatekeepers.
4. Protesters approach the party, asking for their support in encouraging the authorities to find whomever killed the trogdylites.
5. Somebody tries to sell them something.
6. The guy from the church yells at them to please get off temple property.
7. Roll twice and combine.
8. 1-6 occur simultaneously.

the doomed one
2010-02-01, 08:51 PM
I have also given some thought on domains for the saints.

(keep in mind i am working from a pathfinder standpoint and the domains can be found here (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/cleric.html#cleric))


Baltin
Strength, Glory, War, Nobility

Bretre
Community, Good, Knowledge

Cassandra
Artifice, Knowledge

First Builder
Artifice, Knowledge

Fleet-Footed Jack
Chaos, Luck, Travel, Trickery

Hulutch
Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Madness

Kenric
Death, Law, Nobility

Merkel
Community, Good, Healing, Protection

Millennium Tree
Animal, Air, Earth, liberation, Plant, Water, Weather

Minirva
Knowledge, Strength, Protection, Luck

Olliden
Charm, Magic, Luck

Stone Raven
Knowledge, Law, Magic, Protection

Twin Dragons
Knowledge, Nobility, Fire



Also i shall take that advice into consideration.

Edit: wording and spelling
Edit2: Added Knowledge and Magic to Stone Raven.
Edit3: Bolded names, alphabetized.

Codac
2010-02-01, 09:09 PM
OH! right

well I suppose I should start with the party.
(note that i am using pathfinder)
Coderizon -- Drow Rouge
Grimlock -- Dragonborn Fighter
Tarnon -- Elf Wizard with a strength of 17:smallamused:
Nexray -- Elf Cleric

Thus far (only about two sessions spread out over three) while working for the watch, they interrupted some Alliance goons while they were ransacking one of the hand's temples (and killed them dead). They found an injured priest and decided to carry him to the next nearest temple.

After resting they decide to search the temple. It was empty except for a small leather bound journal and a large hole in the canyon wall at the back of the sub-basement.

The brave adventurers went into the hole on a small wooden pathway that led around the outside of the hole. At the back they found a small passage filled with Troglodytes, they valiantly fought their way through the hordes to the troglodyte leader, who, Grimlock challenged to single combat, and who's head was promptly bashed in. The party then found there way to a chasm on the other side of which was a portal, the party made it across, the last four Troglodytes, tragically, fell to their doom. The party went through the portal, and this is more or less where we left off.

I haven't decided what the journal is going to contain.

EDIT: I am fairly certain I used the wrong their (I think, I can never remember, but it looked wrong).
EDIT2: If any of my players see this let me know if I left anything out, also found some more spelling errors.

No you got everything but i would like to point out that my wizard is the second strongest in the party. I like that character

Silverscale
2010-02-01, 10:29 PM
I have also given some thought on domains for the saints.

(keep in mind i am working from a pathfinder standpoint and the domains can be found here (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/cleric.html#cleric))


Kenric
Death, Law, Nobility

Bretre
Community, Good, Knowledge

First Builder
Artifice, Knowledge

Merkel
Community, Good, Healing, Protection

Baltin
Strength, Glory, War, Nobility

Cassandra
Artifice, Knowledge

Twin Dragons
Knowledge, Nobility, Fire

Minirva
Knowledge, Strength, Protection, Luck

Fleet-Footed Jack
Chaos, Luck, Travel, Trickery

Hulutch
Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Madness

Stone Raven
Law, Protection

Millennium Tree
Animal, Air, Earth, liberation, Plant, Water, Weather

Olliden
Charm, Magic, Luck

Also i shall take that advice into consideration.

Edit: wording and spelling


I like what you've got here. Do you mind if I yoink?

Owrtho
2010-02-01, 10:36 PM
I have also given some thought on domains for the saints.

(keep in mind i am working from a pathfinder standpoint and the domains can be found here (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/cleric.html#cleric))

Well, given that list, I could see the Stone Raven also possessing any of the following domains in addition to those you noted: Artifice, Community, Darkness, Earth, Knowledge, Magic.
Darkness is a bit of a stretch though, and knowledge would be more from constant monitoring than scholarly research.

Owrtho

the doomed one
2010-02-01, 10:49 PM
Well, given that list, I could see the Stone Raven also possessing any of the following domains in addition to those you noted: Artifice, Community, Darkness, Earth, Knowledge, Magic.
Darkness is a bit of a stretch though, and knowledge would be more from constant monitoring than scholarly research.

Owrtho

I was having trouble with that, thank you for the input.
I will edit in knowledge and magic.

It seems like we need more evil, and magic oriented saints...


I like what you've got here. Do you mind if I yoink?
Go ahead.:smallbiggrin:

50cr4t3s
2010-02-03, 03:42 AM
I agree that we need more saints (evil/magic oriented ones, and just more in general). Here are some ideas i've been kicking around in my head:

Myndil the Shadow: Patron Saint of Assassins and Murderers (unofficial)
Myndil was a hire knife in the early days of the city. She was known for her deadly skills with almost any blade, her accuracy with an arrow, but most importantly: her mastery of poisons. Although she had the ability to kill almost any mark in seconds (even in a fair fight) her primary tactic was to merely scratch her victim, and then simply disappear. Foolish victims thought themselves lucky, smart ones rushed home to say their goodbyes. One drop of her special blend would kill a man within the hour, and it was not a quiet death. Her admires called the poison "Myndil's Song," while the Watch named it "Shrieking Death." Her shrines are not hidden like those of Hulutch, but they are constantly being moved by her acolytes within the city. It is said, that the high-priestess of Myndil knows how to brew Myndil's Song, and will bestow the poison on the weapons of those who give a suitable offering to the Mistress of Murder.

Tren 4508: Patron Saint of Constructs (unofficial, but not deviant)
Tren was a construct that lived for so long, no one knows who his original makers were or what his purpose was in the beginning. Some say he was actually a creation of The Brass Saint Cassandra, but Tren never confirmed this. Tren applied to the Academy shortly after the Dread Plague, and began an extensive study of magic. During his time there, he excelled in almost every subject and held the top marks of his class. Accusations that constructs had unfair advantages, and that Tren was essentially cheating, were common, but Tren endured. He graduated in the shortest recorded time at the Academy, and He quickly became a leading expert among the Collected Colleges. But things took an unfortunate turn when Tren unveiled what his specialty of magic was: Necromancy. Tren was fascinated by the potential of every living thing in the city to effectively operate beyond it's body's expiration date, and made the study of this his life's work. Unfortunately, so soon after the near civil war caused by the Dread Plague, the people of the city were not amused by Tren's hobby. He proposed replacing human workers with mindless undead, creating a massive magical network in which souls could be stored and continue to interact with the city, and he even proposed an endgame in which all residents of the city lived in this network while there bodies were reanimated to provide it with maintenance. The very notion frighted many of Ishka's citizens. The cry to have Tren disassembled was inevitable. The Council and much of the Academy staff attempted to dissuade the citizens from their demands, but Tren was convinced that his vision was the proper path for the city, and continued to preach it's value. Eventually, the Council gave into public pressure, destroyed Tren's notes, and forbid him from ever studying necromancy again. Tren was devastated, he left the Collected Colleges, and never returned. Some say we wandered into the caverns of the Sleeping Army, where he shutdown, waiting for the day when his vision could finally come to fruition. Others say he built a prototype of the magical network in secret, and continues to experiment to this day. Regardless, years after (during which the council decided to use mindless undead for menial labor anyway), the story of Tren became an inspiration to constructs all over the city. Tren had risen above his original purpose and made his own way in life. His shrines can be found in any neighborhood with more than a few constructs.

I'll try and post more later. must sleep now.

the doomed one
2010-02-06, 02:09 AM
Pathfinder Domains for the new saints:

Myndil the Shadow
Chaos, Darkness, Death, Evil

Tren 4508
Artifice, Community, Knowledge, Magic
(potentially Rune though i'm not sure how well that would fit)

Again the pathfinder domains can be found here (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/classes/cleric.html#cleric).

I would write more saints but the two things i am bad at are name and character backgrounds, though, I will probably write some about The Port District, also how does everyone feel about adding a canal district as a point of interest here.

PS Perhaps we could add more world outside of the city, or at least the continent on which Ishka is situated.
PPS Argh I have too many ideas for two am I want to sleep.

Silverscale
2010-02-06, 11:25 AM
Feel free to add fluff to the Port District.....I'm not very good at fluff.

As to a Canal District, I suppose that would be between the Lake District and Galdren before the waters from the canal, or more probably several canals, become the irrigation system for Galdren.

As to the world outside Ishka and the continent etc....for some reason I've always envisioned The City to take up most of the south-western area of some vast continent. To the west Ishka is bordered by a mountain range, to the north a battle scared waste-land gives way to forbidding frigid tundra, to the east Galdren eventually gives way to vast plains in the north and a forest to the south east. Beyond the Western Mountains is a coastal nation that sends trade to Ishka mostly through the Port District....
....running out of ideas but this should give us a place to start with the world beyond Ishka.

jagadaishio
2010-02-16, 07:56 AM
I was looking back over the thread, and I came to the realization that the various forms of undead in the various D&D source books are unsatisfactory as far as the spontaneously arising undead are concerned. All of the undead that we see that are not mindless have some kind of purpose or motivation behind their genesis. Vampires are made by another vampire. Liches and mummies either are spellcasters or are made by spellcasters. Ghosts have unfinished business and the various types of spectre and wraith are full of revenge and hate. Ghouls and ghasts need to be infected with a special disease or be cannibals in life. Necropolitans are created at their own behest with a ritual-killing.

Ultimately, there would be many of those kinds of undead in the city. However, the way that we've been painting the Necropolis makes me think that the average, Joe Schmo undead is a spontaneously-arisen mammajamma without much unfinished business or revenge weighing his soul down. People who ended up undead by a simple fluke of the magical composition of the area.

So, I thought to myself, how should I go about putting together some good undead templates to fill those roles? I ended up looking to the Tome of Necromancy (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29) - specifically at the New Rules (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules) sections for new types of undead subtypes and templates. I decided to make three new types of undead - an incorporeal, a skeletal, and a fleshy generic, spontaneously-arisen undead using those roles.

Generic Corporeal Undead
"Zombie"
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs19/300W/i/2007/299/2/d/Undead_by_Riviel.jpg
A zombie who either needs to get her face sewn up or get a burst of Inflict Light to close the wound.

This is the most generic kind of undead that can be found. Whatever accident of negative energy that created them preserved their whole bodies. Their flesh doesn't rot, their bones don't crumble. The worst you'll see is odd-coloured or glowing eyes, some discolouration of the skin, and what ever wear and tear the get in everyday life. Negative energy heals their flesh to as good as freshly dead. They have their choice of food - blood, rotting flesh, rotting food, and anything else with an appropriately deathly feel to it can sustain them as normal food did while alive. Their brain is their only vital organ.

Character Modifications

Type: The character's type changes to Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) and the character's former type becomes a subtype with the "augmented" modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Dark_Minded_.28subtype.29) and Unliving (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Unliving_.28subtype.29) subtypes.

Hit Dice: The character's Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, and skills are all unaffected.

Ability Scores: The character's ability scores are modified as follows: +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity. A zombie's undead flesh doesn't have the same safeties against straining itself, but the deadened flesh makes it slightly harder to engage in fast or precise movements.

Special Qualities: The character gains Turn Resistance +2.

Level Adjustment: +0

Generic Skeletal Undead
"Skeleton"
http://th06.deviantart.net/fs31/300W/f/2008/232/d/3/Realistic_Jack_v_2__sketch__by_bewareofpanda.jpg
A skeleton who still knows how to dress classy.

Skeletons start out in much the same way as the zombie. They pick themselves up after dying and either go about their lives or get on with their unlives. After a few weeks, though, people start noticing a smell. Unlike the generic corporeal undead, only their skeleton is magically preserved. Their flesh starts rotting off - after a few years of natural decay, it all ends up gone. Most skeletons just have it all cut off straight away. It saves them the psychological damage of seeing their face rot off and saves the people around them the damage to their noses from the rot. Some, instead, load their flesh up with preservatives or Gentle Repose spells, hoping to slow the rot. The sad truth, though, is that their flesh doesn't heal, not even from negative energy, and without the natural daily healing of living tissue, their dead flesh eventually ends up tattered or worn clear through to the bone.

In the end, they look like their specie's skeleton, which is an easier change for creatures with an exoskeleton than an endoskeleton. Some will have glowing motes in their eye sockets, but most won't. Unlike their fleshy counterparts, they have no need to eat nor any vital organs.

Character Modifications

Type: The character's type changes to Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) and the character's former type becomes a subtype with the "augmented" modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Dark_Minded_.28subtype.29) subtype.

Hit Dice: The character's Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, and skills are all unaffected.

Ability Scores: The character's ability scores are modified as follows: +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength. A skeleton is slightly weaker than when it was alive, all its muscles either dead or rotting. However, without the weight and bulk of flesh on their bones, skeletons find themselves quicker and more precise.

Special Qualities: The character gains Turn Resistance +2. The damage from all piercing attacks against a skeleton are halved, rounded up. The damage from all bludgeoning attacks against a skeleton are multiplied by 1.5, rounded down.

Level Adjustment: +0

Generic Incorporeal Undead
"Ghost"
http://th03.deviantart.net/fs21/300W/f/2007/283/b/6/ghost_by_EmptyShadow.png
A freshly-dead ghost who doesn't realize he doesn't need those bandages anymore.

Ghosts are as skeletons as skeletons are to zombies. A zombie's whole body is preserved while only a skeleton's skeleton remains. A skeleton gets to keep a body, while only a ghost's soul remains. A ghost looks as they did in life, wearing what they wore at the moment of death. Sometimes a ghost will bear the image of its killing wounds for the first few weeks of undeath, but as they come to terms with their death, they come to look as they normally did while alive. A ghost is like a hologram - opaque but completely immaterial and weightless. Many ghosts end up as voyeurs, living vicariously through the living - a streetbuilder working in the necropolis may find a dozen ghosts watching intently as she eats her lunch, the ghosts waxing nostalgic about when they could still eat.

The fact that ghosts can still interact with each other as if still solid leads many ghosts to ghost-specific undead communities. There are many suburbs in necropolis where incorporeal undead in particular will flock so that they can interact physically and trade the clothes they died in - the only way to acquire a new outfit short of buying a Ghost Touch shirt.

Character Modifications

Type: The character's type changes to Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) and the character's former type becomes a subtype with the "augmented" modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Dark_Minded_.28subtype.29) and Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) subtypes.

Hit Dice: The character's Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, and skills are all unaffected.

Speed: The character loses their normal speeds and instead gains a fly speed with perfect maneuverability with a speed equal to the creature's highest speed. Creatures who had a burrow speed can fly through any length of solid matter without remaining attached to a surface, an exception to the normal rule about incorporeal creatures.

Ability Scores: The character's ability scores are modified as follows: Strength -. The ghost's body is weightless and unable to exert force on material things.

Special Qualities: The character gains Turn Resistance +2.

Level Adjustment: +0


Ghost Feats

Fading Form
The ghostly person turns transparent, making him harder to see.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, 4+ Ranks in Hide (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/Hide.htm)
Benefits: The character turns transparent, gaining a +5 ghostly bonus to hide skill checks. This ability can be suppressed or reactivated at will.

Vanished
The ghostly person vanishes from sight entirely.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, 9+ Ranks in Hide (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/Hide.htm)
Benefits: The character disappears, gaining the effects of Invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Invisibility.htm) with a permanent duration. This effect can be suppressed or reactivated at will on the character's turn. The character can still turn transparent as per Fading Form.
Normal: The character can only turn transparent.

Fleeting Touch
The ghostly person grabs the purse and flies away.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype
Benefits: A character may treat a number of pounds of inanimate matter equal to its Charisma modifier as ghost touch, minimum one pound. The objects retain the ghost touch effect only as long as the ghost remains touching it. This ability can be suppressed or resumed as part of the action used to pick up, don, or draw the object. If the character is struck or similarly distracted, they must make a concentration check equal to 10 + Total Number of Objects Held + 1/lb of Total Objects Held or else lose hold on all items affected by this feat.
Normal: An incorporeal character cannot interact with normal matter.

Ghost Hand
The ghostly person walks through the cell bars and then stabs the guard with his own sword.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Cha 13+
Benefits: The character can manifest physically, treating all matter, living or nonliving, as if it were under the effects of Ghost Touch. Their Charisma score is used in place of their Strength score when interacting with physical objects. If the character is struck or similarly distracted they must make a concentration check equal to 10 + Total Number of Objects Held + 1/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Light Load + 2/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Medium Load or become fully incorporeal again.
Normal: An incorporeal creature can only affect one pound per point of Charisma modifier as per the Fleeting Touch feat.

Partial Manifestation
The ghostly person punches right through the knight's chest plate, hitting his sternum directly.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Improved Unarmed Strike, Character Level 5+, Cha 15+
Benefits: The character partially manifests. They are treated as having all of the benefits of Ghost Hand, but are able to treat a number of objects equal to their Charisma modifier as if they were normal. This means that a ghost with a Charisma score of 17 could select a knight's shield, sword, and armor as normal, allowing them to ignore the knight's Shield and Armor bonus, as well as being immune to his non-magical blade. The ability can be suppressed or resumed just as Ghost Hand. If struck or similarly distracted, the character must make a concentration check equal to 10 + Total Number of Objects Held + 3/Object Treated as Normal by Means of This Feat + 1/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Light Load + 2/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Medium Load or become fully incorporeal again.
Normal: When manifested, the character treats all objects as if they had ghost touch.

Spectral Assassin
The ghostly person reaches into the knight's chest, squeezing his heart and killing him.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Improved Unarmed Strike, BAB 9+, Sneak Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/Classes/rogue.htm#sneakAttack) 5d6+, Cha 17+
Benefits: The character can make a single attack as a full round action at their highest base attack bonus. The attack is treated as a touch attack and deals damage equal to the character's normal unarmed strike damage while manifested plus their sneak attack damage.
Normal: The character can ignore a number of objects equal to their Charisma modifier as per the Partial Manifestation feat.

Poltergeist
The ghostly person's face turns to anger as small, loose items start whipping around the room.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Cha 15+
Benefits: The character gains the benefits of Mage Hand (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Magehand.htm) at will with a caster level equal to your character level. The weight limit is instead one pound per point of Charisma modifier. This ability may be suppressed or resumed at will as a free action.
Normal: The character can only affect an item directly.

True Poltergeist
The ghostly person's face turns to anger as large objects start flinging themselves through the air.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Poltergeist, Cha 17+, Character Level 10
Benefits: The character may use Telekinesis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Telekinesis.htm) as a spell like ability at will. Their character level is treated as their caster level and Charisma is treated as their key ability score. This replaces the abilities granted by the Poltergeist feat.

Renrik
2010-02-17, 12:16 AM
I like it. I was thinking we might just go with necropolitans, awakened undead, and the rules in Manifest, but this is better. It reminds me of my first D&D character, who ended up a ghost on the second session.

The Wild, I think, should view the Millenium tree as a good spirit whose will has been corrupted by interpreters who appease the city, but they do not worship it.

BRC
2010-02-17, 12:23 AM
I was looking back over the thread, and I came to the realization that the various forms of undead in the various D&D source books are unsatisfactory as far as the spontaneously arising undead are concerned. All of the undead that we see that are not mindless have some kind of purpose or motivation behind their genesis. Vampires are made by another vampire. Liches and mummies either are spellcasters or are made by spellcasters. Ghosts have unfinished business and the various types of spectre and wraith are full of revenge and hate. Ghouls and ghasts need to be infected with a special disease or be cannibals in life. Necropolitans are created at their own behest with a ritual-killing.

Ultimately, there would be many of those kinds of undead in the city. However, the way that we've been painting the Necropolis makes me think that the average, Joe Schmo undead is a spontaneously-arisen mammajamma without much unfinished business or revenge weighing his soul down. People who ended up undead by a simple fluke of the magical composition of the area.

So, I thought to myself, how should I go about putting together some good undead templates to fill those roles? I ended up looking to the Tome of Necromancy (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29) - specifically at the New Rules (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules) sections for new types of undead subtypes and templates. I decided to make three new types of undead - an incorporeal, a skeletal, and a fleshy generic, spontaneously-arisen undead using those roles.

Generic Corporeal Undead
"Zombie"
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs19/300W/i/2007/299/2/d/Undead_by_Riviel.jpg
A zombie who either needs to get her face sewn up or get a burst of Inflict Light to close the wound.

This is the most generic kind of undead that can be found. Whatever accident of negative energy that created them preserved their whole bodies. Their flesh doesn't rot, their bones don't crumble. The worst you'll see is odd-coloured or glowing eyes, some discolouration of the skin, and what ever wear and tear the get in everyday life. Negative energy heals their flesh to as good as freshly dead. They have their choice of food - blood, rotting flesh, rotting food, and anything else with an appropriately deathly feel to it can sustain them as normal food did while alive. Their brain is their only vital organ.

Character Modifications

Type: The character's type changes to Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) and the character's former type becomes a subtype with the "augmented" modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Dark_Minded_.28subtype.29) and Unliving (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Unliving_.28subtype.29) subtypes.

Hit Dice: The character's Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, and skills are all unaffected.

Ability Scores: The character's ability scores are modified as follows: +2 Strength, -2 Dexterity. A zombie's undead flesh doesn't have the same safeties against straining itself, but the deadened flesh makes it slightly harder to engage in fast or precise movements.

Special Qualities: The character gains Turn Resistance +2.

Level Adjustment: +0

Generic Skeletal Undead
"Skeleton"
http://th06.deviantart.net/fs31/300W/f/2008/232/d/3/Realistic_Jack_v_2__sketch__by_bewareofpanda.jpg
A skeleton who still knows how to dress classy.

Skeletons start out in much the same way as the zombie. They pick themselves up after dying and either go about their lives or get on with their unlives. After a few weeks, though, people start noticing a smell. Unlike the generic corporeal undead, only their skeleton is magically preserved. Their flesh starts rotting off - after a few years of natural decay, it all ends up gone. Most skeletons just have it all cut off straight away. It saves them the psychological damage of seeing their face rot off and saves the people around them the damage to their noses from the rot. Some, instead, load their flesh up with preservatives or Gentle Repose spells, hoping to slow the rot. The sad truth, though, is that their flesh doesn't heal, not even from negative energy, and without the natural daily healing of living tissue, their dead flesh eventually ends up tattered or worn clear through to the bone.

In the end, they look like their specie's skeleton, which is an easier change for creatures with an exoskeleton than an endoskeleton. Some will have glowing motes in their eye sockets, but most won't. Unlike their fleshy counterparts, they have no need to eat nor any vital organs.

Character Modifications

Type: The character's type changes to Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) and the character's former type becomes a subtype with the "augmented" modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Dark_Minded_.28subtype.29) subtype.

Hit Dice: The character's Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, and skills are all unaffected.

Ability Scores: The character's ability scores are modified as follows: +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength. A skeleton is slightly weaker than when it was alive, all its muscles either dead or rotting. However, without the weight and bulk of flesh on their bones, skeletons find themselves quicker and more precise.

Special Qualities: The character gains Turn Resistance +2. The damage from all piercing attacks against a skeleton are halved, rounded up. The damage from all bludgeoning attacks against a skeleton are multiplied by 1.5, rounded down.

Level Adjustment: +0

Generic Incorporeal Undead
"Ghost"
http://th03.deviantart.net/fs21/300W/f/2007/283/b/6/ghost_by_EmptyShadow.png
A freshly-dead ghost who doesn't realize he doesn't need those bandages anymore.

Ghosts are as skeletons as skeletons are to zombies. A zombie's whole body is preserved while only a skeleton's skeleton remains. A skeleton gets to keep a body, while only a ghost's soul remains. A ghost looks as they did in life, wearing what they wore at the moment of death. Sometimes a ghost will bear the image of its killing wounds for the first few weeks of undeath, but as they come to terms with their death, they come to look as they normally did while alive. A ghost is like a hologram - opaque but completely immaterial and weightless. Many ghosts end up as voyeurs, living vicariously through the living - a streetbuilder working in the necropolis may find a dozen ghosts watching intently as she eats her lunch, the ghosts waxing nostalgic about when they could still eat.

The fact that ghosts can still interact with each other as if still solid leads many ghosts to ghost-specific undead communities. There are many suburbs in necropolis where incorporeal undead in particular will flock so that they can interact physically and trade the clothes they died in - the only way to acquire a new outfit short of buying a Ghost Touch shirt.

Character Modifications

Type: The character's type changes to Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) and the character's former type becomes a subtype with the "augmented" modifier. The character also gains the Dark Minded (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Tome_of_Necromancy_%28DnD_Other%29/New_Rules#Dark_Minded_.28subtype.29) and Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) subtypes.

Hit Dice: The character's Hit Dice, BAB, Saves, and skills are all unaffected.

Speed: The character loses their normal speeds and instead gains a fly speed with perfect maneuverability with a speed equal to the creature's highest speed. Creatures who had a burrow speed can fly through any length of solid matter without remaining attached to a surface, an exception to the normal rule about incorporeal creatures.

Ability Scores: The character's ability scores are modified as follows: Strength -. The ghost's body is weightless and unable to exert force on material things.

Special Qualities: The character gains Turn Resistance +2.

Level Adjustment: +0


Ghost Feats

Fading Form
The ghostly person turns transparent, making him harder to see.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, 4+ Ranks in Hide (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/Hide.htm)
Benefits: The character turns transparent, gaining a +5 ghostly bonus to hide skill checks. This ability can be suppressed or reactivated at will.

Vanished
The ghostly person vanishes from sight entirely.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, 9+ Ranks in Hide (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/Hide.htm)
Benefits: The character disappears, gaining the effects of Invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Invisibility.htm) with a permanent duration. This effect can be suppressed or reactivated at will on the character's turn. The character can still turn transparent as per Fading Form.
Normal: The character can only turn transparent.

Fleeting Touch
The ghostly person grabs the purse and flies away.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype
Benefits: A character may treat a number of pounds of inanimate matter equal to its Charisma modifier as ghost touch, minimum one pound. The objects retain the ghost touch effect only as long as the ghost remains touching it. This ability can be suppressed or resumed as part of the action used to pick up, don, or draw the object. If the character is struck or similarly distracted, they must make a concentration check equal to 10 + Total Number of Objects Held + 1/lb of Total Objects Held or else lose hold on all items affected by this feat.
Normal: An incorporeal character cannot interact with normal matter.

Ghost Hand
The ghostly person walks through the cell bars and then stabs the guard with his own sword.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Cha 13+
Benefits: The character can manifest physically, treating all matter, living or nonliving, as if it were under the effects of Ghost Touch. Their Charisma score is used in place of their Strength score when interacting with physical objects. If the character is struck or similarly distracted they must make a concentration check equal to 10 + Total Number of Objects Held + 1/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Light Load + 2/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Medium Load or become fully incorporeal again.
Normal: An incorporeal creature can only affect one pound per point of Charisma modifier as per the Fleeting Touch feat.

Partial Manifestation
The ghostly person punches right through the knight's chest plate, hitting his sternum directly.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Improved Unarmed Strike, Character Level 5+, Cha 15+
Benefits: The character partially manifests. They are treated as having all of the benefits of Ghost Hand, but are able to treat a number of objects equal to their Charisma modifier as if they were normal. This means that a ghost with a Charisma score of 17 could select a knight's shield, sword, and armor as normal, allowing them to ignore the knight's Shield and Armor bonus, as well as being immune to his non-magical blade. The ability can be suppressed or resumed just as Ghost Hand. If struck or similarly distracted, the character must make a concentration check equal to 10 + Total Number of Objects Held + 3/Object Treated as Normal by Means of This Feat + 1/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Light Load + 2/lb of Total Objects Held exceeding their Medium Load or become fully incorporeal again.
Normal: When manifested, the character treats all objects as if they had ghost touch.

Spectral Assassin
The ghostly person reaches into the knight's chest, squeezing his heart and killing him.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Improved Unarmed Strike, BAB 9+, Sneak Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/Classes/rogue.htm#sneakAttack) 5d6+, Cha 17+
Benefits: The character can make a single attack as a full round action at their highest base attack bonus. The attack is treated as a touch attack and deals damage equal to the character's normal unarmed strike damage while manifested plus their sneak attack damage.
Normal: The character can ignore a number of objects equal to their Charisma modifier as per the Partial Manifestation feat.

Poltergeist
The ghostly person's face turns to anger as small, loose items start whipping around the room.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#incorporealSubtype) Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Cha 15+
Benefits: The character gains the benefits of Mage Hand (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Magehand.htm) at will with a caster level equal to your character level. The weight limit is instead one pound per point of Charisma modifier. This ability may be suppressed or resumed at will as a free action.
Normal: The character can only affect an item directly.

True Poltergeist
The ghostly person's face turns to anger as large objects start flinging themselves through the air.
Prerequisites: Incorporeal Subtype, Fleeting Touch, Ghost Hand, Poltergeist, Cha 17+, Character Level 10
Benefits: The character may use Telekinesis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/Telekinesis.htm) as a spell like ability at will. Their character level is treated as their caster level and Charisma is treated as their key ability score. This replaces the abilities granted by the Poltergeist feat.

...you sir are AWESOME.


Damnit, I REALLY want to run/play in an Ishkan campaign now.

Owrtho
2010-02-17, 12:43 AM
You should finish Graveyard Shift.
Also, nice work on the undead.

Owrtho

BRC
2010-02-17, 12:49 AM
You should finish Graveyard Shift.
Also, nice work on the undead.

Owrtho

Yes I should...

Somebody should try stating out Gordon, now that we have those nifty Generic Undeads.

The Tygre
2010-02-17, 01:25 AM
That, sir? That is where it's at. You know what I'm talking about. It. You've got it right there. It. Is. Win.

jagadaishio
2010-02-17, 05:52 AM
Yes I should...

Somebody should try stating out Gordon, now that we have those nifty Generic Undeads.

I don't think that anyone other than his creator could do that. Anyone else would inaccurately represent his prowess, especially when it comes to skills he hasn't show proficiency in yet. Though, some more story showing off his talents could grease the wheels a bit.

Silverscale
2010-02-17, 09:45 AM
The Wild, I think, should view the Millenium tree as a good spirit whose will has been corrupted by interpreters who appease the city, but they do not worship it.

You're probably right about how The Wild would view the Millenium Tree.....of course being fanatical, anarchist, hippies, they may or may not have the right idea.......One might conclude that if the Tree felt misrepresented it would take steps to correct the problem.

BRC
2010-02-17, 11:31 AM
Some things about Ghosts.
Wards: A silver Circle, blessed by a cleric and placed over a door can prevent Ghosts from entering a room unless they succeed on a will save. It's not a perfect system, but most ghosts don't bother entering a warded room. Wards like this are cheaply available in districts with lots of Ghost activity, if you want to let the ghost in, it's as simple as taking the ward down. Once inside, the presence of a ward does not affect the ghost in the least. More expensive wards can be made that are harder for Ghosts to get through, or that allow certain ghosts access.

Spell: Convert to Etherium
Sor/Wiz 2, Cleric 2
Casting Time: 10 minutes.
Duration: Instantaneous
Target: One inanimate object.
Saving Throw: Will (For attended or magical objects).
This spell takes an inanimate object and converts it to ectoplasmic ghost-stuff. The Object becomes intangible, however Ghosts become able to interact with it normally.

Zone of Corporeal Shades
Sor/Wiz 5, Cleric 5
Casting Time: 10 Minutes.
Duration: 10 minutes/level.
Target: A room up to 50 square ft/level.
Saving Throw: None.
This spell brings a room closer to the Ethereal Plane. All objects in the room are treated as being Ghost Touch for the duration of the spell.
This spell can be made permenant.
Material Component (For permenant): A Crystal Mirror worth at least 1000 gold.

Also, look what you guys made me do.

Junior Detective Rekin watched in awe as he witnessed an event he had only dreamed about, two veteran detectives working together. So far this had consisted of going into Detective Tordley’s office and writing things on chalkboards, followed by long periods of silence until one of the detectives wrote something on the chalkboard, usually followed by a question mark, after this, they would be silent again for quite some time. He was standing there pretending to think, or in case either of them needed coffee. Eventually he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to say something, to break the silent progress. He looked at the board, in the middle was a single two-word phrase, it had been circled and underlined.
“What does that mean, “Graveyard Shift?”, Detective Torden answered first
“If somebody goes in the graveyard shift, it’s because the people planning the job intend to off them when they’re done.”
Detective Manderly spoke next “A Graveyard Shift is a job to get some possessions owned by somebody who is now dead.”
“Working the Graveyard Shift means doing a job in the Necropolis”
“The Graveyard Shift means breaking into some rich snob’s tomb and stealing the shinies he was buried with”
At this point Rekin was thoroughly confused “Wait, what does it mean?”
“Listen rookie, Lingo isn’t regulated. A city this size, it could mean any number of things, and if it means anything, it probably means everything”
“Ah, so when Mister Lemmor said he heard Johnny Quickfinger was working the Graveyard shift…”
“It’s not very useful. We’re pretty sure that whatever the Graveyard Shift job was, it was related to the robbery though”.
“Wait, didn’t Detective Torden say that if you’re planning to kill one of your partners mid-job, that’s the Graveyard Shift? It sounds like that’s what happened to the victim”.
“Except that the Rat said Johnny had agreed to pull the graveyard shift as part of his deal with Bloody Jack. Implying he knew was working the Graveyard Shift, meaning they were using a different definition”.
“Of course, there is always the possibility that Ratboy was just making things up so we would let him go. So we don’t even know if Johnny was involved in the bank job”.
“It fit his-”
“Shut up rookie. It was a vault full of valuable stuff, which means any skilled safecracker would have both motive and opportunity. And while only a small fraction of thieves in this city could have picked the lock, that still leaves over two hundred potential suspects, which is assuming it’s not a human-sized safecracker who got himself shrunk down or somebody we simply don’t have a file on yet. We’ve got the sketch, but eyewitness accounts can be unreliable, especially considering how little those Streetbuilders saw.”
Detective Midersen turned towards Rekin
“Listen kid, I know in the Academy you ran through thousands of sample cases where you have eight suspects and a binder full of evidence, but here cases don’t exist in a vacuum. We’re working this angle because it’s the best one we’ve got, but chances are this will just end up in the “Unsolved Cases” archive, along with countless other things M.I. intends to get around to if all criminals in the city decide to take a vacation. Chances are it will just get purged along with the rest of the cold cases when they clean out the archives in a couple years. Don’t make that face kid, this is M.I, not some mystery drama you saw in the entertainment district”.
Rekin took this as his cue to shut up, but something was bothering him. After a while, during which the words “Bloody Jack Mistol?” “Why do so many criminals pick up that moniker” and “I hate this case” were added to the board. Then, Rekin couldn’t take it any longer.
“Wait, I just had a thought”. The detectives glared daggers at him, but he persevered “Why the Gilded Bank, it’s got one of the best security systems around. If all they were after was money, they could have done a lower-risk job in a different bank, just because you’ve got a good safecracker doesn’t mean you have to target the toughest safe you can find.”
“Simple, that’s where the big score was.”
“But it’s STUPID. I mean, what they took, abunch of cash. Thirty meters away was the bank’s low priority vault, under the same access tunnel. It’s an old dwarven model from about thirty years back, made by the Regense-“
“Gordon, Oliver.”
Rekin jumped. He hadn’t heard the door open. He slowly turned around, trying to avoid the amused grins that had grown on the detectives’ faces. A translucent figure was standing there, except she wasn’t. She looked to be a middle-aged elf wearing a plain, severe dress. Her hair was tied up in a sensible bun, and she was wearing a pair of thin framed glasses. She was floating a couple inches off the ground, her left arm was resting casually inside Detective Midersen’s Raven statue. Detective Midersen spoke.
“Why Jenine, how nice to see you, you haven’t changed a bit. What brings you around here?”
“Your Rookie checked some blueprints out of Archives for you. Considering the nature of the building they MUST be returned within six hours of being checked out or else the failsafe systems will activate and…”
“The plans will be destroyed to preserve their secrets. Don’t worry Jenine, we’ve still got plenty of time.”
“You have exactly two hours and twenty three minutes, and after what happened during the Green Street case…”
“You’re never going to let that die are you…”
“Undead humor. Very funny.” The Ghost’s face showed otherwise. “ Just get those plans back in a timely manner. Good luck with your investigations detectives”. And with that, she drifted through the wall.
Rekin unfroze. “What was that? I thought HQ was warded against spooks”
“They’re Ghosts rookie, not Spooks. If you had said that while Jenine was in here you’d be in big trouble, and the Wards open for city employees, which Jenine is. Most of the ghosts we employ are just watchers or messengers. They’re hard to see, they can move through walls, people don’t notice them much, and they’re tough to bribe. They’ve also solved more cases then you will ever learn about, so show them some respect. You were saying something about Regensen Safes?”
“R-right. The Regensen’s were famous for not incorporating magic into their safes beyond simple Arcane Locks and Alarms. In the time it took them to break into the safe they could have cleared out three Regensen’s full of cash”.
__________________________________________________ __________
Oliver moved to refute, but the saintsdamn human was right. These Thieves were smart, and the first rule of crime is “You can’t spend money if you’re in the Vault”. The safe they’d opened had been built by the best Kobold craftsmen. It had four locking mechanisms, five alarms, a paralysis trap, and probably fifty other things the little lizards hadn’t told the owners about, and the original blueprints would probably belong to whichever Dragon owned that particular group of Safebuilers. Quickfinger would have had to work on the fly, hoping he’d spot and disable all the little tricks in time, if he slipped up, blinked at the wrong moment, hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night, he could have been caught. Gordon was grinning.
“From the mouth of rookies eh Oliver. I think it’s time started looking into the contents of that safe a little more. Nice work newbie, run those blueprints back to Jenine would you, then get back here. We need to talk to that manager”.

jagadaishio
2010-02-17, 12:29 PM
Some things about Ghosts.
Wards: A silver Circle, blessed by a cleric and placed over a door can prevent Ghosts from entering a room unless they succeed on a will save. It's not a perfect system, but most ghosts don't bother entering a warded room. Wards like this are cheaply available in districts with lots of Ghost activity, if you want to let the ghost in, it's as simple as taking the ward down. Once inside, the presence of a ward does not affect the ghost in the least. More expensive wards can be made that are harder for Ghosts to get through, or that allow certain ghosts access.

Spell: Convert to Etherium
Sor/Wiz 2, Cleric 2
Casting Time: 10 minutes.
Duration: Instantaneous
Target: One inanimate object.
Saving Throw: Will (For attended or magical objects).
This spell takes an inanimate object and converts it to ectoplasmic ghost-stuff. The Object becomes intangible, however Ghosts become able to interact with it normally.

Zone of Corporeal Shades
Sor/Wiz 5, Cleric 5
Casting Time: 10 Minutes.
Duration: 10 minutes/level.
Target: A room up to 50 square ft/level.
Saving Throw: Will
Any Creature of the Incorporeal subtype that enters an area under this effect must succeed on a Will Save or lose that subtype as long as they are in that room. They do not gain a true body, instead their form is made of an odd white substance that feels kind of like clay to the touch which mimics their incorporeal form with great detail (including clothing, though most items, being made of this soft clay substance, are useless, and cannot even be removed from the ghost's temporary form without crumbling into dust). The spell is primarily used to allow Ghosts to interact with physical objects.
This spell can be made permanent.
Material Components: Magical White Clay costing 200g.

Also, look what you guys made me do.

Junior Detective Rekin watched in awe as he witnessed an event he had only dreamed about, two veteran detectives working together. So far this had consisted of going into Detective Tordley’s office and writing things on chalkboards, followed by long periods of silence until one of the detectives wrote something on the chalkboard, usually followed by a question mark, after this, they would be silent again for quite some time. He was standing there pretending to think, or in case either of them needed coffee. Eventually he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to say something, to break the silent progress. He looked at the board, in the middle was a single two-word phrase, it had been circled and underlined.
“What does that mean, “Graveyard Shift?”, Detective Torden answered first
“If somebody goes in the graveyard shift, it’s because the people planning the job intend to off them when they’re done.”
Detective Manderly spoke next “A Graveyard Shift is a job to get some possessions owned by somebody who is now dead.”
“Working the Graveyard Shift means doing a job in the Necropolis”
“The Graveyard Shift means breaking into some rich snob’s tomb and stealing the shinies he was buried with”
At this point Rekin was thoroughly confused “Wait, what does it mean?”
“Listen rookie, Lingo isn’t regulated. A city this size, it could mean any number of things, and if it means anything, it probably means everything”
“Ah, so when Mister Lemmor said he heard Johnny Quickfinger was working the Graveyard shift…”
“It’s not very useful. We’re pretty sure that whatever the Graveyard Shift job was, it was related to the robbery though”.
“Wait, didn’t Detective Torden say that if you’re planning to kill one of your partners mid-job, that’s the Graveyard Shift? It sounds like that’s what happened to the victim”.
“Except that the Rat said Johnny had agreed to pull the graveyard shift as part of his deal with Bloody Jack. Implying he knew was working the Graveyard Shift, meaning they were using a different definition”.
“Of course, there is always the possibility that Ratboy was just making things up so we would let him go. So we don’t even know if Johnny was involved in the bank job”.
“It fit his-”
“Shut up rookie. It was a vault full of valuable stuff, which means any skilled safecracker would have both motive and opportunity. And while only a small fraction of thieves in this city could have picked the lock, that still leaves over two hundred potential suspects, which is assuming it’s not a human-sized safecracker who got himself shrunk down or somebody we simply don’t have a file on yet. We’ve got the sketch, but eyewitness accounts can be unreliable, especially considering how little those Streetbuilders saw.”
Detective Midersen turned towards Rekin
“Listen kid, I know in the Academy you ran through thousands of sample cases where you have eight suspects and a binder full of evidence, but here cases don’t exist in a vacuum. We’re working this angle because it’s the best one we’ve got, but chances are this will just end up in the “Unsolved Cases” archive, along with countless other things M.I. intends to get around to if all criminals in the city decide to take a vacation. Chances are it will just get purged along with the rest of the cold cases when they clean out the archives in a couple years. Don’t make that face kid, this is M.I, not some mystery drama you saw in the entertainment district”.
Rekin took this as his cue to shut up, but something was bothering him. After a while, during which the words “Bloody Jack Mistol?” “Why do so many criminals pick up that moniker” and “I hate this case” were added to the board. Then, Rekin couldn’t take it any longer.
“Wait, I just had a thought”. The detectives glared daggers at him, but he persevered “Why the Gilded Bank, it’s got one of the best security systems around. If all they were after was money, they could have done a lower-risk job in a different bank, just because you’ve got a good safecracker doesn’t mean you have to target the toughest safe you can find.”
“Simple, that’s where the big score was.”
“But it’s STUPID. I mean, what they took, abunch of cash. Thirty meters away was the bank’s low priority vault, under the same access tunnel. It’s an old dwarven model from about thirty years back, made by the Regense-“
“Gordon, Oliver.”
Rekin jumped. He hadn’t heard the door open. He slowly turned around, trying to avoid the amused grins that had grown on the detectives’ faces. A translucent figure was standing there, except she wasn’t. She looked to be a middle-aged elf wearing a plain, severe dress. Her hair was tied up in a sensible bun, and she was wearing a pair of thin framed glasses. She was floating a couple inches off the ground, her left arm was resting casually inside Detective Midersen’s Raven statue. Detective Midersen spoke.
“Why Jenine, how nice to see you, you haven’t changed a bit. What brings you around here?”
“Your Rookie checked some blueprints out of Archives for you. Considering the nature of the building they MUST be returned within six hours of being checked out or else the failsafe systems will activate and…”
“The plans will be destroyed to preserve their secrets. Don’t worry Jenine, we’ve still got plenty of time.”
“You have exactly two hours and twenty three minutes, and after what happened during the Green Street case…”
“You’re never going to let that die are you…”
“Undead humor. Very funny.” The Ghost’s face showed otherwise. “ Just get those plans back in a timely manner. Good luck with your investigations detectives”. And with that, she drifted through the wall.
Rekin unfroze. “What was that? I thought HQ was warded against spooks”
“They’re Ghosts rookie, not Spooks. If you had said that while Jenine was in here you’d be in big trouble, and the Wards open for city employees, which Jenine is. Most of the ghosts we employ are just watchers or messengers. They’re hard to see, they can move through walls, people don’t notice them much, and they’re tough to bribe. They’ve also solved more cases then you will ever learn about, so show them some respect. You were saying something about Regensen Safes?”
“R-right. The Regensen’s were famous for not incorporating magic into their safes beyond simple Arcane Locks and Alarms. In the time it took them to break into the safe they could have cleared out three Regensen’s full of cash”.
__________________________________________________ __________
Oliver moved to refute, but the saintsdamn human was right. These Thieves were smart, and the first rule of crime is “You can’t spend money if you’re in the Vault”. The safe they’d opened had been built by the best Kobold craftsmen. It had four locking mechanisms, five alarms, a paralysis trap, and probably fifty other things the little lizards hadn’t told the owners about, and the original blueprints would probably belong to whichever Dragon owned that particular group of Safebuilers. Quickfinger would have had to work on the fly, hoping he’d spot and disable all the little tricks in time, if he slipped up, blinked at the wrong moment, hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night, he could have been caught. Gordon was grinning.
“From the mouth of rookies eh Oliver. I think it’s time started looking into the contents of that safe a little more. Nice work newbie, run those blueprints back to Jenine would you, then get back here. We need to talk to that manager”.


I'm loving the idea of the wards. Would there be an actual spell "Create Ward?" If so, I imagine that the material component would be the silver ring you end up with as well as a few hundred GP in supplied to be sprinkled on it. Then ward DCs could be handled as any other spell DC. The question, then, is whether the spell would be Necromancy or Abjuration. On the other hand, they could be magic items. In that case, the spell required could be Magic Circle Against (Evil?). The cost would then be contingent on the DC of the ward, rising along with it.

As for the spells, I think that Convert to Etherium should have a semi-costly material component. Otherwise, bribing a ghost would be as easy as casting a free spell on an item the ghost wants.

I also think that it should have a counterpart, something to convert ghostly objects to material. It would only have occasional plot uses, but when it does - DAMN! For example, a man murdered for a document in his possession, stolen off of his dead body. It's still in his possession as a ghostly document, though - the piece of evidence needed to unravel the current adventure's plot. It could be made part of Convert to Etherium, having it be effective in either direction. If that's the case, it would probably do well to be renamed something like Etherium Conversion. If it's two separate spells, the one that makes ghostly objects material should be called Etherium Conversion and the one that makes material objects ghostly should be called Convert to Etherium. Either way, there should be semi-costly material components.

Zone of Corporeal Shades is fine as it is.

As usual, bravo on the Graveyard Shift. It shows the living soul of the city. I imagine that there would be chapter of the story at the start of every chapter of a book if the campaign setting were ever condensed into one.

Does anybody have any ideas for other things that need statting? Maybe some construct races for the steamworks or the generic elementals one could expect as immigrants? Should districts have their own vaguely racist sports teams? Maybe a long-standing rivalry between the Goblinoid Green-Skins and the Draconic Scalies?

BRC
2010-02-17, 01:03 PM
How about this

Race: Allbreeds
Ability Scores:
Ishka is a city with a long history, and though most species are insular where reproduction is concerned, that’s not a rule. Halfbreeds abound in Ishka, and with them Quarterbreeds, Octobreeds, and a “Race” that can only be called Allbreed. Allbreeds are not a race so much as a result of so many species living together in one place, they’re a total mishmash of humanoid races. Orks, elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblinoids, everything. Some people consider Allbreeds freaks; others view them as a manifestation of the nature of the city. Allbreeds themselves don’t have much of a unified culture, and can be found in almost any district.
Racial Traits.
Melting Pot: Anytime an effect based on humanoid creature type (Like a Bane weapon, or a special effect that only works for specific species) would effect an Allbreed, roll a d10. If the result is 10,then the effect takes place as if the Allbreed was the race in question. If the effect is continuous (Like an item that only gives a bonus to elves), roll at the beginning of each day.
Favored Class: Any (As human).
Low Light Vision out to 60 feet.
Skills: Allbreeds are difficult to read, seeing as their features are a mix of different species. Thus Allbreeds gain a +2 bonus on any bluff checks.
Children of Ishka: Allbreeds seem to have some sort of connection with the city, it dosn't appear to be magical in nature, but they have an uncanny ability to find their way around strange districts, to avoid obstacles, move through crowds, or remain unnoticed. Provided they are in Ishka, Allbreeds receive a +2 bonus to all Urban Survival checks, Gather information checks, Checks to hide in large crowds, or any check to move through a crowd.
Sport: Ropeball.

A popular sport in Ishka. Ropeball is played with two teams of eight in a field with a goal at each corner. A padded Ball with a 5 foot rope attached to it is placed in the center of the field. The purpose is simple, to get the ball into one of your opponent’s goals, beyond that, rules vary. Generally outright punching or kicking is prohibited, but tackling and grapples are viable ways to wrest control of the ball, as is grabbing the rope and pulling it out of the carrier’s hands. The ball may be carried, thrown, kicked, or in some cases slung (using the rope). Wielding the ball like a mace to smack opposing team members is frowned upon, but depending on the type of game may be a legal move.
The game was invented in the lowest levels, and in the spirit of that is never played in a perfectly flat arena. While dangerous obstacles are never used, its’ common to put hills or ridges, pillars, or walls (rarely more than waist-height). No two professional arenas are exactly alike, giving teams a considerable home field advantage. Saint’s Arena in the Temple District is scattered with statues of the Saints (except, of course, Kenrik and Hulutch. A statue of Fleet Footed Jack appeared one day in the field, and nobody has removed it). Shallow’s Rest in the Necropolis is laid out like a cemetery, with players dodging around gravestones and using the mausoleum in the center of the field as cover. Riveter’s Field in the Steamworks is constantly changing, with walls rising and lowering or slowly sliding back and forwards like some giant puzzle. The Skyfield Areana in Mithril Heights is played on platforms suspended over a void. All the players carry items that will automatically cast Feather Fall if they collapse, and griffon riders circle below to catch falling players. Because of the nature of the fields, all matchups always consist of two or three games, one played at each team’s field with the score being cumulative between the games and a third, randomly chosen, field being used in the event of a tie. Teams of sizes besides Medium have their own leagues that draw a decent crowd in the off-season.
The Ropeball season ends with what’s known as the Grand Tour. The two best teams from that season play each other on the fields of every other team in the league with scores being cumulative. At the end, the teams bid their points against each other to have home field advantage for the final game, forcing coaches to decide how many points they are willing to give up in order to play the final game on familiar ground.



Edit: Skill
Urban Survival (Wis)
Also known as "Streetwise" Urban survival is very different from it's wilderness counterpart. Urban Survival involves navigating through twisting streets and large crowds, finding things you're looking for, and avoiding trouble. It's part knowledge, part instinct, and part dumb luck.
Five or more ranks in Knowledge Local gives you a +2 bonus on Urban Survival checks in the relevant area.
Any character who grew up in Ishka gains Urban Survival as a Class Skill.

jagadaishio
2010-02-17, 02:17 PM
How about this

Race: Allbreeds
Ability Scores:
Ishka is a city with a long history, and though most species are insular where reproduction is concerned, that’s not a rule. Halfbreeds abound in Ishka, and with them Quarterbreeds, Octobreeds, and a “Race” that can only be called Allbreed. Ishkan’s are not a race so much as a result of so many species living together in one place, they’re a total mishmash of humanoid races. Orks, elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblinoids, everything. Some people consider Allbreeds freaks; others view them as a manifestation of the nature of the city. Allbreeds themselves don’t have much of a unified culture, and can be found in almost any district.
Racial Traits.
Melting Pot: Anytime an effect based on humanoid creature type (Like a Bane weapon, or a special effect that only works for specific species) would effect an Allbreed, roll a d10. If the result is 10,then the effect takes place as if the Allbreed was the race in question. If the effect is continuous (Like an item that only gives a bonus to elves), roll at the beginning of each day.

Sport: Ropeball.

A popular sport in Ishka. Ropeball is played with two teams of eight in a field with a goal at each corner. A padded Ball with a 5 foot rope attached to it is placed in the center of the field. The purpose is simple, to get the ball into one of your opponent’s goals, beyond that, rules vary. Generally outright punching or kicking is prohibited, but tackling and grapples are viable ways to wrest control of the ball, as is grabbing the rope and pulling it out of the carrier’s hands. The ball may be carried, thrown, kicked, or in some cases slung (using the rope). Wielding the ball like a mace to smack opposing team members is frowned upon, but depending on the type of game may be a legal move.
The game was invented in the lowest levels, and in the spirit of that is never played in a perfectly flat arena. While dangerous obstacles are never used, its’ common to put hills or ridges, pillars, or walls (rarely more than waist-height). No two professional arenas are exactly alike, giving teams a considerable home field advantage. Saint’s Arena in the Temple District is scattered with statues of the Saints (except, of course, Kenrik and Hulutch. A statue of Fleet Footed Jack appeared one day in the field, and nobody has removed it). Shallow’s Rest in the Necropolis is laid out like a cemetery, with players dodging around gravestones and using the mausoleum in the center of the field as cover. Riveter’s Field in the Steamworks is constantly changing, with walls rising and lowering or slowly sliding back and forwards like some giant puzzle. The Skyfield Areana in Mithril Heights is played on platforms suspended over a void. All the players carry items that will automatically cast Feather Fall if they collapse, and griffon riders circle below to catch falling players. Because of the nature of the fields, all matchups always consist of two or three games, one played at each team’s field with the score being cumulative between the games and a third, randomly chosen, field being used in the event of a tie. Teams of sizes besides Medium have their own leagues that draw a decent crowd in the off-season.
The Ropeball season ends with what’s known as the Grand Tour. The two best teams from that season play each other on the fields of every other team in the league with scores being cumulative. At the end, the teams bid their points against each other to have home field advantage for the final game, forcing coaches to decide how many points they are willing to give up in order to play the final game on familiar ground.


So, the ropeball teams and stadiums might be as follows:
Temple District: The Devoted play in the pristine Saint's Field. Saint's field is rather plain and orderly, with statues of the Official Saints (Hulutch and Kenrik omitted) facing each other in orderly rows down the middle of the field with a foot-deep reflecting pool between them. Originally, the Field only included statues of the Official Saints, the designers kept an even number by including the minor Saint Radlen, but when the field was unveiled they found Saint Radlen’s statue had been modified, probably by a Stone Shape spell, into a statue of Fleet Footed Jack, which was never changed (Ironically enough, Jack’s statue stands opposite that of the Stone Raven). Though this is rather tame compared to many of the other fields, the Devoted put it to good use, using the statues to lose pursuers and chasing carriers into the pool, where they are slowed down and caught. As can be expected, there is a heavy rivalry between the Devoted and the Shades.
Necropolis: The Shades make their home at the graveyard-like Shallow's Rest. The field is rather flat, with a series of gravestones and some low fences serving as obstacles to keep things interesting. Shallows Rest is one of the oldest fields still used in the major league, and has been largely unmodified for some time. However, after the latest Saint’s Field was unveiled, A statue of Saint Kenrik (built in the same style as the ones in Saint’s Field, only out of black marble) was placed in the center.
Primordium: Never arranged their own team, but does maintain a replica of the "first ropeball field." The actual historical accuracy of the replica is suspect.
The Steamworks: The Fighting Clanks take the ever-shifting Riveter's Field as their territory. Their team has a large percentage of sentient constructs, making their tactics lean decidedly in the favor of endurance matches.
Customs and Immegrations: Being a non-residential district, any small fields found here are for recreational use only.
The Grove District: The Green Sox put their pitch, Ranger Park, in the mid-level branches of three of the tallest trees in the grove. Players are expected to run across branches the size of narrow roads to get across the field, with the ability to climb and make long jumps often being required. Similar safety precautions to those taken at the Skyfield are taken.
The Draconic Heritage Collective: The most well-funded team in the league, the Skalees have a tendency towards impressive winning streaks. Some say that it's only because they can afford the best players; some say they cheat; others say that dragon blood just makes for superior people. Either way, the results don't lie. Dragonfyre stadium is a massive, marble-clad affair with the team's colours of red and gold draped off of the fang-like outcroppings and draconic busts and statues that dot the stadium and field.
Mithral Heights: Mithral Heights hires the best athletes from their private police force, the Falcons, to compete on a team of the same name. Their games taking place in Skyfield, the Falcons tend to be fleet of foot, nimble in stride, and perfectly balanced. They favor blitz tactics, trying to accumulate as many points as possible as early in the game as possible. Skyfield consists of hundreds of small, floating platforms. Athletes are given items of feather fall in case they lose their balance with a small detachment of griffon-borne Falcons flying below to catch anyone who slips.
The Commons: The Commons' Aces are one of the best teams in the league, able to pick from the largest possible number of residents to participate on the team. Their stadium is a massive granite arena with wooden benches and private boxes for the rich and sunlight-vulnerable. Their field can be best described as rolling - grassy hills and crests cover the field with the occasional boulder or rocky outcropping.
The Academy: The Academy's team, the Scholars, has a long and sordid history with the league. The team gets disbanded every few years for getting caught using magic to augment performance. Sometimes the blame can be put on the heads of individual players, but more often than not, the entire team gets penalized. While active, the team tends to do remarkably well - most skeptics say it's because they start cheating again as soon as they're reinstated. Their stadium, Principal Field, has equal parts invisible obstacles, false, illusory obstacles, and real, mundane obstacles.
Stadel: Stadel chooses to remain out of the major league, instead having its own minor league with a few small teams formed back when it was still vanished from the city.
The Vault: The Vault is not a place for fun and games.
Hedon: Hedon's team, the Rouges, use flirty and lewdness as a psychological tactic meant to throw the other teams off their game. Given the specialty of the district, it tends to work. Eros Arena has walls and floors with an almost fleshy texture, and the contours of the field will slowly reshape themselves as the players play.
The Art Community: The Mapdancers make their home at Mapdancer Field. The field itself is a fairly normal affair of rolling hills, but poles stud the landscape, ropes connecting the tops of the poles to other poles. The Mapdancers are not a serious team, and they tend towards tricks and antics, including running on the ropes crisscrossing the field and playing childish pranks on their opponents. They are the Ishak equivalent of the Globetrotters.
The Monastery: The Monks practice on a simple, plain, packed earth affair. Most of the athletes participate only in their spare time. In spite of this, they are considered, individually, to be some of the best players in the league; ideals of athletic perfection. If the Monks got serious about playing, they would easily be one of, if not the, best teams in the league.
The Collected Colleges: Are far too busy inventing everything and playing table-top games using dice to make an athletics team. A few experts on sports history and tactics have tried in the past, but they have never been able to get enough people with good practical skills to actually be competitive.
Ravenshome: Despite seeming like people would be too fearful to play, Ravenshome does actually have a rope ball field and team. It's said the field showed up one day soon after rope ball began spreading in popularity. One day there were homes there, the next they were gone and a flat empty lot with two goals on opposite sides sat in their place. The lots floor is covered in scroll work spelling out the rules for the game in the same manner as a raven mark, while the lot is constantly ringed by statues. Though completely level and empty, it is considered one of the most difficult places to play, as any deviation from the rules tends to result in sudden blackouts, raven statues popping up on the field when no one is looking, and players vanishing never to be seen again. Needless to say, the home team, the Obedient, has a strong homefield advantage, but the strategies they've developed to avoid breaking any of the strict rules of their field make them critically weak anywhere else. Its generally said their victory against an opposing team can be determined by weather or not they get the home field for the third match (something almost always true as well due to their almost constant loss on other fields, and the tendency of most teams to forfeit any game in Ravenshome to avoid losing players).
Ungul: The Stallions are one of the fastest teams in the league and use that fact to their advantage whenever possible. In fields without many standing obstacles, they tend to dominate. Stallion Pitch is one of the flattest pitches in the league, with only a slight roll to its grassy field.
Gulliver's Heights: Maintains its own minor league for creatures larger than medium size. Loosened their rules regarding personal fouls a few decades back to increase viewership, making it the most violent league in the game.
The Dark City: The drow maintain a ruthless, cut-throat team called the Fangs. The Fangs have often been accused of sabotaging other teams, but such accusations have never been proven. Their field is one full of stone statues, rocky outcroppings, and low-hanging stalactites. The field, to which the nickname Murder Pitch eventually stuck, is wreathed in perpetual twlight, lit by small, slowly drifting orbs of light. Heavy shadows are thrown, and a savvy player can use the slowly moving shadows to sneak from one side of the pitch to the other.
Everdark: Everdark's population is too small to maintain a team on its own and, instead, the Dark City's Fangs recruit members from the Everdark occasionally.
Ether: The incorporeal citizens of Ether have long been petitioning for a team, but are constantly refused for logistical reasons. At this point, most citizens of Ether have just accepted that they will never have a team and instead just root for the Necropolis Shades.
Smallville: Smallville has its own minor leagues for small and smaller creatures.
Galdren: Galdren is too poor and its citizens too busy to afford time to have their own team. The district tends to root for the Aces or the Monks, and both teams count a number of people born in Galdren among their members. The Monastery once commented that they see more wanna-be monks from Galdren dreaming of sports fame enter and promptly leave the district than any other demographic of failure.
Redmere, Aquarane, Aerodyne, and Terradome: The four elemental outposts formed their own minor league, the Elemental League. This leage is famous for its over the top displays and loose rules on magic. The Elemental League competes with Gulliver's Heights to have the most popular minor league in Ishka.
Mere and the Port District: Mere and the Port District combine for the purposes of their team, the Pirates. The Pirates have the Aquadome as their pitch, a floating circle of stands. The pitch itself has a large number of small, floating islands. There are certain unstable platforms that will flip beneath a person, forcing them to swim back to a stable one or keep going in the water. A team with balance and care can easily avoid being dunked, but one too rash or unsteady will find themselves quickly ceding any advantage to the home team.

Also, isn't the mongrelkin race thematically exactly what you're doing with the allbreeds?

BRC
2010-02-17, 04:00 PM
So, the ropeball teams and stadiums might be as follows:
Necropolis: The Shades make their home at the graveyard-like Shallow's Rest.
Primordium: Never arranged their own team, but does maintain a replica of the "first ropeball field." The actual historical accuracy of the replica is suspect.
The Steamworks: The Fighting Clanks take the ever-shifting Riveter's Field as their territory. Their team has a large percentage of sentient constructs, making their tactics lean decidedly in the favor of endurance matches.
Customs and Immegrations: Being a non-residential district, any small fields found here are for recreational use only.
The Grove District: The Green Sox put their pitch, Ranger Park, in the mid-level branches of three of the tallest trees in the grove. Players are expected to run across branches the size of narrow roads to get across the field, with the ability to climb and make long jumps often being required. Similar safety precautions to those taken at the Skyfield are taken.
The Draconic Heritage Collective: The most well-funded team in the league, the Skalees have a tendency towards impressive winning streaks. Some say that it's only because they can afford the best players; some say they cheat; others say that dragon blood just makes for superior people. Either way, the results don't lie. Dragonfyre stadium is a massive, marble-clad affair with the team's colours of red and gold draped off of the fang-like outcroppings and draconic busts and statues that dot the stadium and field.
Mithral Heights: Mithral Heights hires the best athletes from their private police force, the Falcons, to compete on a team of the same name. Their games taking place in Skyfield, the Falcons tend to be fleet of foot, nimble in stride, and perfectly balanced. They favor blitz tactics, trying to accumulate as many points as possible as early in the game as possible. Skyfield consists of hundreds of small, floating platforms. Athletes are given items of feather fall in case they lose their balance with a small detachment of griffon-borne Falcons flying below to catch anyone who slips.
The Commons: The Commons' Aces are one of the best teams in the league, able to pick from the largest possible number of residents to participate on the team. Their stadium is a massive granite arena with wooden benches and private boxes for the rich and sunlight-vulnerable. Their field can be best described as rolling - grassy hills and crests cover the field with the occasional boulder or rocky outcropping.
The Academy: The Academy's team, the Scholars, has a long and sordid history with the league. The team gets disbanded every few years for getting caught using magic to augment performance. Sometimes the blame can be put on the heads of individual players, but more often than not, the entire team gets penalized. While active, the team tends to do remarkably well - most skeptics say it's because they start cheating again as soon as they're reinstated. Their stadium, Principal Field, has equal parts invisible obstacles, false, illusory obstacles, and real, mundane obstacles.
Stadel: Stadel chooses to remain out of the major league, instead having its own minor league with a few small teams formed back when it was still vanished from the city.
The Vault: The Vault is not a place for fun and games.
Hedon: Hedon's team, the Rouges, use flirty and lewdness as a psychological tactic meant to throw the other teams off their game. Given the specialty of the district, it tends to work. Eros Arena has walls and floors with an almost fleshy texture, and the contours of the field will slowly reshape themselves as the players play.
The Art Community: The Mapdancers make their home at Mapdancer Field. The field itself is a fairly normal affair of rolling hills, but poles stud the landscape, ropes connecting the tops of the poles to other poles. The Mapdancers are not a serious team, and they tend towards tricks and antics, including running on the ropes crisscrossing the field and playing childish pranks on their opponents. They are the Ishak equivalent of the Globetrotters.
The Monastery: The Monks practice on a simple, plain, packed earth affair. Most of the athletes participate only in their spare time. In spite of this, they are considered, individually, to be some of the best players in the league; ideals of athletic perfection. If the Monks got serious about playing, they would easily be one of, if not the, best teams in the league.
The Collected Colleges: Are far too busy inventing everything and playing table-top games using dice to make an athletics team. A few experts on sports history and tactics have tried in the past, but they have never been able to get enough people with good practical skills to actually be competitive.
Ravenshome: People are too afraid of accidentally breaking a rule to play in Ravenshome. Especially after that one game...
Ungul: The Stallions are one of the fastest teams in the league and use that fact to their advantage whenever possible. In fields without many standing obstacles, they tend to dominate. Stallion Pitch is one of the flattest pitches in the league, with only a slight roll to its grassy field.
Gulliver's Heights: Maintains its own minor league for creatures larger than medium size. Loosened their rules regarding personal fouls a few decades back to increase viewership, making it the most violent league in the game.
The Dark City: The drow maintain a ruthless, cut-throat team called the Fangs. The Fangs have often been accused of sabotaging other teams, but such accusations have never been proven. Their field is one full of stone statues, rocky outcroppings, and low-hanging stalactites. The field, to which the nickname Murder Pitch eventually stuck, is wreathed in perpetual darkness, making winning there almost impossible unless a team sends in only their players with darkvision.
Everdark: Everdark's population is too small to maintain a team on its own and, instead, the Dark City's Fangs recruit members from the Everdark occasionally.
Ether: The incorporeal citizens of Ether have long been petitioning for a team, but are constantly refused for logistical reasons. At this point, most citizens of Ether have just accepted that they will never have a team and instead just root for the Necropolis Shades.
Smallville: Smallville has its own minor leagues for small and smaller creatures.
Galdren: Galdren is too poor and its citizens too busy to afford time to have their own team. The district tends to root for the Aces or the Monks, and both teams count a number of people born in Galdren among their members. The Monastery once commented that they see more wanna-be monks from Galdren dreaming of sports fame enter and promptly leave the district than any other demographic of failure.
Redmere, Aquarane, Aerodyne, and Terradome: The four elemental outposts formed their own minor league, the Elemental League. This leage is famous for its over the top displays and loose rules on magic. The Elemental League competes with Gulliver's Heights to have the most popular minor league in Ishka.
Mere and the Port District: Mere and the Port District combine for the purposes of their team, the Pirates. The Pirates have the Aquadome as their pitch, a floating circle of stands. The pitch itself has a number of small, unstable floating islands. Swimming in and under the water is not only recommended, but nearly mandatory. Anyone incapable of breathing water or holding their breath for many minutes while exerting themselves is considered to be at a huge disadvantage in the Aquadome.

Also, isn't the mongrelkin race thematically exactly what you're doing with the allbreeds?
Huh, I'd forgotten about the Mongrelfolk.

As for the stadiums, all those look good.The only problems I see are the Aquadome and the Murder Pit. A team's arena is supposed to be unique yes, and give the team an advantage, but it shouldn't make other teams practically unable to play. I don't picture every recruiting abunch of players with darkvision who are only used when playing in the Murder Pit.

Also, remember, Ropeball is a Sport, people watch it for entertainment, so the darkness in the Murder Pit doesn't work because the audience would be unable to see anything.

As for the field in Primordium, I assume you mean the first official Ropeball field. The sport was invented (And the majority of games are still played) in city streets and squares.

As for teams/Fields, you forgot one.

Temple District (A distinct location from the Monastery IIRC): The Devoted play in the pristine Saint's Field. Saint's field is rather plain and orderly, with statues of the Official Saints (Hulutch and Kenrik omitted) facing each other in orderly rows down the middle of the field with a foot-deep reflecting pool between them. Originally, the Field only included statues of the Official Saints, the designers kept an even number by including the minor Saint Radlen, but when the field was unveiled they found Saint Radlen’s statue had been modified, probably by a Stone Shape spell, into a statue of Fleet Footed Jack, which was never changed (Ironically enough, Jack’s statue stands opposite that of the Stone Raven). Though this is rather tame compared to many of the other fields, the Devoted put it to good use, using the statues to lose pursuers and chasing carriers into the pool, where they are slowed down and caught. As can be expected, there is a heavy rivalry between the Devoted and the Shades.
Necropolis: The Shades make their home at the graveyard-like Shallow's Rest. The field is rather flat, with a series of gravestones and some low fences serving as obstacles to keep things interesting. Shallows Rest is one of the oldest fields still used in the major league, and has been largely unmodified for some time. However, after the latest Saint’s Field was unveiled, A statue of Saint Kenrik (built in the same style as the ones in Saint’s Field, only out of black marble) was placed in the center.

Also, I notice that while it’s been mentioned many times, the Temple District isn’t actually in the District List
Name: The Temple District
Other Names: Holytown
Government Type: Theocracy.
Police Force: The Holy Swords of Saint Baltin.
Ishka did not always worship Saints, for some time it worshipped the same god’s as the rest of the world, and many people in Ishka still follow them. There are shrines to the Saints and other gods throughout Ishka, but the grandest temples (with a few exceptions) are in the Temple District. The Temple District is usually pictured as nothing but rows upon rows of shrines, with it’s citizens all slavishly devout. In reality, while the residents of the temple district are highly devout, most of the district looks much like the Commons. There are actually fewer shrines here than in most areas of the city, but that’s because most of the residents go to the magnificent temples instead of smaller local shrines. The Official Saints all have their temples around Saint’s Square, with the more accepted unofficial saints having places nearbye. Gods from outside the city are collected into a massive structure known as the Temple of the Divine.
Saint Radlen: A minor saint, who supposedly dedicated himself to a life of helping others in the early days of the city. After the Plague he was largely forgotten in favor of the much more popular Saint Merkeil.

jagadaishio
2010-02-17, 06:09 PM
Check the changes I made. Looking all nice and shiny?

BRC
2010-02-17, 06:12 PM
Check the changes I made. Looking all nice and shiny?

Yes, very much so.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-17, 09:22 PM
Hmmmm....
I'm interested. Veeeerrrryyy interested. I think I might contribute a bit on the aquatic races for this and a prestige class:
Economancer!!
And a bit for Sahuagin:
The Sahuagin near the Port Area deeply loathe the Port Area for polluting their waters. As a result, the sahuagin have found refuge in coves and shallow yet well concealed zones where they can have dealings with landwalkers. As the urban civilization expands around them, the sahuagin do so too. Sahuagin worship Anksuno, the saint of sea creatures and temptation. The sahuagin have been using there worship of Anksuno to generate intense illegal buisness with the sahuagin among dark-hearted landwalkers, clamoring for the riches assisting Anksuno can offer. The sahuagin also have developed new architecture, and dig deep trenches into there coves to rob and flood buildings from beneath. The sahuagin have also developed an aquatic "firearm" (Though the name is a misnomer), called a pressure beam. It operates by using strange expensive magic pearls, infused with power like that used in a "Presure Sphere" spell. Each pearl is worth 20gp.
Pressure beam:
Cost: 210gp Damage: 4d6 Crit: x2 Range: 300ft Weight: 2lbs Type: Pressure
Sahuagin are currently trying to work with blending their architecture and cold magic, hoping to create plates of ice to sculpt into sturdier homes. Though the Sahuagin are scattered around the Port Area, They are all ruled by the Sahauagin Queen: Mulquiin XXVII.
EDIT: Sahuagin Settlement Defense: There are small settlemets dotted around the area in small coves, bays and grottos, many of the larger ones are warded by scrying-detering illusions. Also, they pay those in the black market with the riches of Anksuno to leek rumors of false locations of there settlements to the government, making the government wary and distrustful of any claims of a sahuagin settlement. Also, they even place scrying blocks in fake locations so anybody sensing a gap in the scrying would be fooled into thinking a sahuagin settlement was there. For the most part, they only subtlely harm the Port Area, there main ways of harm being the black market and occasionally digging there tunnels beneath buildings to flood them. The sahuagin also dig many extra tunnels and include a few magic dispelling traps across their flooded tunnels to leave anybody searching them drowned. Also, the sahuagin themselves are allied with aboleths and kuo-toa, adding them to the guardians of there civilization, as well as divine support provided by Anksuno such as fiendish, dire and regular sharks, and it's rumored that the castle even has Scyllans guarding it.
Anksuno: Anksuno, the saint of temptation, has a vast domain of money and treasure that is painfully cold to touch piling in a shallow sea, where his dark sea creatures laugh at the poor souls stuck in the treasure, as the sea creatures themselves cannot feel the agonizing chill. He is the patron of nearly all evil ocean creatures, as well as kleptomaniacs and the poor, desperate for money. Most of the other saints have done nothing to harm him, as his demise would result in the end of the economy, leaving the whole of Ishka in ruins. This extremely angers the Stone Raven, however, and to this day the Stone Raven is looking for a way of delivering justice to this unofficial dastardly saint.
So.... What do you think?

50cr4t3s
2010-02-17, 09:57 PM
I love the idea of the allbreed/mongrelkin, but there is something we need to address here: Humans First!

I imagine they have a very outspoken hatred of these "sub-humans." I picture them using scare tactics to try and drive allbreed/mongrelkin out of neighborhoods, and maybe even perpetuating outright acts of violence (so essentially they're RPing the KKK). I can certainly see this being a big issue for players who choose this race.

Also, concerning Sahuagin. I don't think they could have a large enough population to have more than a minimal effect on the port district. If the were any real threat the city would have done away with them years ago. but this does bring something up that we haven't really addressed yet, but have mentioned casually a few times. Are there any major enemies of Ishka? Yes, we have the Gate Raiders, but what about villains in the Material Plane?

My thoughts on the matter are thus: in a world were a mega city like Ishka exists, the rest of the world would be completely barren and deserted (save for a few barbarians) or other civilizations would be forced to form mega cities as well in order to compete at all. Which option do we go with, a world without civilization beyond the walls of Ishka, or a world where a handful of Mega Cities struggle for dominance.

Owrtho
2010-02-17, 10:03 PM
Ravenshome: People are too afraid of accidentally breaking a rule to play in Ravenshome. Especially after that one game...

Not sure if this would actually be the case (though I could see it being such). I'd actually see it being more like this though:

Ravenshome: Despite seeming like people would be too fearful to play, Ravenshome does actually have a rope ball field and team. It's said the field showed up one day soon after rope ball began spreading in popularity. One day there were homes there, the next they were gone and a flat empty lot with two goals on opposite sides sat in their place. The lots floor is covered in scroll work spelling out the rules for the game in the same manner as a raven mark, while the lot is constantly ringed by statues. Though completely level and empty, it is considered one of the most difficult places to play, as any deviation from the rules tends to result in sudden blackouts, raven statues popping up on the field when no one is looking, and players vanishing never to be seen again. Needless to say, the home team, the Obedient, has a strong homefield advantage, but the strategies they've developed to avoid breaking any of the strict rules of their field make them critically weak anywhere else. Its generally said their victory against an opposing team can be determined by weather or not they get the home field for the third match (something almost always true as well due to their almost constant loss on other fields, and the tendency of most teams to forfeit any game in Ravenshome to avoid losing players).

Owrtho

waterpenguin43
2010-02-17, 10:12 PM
Also, concerning Sahuagin. I don't think they could have a large enough population to have more than a minimal effect on the port district. If the were any real threat the city would have done away with them years ago.

Well, my reasoning was that there are small settlemets dotted around the area in small coves, many of the larger ones are warded by scrying-detering illusions. Also, they pay those in the black market to leek rumors of false locations of there settlements to the government, making the government wary and distrustful of any claims of a sahuagin settlement. The sahuagin also dig many extra tunnels and include a few magic dispelling traps across their flooded tunnels to leave anybody searching them drowned. But if you disagree that's fine. I just added that and a bit more to my sahuagin summary.

jagadaishio
2010-02-17, 10:34 PM
Hmmmm....
I'm interested. Veeeerrrryyy interested. I think I might contribute a bit on the aquatic races for this and a prestige class:
Economancer!!
And a bit for Sahuagin:
The Sahuagin near the Port Area constantly attack the port area for polluting their waters. As a result, the sahuagin have found refuge in coves and shallow yet well concealed zones where they can have dealings with landwalkers. As the urban civilization expands around them, the sahuagin do so too. Male Sahuagin have begun worshipping Mammon, making Mammon and Sekolah an aliance up in Baator. The sahuagin have been using there worship of Mammon to generate intense illegal buisness with the sahuagin among dark-hearted landwalkers, clamoring for the riches assisting Mammon can offer. The sahuagin also have developed new architecture, and dig deep trenches into there coves to rob and flood buildings from beneath. The sahuagin have also developed an aquatic "firearm" (Though the name is a misnomer), called a pressure beam. It operates by using strange expensive magic pearls, infused with power like that used in a "Presure Sphere" spell. Each pearl is worth 20gp.
Pressure beam:
Cost: 210gp Damage: 4d6 Crit: x2 Range: 300ft Weight: 2lbs Type: Pressure
Sahuagin are currently trying to work with blending their architecture and cold magic, hoping to create plates of ice to sculpt into sturdier homes. Though the Sahuagin are scattered around the Port Area, They are all ruled by the Sahauagin Queen: Mulquiin XXVII.
So.... What do you think?

The talk of Mammon, Sekolah, and Baator ignore the fact that Ishka, unlike D&D, is not built on the standard "cosmic wheel" cosmology. There are no known gods, instead replaced by saints, and the assumption that the archdevils and archdemons are the same, let alone that the various hells are the same, would prove false. Instead, if you want to go with the idea of the Sahuagin being criminals, I suggest you flesh out a saint for them to follow and ingrain them somehow into the Alliance, perhaps having them be the Alliance's main power in the port district.

The pressure beam is okay, I guess. It's probably 12 kinds of exotic and nobody but the most dedicated and elite snipers would bother getting ahold of one. With that damage, that range, and that ammo cost, those are the only sorts that would find any use for it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have for the economancer.


I love the idea of the allbreed/mongrelkin, but there is something we need to address here: Humans First!

I imagine they have a very outspoken hatred of these "sub-humans." I picture them using scare tactics to try and drive allbreed/mongrelkin out of neighborhoods, and maybe even perpetuating outright acts of violence (so essentially they're RPing the KKK). I can certainly see this being a big issue for players who choose this race.

Also, concerning Sahuagin. I don't think they could have a large enough population to have more than a minimal effect on the port district. If the were any real threat the city would have done away with them years ago. but this does bring something up that we haven't really addressed yet, but have mentioned casually a few times. Are there any major enemies of Ishka? Yes, we have the Gate Raiders, but what about villains in the Material Plane?

My thoughts on the matter are thus: in a world were a mega city like Ishka exists, the rest of the world would be completely barren and deserted (save for a few barbarians) or other civilizations would be forced to form mega cities as well in order to compete at all. Which option do we go with, a world without civilization beyond the walls of Ishka, or a world where a handful of Mega Cities struggle for dominance.

I agree that Humans First would have klannish attitudes and tactics towards the mongrelkin - which would itself probably be a racial slur rather than their true name. Rather than decrying them as sub-human, though, I imagine that the would hold them up as a terrifying example of how humanity will fade away if it keeps interbreeding. I agreed, though, that any mongrelkin player would fact huge and unexpected discrimination from humans first members that don't advertise their affiliation.

I imagine that the only external enemies that Ishka could have would be trade organizations that try to establish embargos, disrupt trade, and hike prices and massive mega-nations like Ishka itself. If there are other mega-cities, I can't imagine there being more than one per continent on the world. I find it more likely, though, that some extraplanar empires may serve as rivals to Ishka, fighting shadow wars of espionage, sabotage, and assassination rather than any all-out conflict. Extraplanar funding may even be one of the ways that the Alliance got so powerful - funded to be a thorn in Ishka's side.

There is a decided possibility for internal enemies, though, some of which have already been fleshed out. The Alliance, the Wild; there's all kinds of threats from within that the city is just trying to keep in check. There's the hunting grounds and day-to-day, small-time villains that need to be kept in check. There might also be a hand full of super-villains, though. Comic book grade mad men of great power who treat the city as their play thing, only to be foiled by either a long-standing nemesis or an elite party. If we do go the super-villain route we'll need to flesh out the Jokers and Lex Luthors of the setting. Even if we don't make super-villains, there will be no shortage of enemies from within.


Not sure if this would actually be the case (though I could see it being such). I'd actually see it being more like this though:

Ravenshome: Despite seeming like people would be too fearful to play, Ravenshome does actually have a rope ball field and team. It's said the field showed up one day soon after rope ball began spreading in popularity. One day there were homes there, the next they were gone and a flat empty lot with two goals on opposite sides sat in their place. The lots floor is covered in scroll work spelling out the rules for the game in the same manner as a raven mark, while the lot is constantly ringed by statues. Though completely level and empty, it is considered one of the most difficult places to play, as any deviation from the rules tends to result in sudden blackouts, raven statues popping up on the field when no one is looking, and players vanishing never to be seen again. Needless to say, the home team, the Obedient, has a strong homefield advantage, but the strategies they've developed to avoid breaking any of the strict rules of their field make them critically weak anywhere else. Its generally said their victory against an opposing team can be determined by weather or not they get the home field for the third match (something almost always true as well due to their almost constant loss on other fields, and the tendency of most teams to forfeit any game in Ravenshome to avoid losing players).

Owrtho

I have nothing bad to say about that team. I'll add it to my list straight away.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-17, 11:09 PM
The talk of Mammon, Sekolah, and Baator ignore the fact that Ishka, unlike D&D, is not built on the standard "cosmic wheel" cosmology. There are no known gods, instead replaced by saints, and the assumption that the archdevils and archdemons are the same, let alone that the various hells are the same, would prove false. Instead, if you want to go with the idea of the Sahuagin being criminals, I suggest you flesh out a saint for them to follow and ingrain them somehow into the Alliance, perhaps having them be the Alliance's main power in the port district.

The pressure beam is okay, I guess. It's probably 12 kinds of exotic and nobody but the most dedicated and elite snipers would bother getting ahold of one. With that damage, that range, and that ammo cost, those are the only sorts that would find any use for it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have for the economancer.


Oh Right! I replaced the pair with one lord "Anksuno", the lord of sea creatures and temptation. I wrote a bit about him on back on my first post.
I'd like to know where I can find the other saints, though, so I can make Anksuno's integrations with the other saints more detailed.

Glad to see your okay with the pressure beam. It is quite expensive, but that is just another reason why the sahuagin use it, as it is extremely inconvenient for landwalkers to try using against them.

And I'm going to make an economancer as the sort of "diplomat" between Anksuno and the other saints, boosting the economy and helping companies so the saints don't try and fight Anksuno.

Also, I had another district idea (Forgive my Penguin addiction):
Name: Sphen
Other Names: The Slumbering Island, The Penguin District, The Tempered Island, The Bridge District.
Government Type: Democracy
It all started on a small island, and on that island was a small village that lived in peace with the sea, and this village was packed full of water shugenjas and druids that observed the local penguins in calm curiosity. They developed as a village of divine spellcasters, living this way for centuries. Eventually, though, they were overpowered by curiosity of arcane magic, and they made a deal with the Academy, there most loyal ally. They would teach them there ways, if they would share the secrets of wizardry. As soon as the people of Sphen learned these, they were overjoyed. They practiced wizardry, and in only 30 years, the change was immense. Arcane buildings towered in the sky, an enormous magic brige was build. Divine and Arcane magic were equally common. They continue to this day to construct incredible buildings expanding out in the ocean, and it now is thriving in natural glory. It even gained a small ropeball team, the Penguins, which specialized in taking advantage of the stadium. There arena is a grand sight, a great spiraling downward dock made of an enormous seashell ending in the ocean, with water spraying out of nearly everywhere. Also, it's rumored that deep in the islands bay, there's something, and it stops all the tension in Ishka from becoming a full-fledged war.

Feel free to say no to my district if you don't like it though.

BRC
2010-02-17, 11:35 PM
Concerning Gods: I always imagined that there WAS a traditional pantheon, it's just that, within Ishka anyway, they have been largely supplanted by the Saints.
I pictured the rest of the world as being a fairly standard fantasy affair, with some higher tech stuff exported from Ishka. Ishka is powerful, but no more so than an Empire. It's real power is not in it's military might, or even in it's economic strength (It's far too dis unified to effectively wield Economics as a tool of foreign relations). Yes if you mess with Ishka it will kick your ass, and yes they probably have the power to shut down an economy if they put their mind to it, but for the most part Ishka is a sleeping giant, far too concerned with it's internal troubles to worry about anybody else. For most of the world, Ishka is merely a concept. A Big place that exists far away that the merchants go to and then come back with wondrous things. Because Life in Ishka is so different from the rest of the world, immigration/emigration is very rare, and very Ishkans know any non-Ishkans, and vice-versa.


As for the field, It's good, but I see one problem. A Game consists of two Matches, but they are really more like two halves than anything, since the score is cumulative between them (Because of the extreme home field advantage inherent in the game, the game is essentially played half on one team's field, half on the others).
Let's say the Shades are going up against the Devoted.
First Match is in Saint's Field, the Devoted score 8 points, the Shades score 3. Second match occurs the next day in Shallow's Rest, the Shades score 6 points but the Devoted don't manage to score any, so the final score is 8 to 9 and the Shades win.
If Teams playing in Ravenshome forfeit to avoid losing players, that dosn't work with the system.

No, I imagine that the Rules on the field are simple enough that players can learn them and, if they're careful, play a game without breaking any. However, the Obedient have a distinct and extreme advantage because they are used to playing with these rules, and they play with confidence that they are not breaking any, while the opposing team is terrified, constantly second guessing themselves and checking to make sure they arn't breaking a rule. It's less "The teams lose because their players vanish" and more "The teams lose because they are too busy trying NOT to vanish to actually focus on the game".

Owrtho
2010-02-17, 11:39 PM
I'd like to know where I can find the other saints, though, so I can make Anksuno's integrations with the other saints more detailed.

Post 337, should be near the top of page 12 (if you use the default number of posts per page).
Must say though, he's unlikely to get along well by any means with the Stone Raven (saint of impartial justice as in it cares not what good you do if you've done anything wrong), though it is rather more idealogical than an actual being (or at least seems to be, one of the things that can depend on how one wants to run the setting). Also, I'd point out that he would likely be an unofficial saint.

Edit: Also, at BRC I think the idea is that Ishka doesn't use any particular set of gods so that it can be placed in any setting without having to change a lot (the saints work well as being specific to the city, thus having little to no impact outside it while filling the role of gods that may not be available in custom or non-basic settings for those who want to import Ishka into their preexisting game).
As for the rope ball, that works. I'd not know how the score worked, so made a mistake. Also must be horrid on the nerves if the other teams need to stay there any length of time. It's all well and good if they make it through the game and win, but is somewhat problematic if they accidentally make a mistake trapping them in Ravenshome before they leave (for this reason I expect those in charge of the teams tend to make the stays as short as they can, which can have the unfortunate effect of the players not realizing just how far from peaceful life is in the district (and to the dismay of some, causing the bad decision of moving there later on to avoid all the crime).

Owrtho

waterpenguin43
2010-02-17, 11:48 PM
Post 337, should be near the top of page 12 (if you use the default number of posts per page).
Must say though, he's unlikely to get along well by any means with the Stone Raven (saint of impartial justice as in it cares not what good you do if you've done anything wrong), though it is rather more idealogical than an actual being (or at least seems to be, one of the things that can depend on how one wants to run the setting). Also, I'd point out that he would likely be an unofficial saint.

Owrtho

Thank you, also, I'd like to know what you think of my potential district.

BRC
2010-02-17, 11:51 PM
Concerning Mongrelfolk/Allkin (That sounds better than Allbreed). I made a new one because I didn't like them being statistically uncharismatic and stupid.

That said, as they are not technically a race in the traditional sense, they have no "Official" name. They (And their friends), refer to them as the Allkin. People who dislike them (Not limited to Humans First) call them the Mongrelfolk. The latter word isn't limited to racist radicals, a good portion of the populace use it, though most would never call an Allkin a Mongrelfolk to their face.

Edit: On the Ravenshome field, I have a feeling most coaches sub out players the moment they break a Rule, to avoid them breaking more and vanishing.

jagadaishio
2010-02-18, 12:40 AM
Concerning Mongrelfolk/Allkin (That sounds better than Allbreed). I made a new one because I didn't like them being statistically uncharismatic and stupid.

That said, as they are not technically a race in the traditional sense, they have no "Official" name. They (And their friends), refer to them as the Allkin. People who dislike them (Not limited to Humans First) call them the Mongrelfolk. The latter word isn't limited to racist radicals, a good portion of the populace use it, though most would never call an Allkin a Mongrelfolk to their face.

Edit: On the Ravenshome field, I have a feeling most coaches sub out players the moment they break a Rule, to avoid them breaking more and vanishing.

You left their ability scores as blank; are they going to have any ability score modifers? Also, I think it would be balanced for them to count as whatever humanoid subtype would be most beneficial for them in a given situation rather than rolling a d10 to figure it out.

I feel the need to ask this question now before I start statting out generic elemental immigrant races. Should I stat them out as 3.5, 4e, Pathfinder, or should I make one version of each race in each system? This is a question to the community at large.

I know I mentioned something in the way-way-back about a goblinoid district, but I can't remember for the life of me if we made up and entry for it or not. If not, I'll put one together right-quick.

BRC
2010-02-18, 12:46 AM
You left their ability scores as blank; are they going to have any ability score modifers? Also, I think it would be balanced for them to count as whatever humanoid subtype would be most beneficial for them in a given situation rather than rolling a d10 to figure it out.

I feel the need to ask this question now before I start statting out generic elemental immigrant races. Should I stat them out as 3.5, 4e, Pathfinder, or should I make one version of each race in each system? This is a question to the community at large.

I know I mentioned something in the way-way-back about a goblinoid district, but I can't remember for the life of me if we made up and entry for it or not. If not, I'll put one together right-quick.
I was going to give them ability score mods, but because they're a little of this/a little of that,I decided everything just canceled itself out.

There was talk of a Goblin district, but I don't think it was ever made official.

Edit: Okay, I need to go to bed, but first, another Campaign Idea, or the start of one anyway.


On the Ropes

It's been an exciting season of Ropeball this year. The Shades started off strong with a ten game winning streak and it was clear for some time that they were going to be on the Grand Tour, the question was who would face them. The Scholars seemed to be a good choice, but they got disqualified halfway through the season for hiding scrolls of Haste in their uniform socks.
It was at this point, that the Devoted, who had been mediocre so far, losing most of their games fairly handily, suddenly took off. They began fielding a new player, a Rookie named Martin Hopesbridge. Martin was the classic golden boy, an orphan since the age of four who worked in the temple of Saint Merkeil (Too lazy to look it up) and was studying to become a Cleric. On his off days he volunteered at Hand hospitals, he even quietly encouraged a conciliatory policy towards the Necropolis. Everybody loved him, opposing teams were known to applaud when he scored against them.
Whatever else he was, Martin was an amazing Ropeball player, whether it was defending the goal, wrestling the ball away from a burly centaur, or simply sprinting down the field dodging the other team, he was amazing at it. Despite being a Rookie, he took a leadership position in the Devoted, motivating them to start winning. After Martin took the field in a game against the Obedient, (Final score 5-8 Devoted) the Devoted shot up through the rankings, and it looked like the Shades were going to face their old rival in the Grand Tour. Whats more, with the way things had been going, it looked like the Devoted were going to win.
The campaign starts on what was supposed to be the first game of the Grand Tour, Devoted vs Shades at the Aquadome, it would have been, except that Martin Hopesbridge is nowhere to be found.

Technically, there is no proof anything criminal has happened as of yet, so Law Enforcement cannot get involved. A group of wealthy buisnessmen who had alot of money riding on the Devoted winning the game hire the PC's to find out what happened, and get Martin back on the field.

It's the start of a Campaign idea, but I think we can build on it. It's more standard than the Garbage Campaign, but I think it's exciting, and it's definitely uniquely Ishkan.

Silverscale
2010-02-18, 08:32 AM
So much to reply to where to begin....

As for the Shaugin, I'm not sure how I feel about them....I agree with who ever said that if they ever became a big enough problem, they would have been done away with one way or another....don't forget this is not only home to a metric s#!t ton of high level mages but also an equally high amount of tech. If there is a problem big enough it will have been dealt with. That being said I also agree that there would probably be a fair number of them populating the waters in and around The Port District.

As to Sphen, the Bridge District, etc.....as written I see this as being out beyond The Port District, most likely helping to form the harbor, and probably just as plagued by the shaugin.

As to Ropeball and perhaps even "On The Ropes" generally I like it and will be importing them into my campaign.....if we can ever get past the first session.....my friends and I have way to many options of what to play and not nearly enough time to play them all equally.

As to Saints vs Other Gods....yes there are the regular Gods worshiped outside Ishka and even within Ishka, I see the Saints more as Demigods or Lesser Gods than a completely new pantheon. Don't forget that at least five of the "Saints" are still living, breathing beings.

...I probably have more to respond to but that's all I can remember for now.

BRC
2010-02-18, 09:39 AM
For Clarity's sake
The Grand Tour: The height of the Ropeball season. The top two teams face each other in one massive game, not in each other's stadiums, but in the stadiums of all the other teams.
These are Matches, not complete games, and so, like always, the score is cumulative between them all. At the end of the Tour, whatever team has the highest score from all the Matches is crowned Champion.
Now, there are two potential ideas I have
Idea 1: Standard, the Teams play each other in every major league field.
Idea 2: The final match is played in the field of one of the two competing teams. The teams bid points for the right to play in their field for the final game, leading to exciting final matches where the team that won the Bid has to hope their Home Field Advantage can make up for the points they spent in order to gain that advantage.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-18, 10:51 AM
As to Sphen, the Bridge District, etc.....as written I see this as being out beyond The Port District, most likely helping to form the harbor, and probably just as plagued by the shaugin.

I always thought of it far away from the sahuagin, but hat works too I guess.

jagadaishio
2010-02-18, 01:28 PM
The model that I was working under was one wherein the higher planes are largely mysterious, unknown places. Sure, Ishka overflows into the elemental, energy, astral, ethereal, and shadow planes. But those are all lower planes, almost as far removed from the actual realms of the deities as the material plane itself. In this model, gods may well exist, but nobody really knows anything about them, or the structure of the higher planes, beyond conjecture and educated guesses. In this system, a person could believe in anything, from saints to gods to spirits to simple philosophies, and, with enough devotion, prayer, and training get divine spells.

This means that many parts of the world probably would worship gods. The city itself would probably almost exclusively worship their saints. Nobody knows who is right. Or if anyone is right. Because the only people who go sauntering into the higher planes and meeting deities are epic, and there's, like, three of those on the material plane in a given setting. It's not a case of there not being deities and there only being saints; it's a case of the saints being the religion of the city and it working just as well as the spirits of the barbarian tribes and the gods of the kingdoms.

Here's the goblin district, drawing heavy inspiration from the Races of War homebrew sourcesbook, specifically the entries here (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Races_of_War_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29/Playing_Unusual_Races#Goblin), here (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Races_of_War_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29/Playing_Unusual_Races#Hobgoblin), here (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Races_of_War_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29/A_World_at_War#Triumph_of_the_Goblins:_What.27s_Yo urs_is_Mine), here (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Races_of_War_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29/A_World_at_War#Defeat_of_the_Goblins:_A_Land_of_Ba nditry), and here (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Races_of_War_%283.5e_Sourcebook%29/A_World_at_War#The_Goblin_Empire:_Silent_Loyalty.2 C_Silent_Dissent).

Name: The Imperial City-State of Gobin
Other Names: Gobland, Greenville, Paper Town
Government Type: Shogunate.
Police Force: Samurai.

Gobin started as a goblinoid empire hundreds of miles away from modern Ishka. Back then, it was ruled by a hobgoblin shogunate and dozens of noble hobgoblin clans. Every single hobgoblin was considered part of one of the noble clans, and was considered therefore to be nobility. Any hobgoblin who committed an act so grievous as to be disowned by his clan could expect to either die a slow death of starvation as even peasants shun him or a fast one of honorable suicide.

Each of the different noble clans had, among their holdings, stretchs of land, a massive working class made up of fast-breeding goblin commoners, a family of bugbears trained in the arts of stealth, assassination, and combat, a stable of worgs, winter wolves, and dire wolves, and a massive lower class of serfs taken from the populace of conquered nations. The modus operandi of Gobin was to conquer a smaller, neighboring nation using bugbear assassins, waves of goblin shock troops, and elite hobgoblin samurai, take the nation's populace as slaves, work them to death, and then start all over again. Eventually all of Gobin's neighbors formed an alliance, crushed their country, and sent the entire goblinoid population of the region packing as refugees.

The disparate, vagrant empire of Gobin eventually came upon the prospering city of Ishka and tried briefly and unsuccessfully to conquer it before being granted a then-undeveloped stretch of land to turn into a district of their own. Within a single human generation, the goblinoid people had established themselves, a district consisting of a tower-like wooden palace at the center surrounded by wooden and paper houses for the noble clans which are, in turn, surrounded by ramshackle wooden and paper huts, houses, and apartments stacked on top of one another in the goblin slums.

These days, Gobin considers itself a city-state within Ishka. It is policed by hobgoblin samurai, usually accompanied by a gang of goblins and a few trusted bugbear lieutenants. There is a massive goblin-run yakuza who run extortion rackets, steal, rent out bugbear assassins, smuggle, and endorse a small but healthy slave trade. They are considered a subfaction of the Alliance and tithe a small percent of all profits over to the larger criminal organization in return for independent dominion within Gobin. Many individuals of monstrous races, notably orcs, try to settle in Gobin, but end up finding even worse discrimination there, as the goblinoids of Gobin by and large consider non-goblinoids as barely people - certainly subgoblin in status.

Simple social rules that anyone in Gobin should remember is that anyone on a canine mount has right of way, anyone unarmed is to give at the very least a short bow to anyone who bears a blade, and it's direly rude not to take off your shoes before entering a residence. Any speech directed at a hobgoblin should be apologetic and flattering. Don't look a bugbear in the eye if you like being uninjured. If you leave any of your property unattended and in the open, one or more goblins will try to steal it. There are always more goblinoids around than it seems and certainly more than you can hear. Gesticulation, loud movements, and loud tones of voice are considered wildly impolite.

BRC
2010-02-18, 01:46 PM
How does Gobin interact with the rest of the city. You said they think of themselves as an independent city-state, so what happens if, for example, a hobgoblin leaves the district, commits some crime, and goes back inside. MI shows up to find the guy and drag him off to the Vault, how do the Samurai respond? If the city council gives a citywide order, say a new tax or something, does Gobin accept Do the Streetbuilders go into Gobin to keep it from falling down.

BRC
2010-02-18, 05:52 PM
I was working on some stuff for "On the Ropes". Before I post the ideas I had, I thought of something.
Divination in Ishka
Ishka is a place with lots of magical instability. One in every twenty residents is probably somehow magical in nature (This includes Undead who are animated by negative energy, living constructs, spellcasters, people with sorcerer bloodthat they haven't discovered, races with SLA's, people who picked up some residual magic from drinking water that got too close to the arcane sewers, ect), a massive magical engine lights the city, all sorts of weird stuff resonates from the University and magic district, there are portals opening everywhere, you've got the Arcane sewers, magical architecture, ect ect. The point is, there is a reason that Ishkan casters learn a very tightly controlled version of Detect Magic, if somebody from outside the city tried to use the spell, they might go blind, and even ishkan wizards often get sensory overload (Apprentices are trained in special lead-lined rooms to prevent this), and the MI occult investigators learn even more precise versions, to help weed out useful information from all the background stuff.
Now, surprisingly, all this magic flying around dosn't cause too many problems, with one exception. Divination spells, specifically those that are trying to target the entire city, like a Scrying spell. If you want to scry on somebody, and all you know is that they are somewhere in Ishka (The bits on the material plane anyway), the Dean of Divinations with a vial of the person's blood and a few hours to perform the ritual might have a one in five chance of getting something besides static, and that's assuming they are not actively trying to block divination. Locate Creature is blocked by running water, which includes the pipes and sewers that are all over the city, so it's out. Now, if you can narrow it down, say by knowing what district the person is in, your chances go up, but even a grid-by-grid search of the city has a low chance of success, which is why MI has to find fugitives by old fashioned detective work, rather than investing in a crystal ball.
Now, there are ways around this, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance tend to give bad quality, but are generally usable if the caster isn't too far away from the location in question. Scrying Beacons work , provided they are carrying the beacon with them. Basically, any divination that dosn't have to search for something works fine, but any sort of "Find X" spells tend to be useless. The Collected Collages have written libraries full of books about this, but if you want to find them, you better get a map.

Anyway, Ideas for On the Ropes, specifically, three potential suspects Input/comments are nice. This is a Community world building project. I currently don't actually know who did it.

1) The Shades: The Obvious suspect here is the Shades, or somebody who supports them. Martin stood poised to snatch the Championship from the shade’s hands, and the rivalry between the Shades and the Devoted is almost as intense as that between the Boneshields and the Holy Swords. It seems silly, but people have killed for less. It should be noted that this is what the Temple District, especially the Holy Swords, certainly assume happened. Anybody who knows how mystery stories go should realize that this obviously isn’t it.
2) The Alliance: A Ghost named Lenard Mist approaches the PC’s. He’s a private investigator who occasionally does observation work for MI, which is how he recognized a group of Alliance Goons meeting with Martin a few days before the Tour was supposed to start. The room was warded, but he overheard some stuff and is sure the Goons wanted Martin to throw the Tour. From the manner in which they left, it looks like Martin said no. However, the ghost is an undead, making his testimony suspect. What’s more, Lenard is a close friend of Carter “Ironskull” Jones, a player for the Shades who was famously violent (A skeleton who cracked his skull open so many times he had the top replaced with a metal cap), and he didn’t actually identify any of the Goons.
3) The Devoted: Digging into Martin finds that while he was a devotee of Merkiel, he was also a follower of Kenrik. For obvious reasons he didn’t make this public, but it appears he had a serious desire to mend the rift between the Necropolis and the Temple district (A rift that has existed since those two districts were “That place with all the dead people” and “Say, is it just me, or are there a lot of shrines on that one street over there”). However, with his popularity, especially if he led the Devoted to the championship, he might actually have a chance. What’s more, several members of the Devoted are former Swords, and get about as close to publicly endorsing the purge squads as any public figure can.
Which is all assuming he's actually dead. No body was found, and his rooms don't look any different than normal. The general assumption is that he was killed or kidnapped, but who knows. Divinations have failed, but, as mentioned above, this is Ishka, so that doesn't say much.

Owrtho
2010-02-18, 06:31 PM
Better hope he didn't decide to try his luck with crime in Ravenshome.

Owrtho

Admiral Squish
2010-02-18, 08:06 PM
I'm not very sure on the etiquette here, so I suppose it's better to ask before I commit an offense. Is it impolite/illegal to start another world-building project while this one is still alive? I doubt mine will turn out nearly as in-depth and fascinating as this one, though.

Vadin
2010-02-18, 08:21 PM
Well, this one did come to a finish and has since been taken up again and a lot of great stuff is being added (for reals, ropeball is awesome).

As far as community project etiquette goes, it's typically fine to start a new one if the previous one has since finished/faded away. That being said, this one is complete enough and mostly done enough that I don't think anyone would fault you for starting up a new one.

You might want to check Cataclysm Of Green (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73059), one of the best settings we've come up with here, for a good idea at how to structure an opening post (assuming you already have an initial premise in mind). A nice solid introduction and an index of generated fluff and material is a great idea and helps keep things going and makes it easier for people who haven't been in on the project from the beginning keep track of everything.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-18, 08:34 PM
I'd hate to be annoying and pushy, but once again, what do you all think of my district?:
Name: Sphen
Other Names: The Slumbering Island, The Penguin District, The Tempered Island, The Bridge District.
Government Type: Democracy
It all started on a small island, and on that island was a small village that lived in peace with the sea, and this village was packed full of water shugenjas and druids that observed the local penguins in calm curiosity. They developed as a village of divine spellcasters, living this way for centuries. Eventually, though, they were overpowered by curiosity of arcane magic, and they made a deal with the Academy, there most loyal ally. They would teach them there ways, if they would share the secrets of wizardry. As soon as the people of Sphen learned these, they were overjoyed. They practiced wizardry, and in only 30 years, the change was immense. Arcane buildings towered in the sky, an enormous magic brige was build. Divine and Arcane magic were equally common. They continue to this day to construct incredible buildings expanding out in the ocean, and it now is thriving in natural glory. It even gained a small ropeball team, the Penguins, which specialized in taking advantage of the stadium. There arena is a grand sight, a great spiraling downward dock made of an enormous seashell ending in the ocean, with water spraying out of nearly everywhere. Also, it's rumored that deep in the islands bay, there's something, and it stops all the tension in Ishka from becoming a full-fledged war.

Feel free to say no to my district if you don't like it though.

the doomed one
2010-02-18, 11:00 PM
Sorry about getting distracted like that (curse you, the internet, and your many distractions :smallfurious:). Any way like I said earlier I would like to work on the world outside of Ishka, and how they interact. Though I will probably not have time until the week after next (winter break :smallbiggrin:)

Also I am not very good at assigning stats to races, so I would like to request those races that have been added for Pathfinder if it is not too much trouble.

50cr4t3s
2010-02-18, 11:46 PM
I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of Sphen.
1. you describe it as being in an sea, while we've pretty much established that the largest body of water connected to the city is the Lake. Boats from the Port District and the Lake District only reach seas and oceans through Gates.
2. the basic idea isn't bad, but it's simply not unique enough. As it is, it may as well be an expanded are of another district linked via Gate.
3. The way it's described in your last posts, makes it sound like the island competes with Ishka:

"Also, it's rumored that deep in the islands bay, there's something, and it stops all the tension in Ishka from becoming a full-fledged war."

This isn't practical with a city the size of Ishka.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-19, 12:00 AM
I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of Sphen.
1. you describe it as being in an sea, while we've pretty much established that the largest body of water connected to the city is the Lake. Boats from the Port District and the Lake District only reach seas and oceans through Gates.
2. the basic idea isn't bad, but it's simply not unique enough. As it is, it may as well be an expanded are of another district linked via Gate.
3. The way it's described in your last posts, makes it sound like the island competes with Ishka:

"Also, it's rumored that deep in the islands bay, there's something, and it stops all the tension in Ishka from becoming a full-fledged war."

This isn't practical with a city the size of Ishka.

Oh, ok..............
As for #1: Oops.. I didn't realize that, I thought that it was just like a normal ocean.
#2: Ok, maybe it could be that, if you feel like addig it, but that would bring up another question, what district?
#3: I think you misunderstood, what I meant was: The tension from the multiple cities and different species etc. was being CALMED by something in the bays of Sphen, I think you though I meant that Sphen was using some sort of weapon to prevent Ishka from trying to attack them.

BRC
2010-02-19, 12:45 AM
I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of Sphen.
1. you describe it as being in an sea, while we've pretty much established that the largest body of water connected to the city is the Lake. Boats from the Port District and the Lake District only reach seas and oceans through Gates.
2. the basic idea isn't bad, but it's simply not unique enough. As it is, it may as well be an expanded are of another district linked via Gate.
3. The way it's described in your last posts, makes it sound like the island competes with Ishka:

"Also, it's rumored that deep in the islands bay, there's something, and it stops all the tension in Ishka from becoming a full-fledged war."

This isn't practical with a city the size of Ishka.

I thought Ishka was connected to the Sea, or to a lagoon or something, that's how I've imagined it anyway.

However, remembering that in fantasy "Rumored to be" means "It exists, count on it", and so I don't like the idea of Ishka only surviving as a city because of some giant magical hippy-thing that lives in the bay. Plus, if there were rumors, the University would have sent an expedition.

Also, I don't like how the general theme seems to be "ZOMG It's Amazing and all super magical and stuff!", if you notice, though some of the districts are gimmicky, they've all been fairly realistic as things go. Ishka is amazing, but it's not necessarily a nice place to live, and the idea of one of the districts being an island of enlightened magic users who get along with everybody and have amazing buildings and yay just dosn't fit with the tone of the rest of the setting.
Remember, these districts are supposed to be places where people live (or, in the case of the Necropolis, don't). It dosn't have to be grimdark, but it shouldn't be a magical happy land. This is for two reasons
1. It dosn't fit with the rest of the setting. We've got a district where, on a day of the month that is a prime number, you fail to wear at least one piece of red clothing all morning, and at least one piece of blue clothing all afternoon, some unseen force will whisk you off to places unknown for breaking the rules. We've got a city that requires a veritable army of workers just to stop itself from collapsing, we've got a district ruled by a lich so old he needs to be bribed with interesting things if you want him to do anything. We've got a massive, shadowy network of criminals opposed by an overworked and disorganized police force, some factions of which have actively fought each other in the past and wouldn't mind doing it again.

You're island of penguin watching druid wizards with amazing architecture and a giant hippy machine in the bay simply dosn't mesh.
2. It's BORING. Conflict leads to excitement, and if the only description you have is "Everybody uses magic to do amazing things" it's like the standard Magic district, only with everybody smiling and no random explosions. I don't see alot of room for excitement or conflict.

Also, it's a minor point, but the district's ropeball team, you describe the stadium as being "Amazing" with no other details, and you say the team is "Skilled at using it to their advantage", which applies to every team where their home field is concerned.

Basically, more details/flaws, less vague statements of "It's an awesome place!"
Edit: Also, Ideas and Feedback for On the Ropes?

jagadaishio
2010-02-19, 01:53 AM
In the case of Gobin, I think that, while Gobin considers itself an independent state, the rest of the city would not. If forced to let MI conduct an investigation or levy a new tax, they would be resistant in that they would work as slowly and as listlessly as possible, doing only the very least necessary to accommodate the outsiders. This also means that the government of Ishka would probably want to interfere with the stubborn people of Gobin as little as possible, only sending in MI and government officials when absolutely necessary. I imagine that any Ishkan bureaucrat sent in to establish something in Gobin would be afforded the smallest office and least man-power possible by the shogunate.

As for On the Ropes, I'm liking the plot hooks, but it may be a good idea to throw in some more, just to really screw with investigator PCs. Maybe he had a big (some say violent) falling out with his wife a month or two ago. Maybe his best friend of years had been getting into some shady dealings with the Alliance and, if you look into it, he disappeared around the same time as his son. Maybe he owed a great deal of money to some less-than-legit drow loan-sharks.

Maybe he disappeared for a reason that nobody heard about. Maybe the pressure just got to him eventually. Maybe he's setting up a deal with the Shades to make sure the tour ends in a tie - helping to further diplomatic relations. Just bombard them with so much information that half the game is spent ruling out dead ends and filtering the muck from the gold. After that the exciting resolution, action, and hunting down of the culprits takes place, followed by a big plot twist at the climax.

I see Sphen as little more than a feature of the port district. It would be a nature reserve with druids and shugenja as rangers protecting the native fauna. Given that a large portion of its population is druid, and its culture seems built around druidic principles, to suggest that it would ever be any kind of economic power seems like folly. I imagine that the druids of Sphen would have a lot of support from the Wild; many may even be members. I expect that Sphen would be the Galapagos of Ishka. It needs some ecoterrorists bombing people trying to develop the island as condos to add enough spice for PCs to bother going.

As for an artifact in its bay being responsible for peace in Ishka, why, that's just silly. There isn't peace in Ishka. It has a long and bloody past of district-on-district conflict. It's only lately that politics has neutered their ability for any sort of large-scale internal strife. Many districts hate each other, and many citizens of Ishka can remember failed revolts and attacks.

The way I understand it, Ishka is built along one long river and the canyon it made, from the massive mountain lake (almost a freshwater sea) that is its source, to the great lake that lies at the end of the river. From there, the great lake at the end of the stream connects to the ocean by means of a few wide rivers, canals, and tributaries. It's something like how the American great lakes connect to the Atlantic. Aside from that, there are also gates to various ports and pieces of water around the world, as well as locales on the Elemental Plane of Water.

Also, for whom it may concern, since the generic undead templates are just templates and are all LA +0, they're all suited to both 3.5 and Pathfinder. When I make the generic elemental races later, I'll make 3.5, Pathfinder, and 4e versions of them.

BRC
2010-02-19, 11:28 AM
As for On the Ropes, I'm liking the plot hooks, but it may be a good idea to throw in some more, just to really screw with investigator PCs. Maybe he had a big (some say violent) falling out with his wife a month or two ago. Maybe his best friend of years had been getting into some shady dealings with the Alliance and, if you look into it, he disappeared around the same time as his son. Maybe he owed a great deal of money to some less-than-legit drow loan-sharks.

Maybe he disappeared for a reason that nobody heard about. Maybe the pressure just got to him eventually. Maybe he's setting up a deal with the Shades to make sure the tour ends in a tie - helping to further diplomatic relations. Just bombard them with so much information that half the game is spent ruling out dead ends and filtering the muck from the gold. After that the exciting resolution, action, and hunting down of the culprits takes place, followed by a big plot twist at the climax.

Yeah, these are the types of ideas I need. Pretty much everybody in the city has their own theory on what happened, if the fact that the PC's are investigating the disappearance gets out, they'll be swamped with people trying to help. Mind you, every ameture sleuth, retired cop, and well meaning citizen in the city will be trying to figure out what happened to Martin. Well, everybody except the proper authorities.


You see, there is no body, so they can't investigate it as a Murder, and no signs of a struggle, ransom note, or anything, so they can't investigate it as a kidnapping. Martin is an adult, so legally they have to wait three days before they can start investigating anything (If the cops tried to find every person who got lost for a few days in Ishka, they'd never get anything done). And to muddy up matters even more, there is a jurisdictional issue.

The Holy Swords claim that, since Martin was a resident of the Temple district, and there is no evidence of alliance activity/cross-district crime, that the crime is under their jurisdiction. MI claims that, considering the nature of the crime, and since nobody has any idea WHERE it occurred, or even if a crime occurred at all, it's their jurisdiction.
Technically, the Swords are right, but MI is using all the pull it has to keep the case out of their hands. Everybody knows that if the Holy Swords get the case, they'll spend an hour "Investigating", after which they claim it was a massive conspiracy consisting of every undead the Swords can name. It dosn't matter if the undead had anything to do with it, the Swords, and most of the temple district, really really want them to be responsible. There is a good chance this may lead to another civil war, which is why MI is doing everything in it's power to get the case. However, because MI has a long tradition of declaring that things are not their jurisdiction (MI is constantly overworked, and most of the district police forces are primarily focused on preventing crime by having lots of burly officers walking around, rather than actually investigating things, they try to hand stuff off to MI whenever possible, so in order to avoid being totally swamped, MI has to throw the cases back to the locals as much as they can), this is tricky.
Of course, if a DM wants to streamline things, the PC's can be MIs rather than private investigators.

As for Sphen, it could be modified into a resort community. Wealthy Ishkans looking to unwind head through the portals to Sphen where they relax on the beaches and sip colorful drinks. It looks like paradise, and you'd never know that the Sun Guard, those smiling men in white uniforms with ceremonial swords who give you directions to the massage parlor are part of one of the most brutal police forces in the city. The Sun Guard is responsible for making sure the tourists are happy, if that means leading beggars and pickpockets to the cheerfully designed Sun Guard headquarters to be beaten, killed, brainwashed, or worse, so be it. MI has tried to step in several times, but the Sphen tourism board has powerful friends.

Of course, the Wild is still common in the district, and they don't like the last piece of, relatively unspoiled wilderness (even the Hunting Grounds are artificial) in Ishkan territory being turned into a place for fatcats from Mithril heights to get a tan. The Sun Guard manages to cover up evidence of most of their activities (The building was unstable, so we did a controlled emergency demolition, I'm terribly sorry, here have some coupons), but they have only been able to maintain order with increasing brutality and intimidation.

Silverscale
2010-02-19, 12:44 PM
As for Sphen, it could be modified into a resort community. Wealthy Ishkans looking to unwind head through the portals to Sphen where they relax on the beaches and sip colorful drinks. It looks like paradise, and you'd never know that the Sun Guard, those smiling men in white uniforms with ceremonial swords who give you directions to the massage parlor are part of one of the most brutal police forces in the city. The Sun Guard is responsible for making sure the tourists are happy, if that means leading beggars and pickpockets to the cheerfully designed Sun Guard headquarters to be beaten, killed, brainwashed, or worse, so be it. MI has tried to step in several times, but the Sphen tourism board has powerful friends.

Of course, the Wild is still common in the district, and they don't like the last piece of, relatively unspoiled wilderness (even the Hunting Grounds are artificial) in Ishkan territory being turned into a place for fatcats from Mithril heights to get a tan. The Sun Guard manages to cover up evidence of most of their activities (The building was unstable, so we did a controlled emergency demolition, I'm terribly sorry, here have some coupons), but they have only been able to maintain order with increasing brutality and intimidation.

I'm not sure I like this idea....I was thinking of taking it more along the lines someone mentioned, of it being a large nature preserve with a great many different flora and fauna (not unlike the Galapagose Islands) watched over by the Druids and Water Shugenja. Connecting Sphen to the Port District is one narrow foot-bridge to the first of the islands which in turn is connected to the other islands by a network of foot-paths and more narrow bridges.

Owrtho
2010-02-19, 03:39 PM
I'm not sure I like this idea....I was thinking of taking it more along the lines someone mentioned, of it being a large nature preserve with a great many different flora and fauna (not unlike the Galapagose Islands) watched over by the Druids and Water Shugenja. Connecting Sphen to the Port District is one narrow foot-bridge to the first of the islands which in turn is connected to the other islands by a network of foot-paths and more narrow bridges.

Well, it would almost have to be through a gate, given the rather notable lack of sunlight (at least natural sunlight) on all but the few highest levels (and certainly the lake being at the bottom like it is). Also the fact that buildings are made on the lake would cause trouble for them (even if most just start as having pylons that extend out of the water).

Owrtho

waterpenguin43
2010-02-19, 06:28 PM
I see Sphen as little more than a feature of the port district. It would be a nature reserve with druids and shugenja as rangers protecting the native fauna. Given that a large portion of its population is druid, and its culture seems built around druidic principles, to suggest that it would ever be any kind of economic power seems like folly. I imagine that the druids of Sphen would have a lot of support from the Wild; many may even be members. I expect that Sphen would be the Galapagos of Ishka. It needs some ecoterrorists bombing people trying to develop the island as condos to add enough spice for PCs to bother going.

That sounds like a really good idea (I have a shocking lack of originality myself.:smallredface:), I think that would work really well for including Sphen in the campaign setting.

At BRC: That's interesting and deep too, but I like jagadaishio's idea more, I'm afraid.

And my preperation fluff for economancer:
Ishka is essentially an enormous city-continent, with various parts of the "city" being divided into districts. Of course, to thrive, there is one main thing a city needs: A good economy. This means that supply and demand won't go too low or too high. So with a city with the size of a continent, it is inevitable that some will, metaphorically, "go out of buisness", and whole districts will wind up poor. With economic balance so vital, how can Ishka ensure it's economy remains healthy? The answer lies in the hands of a few specific mages, few and far between. These mages are known as economancers. Whenever they see the economy go out of balance, they leap into action, and work their incomprehensible magics to fix the economy. Normal wizards are in envy of the economancers, craving their secrets, but in keeping their own value high, as they would copper or oil or any other economic property, they won't let their own demand decrease, after all, if economancers themselves become low in demand, how can everything else stay balanced? The Order of the Golden Hand takes in only a few select wizards with a great understanding of Ishka's economy, training them in ways of helping the economy in time of need.
Economancers in the world
In all my time as a salesman, I have never seen any such hero to my proffesion. He works on the economy as a delecate art, and the results are beautiful. To have such a man in our district is a wonderful blessing from the saints.
-Marc Orgent, a merchant in need.
People tend to either love or hate economancers, with the vast majority on the love side of things. On one hand, whenever an economancer comes to their district, it is a time of great celebration and profit. Most people in a district an economancer is visiting are Helpful to economancers, desperate for them to help with their economy. Also, thieves and worshippers of Anksuno are fond of economancers, as it gives thieves more booty and Anksuno more power, also, Anksuno is the most common worshipped saint for economancers, making those of the Stone Raven distrust economancers very deeply.
Also, those in poverty because of the economy have a hatred for economancers, as they do nothing in their time of need. Those, and worshippers of the Stone Raven are just about the only people who dislike economancers.

50cr4t3s
2010-02-20, 03:08 AM
I hate to keep trying to shoot down your ideas, but I really hate this intro to the Economancer. The only real rule we've been holding our selves to in the building of this city is "Does it make sense?" and quite frankly the Economancers as they're described don't make sense.

First, you say that they step in to keep districts from falling into bankruptcy, but part of the point of the districts we've proposed is that these are the entities that have withstood the test of time and survived to this day and age. Maybe it's just me but I've always imagined that many district that were once part of the city have disappeared, either due to violence or mismanagement.

Second, you say that they "work their incomprehensible magics to fix the economy", this also doesn't make sense because nobody would do business with them. This is a city were a bank is making deals with diabolic forces to turn a profit, unions openly fight corporations on occasion in the Steamworks, and the Twin Dragon saints are in an actual contest to see who can become the most economically powerful. NO ONE WILL DO BUSINESS WITH AN ECONOMY THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. It is that simple. If the Economancers can simple wave their hands and make your business do better, the entire economy becomes how many Economancers you can recruit to your cause.

Lastly, you say that they strive to maintain balance in the Economy of Ishka, but in reality, economic balance is a bad thing. A perfect balanced economy becomes stagnant and quickly afterward will becomes inadequate. Economic upheaval is a painful and drawn out process, but it is necessary for economies to evolve and adapt to the changes of the society.

I just don't see Economancers fitting in to the setting as you've currently described them.

Silverscale
2010-02-20, 10:17 AM
I hate to keep trying to shoot down your ideas, but I really hate this intro to the Economancer. The only real rule we've been holding our selves to in the building of this city is "Does it make sense?" and quite frankly the Economancers as they're described don't make sense.

First, you say that they step in to keep districts from falling into bankruptcy, but part of the point of the districts we've proposed is that these are the entities that have withstood the test of time and survived to this day and age. Maybe it's just me but I've always imagined that many district that were once part of the city have disappeared, either due to violence or mismanagement.

Second, you say that they "work their incomprehensible magics to fix the economy", this also doesn't make sense because nobody would do business with them. This is a city were a bank is making deals with diabolic forces to turn a profit, unions openly fight corporations on occasion in the Steamworks, and the Twin Dragon saints are in an actual contest to see who can become the most economically powerful. NO ONE WILL DO BUSINESS WITH AN ECONOMY THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. It is that simple. If the Economancers can simple wave their hands and make your business do better, the entire economy becomes how many Economancers you can recruit to your cause.

Lastly, you say that they strive to maintain balance in the Economy of Ishka, but in reality, economic balance is a bad thing. A perfect balanced economy becomes stagnant and quickly afterward will becomes inadequate. Economic upheaval is a painful and drawn out process, but it is necessary for economies to evolve and adapt to the changes of the society.

I just don't see Economancers fitting in to the setting as you've currently described them.

I'm gonna have to second you one this....Economancers as currently described would not make sense in Ishka


Well, it would almost have to be through a gate, given the rather notable lack of sunlight (at least natural sunlight) on all but the few highest levels (and certainly the lake being at the bottom like it is). Also the fact that buildings are made on the lake would cause trouble for them (even if most just start as having pylons that extend out of the water).

Owrtho

Except for the fact that as written, The Port District is Not on the lake, it's at the other end of the river, which means there is plenty of sunlight and no massive buildings to disrupt the wildlife.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-20, 11:22 AM
Okay. I'm not really good with futuristic campaigns anyway......

BRC
2010-02-21, 03:09 AM
My idea for Sphen got shot down, but I think it could work on it's own as a totally separate district.
The Sunset Islands
Alternate Names: Seaside Resorts, Venugen Lishe Phapile
Government Type: The Sunset Corporation
Police Force: Sun Guard.

Sunset Islands was originally named Venugen Lishe Phapile, Islands of Perpetual Beauty in the dialect of hte local elves, for much of history it's only inhabitants were a small community of elves and merfolk. The Islands are surrounded by reefs, preventing regular ship traffic. For much of history, Venugen Lishe Phapile, was a blank spot on sailor's maps.

Of course, that was until an Ishkan vessel was driven to shore by a storm. They were rescued by Merfolk and cared for by the Elves, as luck would have it, one of them was a wizard. The next day he used his emergency Teleport scroll (it had been locked in his trunk at the time) and, took all the crewmembers back to Ishka. But while they were there, the crew was amazed by the island's natural beauty, by it's astounding sunsets and pristine beaches. Upon hearing about the island, somebody remarked that they would pay two hundred gold to see the island. This is Ishka, you can guess what happened next.

A group Teleported back to the island, it's not clear what happened next, but apparently the Merfolk decided to leave and the Elves agreed to let the Ishkans begin construction. A decade later, the Elves were almost all gone, those that were left seemed to work only as servants. The Merfolk had vanished very quickly. The big change was when the Islands were officially renamed the much more marketable Sunset Islands, from that point, the isolated paradise of Venugen Lishe Phapile was gone for good.
Today the Sunset Islands are a resort, a tourist destination where Ishkans can visit, get a tan, drink some colorful beverages with little umbrellas, go for a walk in the jungles, and go for a swim. While low class Ishkans will never see the Islands unless they are lucky enough to get a job working there. Those Ishkans capable of affording the portal fees, may be able to visit for a day, though most don't bother, a two way trip through the portal is more money than most Ishkans are willing to spend on a day trip. On the Islands accommodations range from the simple hostels, to the extravagant Hotels. Some incredibly wealthy residents even have personal houses on the Islands.
Everything is operated by the Sunset Corporation, founded by the wizard who first crashed on Venugen Lishe Phapile. There is actually a sizeable "Native" population, primarily consisting of the native elves and people hired from Ishka to work for the Sunset corporation. It's been several generations since the Sunset Corporation was founded, so there are actually many people who Don't work for the Sunset corporation, most of them stick to the "Servant's Town", but some cross to Tourist Town and work as pickpockets, or to sell goods without a license from the Sunset Corporation, or, the very worst crime, to serve the Tourists independent of the Corporation.
Order is kept by the Sun Guard, a group of cheerful, white uniformed guards who are visible on every corner to answer questions (Or, more accurately, to repeat the answers the Company made them memorize) and give directions. They are also one of the most brutal police forces in Ishka. Under those pristine white jackets are rather utalitarian shirts of a color designed not to show bloodstains, and those fancy swords they have aren't, as many people think, ceremonial. The Sun Guard make sure that life on the islands is perfect for the tourists and profitable for the company by intimidating or brutalizing anybody who might make it otherwise.
The Biggest problem on the island is the Wild, who, as much as they hate the idea of Ishka having destroyed nature, hate the idea of it actively destroying nature, especially a place as beautiful as Venugen Lishe Phapile. The Wild are said to have a community hidden somewhere in the jungle, the Sun Guard, as well as hired mercenaries and adventurers have looked for it many times, but either reported failure or didn't report back at all. The Wild used to attack tour groups, but Sunset simply started offering tourists armed guards (for a fee). The Wild is constantly trying to upset the Sunset corporation's operation, but their actions are hindered by the need to constantly stay hidden from Mercenaries combing the jungle, and the watchful vigilance of the Sun Guards. As it is, the Sunset Corporation manages to cover up most of the Wild's activities as "Animal Attacks" or "Emergency Demolitions" or "A wizard who had too much to drink and has been given to the proper authorities". Since most people can't afford to stay more than a week or so, they believe that any attacks that occur during their stays are isolated incidents, and since the Sunset Corporation carefully controls information about the Islands that gets back to the city, almost nobody knows that behind the massage parlors, restaurants, and hotels is a brutal police state fighting a constant war.

Edit: What IS it with my with police states ruled by brutal corporations, I keep creating them, for that one Steampunk RP, for Smog, and now here.

jagadaishio
2010-02-21, 04:10 AM
My idea for Sphen got shot down, but I think it could work on it's own as a totally separate district.
The Sunset Islands
Alternate Names: Seaside Resorts, Venugen Lishe Phapile
Government Type: The Sunset Corporation
Police Force: Sun Guard.

Sunset Islands was originally named Venugen Lishe Phapile, Islands of Perpetual Beauty in the dialect of hte local elves, for much of history it's only inhabitants were a small community of elves and merfolk. The Islands are surrounded by reefs, preventing regular ship traffic. For much of history, Venugen Lishe Phapile, was a blank spot on sailor's maps.

Of course, that was until an Ishkan vessel was driven to shore by a storm. They were rescued by Merfolk and cared for by the Elves, as luck would have it, one of them was a wizard. The next day he used his emergency Teleport scroll (it had been locked in his trunk at the time) and, took all the crewmembers back to Ishka. But while they were there, the crew was amazed by the island's natural beauty, by it's astounding sunsets and pristine beaches. Upon hearing about the island, somebody remarked that they would pay two hundred gold to see the island. This is Ishka, you can guess what happened next.

A group Teleported back to the island, it's not clear what happened next, but apparently the Merfolk decided to leave and the Elves agreed to let the Ishkans begin construction. A decade later, the Elves were almost all gone, those that were left seemed to work only as servants. The Merfolk had vanished very quickly. The big change was when the Islands were officially renamed the much more marketable Sunset Islands, from that point, the isolated paradise of Venugen Lishe Phapile was gone for good.
Today the Sunset Islands are a resort, a tourist destination where Ishkans can visit, get a tan, drink some colorful beverages with little umbrellas, go for a walk in the jungles, and go for a swim. While low class Ishkans will never see the Islands unless they are lucky enough to get a job working there. Those Ishkans capable of affording the portal fees, may be able to visit for a day, though most don't bother, a two way trip through the portal is more money than most Ishkans are willing to spend on a day trip. On the Islands accommodations range from the simple hostels, to the extravagant Hotels. Some incredibly wealthy residents even have personal houses on the Islands.
Everything is operated by the Sunset Corporation, founded by the wizard who first crashed on Venugen Lishe Phapile. There is actually a sizeable "Native" population, primarily consisting of the native elves and people hired from Ishka to work for the Sunset corporation. It's been several generations since the Sunset Corporation was founded, so there are actually many people who Don't work for the Sunset corporation, most of them stick to the "Servant's Town", but some cross to Tourist Town and work as pickpockets, or to sell goods without a license from the Sunset Corporation, or, the very worst crime, to serve the Tourists independent of the Corporation.
Order is kept by the Sun Guard, a group of cheerful, white uniformed guards who are visible on every corner to answer questions (Or, more accurately, to repeat the answers the Company made them memorize) and give directions. They are also one of the most brutal police forces in Ishka. Under those pristine white jackets are rather utalitarian shirts of a color designed not to show bloodstains, and those fancy swords they have aren't, as many people think, ceremonial. The Sun Guard make sure that life on the islands is perfect for the tourists and profitable for the company by intimidating or brutalizing anybody who might make it otherwise.
The Biggest problem on the island is the Wild, who, as much as they hate the idea of Ishka having destroyed nature, hate the idea of it actively destroying nature, especially a place as beautiful as Venugen Lishe Phapile. The Wild are said to have a community hidden somewhere in the jungle, the Sun Guard, as well as hired mercenaries and adventurers have looked for it many times, but either reported failure or didn't report back at all. The Wild used to attack tour groups, but Sunset simply started offering tourists armed guards (for a fee). The Wild is constantly trying to upset the Sunset corporation's operation, but their actions are hindered by the need to constantly stay hidden from Mercenaries combing the jungle, and the watchful vigilance of the Sun Guards. As it is, the Sunset Corporation manages to cover up most of the Wild's activities as "Animal Attacks" or "Emergency Demolitions" or "A wizard who had too much to drink and has been given to the proper authorities". Since most people can't afford to stay more than a week or so, they believe that any attacks that occur during their stays are isolated incidents, and since the Sunset Corporation carefully controls information about the Islands that gets back to the city, almost nobody knows that behind the massage parlors, restaurants, and hotels is a brutal police state fighting a constant war.

Edit: What IS it with my with police states ruled by brutal corporations, I keep creating them, for that one Steampunk RP, for Smog, and now here.

I love it; marvelous work. It's like Okinawa or Hawaii if they were ruled by a murderous extranational corporation. Given that fact, I wonder if the 'natives' would also engage in activity expected of the region, like surfing and dancing while wearing colourful flowers. Since it has a cove protected by a reef, I expect hat it doesn't get waves sufficient for the surfing. Breathe Water-enabled scuba would probably be a big hit among the tourists, though. Does the Sun Guard ever take in tourists for interrogation/execution if they're suspected of being terrorists or having terrorist ties? If there are any that are only interrogated, what do they do with these terrorist tourists after they're done with them? Kill them if they're still suspected and give them a mandatory free room and board at a luxury hotel for life if they're not?

Is the island volcanic or stable? What kind of wildlife did it originally have, and what of that has been eradicated? How much do they pay the Sun Guard for their silence? Do prospective employees find out how Orwellian the island is before or after being hired? How strict are the contracts that employees have to sign? Are they so strict that employees would flee into the jungle and join the Wild just to be free of their oppressors? How close to open war is the island? How many tourists tend to get dragged into the shadow war as collateral damage? Is the first priority of the Sun Guard to protect tourists, or attack the Wild?

Is the Sun Guard the second mercenary police force that the city has, after the Falcons? Or do we have others?

BRC
2010-02-21, 12:01 PM
Does the Sun Guard ever take in tourists for interrogation/execution if they're suspected of being terrorists or having terrorist ties? If there are any that are only interrogated, what do they do with these terrorist tourists after they're done with them? Kill them if they're still suspected and give them a mandatory free room and board at a luxury hotel for life if they're not?

Is the island volcanic or stable? What kind of wildlife did it originally have, and what of that has been eradicated? How much do they pay the Sun Guard for their silence? Do prospective employees find out how Orwellian the island is before or after being hired? How strict are the contracts that employees have to sign? Are they so strict that employees would flee into the jungle and join the Wild just to be free of their oppressors? How close to open war is the island? How many tourists tend to get dragged into the shadow war as collateral damage? Is the first priority of the Sun Guard to protect tourists, or attack the Wild?

Is the Sun Guard the second mercenary police force that the city has, after the Falcons? Or do we have others?
If a Tourist is expected of being a terrorist, the Sun Guard's response depends on how much money the tourist in question has. If they're somebody staying for a few days at a cheap hotel, they may get captured and peacefully interrogated, while a spell caster in the employ of the Sunset corporation uses Detect Thoughts in the next room (Because they're not in the city, there is less chance of Detect Thoughts getting swamped by the number of people nearbye). If they're wealthy, the Sun Guard will attempt to investigate with magic without the tourist noticing.
Any TerrorTourists they catch are "Dissapeared" in one way or another. The preferred method is to say they got Lost in the Woods, or that they went for a sail and got blown out to sea. If the Tourist isn't a terrorist, and gets interrogated/finds out about the investigation, they are bribed with coupons to shut up.

I like the idea of the island being Volcanic (Maybe a plot of the Wild's is to trigger the volcano). The Islands were tropical, and most of the wildlife is actually fairly in tact. A couple delicious local birds have been hunted to extinction and now only exist in farms. There are still a couple dangerous animals on the island, but most of them have been starved out as their hunting grounds were occupied or killed in one way or another.
Employees don't find out about the true nature of the Island until after they arrive, and the contracts they sign are incredibly strict. However, there is no shortage of employees, many Ishkans dream of being able to afford a trip to the Sunset Islands, so most don't bother to read the contracts when they are told that, if they sign them, they will be payed to live there. Of course, most employees that go can't come back because, if you're fired, you have to pay your own way through the portal, and the company primarily pays in a company script rather than actual money. Occasionally servants do run off to join the Wild, and people within the organization are divided over whether or not to accept these people, since, while they are willing to help, they don't actually believe the city is bad, they just hate the Sunset corporation.
The Sun Guards are paid very well for their loyalty, unlike most of the employees, they don't live in Servant's Town, but in a barracks complex much like a hotel, waited on by servants and with a great view of the sea.

As for the War, the Wild likes to talk about how they are, at any point, days from returning the Islands to their natural state. However, ironically enough, it's very difficult for the Wild to work in the islands. The Organization was founded in the city, and is used to functioning as an insurgency rather than a guerrilla force. As much as most Wild members say they hate city life, they count on having a steady job, being able to get food by walking to the nearest store, and being able to get any weapons or equipment they need from the steady supply of shady dealers. In the Jungle most of them are too busy simply trying to survive to really do much, and because they have to keep moving, they don't have much in the way of infrastructure to build the things they need. Really, a couple Wild Druids descended from the native Elves, and a solid core of skilled rangers, most of whom were born on the Island, are responsible for most of the trouble. Most of the Wild members from the city tend to die from eating the wrong fruit, or try to take on the Sun Guard with the weapons they can make in the woods, namely clubs and rocks. This buffer of incompetent terrorists is actually one of the things that makes the Wild so hard to eradicated, since the Sun Guard may wipe out a camp, only to learn that the ones who are actually a threat saw them coming and slipped away while they were slaughtering the city slickers.

Protecting the Tourists is always the Sun Guard's priority. The Death's of tourists need to be covered up, and that's expensive. Live tourists may need to be bribed into silence, but that's cheaper, you just give them coupons. Occasionally, Tourists are collateral damage in the Shadow War, but it's not a big enough number that the Sunset corporation can't cover it up. Mainly it's Tourists on Jungle tours who always sign extensive release waivers, and whose deaths are covered up easily as "Wild Animal Attacks" (Considering that the Wild's preferred method of attack is to summon or charm animals into attacking, this is very easy).

Really, the Sun Guard has three parts, the "Whitesuit" Guards who protect the tourists, the "Blacksuit" thugs who patrol Servant's town, and the "Greensuit" soldiers; rugged, dangerous mercenaries who go out into the Jungle to do battle with the Wild. Most tourists don't know the Blacksuits and the Greensuits even exist.

jagadaishio
2010-02-21, 05:18 PM
Here is the first installment of my repeatedly-promised elemental races.

Fire Elementals
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/024/2/e/Kid_Golem_by_DarkieSoul.jpg
An ephemeral elemental child in its first suit.

First of all, I think the fact that denizens of the Elemental Plane of Fire would be constantly cold while on the Material Plane bears mentioning. Their native plane has an average temperature of "barbeque." As such, coming to the Material Plane would first require an adaptation period to the terribly cold temperatures, and even then they would be so cold that they would probably wear heavy, flame-retardant clothes (parkas, jackets, gloves, the whole deal) all year round. They would also almost exclusively make their homes in the hottest parts of the city, so places like the Steamworks and any tropical holdings of Ishka would have (comparatively) huge fire immigrant populations.

Second-generation immigrants, people who were born and raised in the freezing climate of the Material Plane, would have much less of a problem with the cold. Light jackets, maybe a single layer of canvas or leather, in the summer, only breaking out the parkas in the winter. They would probably find their family's native plane hot rather than comfortably temperate.

The way I see it, the typical immigrants from the Elemental Plane of Fire would come in two basic flavors. The first flavor is corporeal elementals. These are people with physical bodies that have been just stuffed full of elemental energy. Because of this, they would have a much better resistance to the cold of the Material Plane than would their ephemeral companions. Simply put, their solid matter would just retain their heat better. They could probably make do with only heavy jackets and pants. The second type of immigrants would be the ephemeral variety, beings made of actual living flame instead of flame-infused solid matter.

The ephemeral would need specially designed suits or host bodies in order to survive on the material plane. Otherwise their bodies, normally kept warm and active by the fires of the elemental plane itself, fizzle and die of hypothermia rapidly when exposed. Most will wear suits - affairs of metal and magic that keep their heat in. They tend to be mistaken for warforged and other constructs when infused in a material body like that - at least until they vent some excess heat in a small gout of flame. The ephemeral elementals may instead choose to inhabit a host body. In that case, they infuse themselves into a living or deceased material body, possessing it and controlling it. The clear down-side to this, however, is that these bodies, while they do shelter the elemental from the cold for some time, eventually burn out from the fire essence contained within them. Furthermore, while their suited-brethren tend to be mistaken for constructs, they tend to be considered undead at best, murderers who steal living bodies at worst.

The physical, suited, and possessive elementals will be shown in detail below.

Embodied Fire Elemental
Elementals, Fires
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/Nny2/demon_by_photoplace.jpg
An elemental with skin like ash, eyes like fire, and breath like smoke.

Embodied fire elementals are a varied bunch. While all tend to be passionate, this manifests in different ways. Some are lovers; others fighters. Some make art; others just love to burn things. Aside from their varied passions, these elementals tend to be varied in appearance. Some have bodies and hair that shine like embers. Others have blackened skin, shock white, hot veins visible through the skin. Some look like normal humans, but with fire for hair and puffs of smoke constantly floating from their mouth and nose. These displays of fire tend to scald when touched for too long, but the heat from these elementals always proves too weak to ignite anything but the most unstable of compounds or cause serious burns.

Embodied Fire Elemental 3.5 Racial Statistics
Medium Humanoid [Fire]
+2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Fire elementals are passionate and driven, but these passions make them rash, lacking common sense and awareness.
Speed: 30ft
Fiery Display (ex): All embodied fire elementals have some kind of bright display. Whether this is faintly glowing skin, burning hair, shining eyes, white-bright veins, or any other manifestation of their natural fire, it is there. This display grants them a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks against creatures without fire resistance. It also causes a -4 racial penalty on Hide checks because of their glow.
Hot-Blooded (ex): Fire elementals have a fire burning within their bodies and souls. Their skin scalds slightly to the touch. Their unarmed strikes deal an extra 1 point of fire damage, and all creatures who make a successful unarmed strike, natural attack, or touch attack against an embodied fire elemental take 1 point of fire damage. All creatures take one point of fire damage per turn they grapple with an embodied fire elemental. Non-forceful actions like shaking a hand or a light pat on the back only cause the fire damage if contact is maintained for more than one round.
Heat Acclimation (ex): Fire elementals require no saves to function in hot environments, but all climates temperate and down are treated as one category colder (see Frostburn, Sandstorm). Embodied fire elementals often wear jackets even in the summer and seek out deserts, tropical jungles, and tropical beaches as a matter of comfort. Fire damage is simply less effective against embodied fire elementals, while cold damage is far more effective. All fire damage is first halved, then subject to the Embodied Fire Elemental's natural fire resistance. All cold damage is multiplied by 1.5 before being applied.
Fire Resistance 2
+2 Racial Bonus to all Perform checks and Diplomacy. Fire elementals have an easily-felt, enamoring passion to them.
Automatic Languages: Embodied fire elementals start speaking Common and Ingan. Embodied fire elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, aquan, terran, infernal, elven.
Favored Class: Sorcerer or Bard. A multiclass embodied fire elemental’s sorcerer or bard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

http://th04.deviantart.net/fs23/300W/i/2008/050/5/f/Fire_by_agrivaine.jpg
A typical embodied elemental, burning with an inner light.

Embodied Fire Elemental Pathfinder Racial Statistics
Medium Humanoid [Fire]
+2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Fire elementals are passionate, quick, and driven, but these passions make them rash and impatient, lacking common sense and awareness.
Speed: 30ft
Fiery Display (ex): All embodied fire elementals have some kind of bright display. Whether this is faintly glowing skin, burning hair, shining eyes, white-bright veins, or any other manifestation of their natural fire, it is there. This display grants them a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks against creatures without fire resistance. It also causes a -4 racial penalty on Hide checks because of their glow.
Hot-Blooded (ex): Fire elementals have a fire burning within their bodies and souls. Their skin scalds slightly to the touch. Their unarmed strikes deal an extra 1 point of fire damage, and all creatures who make a successful unarmed strike, natural attack, or touch attack against an embodied fire elemental take 1 point of fire damage. All creatures take one point of fire damage per turn they grapple with an embodied fire elemental. Non-forceful actions like shaking a hand or a light pat on the back only cause the fire damage if contact is maintained for more than one round.
Heat Acclimation (ex): Fire elementals require no saves to function in hot environments, but all climates temperate and down are treated as one category colder. Embodied fire elementals often wear jackets even in the summer and seek out deserts, tropical jungles, and tropical beaches as a matter of comfort. Fire damage is simply less effective against embodied fire elementals, while cold damage is far more effective. All fire damage is first halved, then subject to the Embodied Fire Elemental's natural fire resistance. All cold damage is multiplied by 1.5 before being applied.
Fire Resistance 5
+3 Racial Bonus to all Perform checks and Diplomacy. Fire elementals have an easily-felt, enamoring passion to them.
Automatic Languages: Embodied fire elementals start speaking Common and Ingan. Embodied fire elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, aquan, terran, infernal, elven.

Suited Ephemeral Fire Elementals
Suits, Clanks
http://th01.deviantart.net/fs71/300W/i/2010/020/0/9/Golem_test_by_DarkieSoul.jpg
Two generic suited elementals, one whose flames are naturally red, and one whose flames are naturally blue.

Suits live their lives in a metal body. This tends to make them less open and charismatic than their embodied relatives. However, their life in their suits makes them both physically robust and more insightful, their metal forms making them almost voyeuristic observers of the social interactions with others, too awkward and detached to participate themselves. Suits rarely wear clothes over their metal bodies, but when they do, it's almost always bright colours in the same shades as their natural form's flames. Without special training, fire deals damage to suits normally, damaging their metal shells and letting the cold in.

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs23/f/2007/339/2/1/Shin_Gad_Armar_by_Luthercon.jpg
A suit with rather intimidating armor modifications.

Suited Ephemeral Fire Elemental 3.5 Racial Traits
Medium Construct [Living] [Fire]
Living Construct Subtype (ex): Suits are constructs with the living construct subtype. A living construct is a created being given sentience and free will through powerful and complex enchantments or the binding of an elemental to the body. Suits are living constructs that combine aspects of constructs, elementals, and living creatures, as detailed below.
A suit derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws, and skill points from the class it selects.

Unlike other constructs, a suit has a Constitution score.

Unlike other constructs, a suit does not have low-light vision or darkvision.

Unlike other constructs, a suit is not immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.

Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain.

A suit cannot heal damage naturally.

Unlike other constructs, suits are subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.

As living constructs, suits can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a suit can be healed by a Cure Light Wounds spell or a Repair Light Damage spell, for example, and a suit is vulnerable to Disable Construct and Harm. However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure or cause hit point damage by means of positive or negative energy provide only half their normal effect to a suit.

The unusual physical constructions of suit makes them vulnerable to certain spells and effects that normally don't affect living creatures. A suit is affected by Repel Metal and Chill Metal as if he were wearing metal armor. The iron in the body of a suit makes him vulnerable to Rusting Grasp and other spells that damage metal.

A suit responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A suit with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. He can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and are greater than -10, a inert is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and he cannot perform any actions.

However, an inert suit does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, as with a living creature that is stable. Even right before destruction, a suit can keep the elemental inside from being extinguished.

As a living construct, a suit can be raised and resurrected.
A suit does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but he can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as Heroes' Feast and potions.

Although living constructs do not need sleep, a suit wizard must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.
+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Suits feel disconnected from and awkward around other people who are able to show their true selves. Their metal, construct bodies make them more resilient and hardy, though.
Speed: 30ft
Composite Plating (ex): The plating used to build a suit provides a +2 armor bonus. This plating is not natural armor and does not stack with other effects that give an armor bonus, such as Mage Armor. This composite plating occupies the same space on the body as suit of armor or a robe, and thus a suit character cannot wear armor or magic robes. Suits can be enchanted just as armor can be. The character must be present for the entire time it takes to enchant him. Composite plating provides a suit with a 5% arcane spell failure chance, similar to the penalty for wearing light armor. Any class ability that allows a suit to ignore the arcane spell failure chance for light armor lets him ignore this penalty as well.
Note that in the description of the composite plating, as in the original warforged entry, they go to great lengths to avoid saying that the plating is light armor, rather than just being like it. This was to avoid a warforged lacking the armor proficiency for their own body. This has the added and unexpected benefit of not counting as armor for the purpose of Monk abilities and other abilities which require a creature to be unarmored.
Light Fortification (ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on a suit, there is a 25% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and the damage is instead rolled normally.
Bonus Feat: A suit gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, its metal limbs quite useful for fighting. If the suit ever gains Improved Unarmed Strike again as an automatic bonus feat from a class, they instead gain a +1 bonus to unarmed strike damage.
Repair Artist (ex): A suit gains a +2 racial bonus on all Crafts checks made to repair or modify their own suits.
Automatic Languages: Suits start speaking Common and Ingan. Suits with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, aquan, terran, infernal, elven.
Favored Class: Monk or Artificer. A multiclass suit’s monk or artificer class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

Suited Ephemeral Fire Elemental Pathfinder Racial Traits
Medium Construct [Living] [Fire]
Living Construct Subtype (ex): Suits are constructs with the living construct subtype. A living construct is a created being given sentience and free will through powerful and complex enchantments or the binding of an elemental to the body. Suits are living constructs that combine aspects of constructs, elementals, and living creatures, as detailed below.
A suit derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws, and skill points from the class it selects.

Unlike other constructs, a suit has a Constitution score.

Unlike other constructs, a suit does not have low-light vision or darkvision.

Unlike other constructs, a suit is not immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.

Immunity to bleed effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain.

A suit cannot heal damage naturally.

Unlike other constructs, suits are subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.

As living constructs, suits can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a suit can be healed by a Cure Light Wounds spell or a Repair Light Damage spell, for example, and a suit is vulnerable to Disable Construct and Harm. However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure or cause hit point damage by means of positive or negative energy provide only half their normal effect to a suit.

The unusual physical constructions of suit makes them vulnerable to certain spells and effects that normally don't affect living creatures. A suit is affected by Repel Metal and Chill Metal as if he were wearing metal armor. The iron in the body of a suit makes him vulnerable to Rusting Grasp and other spells that damage metal.

A suit responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A suit with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. He can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and are greater than -10, a inert is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and he cannot perform any actions.

However, an inert suit does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, as with a living creature that is stable. Even right before destruction, a suit can keep the elemental inside from being extinguished.

As a living construct, a suit can be raised and resurrected.
A suit does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but he can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as Heroes' Feast and potions.

Although living constructs do not need sleep, a suit wizard must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells.
+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Suits feel disconnected from and awkward around other people who are able to show their true selves. This disconnect makes them tend toward being thoughtful, deliberate, and observant. Their metal, construct bodies make them more resilient and hardy.
Speed: 30ft
Composite Plating (ex): The plating used to build a suit provides a +2 armor bonus. This plating is not natural armor and does not stack with other effects that give an armor bonus, such as Mage Armor. This composite plating occupies the same space on the body as suit of armor or a robe, and thus a suit character cannot wear armor or magic robes. Suits can be enchanted just as armor can be. The character must be present for the entire time it takes to enchant him. Composite plating provides a suit with a 5% arcane spell failure chance, similar to the penalty for wearing light armor. Any class ability that allows a suit to ignore the arcane spell failure chance for light armor lets him ignore this penalty as well.
Note that in the description of the composite plating, as in the original warforged entry, they go to great lengths to avoid saying that the plating is light armor, rather than just being like it. This was to avoid a warforged lacking the armor proficiency for their own body. This has the added and unexpected benefit of not counting as armor for the purpose of Monk abilities and other abilities which require a creature to be unarmored.
Light Fortification (ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on a suit, there is a 25% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and the damage is instead rolled normally.
Bonus Feat: A suit gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, its metal limbs quite useful for fighting. If the suit ever gains Improved Unarmed Strike again as an automatic bonus feat from a class, they instead gain a +1 bonus to unarmed strike damage.
Repair Artist (ex): A suit gains a +4 racial bonus on all Crafts checks made to repair or modify their own suits.
Automatic Languages: Suits start speaking Common and Ingan. Suits with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, aquan, terran, infernal, dwarven.

Feats
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs29/f/2008/183/1/f/Grendel_Fire_Golem_by_Skyserpent.jpg
A suit who took a feat for heavier plating.

Suits, as other living constructs, often have bodies heavily modified from the basic design. By default, a suit may take any [Warforged] feat. It is also strongly suggested that prospective suits consider the feats here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6272252#post6272252).

Possessive Ephemeral Fire Elementals
Blazers, Pyreghosts
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs71/300W/f/2010/024/e/9/Heart_of_fire_by_chymere.jpg
An elemental who needs to go shopping for a nice new body soon.

Possessive elementals tend to come in one of two flavors. There are the desperate ones who need a body, but don't want to have a metal one, and so instead hop into corpses until they burn out. Then there are the ones who hop into a living host, knowing that they'll be slowly killing them as they burn them from within. Possessives are almost universally mistrusted. The ones who live in dead bodies are seen as little better than undead and as only being one small step away from taking a living host. The ones who take living ones are considered to be sociopathic serial killers and will be hunted by MI for trial. All possessives are emotionally disturbed, either desperate and clingy or sociopaths who see others as toys at best and clothes at worst.

Possessive Ephemeral Fire Elemental 3.5 Racial Traits
Small Elemental [Fire]
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -6 Strength, -4 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Blazers are quick of both mind and body. Their ephemeral forms are frail and weaker than their size would imply, though. They have something ever so slightly off about them; whether they're weak of soul or spirit, people feel awkward around them.
Speed: 30ft fly, perfect maneuverability
Small: A Small character gets a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks. A Small character’s carrying capacity is three-quarters of that of a Medium character.
Telepathy (su): A blazer can communicate telepathically with any creature within physical contact that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the blazer if it wishes—no common language is needed.
Fiery Form (ex): A blazer's body is made out of fire. It deals an extra 1d6 points fire damage on its unarmed strikes and every time they are struck by an unarmed strike, natural attack, or touch spell delivered physically, the attacker takes 1d6 points of fire damage. Any creature grappling, carrying, or touching a blazer takes 1d6 points of damage per round. Because of their fiery, ephemeral bodies, blazers taken one point of constitution damage per round that they are out of contact with fire and not inside of a host body as it quickly fizzles out of existence. A blazer takes double damage from cold and are immune to fire damage.
Wear Flesh (su): A blazer can bore its way into a helpless living creature’s body, or the body of a creature deceased for less than 10 minutes, infusing its fire into the spaces between organs and muscles and disappearing into the victim. The victim must be the same size as the blazer or larger, and the process requires 1 minute. The blazer can choose to replace or inhabit the victim (see below). Incorporeal creatures and constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead are immune to the Wear Flesh ability. If inhabiting a dead body, the creature is restored to -9 hit points and stable.
A blazer can abandon a body it has inhabited or replaced as a full-round action that deals 3d6 points of damage to the host. A blazer can be forced to abandon the body by a remove disease or dispel evil spell (the caster must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check to expel the monster, which deals damage as described above) or a heal or limited wish spell (which automatically succeeds and causes no damage to the host).

Inhabit: The blazer leaves its victim alive and aware. Any time it cares to, it can inflict indescribable agony on its host as a standard action, dealing up to 1d6 points of fire damage per level and requiring the host to succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be nauseated by the pain for 2d4 rounds. The blazer chooses how much damage it deals with this attack.

The blazer can take no physical actions while inhabiting a host, but it can use purely mental actions (such as communicating with its host by means of its telepathy power and threatening to injure or kill the host unless the host does as the monster wishes).

When the host takes damage (other than damage the blazer inflicts on it), the inhabiting blazer takes half that damage. For example, if the host takes 10 points of force damage from a magic missile spell, the blazer takes 5 points of force damage.

A blazer inhabiting a living body burns it slowly from the core, dealing 1d3 points of Constitution damage per day. A successful DC 15 Fortitude save reduces this damage by half. Creatures with Fire Resistance gain a bonus on this save equal to half their Fire Resistance score. Over the course of days, frail creatures carrying blazers sicken and die, although blazers are clever enough to direct their hosts to acquire curative magic to keep them alive indefinitely, if the situation calls for it.

Replace: The blazer burns out the victim’s nervous system, killing the victim if it is not already dead. It then animates the body, effectively acting as the nervous system of the dead host. The body remains alive, hosting the blazer.

This functions like a polymorph spell into the victim’s exact form, and it leaves the victim’s corpse behind when it chooses to end the effect. The blazer uses the victim’s physical ability scores in place of its own, as described by polymorph. The blazer can remain in this form indefinitely, but once it abandons the form, it cannot reanimate the body.

Blazers that have replaced a living creature slowly devour their new shell from the inside out. A replaced body takes 1d4 points of Constitution drain per month, which does not heal naturally and can be restored only by magical means. A successful DC 15 Fortitude save reduces this damage by half, and bodies with Fire Resistance gain a bonus on the save equal to half their Fire Resistance score. Naturally, blazer imposters choose to abandon bodies they have replaced before they become too weak to be serviceable.
Blazers are consummate liars and gain a +2 bonus on Bluff checks.
Automatic Languages: Blazers start speaking Common and Ingan. Blazers with a high intelligence score may pick any language as a bonus language.
Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass blazer’s rogue class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment +1.

Possessive Ephemeral Fire Elemental Pathfinder Racial Traits
Small Elemental [Fire]
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -6 Strength, -4 Constitution, -2 Charisma. Blazers are quick of both mind and body. Their ephemeral forms are frail and weaker than their size would imply, though. They have something ever so slightly off about them; whether they're weak of soul or spirit, people feel awkward around them.
Speed: 30ft fly, perfect maneuverability
Small: A Small character gets a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks. A Small character’s carrying capacity is three-quarters of that of a Medium character.
Telepathy (su): A blazer can communicate telepathically with any creature within physical contact that has an Intelligence score. The creature can respond to the blazer if it wishes—no common language is needed.
Fiery Form (ex): A blazer's body is made out of fire. It deals an extra 1d6 points fire damage on its unarmed strikes and every time they are struck by an unarmed strike, natural attack, or touch spell delivered physically, the attacker takes 1d6 points of fire damage. Any creature grappling, carrying, or touching a blazer takes 1d6 points of damage per round. Because of their fiery, ephemeral bodies, blazers taken one point of constitution damage per round that they are out of contact with fire and not inside of a host body as it quickly fizzles out of existence. A blazer takes double damage from cold and are immune to fire damage. For every three points of damage that a blazer would have otherwise taken, they instead heal one point of damage.
Wear Flesh (su): A blazer can bore its way into a helpless living creature’s body, or the body of a creature deceased for less than 10 minutes, infusing its fire into the spaces between organs and muscles and disappearing into the victim. The victim must be the same size as the blazer or larger, and the process requires 1 minute. The blazer can choose to replace or inhabit the victim (see below). Incorporeal creatures and constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead are immune to the Wear Flesh ability. If inhabiting a dead body, the creature is restored to -9 hit points and stable.
A blazer can abandon a body it has inhabited or replaced as a full-round action that deals 3d6 points of damage to the host. A blazer can be forced to abandon the body by a remove disease or dispel evil spell (the caster must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check to expel the monster, which deals damage as described above) or a heal or limited wish spell (which automatically succeeds and causes no damage to the host).

Inhabit: The blazer leaves its victim alive and aware. Any time it cares to, it can inflict indescribable agony on its host as a standard action, dealing up to 1d6 points of fire damage per level and requiring the host to succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be nauseated by the pain for 2d4 rounds. The blazer chooses how much damage it deals with this attack.

The blazer can take no physical actions while inhabiting a host, but it can use purely mental actions (such as communicating with its host by means of its telepathy power and threatening to injure or kill the host unless the host does as the monster wishes).

When the host takes damage (other than damage the blazer inflicts on it), the inhabiting blazer takes half that damage. For example, if the host takes 10 points of force damage from a magic missile spell, the blazer takes 5 points of force damage.

A blazer inhabiting a living body burns it slowly from the core, dealing 1d3 points of Constitution damage per day. A successful DC 15 Fortitude save reduces this damage by half. Creatures with Fire Resistance gain a bonus on this save equal to half their Fire Resistance score. Over the course of days, frail creatures carrying blazers sicken and die, although blazers are clever enough to direct their hosts to acquire curative magic to keep them alive indefinitely, if the situation calls for it.

Replace: The blazer burns out the victim’s nervous system, killing the victim if it is not already dead. It then animates the body, effectively acting as the nervous system of the dead host. The body remains alive, hosting the blazer.

This functions like a polymorph spell into the victim’s exact form, and it leaves the victim’s corpse behind when it chooses to end the effect. The blazer uses the victim’s physical ability scores in place of its own, as described by polymorph. The blazer can remain in this form indefinitely, but once it abandons the form, it cannot reanimate the body.

Blazers that have replaced a living creature slowly devour their new shell from the inside out. A replaced body takes 1d4 points of Constitution drain per month, which does not heal naturally and can be restored only by magical means. A successful DC 15 Fortitude save reduces this damage by half, and bodies with Fire Resistance gain a bonus on the save equal to half their Fire Resistance score. Naturally, blazer imposters choose to abandon bodies they have replaced before they become too weak to be serviceable.
Blazers are consummate liars and gain a +4 bonus on Bluff checks.
Automatic Languages: Blazers start speaking Common and Ingan. Blazers with a high intelligence score may pick any language as a bonus language.

jagadaishio
2010-02-22, 08:06 AM
Here is the second installment of my repeatedly-promised elemental races.

Water Elementals
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs23/f/2008/007/5/3/5351f25622a52f21.jpg
A solid water elemental whose hair is always dripping wet.

Water elementals have a problem with the Material Plane that, while less severe than those of fire elementals, also needs to be mentioned. Compared to the Elemental Plane of Water, the Material Plane is dry. It's dry as a bone, dry like a desert - dry. Most water elementals can get by just drinking what would normally be a ridiculous amount to keep from dehydrating. Many also choose to make their homes somewhere under water - submarine apartments in the port and lake districts, in lagoons on the various island holdings, and so forth.

A secondary effect of their rapid dehydration on the material plane is that even solid water elemental are constantly wet, like a cold beverage sweating on a hot day. Their hair drips, their clothes stick to them, and they leave wet footprints behind. Some water elementals get refused entry to certain establishments because they don't feel like mopping after them. Some water elementals wear skimpy or swimming clothes because they don't feel like dealing with the constant cling. Rich elementals get waterproofed clothes so that, instead of sticking to their body, the clothes stay dry as the water rolls off them.

Water elementals comes in one of two distinct textures - solid and liquid. Solid water elementals are physical creatures who are infused with water essence, to the point that they're usually more comfortable swimming and breathing water than walking and breathing air. Their shapes are no more or less mutable than any other solid creature. The other texture of water elemental is the liquid elementals. Liquid elementals are shape shifting creatures made of some kind of fluid. Some are made of a shiny silver or black liquid, while others are transparent shades of primary colours, or just plain water. Their bodies are all the same liquid, throughout, so the only way to damage one is causing temporary trauma to their outer membrane, causing them to lose liquid before restabilizing.

Solid Water Elemental
Crunchies, Solids
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs48/f/2009/172/c/6/delhi___rock_by_joteivv.jpg
A solid wearing a wet suit to keep her dress dry.

Water elementals tend to have personalities like water in one of two ways. The first is like a river, constantly moving, constantly pounding forward, moving around insurmountable obstacles and through others. They're chaotic and passionate and always moving and striving and doing. The other have the calm demeanor of a pond, always accommodating, moving with the flow, taking the past of least resistance, and generally being completely chill. Solids tend to have skin and hair tones ranging from white to blue to green, the tones often being radically different from each other. This can lead to some striking combinations, with elementals that have eyes the shining aqua-blue of a still lagoon and skin the blue-gray slate colour of the sea before a storm. All elementals are wet. Water absorbent clothes cling to their bodies, their hair is damp at its dryest, and their eyes shine with moisture, dropping tears at the slightest provocation. Most solids drink almost constantly to keep hydrated, and will often drink thick blended drinks instead of eating meals. A solid on vacation can either be found drinking at the bar or swimming at the beach or pool.

Solid Water Elemental 3.5 Racial Statistics
Medium Humanoid [Water]
+2 Dexterity. Flowing smoothly like water comes intuitively to solids.
Speed: 30ft, Swim 40ft
Aqualine Form (ex): A solid is constantly perspiring. This provides the solid a +2 racial bonus to Escape Artist, but requires them to consume four times as much water per day as a normal human. Solids take no penalties from being in water or having the target of any skills or abilities being in the water. Solids can breathe water just as easily as air. Solids receive a -2 racial penalty in to resist heat in dry environments, a +2 racial bonus to resist heat in humid or damp environments, and no bonus or penalty in climates with nominal humidity.
+8 racial bonus to Swim checks.
Automatic Languages: Solid water elementals start speaking Common and Aquan. Solid water elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, ingan, terran, undercommon, elven.
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass solid water elemental takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.

Solid Water Elemental Pathfinder Racial Statistics
Medium Humanoid [Water]
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom. Flowing smoothly like water comes intuitively to solids, both in body and mind.
Speed: 30ft, Swim 40ft
Aqualine Form (ex): A solid is constantly perspiring. This provides the solid a +4 racial bonus to Escape Artist, but requires them to consume four times as much water per day as a normal human. Solids take no penalties from being in water or having the target of any skills or abilities being in the water. Solids can breathe water just as easily as air. Solids receive a -2 racial penalty in to resist heat in dry environments, a +2 racial bonus to resist heat in humid or damp environments, and no bonus or penalty in climates with nominal humidity.
+8 racial bonus to Swim checks.
+1 skill point per level. The fluid minds of solids can quickly grasp new concepts and information.
Automatic Languages: Solid water elementals start speaking Common and Aquan. Embodied fire elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, ingan, terran, undercommon, elven.

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/097/8/9/bluka_by_joteivv.jpg
A solid monk.

Liquid Water Elementals
Smooths, Wets, Drippers, Liquids
http://th08.deviantart.net/fs31/300W/f/2008/198/c/8/liquid_girl_by_OSK_studio.jpg
A liquid sorcerer casting a spell.

Liquids are far less common on the material plane than their solid brethren, simply because it's less hospitable, less comfortable, and they fit in less. Most are happy to remain on the Elemental Plane of Water, trading with tourists and members of the Element Guard. Those who do leave are almost always one of three types. The first is an adventurer, someone who wants to see the bizarre and exotic wonders of the Material Plane. The second is the merchant, looking to find a way to get rich and then retire back to their native plane. Finally, there are people exile for one reason or another, be it running afoul of someone powerful or committing an egregious crime. All liquids are shapechangers, but their true composition is always obvious. A liquid always looks to be made of a fluid, be it quicksilver, oil, water, blood, kool-aid, or any other liquid.

Liquid Water Elemental 3.5 Racial Traits
Medium Elemental [Water] [Shapechanger]
+2 Constitution, -4 Strength, -2 Dexterity. Liquids are durable and move with the endurance of water itself, but their liquid forms are somewhat weak.
Speed: 5ft, Swim 60ft
River Flow (ex): +4 racial bonus to Bull Rush, Trip, and Overrun, including rolls made to resist that.
Liquid Body (ex): Liquids are treated as if under the effects of a permanent Freedom of Movement spell. Liquids gain two forms of their choice. Shifting between forms can be done at will and is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The effects of a form are applied to a liquid as if the form were a template. Liquids may flow through any sized opening as if under the effects of the Gaseous Form spell. Liquids need to consume eight times as much water per day as humans.
Automatic Languages: Liquid water elementals start speaking Common and Aquan. Liquid water elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, ingan, terran, undercommon, elven.
Favored Class: Druid or Fighter. A multiclass liquid water elemental’s druid or fighter class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Level Adjustment: +2

Liquid Water Elemental Pathfinder Racial Traits
Medium Elemental [Water] [Shapechanger]
+2 Constitution, -4 Strength, -2 Dexterity. Liquids are durable and move with the endurance of water itself, but their liquid forms are somewhat weak.
Speed: 5ft, Swim 60ft
River Flow (ex): +4 racial bonus to Bull Rush, Trip, and Overrun, including rolls, AC, and CMD made to resist that.
Liquid Body (ex): Liquids are treated as if under the effects of a permanent Freedom of Movement spell. Liquids gain two forms of their choice. Shifting between forms can be done at will and is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The effects of a form are applied to a liquid as if the form were a template. Liquids may flow through any sized opening as if under the effects of the Gaseous Form spell. Liquids need to consume eight times as much water per day as humans.
Automatic Languages: Liquid water elementals start speaking Common and Aquan. Liquid water elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, auran, ingan, terran, undercommon, elven.

Liquid Water Elemental Forms
Humanoid
+2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution. The humanoid form is dexterous, but somewhat frail.
Speed: Increase base land speed to 30 ft.
Two Arms: The humanoid form has two arms with hands. These arms can be used as normal and have no special bonuses or penalties.
Two Legs: The humanoid form has two legs with feet or hooves. The legs can be used as normal and have no special bonuses or penalties.

Quadruped
+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity. The quadruped form is clumsy, but somewhat strong.
Speed: Increase base land speed to 40 ft.
No Arms: The quadruped form has no arms or hands. It cannot perform any action that requires hands and takes a penalty to all other actions as if its hands were full.
Four Legs: The quadruped form has four legs with feet or hooves. The legs can be used as normal and grant an additional +4 racial bonus for the purpose of resisting Bull Rush, Overrun, and Trip attempts. Quadrupeds have a carrying capacity 1.5 times higher than normal.

Aerial
+4 Dexterity, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution. The aerial form is quick, but weak and frail.
Speed: Gain a fly speed of 50 ft with poor maneuverability.
No Arms: The aerial form has no arms or hands. It cannot perform any action that requires hands and takes a penalty to all other actions as if its hands were full.
Two Legs: The aerial form has two legs with feet or hooves. The legs can be used as normal and have no special bonuses or penalties.Two Wings: The aerial form has two wings. The wings confer no special bonuses or penalties beyond the flight speed as above.
Dextrous Feet: By forfeiting their base land speed and any other use of their legs, the aerial form may use its legs and feet as arms and hands.

Serpentine
+2 Dexterity, +4 Strength. The serpentine form is strong and bendy.
Speed: Increase base land speed to 20ft. Gain climb speed of 20ft and a +8 racial bonus on climb checks.
No Arms: The serpentine form has no arms or hands. It cannot perform any action that requires hands and takes a penalty to all other actions as if its hands were full.
No Legs: The serpentine form has no legs or feet. It cannot perform any action that requires legs.
Long Body: The serpentine form has a long body, granting it a +4 racial bonus on all Grapple checks.

Arthropod
+2 Dexterity, -2 Strength. The arthropod form is agile but weak.
Speed: Increase base land speed to 20ft. Gain climb speed of 20ft and a +8 racial bonus on climb checks.
No Arms: The arthropod form has no arms or hands. It cannot perform any action that requires hands and takes a penalty to all other actions as if its hands were full.
Many Legs: The arthropod form has six or more legs with feet or hooves. The legs can be used as normal and grant an additional +8 racial bonus for the purpose of resisting Bull Rush, Overrun, and Trip attempts. Arthropods have a carrying capacity 2 times higher than normal.

Blob
+2 Strength, +4 Constitution, -2 Dexterity. The blob is strong and durable but slow.
Speed: Increase base land speed to 15ft.
No Arms: The blob form has no arms or hands. It cannot perform any action that requires hands and takes a penalty to all other actions as if its hands were full.
No Legs: The blob form has no legs or feet. It cannot perform any action that requires legs.
Concentrated Mass: The blob has tight form, giving it an additional +4 racial bonus to Bull Rush, Trip, and Overrun. The blob gains a +4 racial bonus on checks made to break or burst objects.

Liquid Water Elemental Feats
Shifted Bite Attack [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability.
Benefit: When changing forms, the liquid can choose to have the form possess a bite attack. The bite is a primary natural attack that deals 1d6 piercing and slashing damage plus 1.5 times the liquid's strength modifier. A liquid can add or remove any of their natural attacks from their current form as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Normal: A liquid has no natural attacks in any of their forms.

Shifted Claw Attack [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, a form with legs and/or arms.
Benefit: When changing forms, the liquid can choose to have the form possess two claw attacks positioned on either the hands or the feet. The claws are primary natural attacks if formed on hands or secondary natural attacks if formed on feet that deals 1d4 slashing damage plus the liquid's strength modifier. A liquid can add or remove any of their natural attacks from their current form as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Normal: A liquid has no natural attacks in any of their forms.
Special: A liquid may take this feat up to three times. Each time this feat is taken, it allows the liquid to form two additional claws. A liquid can have no more than one natural weapon on a limb at one time.

Shifted Blade Attack [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, a form with arms.
Benefit: Two of the liquid's claw attacks are replaced by blades that have a base damage of 1d6 and a critical hit range of 18-20 x2. The attacks are otherwise unmodified.
Normal: A liquid has no natural attacks in any of their forms.
Special: A liquid may take this feat a number of times equal to the number of times that they took the Shifted Claw Attack feat. Each time this feat is taken, it replaces two additional claws with blades. A liquid can have no more than one natural weapon on a limb at one time.

Shifted Tail Attack [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability.
Benefit: When changing forms, the liquid can choose to have the form possess a tail attack. The bite is a primary natural attack that deals 1d6 piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage plus 1.5 times the liquid's strength modifier. A liquid can add or remove any of their natural attacks from their current form as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Normal: A liquid has no natural attacks in any of their forms.

Shifted Blunt Attack [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, a form with legs and/or arms.
Benefit: When changing forms, the liquid can choose to have the form possess two slam attacks positioned on either the hands or the feet if the form has no hands. The slams are primary natural attacks that deal deal 1d6 slashing damage plus the liquid's strength modifier. A liquid can add or remove any of their natural attacks from their current form as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Normal: A liquid has no natural attacks in any of their forms.
Special: A liquid can have no more than one natural weapon on a limb at one time.

Shifted Reach Attacks [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, BAB 3+.
Benefit: A liquid may add its base reach to its current reach with any natural or manufactured weapon. So, a medium liquid could bite people ten feet away or hit someone with a spiked chain fifteen feet away.
Normal: A liquid has normal reach for a creature its size.

Shifted Potency [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Character Level 5+.
Benefit: At the time of taking this feat, the liquid chooses one of its forms to gain the benefit of this feat. From this point on, when taking this form, one of its physical ability scores gains a +2 liquid bonus. Which score gains the bonus may be changed each time the liquid changes form. The score which gains the bonus may be changed as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Improved Shifted Potency [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Shifted Potency feat, Character Level 10+.
Benefit: This feat applies only to the form which was selected with the Shifted Potency feat. From this point on, when taking this form, one of its physical ability scores gains a +4 liquid bonus and a different one gains a +2 liquid bonus. Which scores gain these bonuses may be changed each time the liquid changes form. The scores which gain the bonuses may be changed as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Greater Shifted Potency [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Improved Shifted Potency feat, Character Level 15+.
Benefit: This feat applies only to the form which was selected with the Improved Shifted Potency feat. From this point on, when taking this form, one of its physical ability scores gains a +6 liquid bonus, a second gains a +4 liquid bonus, and a third one gains a +2 liquid bonus. Which scores gain these bonuses may be changed each time the liquid changes form. The scores which gain the bonuses may be changed as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Grand Shifted Potency [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Greater Shifted Potency feat, Character Level 20+.
Benefit: This feat applies only to the form which was selected with the Greater Shifted Potency feat. From this point on, when taking this form, one of its physical ability scores gains a +8 liquid bonus, a second gains a +6 liquid bonus, and a third one gains a +4 liquid bonus. Which scores gain these bonuses may be changed each time the liquid changes form. The scores which gain the bonuses may be changed as a swift action that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Shifted Size [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Shifted Potency feat, Character Level 8+.
Benefit: This feat applies only to the form which was selected with the Shifted Potency feat. From this point on, when taking this form, the form's body may be one size category larger or smaller than normal. The form's size may be changed as a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 size penalty to Dexterity for each size category you grow and a +2 size bonus to Dexterity and a -2 size penalty to Strength for each size category you shrink.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Improved Shifted Size [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Shifted Size feat, Character Level 16+.
Benefit: This feat applies only to the form which was selected with the Shifted Size feat. From this point on, when taking this form, the form's body may be one or two size categories larger or smaller than normal. The form's size may be changed as a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 size penalty to Dexterity for each size category you grow and a +2 size bonus to Dexterity and a -2 size penalty to Strength for each size category you shrink.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Shifted Durability [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, BAB 1+.
Benefit: At the time of taking this feat, the liquid chooses one of its forms to gain the benefit of this feat. From this point on, when taking this form, the liquid gains a natural armor bonus of +1, plus an additional +1 for every level divisible by 5. So, +1 at first level, +2 at fifth, and +3 at tenth, for a maximum bonus of +5 at 20th level.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Shifted Legs [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, form with legs, Character Level 3+.
Benefit: At the time of taking this feat, the liquid chooses one of its forms with legs to gain the benefit of this feat. From this point on, when taking this form, the liquid's base land speed is doubled and it gains a +10 liquid bonuses on all jumps.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

Extra Shifted Forms [Liquid]
Prerequisites: Liquid Body racial ability, Character Level 5+.
Benefit: At the time of taking this feat, the liquid chooses one form that it cannot yet assume. From this point on, the liquid may assume that form with its Liquid Body Ability.
Normal: A liquid has two forms available for shifting.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. Each time it applies to a different form.

waterpenguin43
2010-02-22, 11:08 AM
I'm changing my outlook on Ishka, and I am bringing something else: How do the Ishkan's get power?
My idea was an equivelant to our nuclear reactors, except they use fire magic to burn a combination of radioactive and electrical(magical) elements, harvesting huge amounts of electricity. To prevent the reactor from overheating, an aura of cold magic infused fog surrounds it, getting colder with the amount of generated heat. To prevent the toxic waste from damaging the surroundings, there are protals to the Negative Energy Plane where the waste is dumped.

BRC
2010-02-22, 11:11 AM
I'm changing my outlook on Ishka, and I am bringing something else: How do the Ishkan's get power?
My idea was an equivelant to our nuclear reactors, except they use fire magic to burn a combination of radioactive and electrical(magical) elements, harvesting huge amounts of electricity. To prevent the reactor from overheating, an aura of cold magic infused fog surrounds it, getting colder with the amount of generated heat. To prevent the toxic waste from damaging the surroundings, there are protals to the Negative Energy Plane where the waste is dumped.
Ishka has electricity? Since when? It's a fantasy setting.
The Steamworks have steam power, and the city is lit by a massive magical engine casting Dancing Lights all over the place (The Great Lantern), but I don't think it has electricity, much less nuclear power.

Renrik
2010-02-22, 11:22 AM
Though some of the ideas presented could explain where some of the steam power for the works comes from. portals to fire plane and water plane.

50cr4t3s
2010-02-22, 11:29 AM
We have already covered power.
A combination of the Steamworks and magic set in place ages ago by the Academy is what provides the city power. but it doesn't extend down to the lights in your house. If you want lights in your house, buy a item of light with a command word, or just light a candle.

BRC
2010-02-22, 12:14 PM
We have already covered power.
A combination of the Steamworks and magic set in place ages ago by the Academy is what provides the city power. but it doesn't extend down to the lights in your house. If you want lights in your house, buy a item of light with a command word, or just light a candle.
Or just open a window onto the street.

Also, another magical engine build by a collaboration between the Academy and the Streetbuilders.
The Great Fountain

Another finished Streetbuilder project along the lines of the Great Lantern. The Great Fountain is a magical fire suppression system. Considering the nature of the city, Fires are a constant threat, a small blaze could soon spread to cover the entire district.
Every district organizes it's own firefighters, but they all rely on the magic of the Great Fountain to function..
The great Fountain has two functions, first of all, if a Fire is reported, it begins using it's magic to try to supress and contain it. The Fountain is a very powerful engine, but considering the size of the city that it must monitor, and the rate at which fires spread, it's rarely powerful enough to actually quench all but the smallest fires, however, it is able to slow the spread of flames enough for the Firefighter's to get on scene. If a Fire is especially large, the Engine may get kicked into Overdrive, and begin targeting the area with Quench spells, but this quickly drains it's power, and if it's used too much there is a risky period during which it does not function.

Secondly, it powers specially crafted Firefighter's Armor.

Firefighter's Armor
This bulky armor is designed to protect it's wearer both from flames and from falling debris. It looks and functions much like Full Plate, with the following additional features.
The wearer gains Fire Resistance 10.
The wearer is continuously effected by the spell Expeditious Retreat.
The Armor purifies smoke into breathable air, however it does not provide a bonus against any other type of inhaled toxin or suffocation.
The armor may cast Cure Light Wounds at CL 5 four times a day (Used to stabilize dying people trapped in the fire)
The gauntlets may cast Create Water at will (CL 10), each gauntlet casts the spell individually (but both gauntlets can be activated simultaneously).

If the armor is taken outside the City (or to it's extraplanar Districts or the Sunset Isles ) it ceases to function. It also ceases to function if the Great Fountain is rendered inoperable for some reason. For this reason, access to the Core of the Great Fountain is highly restricted, defend by a group of Eternal Guards. It takes the signatures of several city councilors to activate the Quench function (Which, as has been mentioned, can quickly drain the Fountain's power).

Silverscale
2010-02-22, 05:27 PM
Something that has been rattling around in my head for some time but I can't remember if it's been covered, but Ishka is roughly the size of Maryland, each district is about the size of Manhattan. I know that there is a certain amount of transportation provided by Gate spells etc, but I was thinking that this would be supplimented by something similar to Eberron's "Lightning Rail" with one or two major stops in each district connected to a series of local stops......basically a big "train/subway" system.

kopout
2010-02-22, 06:02 PM
You could use permanent teleportation circles. You could have a station where there are a bunch of rooms that have teleportation circles in them and a bunch of empty rooms the empty rooms are actually the "receiving pad" for other teleportation circles from other stations. This would all be clearly marked for example one room could have "Receiving Pad: Dryrot Station, Necropolis" over the door and and another would be "Sending Pad: Dryrot Station,Necropolis". This would all have to be rather orderly with a strict schedule to prevent horrific accidents but then so dose the subway really.

Owrtho
2010-02-22, 06:07 PM
Every district organizes it's own firefighters, but they all rely on the magic of the Great Fountain to function..
Or you can move to Ravenshome, where there's never a threat of an out of control fire.
Just of vanishing due to forgetting some obscure rule that makes no sense.
Owrtho

kopout
2010-02-22, 06:15 PM
Why? Do the ravens take the fire if it brakes the rules? Or do you mean there is no arson( at least not more than once)?

BRC
2010-02-22, 06:17 PM
Why? Do the ravens tack the fire if it brakes the rules? Or do you mean there is no arson( at least not more than once)?
I imagine that Fire simply does not happen except outside of Stoves, Fireplaces, and Lanterns, and will never spread outside them. Nobody quite knows why, and nobody feels like testing it.

Silverscale
2010-02-22, 07:16 PM
You could use permanent teleportation circles. You could have a station where there are a bunch of rooms that have teleportation circles in them and a bunch of empty rooms the empty rooms are actually the "receiving pad" for other teleportation circles from other stations. This would all be clearly marked for example one room could have "Receiving Pad: Dryrot Station, Necropolis" over the door and and another would be "Sending Pad: Dryrot Station,Necropolis". This would all have to be rather orderly with a strict schedule to prevent horrific accidents but then so dose the subway really.

That would work for the wealthier Ishkans but like you said it would have to be tightly regulated to avoid mishaps. The Lightning Rail would be a less expensive form of transportation without half the logistical problems of having 3.75 Billion teleporting around.

{EDIT}Not to mention that the island of Manhatten (Not including the rest of NYC) has over 50 different subway stations. If you had "a bunch of rooms" set aside for Sending Pads and just as many set aside for Receiving Pads, you would have well over 2000 rooms......in EVERY station.

Owrtho
2010-02-22, 07:19 PM
I imagine that Fire simply does not happen except outside of Stoves, Fireplaces, and Lanterns, and will never spread outside them. Nobody quite knows why, and nobody feels like testing it.

That, and also the fact that unlike most of the city, all buildings and streets in Ravenshome are made out of stone anyways (so are unlikely to burn). Any possible out of control fires likely vanish similar to any trash or the like that gets left out, and the people who start them as well (thus leaving no sign of any accident as any damage to buildings and the like in Ravenshome seems to be repaired as soon as no one is watching it). It really is a disquieting place to live. Though safe if you stick to the rules (still, I wouldn't advise raising kids there. The constant feeling of being watched and knowing one wrong move could mean your end isn't conductive to healthy development).

Owrtho

BRC
2010-02-22, 08:03 PM
Concerning Transportation in Ishka.
Most Citizens live in, or near, enough to their jobs that they don't need to leave their districts on a daily basis. In terms of the size of a district, they're much smaller than Manhattan in terms of the land they take up, but they have a considerable vertical component (Remember the nature of the city, everything jammed together in layers.
Beasts of Burden do exist in Ishka, and most of them are bred and grown there, so they have no trouble working in the narrow spaces and dim tunnels. In fact, many of these animals are agoraphobic, and will panic if they can see the sky.

There are a series of standing Portals that lead throughout the city, but there is no organized system to them. They are rarely intentionally created, instead groups of spell casters stabilize and link two naturally occurring portals in the city, so setting up a portal between, say, North Commons and the Market district is as simple as waiting for a portal to open in a suitable location in one of those districts, stabilizing it (Cutting it off from it's origional source in the process), waiting for a portal to open in the other district, and linking the two. Thus Portal Maps are a confusing web, sometimes the fastest way to get to a neighboring district involves portal jumping all around the city. Primordium possesses three Omniportals, each one capable of connecting to any registered portal in the city, but they are only used for official business like deploying Gatekeepers or MI storm teams.

These portals are all owned and operated by somebody who charges what they will. Most of the portal owners belong to the Portal Consortium, citizens can buy a pass from the Consortium and use it to get through any consortium owned portal. Observers stationed at each portal keep track of how many people use passes to get through. Every month, all the money gained from selling these Passes is added up, 10% is taken off to keep the consortium running, and the rest is distributed depending on the Observer's reports (If 2% of pass uses in a given month were used for a portal between, say, the Mages District and the Steamworks, the owner of that portal would get 2% of the profits from pass sales that month). The City has a standard contract with the Consortium letting people on official business use the portals for free (Well, the council pays the consortium a considerable monthly fee).

Now I'd figured the portal system was how everybody got around, but if you want another method, let's see what we can do.

The problem with a "Lightning Rail" type system is that it means we have abunch of tracks crisscrossing the inside if Ishka. I guess we could do that, but I have a better idea.

Place: The Station
There are actually several Stations throughout Ishka, usually one in every major district, withe multiple in the Commons. However, each Station is perfectly identical in design. A large Cube, with four entrances leading to a central room that looks more like a small mall than anything. Cafes and shops line the walls while people mill about waiting. A large pillar in the middle shows the name of various districts, with the district the Station is in marked. Every five minutes a bell will ring and the doors will be shut. The people inside the station will experience a brief moment of vertigo, somebody will move the marker down the pillar, and the doors will open.

This is because, every ten minutes, the Stations switch location with one another, progressing along a path. Where station 3 was, station 4 is. The Station's are fairly cheap to use, most of the money comes from merchants who pay to operate inside the Stations where they have a captive audience of people waiting for their stop. Inside the station there is no visible change, besides the switching of the marker on the pillar. From Outside the Station appears to glow for a fraction of a second before being normal, with the only change being the number above the entrance. From five in the morning to five at night, the stations work Shiftward, meaning their rotation is such that somebody getting on in the Commons will be at the nearest Steamworks within one or two stops, to accommodate the large number of industrial workers who live in the commons and go into the Steamworks for work. At five in the afternoon, the stations switch to the Homeward rotation, reversing the direction (Station 3 now follows station 4).

Because a Station cannot be said to be within any District, the Civil Servants and MI are tasked with their security (In fact, the stop in the Primordium is right in front of MI headquarters), making them generally a bad choice for criminals fleeing hot pursuit.

jagadaishio
2010-02-22, 08:34 PM
I mostly agree with BRC's analysis of the public transport system, with a few added notes. Each station would probably make one jump every half hour or so, enough time to get everyone in that needs going in. This means that each station makes 48 jumps per day, 24 in a shiftward rotation and 24 in a homeward rotation. In order for a station to end up in the same place at the same time every day (if that is how it is arranged, and I imagine it is for the benefit of the business owners and their regulars) that means that there need to be 25, 13, 7, or 4 stops along a route (the +1 to the expected values are for "Stop 0"; in order to make 24 jumps, you need 25 stops, since there is one origin point and 24 destinations), as that is the only rotation that will keep it perfectly even. The marker showing where the station is would probably be automatic rather than controlled by hand, to avoid humanoid error.

Other public transport would probably also exist. Privately owned rickshaws and steamcarts hauling people to where they need to go. I imagine that some people would use these more mundane form of transports exclusively for the same reason that some people avoid plane travel. Stations almost never have accidents, but when they do once every few years, it's bad. Sometimes it will be as simple as the spells going wrong and dropping the station into a demiplane for a few hours before it can be rescued by a powerful enough mage. Sometimes a portal opens at the site of a station just as the teleportation happens, causing an effect experts call "trans-spatial rending." Once, the Wild sabotaged the mechanism of teleportation, causing the station to manifest inside of a massive Steamworks generator, killing everyone and causing the generator to explode, destroying an entire block of factories, warehouses, and workers. Like I said, it almost never happens. Once or twice in a decade at most. But when it does? The very thought just scares some people away from the whole thing.

Many commons areas have permanent portals that you can walk through like any other door going to other commons areas. A plaza in the Commons may connect to a plaza in Mithral Heights and a plaza in the Necropolis. The problem is getting an accurate map. With an accurate map and a seasonal pass, you can plaza-hop to your location faster than any other form of travel short of casting Teleport yourself. Some rich people also get teleportation circles installed in their own homes, keeping a small garage of rooms, keyed to certain key sites that they travel to often.

There simply isn't enough free space or vehicular road traffic to make a rail system worth the maintenance.

As for the fire fighters, I am liking it. They would be an interdistrict system like MI and the Streetbuilders, right? I imagine that they would have certain overlapping precincts under their jurisdiction at the center of which would be a station house. I also imagine that members of the Fire Elemental Guard would love to be fire fighters in between deployments. Since most of the guard have natural abilities or personally own items which make them immune to or healed by fire, this would be both a heroic and easy job.

And it's true, the Steamworks have steam power and export it to some other parts of the city. I imagine that they also have gas lines, providing light and heat for a fee. Aside from that, people would certainly buy magic items for a one time fee instead of commissioning a service from others.

BRC
2010-02-22, 08:59 PM
Stuff
I pictured the Firefighters as being locally organized and managed because they might need to be mobilized quickly, though I supposed they could use the same Omni-portal system as MI and the gatekeepers (mind you, MI only really uses it in extreme situations, like if a major crime JUST got reported and they want to get investigators and officers in the area ASAP. The Omni-portals disrupt normal city traffic and cause problems when used. Nobody minds if the Gatekeepers or the Firefighter's use them, because their jobs are highly time-sensitive, they need to get there and contain the fire/gate raiders quickly. But Most of MI's work occurs at a more sedate pace.)

Yeah, that could work, the Great Fountain detects fires (Or fires are reported to it), local Fire brigades and the Fountain's magic work to contain the blaze, meanwhile a group of Firefighter's suit up, use the Omni-portal to jump to the nearest portal, and rush towards the blaze.


As for the Stations, Perhaps there are three Lines, each with 13 Stations on them. Considering the Marker just needs to be moved up or down by one every time the Station shifts, (except when it reaches the top or bottom of the Pillar and needs to be dropped to the bottom/moved to the top) I don't think Automating is really necessary, but I suppose it could be done.


Urban Legend: The 14th Station
A very common Urban Legend in Ishka, that at one point, one of the Station's simply vanished and did not appear at it's intended spot. A new one was built (How this happened within half an hour, or without shutting down the entire network and causing a massive disruption of city life that would surely have been in the history books is never brought up), but the 14th station is gone, except when it isn't. Rumor has it that sometimes Station 14 (Why it would have that number, since it was apparently one of 13 stations before it vanished is also not brought up) returns from where it went, taking it's place in the lineup for half and hour. At this point the storyteller remarks how the cousin of a friend of a guy at a bar a friend of theirs met once SAW station 14 appear. Stories Differ, sometimes they claim that the station is dead quiet, full of the spiderweb covered bones of it's passengers. Sometimes the Station is full of horrific demons. Sometimes it's the source of the Gate Raiders. One version of the story holds that Baltin and Kenrik are inside Station 14 (Even though Kenrik was hacked to bits by the Holy Swords, and is currently buried in his temple in the Necropolis. If this is brought up the response is generally along the lines of "That's fake, he just vanished the same day as Baltin and Merkeil, but the council hushed it up"), continually dueling for the soul of the city. Usually Station 14 is said to have returned to where it came from when the Switch occurs, but some stories hold that it replaces one of the existing stations, sending it and it's passengers who knows where for centuries (Once again, The Council apparently hushes it up).

waterpenguin43
2010-02-22, 09:17 PM
We have already covered power.
A combination of the Steamworks and magic set in place ages ago by the Academy is what provides the city power. but it doesn't extend down to the lights in your house. If you want lights in your house, buy a item of light with a command word, or just light a candle.

oops.... Sorry!

mr.fizzypop
2010-02-22, 10:39 PM
Do you have a compendium for Ishka? This seems pretty interesting, but I don't have the time to read through each post.

BRC
2010-02-22, 10:41 PM
Silverscale started compiling stuff Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120354&page=11), but we've added stuff since then.

Owrtho
2010-02-23, 01:18 AM
Silverscale started compiling stuff Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120354&page=11), but we've added stuff since then.

For Ishka will NEVER die! apparently (not that I'm complaining, it is quite awesome)

Anyways, I like the station ideas. What districts do they show up in (I expect some of the main ones like a few in steam works, 1 or 2 in necropolis, temple etc. but likely none in Ravenshome (no one builds anything there, it just shows up when no ones looking, and city works aren't among the things that do that, though I could see some claiming that station 14 is usually trapped there))?
Also, likely part of the issue is that being rarer (and usually more devastating), accidents with the stations are bigger new than those with most other transport.

Also, another idea:
Pipe Serpents (Pipe Wurms, Pipe Worms, Steam Serpents, etc.)
No one is quite sure how they originated, though most agree it was likely in the steamworks. All thats known is the first ones found were in a rundown section of the pipe works that the street builders were sent to fix, having heard it had broken down awhile back (due to it not being pressing and other issues taking precedence, they only then were getting around to it). The first couple few climbed up into the masses of pipes and simply didn't come back. The next went more cautiously, realizing something must have happened to his companions. He let out a single scream and was never seen again. The last of the group thought to take a peak inside, before reporting it, and lost his left arm for the trouble.
Soon after a number of street builders, MI agents, and a few spellcasters showed up to investigate the issue. After a few of the more combat inclined member disappeared in the pipes, they decided to start disassembling the area to catch the perpetrate rather than risk more men. What that found was a nest of pipe serpents.
The pipe serpents are about 15 foot long and 2 foot wide serpents made of pipes and other scraps of metal with steam and water flowing through parts of them. They have a pair of limbs near their neck that are quite strong, though lack digits. A few of the serpents however seemed to be partially organic.
Almost immediately upon reaching them the battle was joined. No longer in the twisted confines provided by the pipes, the serpents lost the advantage they had had, still they were strong.
It came as a complete surprise however when after about an hour of fighting, one of the more notably organic serpents ate a builder and almost immediately after stopped fighting and caused all the others to halt after a making a few groaning noises and hissing. It then turned to MI and the builders and began apologizing profusely for its actions and those of its brethren, saying that it hadn't understood what it was doing before.
As it turned out, as they ate the pipe serpents integrated the food into their being, and as a result, eating enough people caused them to gain human-like personalities (or whatever race they'd eaten). They also after having eaten enough meat would shed portions of pipe.
After the issue was resolved, it was decided the pipe serpents would be given a chance to prove themselves trustworthy. Under the direction of the one that had become awakened, the others soon repaired section of the steamworks, taking advantage of their long flexible forms to maneuver in ways that people couldn't and repairing the pipes with ease.
By the end of the year, they were made into a small devision of the street builders specializing in the steamworks repairing pipes in areas that couldn't be easily accessed. On occasion new ones were found as well (in a few cases too late for the people in the area, though it did provide a few more task masters to manage the ones not yet awakened). It was determined that criminals couldn't be used to awaken them due to their personalities being largely based on their food, though some magical means of awakening them were found.
In time the pipe serpents became a part of the city, though rarely seen outside of the steamworks. They are also generally mistrusted by most, even though most are awoken by magic any more (only occasionally will people who are soon to die decide to let themselves be eaten), people tend to think of the stories that they awaken by eating people (it also doesn't help that they are frequently used as boogieman to get children to behave). Also, while most work for the street builders, they don't all. Some work in other places as well.

Their natural language is called Steam speak, and consists of groans made by grinding metal and hisses made by releasing steam.

Awakened Pipe Serpent 3.5 Racial Traits
Medium Construct [Living] [Fire] [Water]
Living Construct Subtype (ex): Serpents are constructs with the living construct subtype. A living construct is a created being given sentience and free will through powerful and complex enchantments or the binding of an elemental to the body. Pipe Serpents are living constructs that combine aspects of constructs, elementals, and living creatures, as detailed below. Note that some features are different from most, noted by *s
A serpent derives its Hit Dice, base attack bonus progression, saving throws, and skill points from the class it selects.

Unlike other constructs, a serpent has a Constitution score.

Unlike other constructs, a serpent does not have low-light vision or darkvision.

Unlike other constructs, a serpent is not immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities.

A serpent is immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain.

A serpent cannot heal damage naturally.

Unlike other constructs, serpent are subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, ability drain, and death effects or necromancy effects.

As living constructs, serpent can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a serpent can be healed by a Cure Light Wounds spell or a Repair Light Damage spell, for example, and a serpent is vulnerable to Disable Construct and Harm. However, spells from the healing subschool and supernatural abilities that cure or cause hit point damage by means of positive or negative energy provide only half their normal effect to a serpent.

The unusual physical constructions of serpent makes them vulnerable to certain spells and effects that normally don't affect living creatures. A serpent is affected by Repel Metal and Chill Metal as if he were wearing metal armor. The iron in the body of a serpent makes him vulnerable to Rusting Grasp and other spells that damage metal.

A serpent responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced to 0 hit points. A serpent with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. He can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous activity does not risk further injury. When his hit points are less than 0 and are greater than -10, a inert is inert. He is unconscious and helpless, and he cannot perform any actions.

However, an inert serpent does not lose additional hit points unless more damage is dealt to him, as with a living creature that is stable.

As a living construct, a serpent can be raised and resurrected.
* A serpent does need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but he can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as Heroes' Feast and potions. A serpent needs to eat at least twice times as much as a human, at least 1/3 of which must be metal with a hardness of at least 10, and 1/3 of which must be meat. They cannot eat food which is not metal or meat.

Fire Subtype (Ex): A creature with the fire subtype has immunity to fire. It has vulnerability to cold, which means it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.
Water Subtype (Ex): Creatures with the water subtype always have swim speeds and can move in water without making Swim checks. A water creature can breathe underwater. Serpents can breathe air as well.
+2 Strength, -2 Charisma. Serpents are strong, however, their nature tends to cause them to be mistrusted.
Variable Build (ex): Due to the nature in which a pipe serpent incorporates its food into its body, it may end up with a higher concentration of metal or meat. When a pipe serpent has been eating mainly meat for at least 2 consecutive days (more than 60% of its food) it gains a +2 racial bonus to Dexterity and a -2 racial penalty to Constitution due to the flexible but fragile nature of flesh. They also will gain a 20ft bonus to their climb speed. However, if they have been eating mainly metal instead, they gain +2 Constitution and -2 Dexterity. Under this case the pipes making up their body provide protection. The pipes provide a +4 armor bonus. This plating is not natural armor and does not stack with other effects that give an armor bonus, such as Mage Armor.
If a serpent eats approximately equal amounts of metal and meat (no more that 59% of either), they gain no bonus or penalty to Dexterity or Constitution and gain a +5ft bonus to their climb speed and a +1 armor bonus.
Speed: 30ft, 10ft climb, 10ft swim. Pipe serpents can move at about the speed of a person. They are also skilled at climbing. Due to their nature they are also able to swim passably well.
Long (ex): A pipe serpent is about 15 feet long, as such they may occupy up to 3 squares, or 1 square. It also counts as one size category smaller for fitting through holes. In addition, when grappling an opponent, a serpent may use its body to wrap around the opponent rather than hold them with its limbs. This requires the serpent to only be occupying one square, and can only be used on opponents of the same size category or smaller. While grappling an opponent in such a manner, a serpent is unable to move, but may still attack as if it wasn't grappling. It also occupies the same square as the opponent.
Steam Powered (Ex): Due to having boiling water and steam in place of blood, a pipe serpent is immune to environmental damage from heat. In addition, it is treated as always being under the effects of the heat metal spell as if on the second round of its effect (the metal is hot). If the heat metal spell is cast on it, it is treated as making it searing for the duration of the spell. This deals no damage to it but can harm creatures in contact with it for a full round.
Light Fortification (ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on a serpent, there is a 25% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and the damage is instead rolled normally.
Confined Advantage (ex): When fighting in an area where at least one of the dimensions is less than 5' wide, a pipe serpent gains a +5 bonus to initiative, and a +2 bonus to AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls. If multiple dimensions are less than 5' wide, and additional bonus of the same amount for each other dimension less than 5' wide.
Metal Claws (Ex): Due to lacking hands, a pipe serpent can only use specially made weapons costing 3 times as much. They also have a -5 penalty to resist being disarmed. In addition any attacks made with the weapons cause an automatic 1d10 chance of becoming disarmed.
However, their claws can be enchanted as both natural and manufactured weapons. A serpent has two claws, each deals 1d8 damage 19-20x2 critical and can deal piercing or slashing damage. The count as light weapons for feats and abilities like weapon finesse, and may be treated as natural weapons or duel wielding manufactures weapons for the sake of abilities (must choose which for each attack). In addition, if a pipe serpent feeds on the same type of metal for at least a week (must make up at least 70% of the metal they eat), their claws will come to be made of that metal. They must continue eating that metal afterwords though (at least 30% of their weekly intake).
Jaws (Ex): A pipe serpent has a natural bite attack that deals 1d10 damage x3 critical. The bite attack can count as either a natural or manufactured weapon for the sake of spells and abilities. Their bite is able to ignor the hardness of metal. Due to this it gives a +4 bonus to attack against creatures using metal armor or made of metal (this can't exceed the AC granted by the metal armor). Their jaws always count as being the same material as the serpent's claws. It counts as a secondary attack. In addition, a pipe serpent can devour a dead or helpless creature of a smaller size category than itself in one round, or a creature of the same size category in 3 rounds. This provokes attacks of opportunity.
Self Recovery (Ex): Whenever a pipe serpent eats at least 3 servings of meat or metal within a consecutive rounds, it can recover 1d3 hp per three servings.
Builders (Ex): Serpents gain a +4 racial bonus to Craft (Blacksmithing) checks due to their work in the steamworks.
[B]Automatic Languages: Awakened pipe serpents start speaking Steam speak and Common. Awakened pipe serpents with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: Ingan, aquan, draconic, auran, terran, infernal, elven.
Favored Class: Artificer. A multiclass serpent's artificer class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

(note, the race may be subject to change, as I was rushed while typing it).

Owrtho

jagadaishio
2010-02-23, 02:48 AM
Here is the third installment of my repeatedly-promised elemental races.

Air Elementals
http://th04.deviantart.net/fs51/300W/f/2009/323/9/a/air_elemental_by_Pachycrocuta.jpg
A gaseous air elemental that's looking around for something very quickly.

Air elementals don’t have the same sorts of problems with the material plane that water and fire elementals have. Sure, it can be a bit claustrophobic at times, but most immigrants find that a fine price to pay for the amount of interesting things that they have a constant exposure to. On their own plane, there is relatively open space as far as the eye can see. While there are occasional islands dotting the void, the Elemental Plane of Air tends to be, at large, so open, so wide-spread, and so empty that it makes sprawling farm communities look like a tightly-packed block of apartments by comparison. It is, in fact, empty that how far you can see is determined by little other than how far you can look. This fact of their plane’s nature is what drives most air elementals to the tightly-packed, somewhat claustrophobic Material Plane. There’s simply more things to do in a given area – it is entirely less boring then the Elemental Plane of Air.

One common factor among all air elementals is that they weigh almost nothing at all. Even the heaviest of tangible air elementals feels hollow or featherweight, while the typical gaseous air elemental literally weighs no more than the air that it's comprised of. Furthermore, wind always has an exaggerated effect on air elementals. A tangible air elemental's hair might whip around their face wildly in even the slightest of breezes, it drifting lazily in the air on even still days. A gaseous elemental might be pushed back twice as far from a powerful gust of wind as its compatriots.

Because of their light form, most elementals wear the lightest clothes possible, finding heavy things far more oppressive than a normal creature would. Indeed, a tangible elemental forced to wear boots might drag their feet, barely able to lift them off the ground and quite unable to engage in any acrobatics. When unburdened, air elementals can whip through the air and across the ground with such speed and agility that few could possibly keep up.

Tangible Air Elementals
Heavies, Walkers, Touchers
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs24/f/2009/247/e/b/Air_Genasi_by_IronMitten.jpg
A typical walker.
Walkers are the densest and heaviest that air elementals tend to come. These are the people that lived on and around the few islands while on the Elemental Plane of Air, and as such are solid beings infused with the essence of the element of air. Walkers are extremely light - the average eight year old could probably pick one up with one arm and a little trial and error. They are not, however, weightless, and cannot fly. Walkers tend to have skin ranging in colour from snowy white to the dark gray of a sky before a storm - usually somewhere near the middle. Their hair tends to be cloud-coloured, from puffy white to the angry black of a thunder storm. Their eyes are almost always blue - a bright, almost electrical blue that shines in the light with iridescent colours. Walkers tend to wear the minimum amount of clothes necessary for safety - be that safety from the environment or from the people that might offend if they were less clothed. They find clothes and armor heavy and oppressive and will endeavor to wear as little as possible. Walkers sometimes develop grooves in their skin shaped like whorling air currents.

Tangible Air Elemental 3.5 Racial Statistics
Medium Humanoid [Air]
+6 Dexterity, -4 Strength, -2 Wisdom. Walkers are impossibly quick, but they have slim, light frames almost impossible to exert force with. Walkers tend to be rash and inattentive, easily distracted and constantly moving.
Speed: 40ft.
Featherweight Body (su): Walkers have a quick, light body, and this has a number of effects. First, they take a -8 on all checks to avoid Bull Rushes and Overrun attempts. Second, their carrying capacity is half that what a person their strength normally would be. Third, all armor check penalties are doubled, after all other modifiers to ACP are applied. Their light body also gives them a number of benefits. First, they are treated as being constantly under the effects of the Jump spell with a caster level equal to their character level. Second, they gain a Dodge bonus to AC equal to their Intelligence Modifier. This bonus is lost if the walker wears medium or heavier armor or carries a medium or heavier load. A walker gains a +4 bonus to resist being tripped when Dexterity is used to resist.
+4 racial bonus to Jump, Spot, and Tumble checks.
+2 racial bonus to Balance, Climb, and Move Silently checks.
Automatic Languages: Tangible air elementals start speaking Common and Auran. Tangible air elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, aquan, ingan, terran, elven, halfling.
Favored Class: Scout or Monk. A multiclass tangible air elemental’s scout or monk class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

Tangible Air Elemental Pathfinder Racial Statistics
Medium Humanoid [Air]
+6 Dexterity, -4 Strength. Walkers are impossibly quick, but they have slim, light frames almost impossible to exert force with.
Speed: 50ft.
Featherweight Body (su): Walkers have a quick, light body, and this has a number of effects. First, they take a -8 on all checks, AC, and CMD to avoid Bull Rushes and Overrun attempts. Second, their carrying capacity is half that what a person their strength normally would be. Third, all armor check penalties are doubled, after all other modifiers to ACP are applied. Their light body also gives them a number of benefits. First, they are treated as being constantly under the effects of the Jump spell with a caster level equal to their character level. Second, they gain a Dodge bonus to AC equal to their Intelligence Modifier. This bonus is lost if the walker wears medium or heavier armor or carries a medium or heavier load. A walker gains a +4 bonus to CMD resist being tripped.
+4 racial bonus to Acrobatics, Climb, Perception, and Stealth checks.
Automatic Languages: Tangible air elementals start speaking Common and Auran. Tangible air elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, aquan, ingan, terran, elven, halfling.

http://th04.deviantart.net/fs70/300W/f/2009/351/0/d/Air_by_IronMitten.jpg
A walker racer who already knows that she's going to win the race.

Gaseous Air Elementals
Drifters, Fogs, Clouds, Airheads
http://th00.deviantart.net/fs16/300W/f/2007/192/1/6/Wind_Elemental_by_HoiHoiSan.jpg
A drifter taking a nice, evening glide around town.

Gaseous air elementals are transparent. They look, at their most substantial, like vaguely-shaped humanoids made of thick fog. Most tend to look like they're made of thin, coiling smoke, though. Drifters love the sky. Most try to get housing at the tops of the tallest buildings. When camping or homeless, many will just sleep drifting among the clouds. Drifters weigh no more or less than simple air, and are only slightly more tangible than it. Drifters have a hard time affecting solid matter, rather than just flowing around it when they try to touch it, so those wealthy enough will often hire and aid to go about carrying their items and money.

Gaseous Air Elemental 3.5 Racial Traits
Medium Elemental [Air]
+6 Dexterity, Strength 1, -4 Constitution. Drifters are quick, but their bodies are insubstantial and can exert very little force on their surroundings.
Speed: Fly 60 ft, perfect maneuverability.
Insubstantial Form (ex): A drifter is little more than gas and vapor. Drifters are treated as if under the effects of a permanent Freedom of Movement spell. Drifters may flow through any sized opening as if under the effects of the Gaseous Form spell. A drifter is subject to the effects of wind and cannot enter water as if it were under the effects of the Gaseous Form spell. Drifters gain Damage Reduction 5/bludgeoning as their body's air currents need to be disrupted significantly for them to be damaged. This damage reduction stacks with damage reduction gained from any other source.
+4 racial bonus on Spot checks.
Automatic Languages: Gaseous air elementals start speaking Common and Auran. Gaseous air elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, aquan, ingan, terran, elven, halfling.
Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass gaseous air elemental’s rogue class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.

Gaseous Air Elemental Pathfinder Racial Traits
Medium Elemental [Air]
+6 Dexterity, Strength 1, -2 Constitution. Drifters are quick, but their bodies are insubstantial and can exert very little force on their surroundings.
Speed: Fly 60 ft, perfect maneuverability.
Insubstantial Form (ex): A drifter is little more than gas and vapor. Drifters are treated as if under the effects of a permanent Freedom of Movement spell. Drifters may flow through any sized opening as if under the effects of the Gaseous Form spell. A drifter is subject to the effects of wind and cannot enter water as if it were under the effects of the Gaseous Form spell. Drifters gain Damage Reduction 5/bludgeoning as their body's air currents need to be disrupted significantly for them to be damaged. This damage reduction stacks with damage reduction gained from any other source.
+4 racial bonus on Fly and Perception checks.
Automatic Languages: Gaseous air elementals start speaking Common and Auran. Gaseous air elementals with a high intelligence score may pick from the following bonus languages: draconic, aquan, ingan, terran, elven, halfling.

Gaseous Air Elemental Feats
Forceful Winds [Drifter]
Prerequisites: Insubstantial Form racial ability, Character Level 5+
Benefits: The drifter's base strength doubles, going from 1 to 2 or from 2 to 4, for example.
Special: This feat may only be taken once.

Gale-Force Winds [Drifter]
Prerequisites: Insubstantial Form racial ability, Character Level 10+, Forceful Winds feat
Benefits: The drifter's base strength doubles, going from 2 to 4 or from 4 to 8, for example.
Special: This feat may only be taken once.

Hurricane-Force Winds [Drifter]
Prerequisites: Insubstantial Form racial ability, Character Level 15+, Gale-Force Winds feat
Benefits: The drifter's base strength doubles, going from 4 to 8 or from 8 to 16, for example.
Special: This feat may only be taken once.

Tornado-Force Winds [Drifter]
Prerequisites: Insubstantial Form racial ability, Character Level 20+, Hurricane-Force Winds feat
Benefits: The drifter's base strength doubles, going from 8 to 16 or from 16 to 32, for example.
Special: This feat may only be taken once.

Untouchable Winds [Drifter]
Prerequisites: Insubstantial Form racial ability, Character Level 10+
Benefits: The DR 5/bludgeoning granted by the Insubstantial Form racial ability is changed to DR 5/-. This DR stacks with DR gained from any other source.

Unbreakable Winds [Drifter]
Prerequisites: Insubstantial Form racial ability, Character Level 20+
Benefits: The DR 5/- granted by the Insubstantial Form racial ability is changed to DR 10/-. This DR stacks with DR gained from any other source.


..::||::..

At first glance, I like the look of the pipe serpents

Are their claws basically like those of a praying mantis? I see that they don't get any sort of special bonus to crafts checks; should they? If they eat enough living things, will their claws become bone? It seems like they should have some kind of serious resistances to heat, given that their native habitat is steam pipes. Some of the text still has the word 'suit' in it instead of serpent. I can understand them having ingan and terran as bonus languages. Maybe aquan. Not auran, though. Shouldn't there also be an option under Variable Build for having a balanced diet of meat and flesh, giving them neither penalties nor bonuses to Dexterity and Constitution? After all, there is a 20% gap between the percents listed. You didn't list any actual stats for the claws of a serpent. Also, it seems like they should have a bite as well.

Silverscale
2010-02-23, 06:54 AM
@BRC: I like the idea you have for the Stations. It gives a relatively cheap way to move about the city without taking up too much space like a "subway" system would. My only concern is that I might have them moving around more than just every 30 min otherwise it could conceivably take you 12 hours just to get to work and by the time you get there, you have 30 minutes before the stations start moving back.
*Shrug* that may or may not be a problem as most people probably wouldn't live that far from where they work.

@Jagadaishio: I love what you have so far for the Elementals, can't wait to see what you bring out for the Earth Elementals.

@Owrtho: 1-No, Ishka will never die. 2-Your Pipe Serpents are cool. Maybe I missed it somewhere but how was the first one created?

BRC
2010-02-23, 08:41 AM
@BRC: I like the idea you have for the Stations. It gives a relatively cheap way to move about the city without taking up too much space like a "subway" system would. My only concern is that I might have them moving around more than just every 30 min otherwise it could conceivably take you 12 hours just to get to work and by the time you get there, you have 30 minutes before the stations start moving back.
*Shrug* that may or may not be a problem as most people probably wouldn't live that far from where they work.

Well originally I had them switching every five minutes. Because of how they work, you never have to worry about people Missing a station, (Only missing a specific one, which most people don't care about as much), since there is always a Station at every spot. Jagagadisho upped it to 30 minutes.
@orthro: Steam Serpents sound cool, but need some more fleshing out, esp concerning their place in society. Is it possible for them to become awakened without eating abunch of sentient creatures. If they eat too many non-senetiants (like cows) do they go back to an animal like state?

Yeah, Ravenshome does not have a Station. A common theory concerning Station 14 is that it went to the same place the Ravens send people.
Edit: Ishka will never die.

kopout
2010-02-23, 01:19 PM
Garbage beast

Medium Construct
Hit Dice:11d10+20 (80)
Initiative:-2
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:+8/+15
Attack:Slam +14 melee (2d10+7 plus tetanus)
Full Attack:2 Slam +14 melee (2d10+7 plus tetanus)
Space/Reach:5' /5'
Special Attacks:Tetanus
Special Qualities:Construct traits, Ruble repair, Oozing escape, Tetanus
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3
Abilities: Str25, Dex 7, Con-, Int1, Wis11, Cha1
Skills:Urban Survival +8
Feats:
Environment:Poor urban areas
Organization:Solitary
Challenge Rating:
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always true neutral
Advancement:12–18 HD (Large); 19–33 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment:-

As you enter the steam works you see a hunched humanoid figure digging through a scrap pile.It turns its head to look at you with a grinding crunching sound and regards you dimly with eyes made out of glass shards before return slowly to the scrap metal.

Description/background/characteristics
Garbage beasts are constructs that form spontaneously out of trash and ambient magic. although not mindless they poses only an animal intelligence. the will ad choice bits of trash to there bodies to grow many show a magpie like preference for shiny things.They can easily be tamed and are frequently used as guards or beasts of burden in the steam works and slums earning them the nickname "poor man's golum".
Combat
Wild garbage beast rarely initiate combat instead lumbering along peacefully adding garbage to themselves and only fighting back if attacked. Tamed individuals will fight if ordered to or in defense of there master.
Ability descriptions

Ruble repair(ex)
When in an environment rich in debris (such as a junk yard or dump) a garbage beast may tack a free action to repair 1d10 worth of damage per round.

Oozing escape(ex)
A garbage beast may deform its body in order to squeeze through an opining as small as one foot square or through a grate at a speed of 25 feet.

Tetanus(ex) Disease, Fortitude DC 15 incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d4 Dex.

jagadaishio
2010-02-23, 02:06 PM
The stations moving every five minutes would work fine too if the shops are more generic; the only reason I suggested the half-hour time was for the sake of regulars who might have specific places they like to visit while at the stations. In that case, the theoretic maximum number of stations per line for an equitable number of stops is 145, with the other possible numbers being 72, 36, 18, and 9 stations. The table below shows how long it would take a station to get back to its stop #1, or, in other words, how long it would take to ride a station in a full loop around its line. It also shows how many shiftward and homeward loops the stations will make in a day. That means that if you could shiftward and homeward loops together, it makes twice as many loops; this shows how many it makes in one direction.

{TABLE]
Stations |
Time |
Number of Loops
9 |
45 min. |
16
18 |
1.5 hr. |
8
36 |
3 hr. |
4
72 |
6 hr. |
2
145 |
12 hr. |
1[/table]

I strongly urge there to be a balanced number of stops, otherwise shift workers at the station, be it in the shops or workers of the stations themselves, wouldn't be able to get off at the same stop at the same time every day. That would be a very bad thing, because it might leave a worker stranded three districts away from where they live. For the sake of the employees, it really needs to be one of the above setups.

Given the time involved and the number of districts we have, I would suggest either 18 or 36 hours. That leaves a very reasonable amount of time for a loop, and lets hit it a fair number of districts, not to mention the number of loops per 13 hour period it would have. I imagine that there would also be express stations which only have 9 stops and just get you to the general area you want to go.

Do you buy a seasonal pass for the stations, or do you pay a tiny fare each time you get on board?

So far I like the look of the garbage beast. These would be lumbering creatures of the scrap yards of the Steamworks and the various small dumps that can be found throughout the city, right? Even working off the idea of the Hole, I imagine that some people wouldn't bother shipping their trash across the city and would instead just make neighborhood dumps. As we add more monsters, it is becoming increasingly obvious to me that rust monsters would be terrifying predators to the native inhabitants of the Steamworks.

BRC
2010-02-23, 02:43 PM
The stations moving every five minutes would work fine too if the shops are more generic; the only reason I suggested the half-hour time was for the sake of regulars who might have specific places they like to visit while at the stations. In that case, the theoretic maximum number of stations per line for an equitable number of stops is 145, with the other possible numbers being 72, 36, 18, and 9 stations. The table below shows how long it would take a station to get back to its stop #1, or, in other words, how long it would take to ride a station in a full loop around its line. It also shows how many shiftward and homeward loops the stations will make in a day. That means that if you could shiftward and homeward loops together, it makes twice as many loops; this shows how many it makes in one direction.

{TABLE]
Stations |
Time |
Number of Loops
9 |
45 min. |
16
18 |
1.5 hr. |
8
36 |
3 hr. |
4
72 |
6 hr. |
2
145 |
12 hr. |
1[/table]

I strongly urge there to be a balanced number of stops, otherwise shift workers at the station, be it in the shops or workers of the stations themselves, wouldn't be able to get off at the same stop at the same time every day. That would be a very bad thing, because it might leave a worker stranded three districts away from where they live. For the sake of the employees, it really needs to be one of the above setups.

Given the time involved and the number of districts we have, I would suggest either 18 or 36 hours. That leaves a very reasonable amount of time for a loop, and lets hit it a fair number of districts, not to mention the number of loops per 13 hour period it would have. I imagine that there would also be express stations which only have 9 stops and just get you to the general area you want to go.

Do you buy a seasonal pass for the stations, or do you pay a tiny fare each time you get on board?

I imagine stores in the Stations are fairly generic. Generally the Customers arn't sticking around for long enough to really develop an attachment to any one store, and when your stop comes up you get off. Primarily it's the Ishkan equivilant of Fast Food, workers get into the station, grab a Roast Donask sandwhich, fill their thermos with bad coffee, and eat it on the way to work. Other stores generally sell newspapers and magazines, simple clothing (ooh, I've been meaning to get a new hat), maybe the odd Bookstore. Picture the type of stores you see in Airports.

Ticket Sales are outside every station, but they are not part of the Stations (To prevent the clerks from blinking away in the middle of a sale), and they are a separate line from the entrance.
You can buy a one ride ticket, though most people buy packs of 10 or 20 to speed things up for later. You can also buy a week, Month, or yearlong pass. However, passes are so cheap that most employers hand them out with paychecks as a standard employee benefit (it's generally a good idea to make sure your employees can get to work).
To prevent long lines at the entrances, all you have to do is flash your pass or quickly hand your ticket to the no doubt bored clerk sitting there and walk in. As such, it's easy to get free rides by flashing an out of date pass, but there is always a chance the clerk will actually check your pass, rip it up because it's expired, and fine your pants off.

Renrik
2010-02-23, 04:11 PM
On public transportation, I know its almost irrelevant, but I had posted on here somewhere a large house that moved from district to district unpredictably.

Owrtho
2010-02-23, 05:05 PM
Alright, lets see.


At first glance, I like the look of the pipe serpents

Are their claws basically like those of a praying mantis? I see that they don't get any sort of special bonus to crafts checks; should they? If they eat enough living things, will their claws become bone? It seems like they should have some kind of serious resistances to heat, given that their native habitat is steam pipes. Some of the text still has the word 'suit' in it instead of serpent. I can understand them having ingan and terran as bonus languages. Maybe aquan. Not auran, though. Shouldn't there also be an option under Variable Build for having a balanced diet of meat and flesh, giving them neither penalties nor bonuses to Dexterity and Constitution? After all, there is a 20% gap between the percents listed. You didn't list any actual stats for the claws of a serpent. Also, it seems like they should have a bite as well.

Yes, their claws are basically like a preying mantis.
I forgot about bonuses to checks, they likely should gain a bonus to some kind of craft check.
Their claws don't become bone. Part of the minimum amount of metal they have to eat goes into keeping their claws metal.
Well, actually as they have the fire subtype they're immune to fire (and likely heat, which I should add). They also have the water subtype. The reason for these is they actually lack blood, and instead have what equates to an internal boiler and water in place of a heart causing boiling water and steam to flow through the pipes (and veins) that make up their body. That said, perhaps they should gain the immunity to poisoning and such standard living constructs get.
I thought I'd gotten all of the instances of suit replaced. Though on that note, you still said liquid in the one part of the 3.5 drifter racial traits (talking about how they can move through things).
I'd initially planned for a balanced diet as well, but as I said, I was being rushed and missed some parts. I also meant to give them a faster clime speed when they have the dex bonus, and some armor when they have the con bonus.
I did mention that the claws act as long swords, though I'll add in actual stats for them. I should also add in a bite attack I suppose.


Your Pipe Serpents are cool. Maybe I missed it somewhere but how was the first one created?

It seems I missed mentioning that in the description. The actual manner they were created is unknown, but there are theories. On is that some wizard did it and it escaped. The more likely one however is that they are a byproduct of all the magical energies in Iksha acting on broken pipes and the like in the steamworks. Many also think (likely correctly due to their nature), that the energies being released from the portals to the planes of fire and water play a part in their creation. Some even go so far as to think that minor unintelligent elementals from those planes make them up, after infesting sections of pipe. As things stand however, people are unsure. If there were elementals in them, they've all merged by the type a pipe serpent is formed and can no longer be recognized. As for if the energies were intentionally channeled into the first ones or not, no one knows.
It is however known they can make more of themselves. This is done by them taking cast off pieces of pipe and metal that they make when they eat, and twisting them together in a general form. They then impart some of their energy and steam (usually this takes small donations from a number of them, though an individual can do it given enough time), and eventually it will form into a new one. In the process the pipes will reassemble themselves as well into the proper layout, though this tends to be unique to each one.
I'd also note that they almost all are rusty due to predominantly being made of iron that is constantly exposed to steam and water (also many integrate parts of broken pipes into themselves).


Steam Serpents sound cool, but need some more fleshing out, esp concerning their place in society. Is it possible for them to become awakened without eating abunch of sentient creatures. If they eat too many non-sentients (like cows) do they go back to an animal like state?
Well, Well, their place in society is for the most part as special devisions of the street builder, restricted mainly to working on pipes and the like which they can bend with ease. Most people who don't have regular contact with them mistrust them. Only the awakened ones are actually given rights. Those that aren't awakened are usually kept under control by the awakened ones.
They can be awakened by magical means, but it is fairly costly so only is done occasionally any more (initially it was done for a fair number until they had enough to keep the others under control). Anyone however can get enough money and pay to have one awakened (this is usually done by awakened ones though). Once awakened, a pipe serpent can technically go anywhere and work anywhere, but most stay in the steamworks for a number of reasons.
First, they are provided with metal to eat (most of it is scrap they find while working, but still). Second, they find the climate and confined spaces more comfortable. Third, the people outside the steamworks are often rather mistrusting of them and rude.
They won't cease to be awakened by eating non-sentient meat. Even before being awakened they aren't actually unaware like animals. Rather, they lack a mindset similar to humans and see most any other creatures as little more than prey. When they eat them though they gain some of their knowledge and understanding, thus they become awakened (at least from a human's point of view). Easing cows or the like would simply help them to understand a cows mindset, which tends to be rather simple. As such it doesn't interfere with their understanding of things.

Edit: I updated the stats for the Awakened Pipe Serpents.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-02-23, 05:57 PM
On public transportation, I know its almost irrelevant, but I had posted on here somewhere a large house that moved from district to district unpredictably.

Yes. The Block. The thing with The Block is that it moves around at random and I imagine it doesn't even move every day or even every week. The timing is random, the locations are random. People who don't feel like paying for a ticket and/or don't care where they go or how fast they get there, are the only ones likely to hitch a ride with The Block. The residents of course, have made a life of traveling around the city.

@Jagadaishio & BRC: The Stations are looking awesome. I would Imagine that in each district there is one Major Station that is on the Express Loop, and once you are in your district of choice, just walk over to the Local Loop.

Owrtho
2010-02-23, 06:45 PM
Also, forgot to mention it, but while pipe serpents are mistrusted by the populace at large, when it comes to crimes the awakened ones are generally treated as being rather low on the suspect list (even the unawakened ones aren't that high unless it's a disappearance due to their not placing value on material goods in general). That isn't to say though that they won't be seen as suspects if there is evidence they might be (they're just rather lower on the list).
Also, while most are awakened by the city (using a spell or slight variation thereof that has been worked over the years to generally cause a personality making an mostly honest and productive citizen, even if there is variation on their personality). There are however some that awaken on their own (by eating people) who's' personalities are somewhat of an amalgamation of their victims'. Also, some alliance groups are said to catch unawakened pipe serpents and feed their members that fail to perform to them (in hopes of gaining a more useful member). However such a practice is rarely done enough to be generally accounted for, due to both the difficulty of capturing pipe serpents and the effect of moral that feeding members to them has (not that there haven't been more than a few accidental cases where a few alliance members fleeing from authorities accidentally ran into an unawakened pipe serpent and got eaten).

Owrtho

jagadaishio
2010-02-23, 07:49 PM
I still think that the pipe serpents, which by all accounts chow down on metal, should have some kind of badass bite attack. They need to be able to bite through pipes, crunch down metal, and savor mithril. If they don't have some kind of high damage, hardness-mitigating bite attack, that isn't going to happen. Hell, it could be a low-damage bite attack that is treated as adamantine for the purpose of ignoring hardness (and no other reason). Remember, the reason humans can chomp down on pretzels is because we have strong jaws with hard, enameled teeth. If these guys don't have stronger jaws with harder teeth, they won't be able to do much more than try to swallow iron shavings.

Owrtho
2010-02-23, 09:25 PM
Good point. I added a note that they ignore the hardness of metal. I also gave them a bonus to attack against things with metal armor (since it wouldn't make sense that they can bite through mithril with ease but have trouble with some shoddily made half plate).
Also, I'd point out that if they can afford to eat it regularly, they can actually make their claws and bite adamantine.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-02-24, 05:23 PM
I know it was mentioned way back when we started this project, but has anyone stated out a Dwarven District? I can't remember if we just left it that they just live/work in and around the Steemworks or if we talked about something else that never actually got stated.

Along the same lines I don't remember what we said about Elves.

Also it might be a good idea to get some sort of idea of species demographics for the City. Given the nature of the Ishka, I think it goes without saying that not only are a lot of the more "Exotic" species more prevalent, but Half-breeds are as well. I'd venture to say that there are possibly more Half-breeds then True-breeds.

BRC
2010-02-24, 05:50 PM
I know it was mentioned way back when we started this project, but has anyone stated out a Dwarven District? I can't remember if we just left it that they just live/work in and around the Steemworks or if we talked about something else that never actually got stated.

Along the same lines I don't remember what we said about Elves.

Also it might be a good idea to get some sort of idea of species demographics for the City. Given the nature of the Ishka, I think it goes without saying that not only are a lot of the more "Exotic" species more prevalent, but Half-breeds are as well. I'd venture to say that there are possibly more Half-breeds then True-breeds.
Not necessarily. While Half-breeds (esp Half-Elves) are common enough not to attract any attention, and the Allkin (or Mongrelfolk) are a common enough sight (All though the line between "Allkin" and "Half elf with a bit of orc, some dwarf, ect is blurry) most communities in Ishka are fairly insular when it comes to reproduction.
Groups like Humans First like to claim credit for this, but it's primarily a simple result of the cities social structure. The nature of the Districts means that most racial groups are concentrated in certain areas. While they frequently work together, go to the merchant district to shop, the entertainment district to relax, ect, where romance is concerned most people stay pretty close to home. This is because, in a city like Ishka, it's easy to have your identity swept away, so people tend to hold onto their own culture. Most Half-Breeds come from districts like the Temple or Mages district, where the culture is largely defined by something besides Race.

That said, it's rare to find somebody 100% anything, but usually any sign of another race in their ancestry is very slight, and within the standard range (Somebody with abit of Orc in them is bulkier than normal), so they are, for all intents and purposes, human (or some equivilant).

The way I imagined it, demographic wise, is that the city is about 50-60% human,(For these purposes, Undead are counted as whatever they were when alive), with no other races getting past, for example, 10%. Mind you, this number is somewhat inflated due to the presence of the undead, who stick around for quite a while. Since the City was historically Human, most of the Undead are humans.

Of course, a true city census is practically impossible to conduct. It would be fine for most of the city, but once you got to the tangled underworld of the lower layers, it's very difficult.

Silverscale
2010-02-25, 07:29 AM
The way I imagined it, demographic wise, is that the city is about 50-60% human,(For these purposes, Undead are counted as whatever they were when alive), with no other races getting past, for example, 10%. Mind you, this number is somewhat inflated due to the presence of the undead, who stick around for quite a while. Since the City was historically Human, most of the Undead are humans.

Of course, a true city census is practically impossible to conduct. It would be fine for most of the city, but once you got to the tangled underworld of the lower layers, it's very difficult.

I don't know if I'd go as high as even 50% human even counting Undead, but I agree they'd still be the minor majority. Don't forget that after a short while, the wealth of Ishka started to attract Everyone, Dwarves, Elves, Dragons, Goblins, Centaurs, Halflings, Giants,.....the Monster Manual.

Anyway I need to get going to work but you get my point.

Renrik
2010-02-25, 10:27 AM
I agree. I think humans would be 25-30% of the city, still the largest group but not the absolute majority, especially given the presence of other groups that have large populations due to small size, quick breeding, or crowding (lookin' at you, kobolds). Given that such groups exist, and the planar nature of the plane, 25-30% human would still be pretty impressive.

Renrik
2010-02-25, 01:10 PM
Updated and Alphabetized District List

The Districts of Ishka


Name: The Academy
Other Names: Scholarville, Magetown. Wizland.
Government: Magocracy
Police Force: The Custodians.
The Academy is one of the two major magical districs in the city. Unlike the Mages District, which is home to many independent practitioners, the Academy is one institution. Though Magic is it's focus, the Academy studies all the sciences, and it's magical students are highly encouraged to study at least one other science. The lower levels are for Novices and Apprentices, containing living quarters, classrooms, recreation areas, library, workshops, ect. The layers above those are more of the same, but designed for older, more advanced students. This pattern continues until the very top layers, the "Searchers Circle", where the ultimate graduates spend the rest of their lives in study. Though experimental labs and research happens throughout the district, once you become a "Searcher", the implication is that you know so much that, anything else you might learn about your science, you will probably have to discover for yourself.
Most Students leave the Academy upon reaching adulthood, often moving to the Mages District, but some stay, pursing Knowledge for Knowledges sake, For these individuals, their education never ends. Most become assistants for a Researcher, though some become Professors, or find some other position in the Academy.
The Academy is patrolled by a force known as the Custodians. Their numbers are actually quite small, but if need be, they can have Academy Wizards prepare for combat and join their ranks, or summon creatures to assist them in combat.

Name: Aerodyne
Other Names: Draft, Breezeland
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Air Platoon
The Air Platoon is considered one of the more fun positions in the Element Guard for a number of reasons. The first is that a ton of extraplanar airship traffic comes through it. Some stop there on the way to other planar locales, and some are going through to moor at the Tower, but all of them carry exotic wares and interesting passengers. The Guard sees to it that ships are protected from elementals and that the portals providing fresh air to deep tunnels and the upper floors of the Tower remain unimpeded. It's a common occurrence to need to chase rogue elementals away from the massive pumps, both to protect the pumps and to keep the elementals from getting hurt by being sucked in. The average member of the Air Platoon uses a longspear, a long bow, and a whip with either some sort of natural flight or a magical effect. Air elementals are usually chased away with long poles rather than lethal force. Many Falcons are former members of the Air Platoon and vice versa.
Aerodyne is a massive fortress of wood, paper, and clothe anchored in a massive fog bank in the elemental plane of air. The natives of the plane know the citadel as Draft.

Name: The Art Community
Other Names: Bardnest, pretension-ville, party district.
Government Type: Oligarchy made of rich art patrons.
Police Forces: The Watch (if they have time). Law enforcement is poor in this district.
The Art Community mainly houses bards and bardic schools. There are also less spectacular artists there, and the patrons who commission their art. This is a small community with little wealth outside the patrons. However, much of the city’s culture and local color comes from this district. People will often come to this district for festivals, parties, and plays.

Name: Aquarane
Other Names: Current, The Wash
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Water Platoon
Aquarane is the citadel on the Elemental Plane of Water. It is constructed of riverine and all of its inhabitants have the ability to breath water and either some sort of natural or acquired immunity to high-pressure environments. This is considered to be the worst assignment for members of the Elemental Army, as not only do members of the Water Platoon see less action than any other detachment, their daily responsibilities consist of clearing the much away from the gates to the city broken up only by the rare, uneventful patrol around the city's water holdings. Aside from the weekly exports of riverine, the fortress sees a fair amount of trade, but almost all of that is through-traffic to the city proper, carrying supplies of all manner of rich resources of the plane. The occasional Lake-dweller will visit Aquarane, but the reverse is more true. The elementals know the fortress as Current.

Name: The Collected Colleges
Other Names: The School, The Book Stacks, The Nerdland
Government Type: Merit based council of Experts
Police Force: Law Enforcement Networked System (devices mounted on every street corner and in every building are capable of immobilizing criminals until the Watch arrive)
The Book Stacks are the home of the most intelligent and best educated people in the city. These men and women are called upon by nearly every organization in the city, from the Streetbuilders and Merchant Agents to the Alliance and The Eyes, consult the Collected Colleges when they need the opinions of experts. The Collected Colleges have apparently made discoveries that allow technology to rival magic, but since magic is so much cheaper, these technologies have not spread to much of the city. The Steamworks owe much of their success to the developments and discoveries of Nerdland.

Name: The Commons
Other Names: Plainville, the "In Between", NorCo/SoCo
Government: Aristocratic Republic
Police force: The Watch
The Commons is the largest of the city's districts, and in fact spreads throughout the city. Filling in the pieces between the other districts. It's population is largely human, but there are enough non-humans there so they don't attract attention.
The District used to be ruled by a noble class, but after a few uprisings they adopted a more democratic stance. Elections are held, but only those with noble blood can hold major office. The District is actually split into two separate districts, the North Commons and the South Commons. However, North and South commons are politically and culturally similar enough that they don't need separate entries.

Name: Customs and Immigrations
Other Names: Foreigner's Corner, Little Gateville, CnI
Government Type: Under the direct control of the city council, this is the one area that sends no representative there
Police Force: The Social Inspectors
In C&I, there are large gates to other planes. Not one-way gates or gates that allow travel between to points in the city, but an array of several gates to small inhabited cities on other planes. It is here that immigrants to the city must pass through if they wish to achieve legality, and it's the Social Inspectors (commonly referred to as the SI) who decide this. If they think you speak proficient enough Common, have enough wealth, and have some useful talent, they'll let you stay. If you can't prove you're worth it, however, they'll send you right back through the way you came without a second thought (and you don't get your warp fee back, either).
The Social Inspectors have gotten in trouble with the past for denying certain kinds of visitors more often than others, but there is often little anything beyond a direct decree from the city council can do to stop immigration discrimination. Some of the most frequently used gates are the ones from the Elemental Chaos (home to many genasi and the raw elemental forces that power the Steamworks), the Astral Plane (classy illithids and less class giths and ganks find their way from here), and Celestia (common immigrants are aasimar, rogue leonals, and other 'less-than-divine' visitors who can't quite take the rigors of perfect living anymore).

Name: The Dark City
Other Names: The City of Midnight, Underland, Downtown
Government Type: Aristocratic Republic
Police Force: The Dark Army (A standing army supported by the aristocrats who maintain martial law in this district.)
As the mines of the great city continued down into the earth, it was only a matter of time before the City came face to face with the elves of the Underdark. The first miners to encounter the Drow in these deep caverns never returned to the surface. The city sent M.I. agents to investigate the disappearances, and they quickly learned of the miners fate. A brutal war was fought between the Underdark and the surface. However, by this time the City was already so massive, its forces simply overwhelmed the unsuspecting Drow, until they were trapped in their own city with the enemy closing in. The Matriarch of the Drow refused to surrender. She planned to fortify herself within a fortress she had instructed her most powerful mages and skilled craftsmen to build at the city's center, where she was confident she could outlast the will of these invaders. It became clear to many nobles of the Drow, that the Matriarch had limited room in her fortress, and would take only a small number of nobles with her. Outraged by here strategy, a large number of Drow nobles defected to the City and attack the Matriarch's forces. The coup was quick and bloody, but the Matriarch did escape with a small circle of nobles to her fortress. To this very day, the Dark Army besieges this fortress in a never ending vigil.
The remainder of the Drow agreed to be annexed by the City. Most civilians have left the Dark City district in the many years since the siege began, and it is mostly inhabited by the Dark Army and their families, and the few Drow too stubborn to be uprooted. What used to be the civilian quarters of the city have been converted into employee housing used by mining corporations for their deepest expeditions, and much of there former merchant district has been converted into a large branch of the Steamworks.

Name: The Draconic Heritage Collective
Other Names: Dragonland, Dragon's Roost, Slayer's Hell
Government Type: A consulate of two ancient dragons
Police Force: The Dragonfire Brigade (The brigade is comprised exclusively of Dragonfire Adepts of a variety of races)
Way back in the day, a pair of ancient dragons (one red and one gold) decided to settle their difference in a rousing game of strategy. The loser was to be banished, and the winner to hold dominion over the loser's lands. Both brought with them a contingent of kobold worshippers, who were to serve and provide for them as they played in an isolated cave in a canyon wall, miles down river from and above a tiny human fishing settlement. Centuries later, at the end of their game, they emerged from their cave to find a massive, opulent temple built around their cave. Around the temple had been built a district dedicated to those with draconic ancestry of some kind. The dragons, whose game had come out to be a tie, set about on a new game (one so vast and infinite that it couldn't possibly be won or lost). The dragons started playing the markets, becoming merchant kings, and possibly the two richest beings in the city (if not the richest organization as a whole). To this day, they rule as consuls of the district, appointing one of their followers to represent them in the city-wide council.
This district includes Half-dragons, Young dragons, Dragonborn, Kobolds, and all manner of other sentient Dragon kind. Pseudodragons can be seen swooping through the skies catching birds in the same manner as the falcons that roost on skyscrapers in modern cities.

Name: Ether. (Poe's Hollow, Phantom Reach, Claud's Hamlet, Casperton, New Arkham, and Barrowfield)
Other Names: The Aether, Ghost Town, The Haunting, Booville.
Government Type: Minimalist government of elected officials, who run the Wraithwatch, collect a small tax for infrastructure repair, and
Police Force: Wraithwatch, a force of elite already-dead guards utilizing ghost touch weapons.
The Ether does not take up any space in the city, instead being a confederation of small, spread-out districts that borders transistively on the Necropolis, the Commons, and other regions. The district is home to the ghost and ethereal population of the city. The districts are mostly around permanent gates to the ethereal plane, and have long-distance portals between them on a hub-spoke system centering on Poe's Hollow.
Notable inhabitants include:
Bloody Marian, the ghost of a Merkielite sister who ironically became an undead after her death (by murder), apparently as punishment for failing to guard the children in her charge from a marauding ghost. She cannot rest until she avenges their death personally. Unfortunately, their death has already been avenged. Hence, Bloody Marian is stuck forever in undeath, She is deeply depressed by this, especilly given her religious convictions. She attempts whenever possible to care for children. Is she a kind suffering mother of ghost children or as a malignant crazed threat to the living?
Commodore Vleigenhoek- The ghost of an interplanar skyship captain.

Name: Everdark
Other Names: The lightless district, the dark place
Government Type: Council with members chosen by the main groups as they see fit
Police Force: The Lurkers
Everdark is a place mainly for nocturnal creatures. As such any form of light is not allowed in public. This tends to mean that people who lack the ability to see in the dark must usually get magical help or a guide. The Lurkers are a police force that focuses on stealth. Members are generally so good at hiding that even those who see easily in the dark are likely to miss them. As such it is no uncommon for newer criminals in the district to find they are attempting to commit a crime only a few feet from a Lurker. Everdark's notable subdistrict is Shadowgate, near its heart, where the boundaries between the material and shadow planes are thin.

Name: Galdren
Other Names: Farmland, The Fields, The Big Farm
Government Type: Communal Representative Council
Police Force: Walkers
At first glance, Galdren appears to be the largest district in the city. This is not actually the case. While Galdren has the largest single footprint of any district, it is a district on a flat expanse of land on the cliff overlooking the canyon. One of the only districts placed on only one layer, Galdren is proud to be one of the very few farmlands in the city to be planted in natural soil, and cultivated by real farmers (most farmers in this district are very vocal in there opposition to undead labor). These farms stretch from the edge of the canyon out to as far as any mortal eye can see.The residents of this district organize themselves into smaller communes within the district so that farming families can pool resources and cultivate more land. Once a month, these communes send a representative to a meeting of all the commune representatives, where they discuss the status of the crops, share new techniques, and yearly choose a representative to send to the City Council. Galdren is covered by a vast network of pipes, built by the Streetbuilders, that irrigate the entire district with clean water directly from the elemental plane of water. The farmers here have serious objections to the concept of undead labor, seeing it as a threat to their livelihood and way of life. The policing force of this district, the Walkers, is more of a neighborhood watch program than an actual guard. Those with the title of Walkers, are those who are considered qualified to handle dangerous criminals when the community has identified them.

Name: Gobin
Other Names: Gobland, Greenville, Papertown
Government Type: Shogunate
Police Force: Samurai
Gobin started as a goblinoid empire hundreds of miles away from modern Ishka. Back then, it was ruled by a hobgoblin shogunate and dozens of noble hobgoblin clans. Every single hobgoblin was considered part of one of the noble clans, and was considered therefore to be nobility.
Each of the different noble clans had, among their holdings, stretchs of land, a massive working class made up of fast-breeding goblin commoners, a family of bugbears trained in the arts of stealth, assassination, and combat, a stable of worgs, winter wolves, and dire wolves, and a massive lower class of serfs taken from the populace of conquered nations. The modus operandi of Gobin was to conquer a smaller, neighboring nation using bugbear assassins, waves of goblin shock troops, and elite hobgoblin samurai, take the nation's populace as slaves, work them to death, and then start all over again. Eventually all of Gobin's neighbors formed an alliance, crushed the country into refugees.
The disparate, vagrant empire eventually came upon the prospering city of Ishka and tried briefly and unsuccessfully to conquer it before being granted a then-undeveloped stretch of land to turn into a district of their own. Within a single human generation, the goblinoid people had established themselves, a district consisting of a tower-like wooden palace at the center surrounded by wooden and paper houses for the noble clans which are, in turn, surrounded by ramshackle wooden and paper huts, houses, and apartments stacked on top of one another in the goblin slums.
These days, Gobin considers itself a city-state within Ishka. It is policed by hobgoblin samurai, usually accompanied by a gang of goblins and a few trusted bugbear lieutenants. There is a massive goblin-run yakuza who run extortion rackets, steal, rent out bugbear assassins, smuggle, and endorse a small but healthy slave trade. They are considered a subfaction of the Alliance and tithe a small percent of all profits over to the larger criminal organization in return for independent dominion within Gobin. Many individuals of monstrous races, notably orcs, try to settle in Gobin, but end up finding even worse discrimination there, as the goblinoids generally consider non-goblinoids as barely people - certainly subgoblin in status.

Name: The Grove District
Other Names: The Woods, Little Wilderness, Faerietown (like Little Italy and Chinatown, respectively), the Groves
Government Type: Each ethnic group major enough to be recognized sends a single representative to a sort of elder's council. The council then picks a single trusted representative for their entire district. Notable ethnic groups are the Lycanthropes, who almost always have a Werebear on the council, the Treants, the Greater Fey, who usually post a Dryad, the Myconid, the Sprites, and the Druids. Other ethnic and political groups come and go. The Wild has been trying to get a seat on the elder council for years, and has yet to do so. The Grove is also home of the Millenium Tree, which wields significant political power.
Police Force: The Rangers. The rangers (not all of them being actual rangers, of course) roam the levels of trees in their Groves, stopping any sort of exploitation of nature, keeping balance, and (when forced to) enforcing the laws of the city. There have been many a time when the rangers have ignored a crime because they didn't feel like enforcing it, and then arrested someone for harvesting green wood instead of dead wood.
Throughout the city, there are areas that massive groves grow, their branches reaching higher than the top of the canyon and spilling out to make a massive canopy in those districts. This is the district of the city where plant creatures, some sentient animals, nature fey, druids, and many of the Wild tend to make their residence. The Steamworks and their residents tend to dislike the Groves, feeling that they waste too many resources that could be used for industrial and mercantile purposes. Indeed, the relatively slow trickle of darkwood out of the Groves keeps them well funded, artificially inflating the cost of darkwood, when a team of lumberjacks sent in to clear the place out could provide enough darkwood for a century in a single day. The Groves also supply a great deal of food to the city.

Name: Gulliver's Heights
Other Names: Bigtown, the Tall Heights,
Government Type: Thranething, a council made of representatives of each of the giant races living in the district, with speaking, nonvoting places for ogres and other non-giant big guys. How the selection works is left to each race. The Thranething chooses its representative for the council, currently a wealthy merchant named Jonyrhing 'Little Jon' Rhutthym, a fire giant of great size.
Police Forces: Mountain Guard, a force made up of various giant races, but with a disproprotionate number of Stone Giants and Fire Giants. Answers to the Thranething.
The giants in Gulliver's Heights tend not to venture into the uncomfortably cramped areas of the rest of the city, instead allowing little folk who would seek their company to brave the broad streets of Bigtown. Different parts of the district are dominated by different races of giant, and the clouds above it are stationary- they're part of the district, too, and the home of cloud and storm giants. The district has a few guest rooms in cupboards, closets, and such, for medium and small visitors. One curious bylaw of the community is that it is illegal to cultivate beans within its limits.

Name: Hedon
Other Names: The Pleasure District, The Red-light District, The Flesh Market
Government Type: Madam and Master (independently expensive)
Police Forces: The police forces of this district have no actual name. Violators of the law in Hedon are captured and sold into the flesh trade until the debt of their offenses has been paid.
Hedon is a district devoted entirely to indulgences of the flesh. It is located in a cave below the city, with a wide entrance revealing a spiral expanse that continues deep into the earth. At the entrance to the District the shops include hundreds brothels catering to nearly every species. As people continue down the spiral, the cave contains shops catering to thousands of tastes that many might find "devient." As the districts continues down the spiral one begins to see shops catering to tastes viewed by all but the most depraved and vile individuals to be absolutely disgusting. Hedon is publicly denounced by nearly every Councilmen, yet despite this, Hedon is one of the greatest economic forces in the entire city.

Name: Mere
Other Names: The District of Love, Pompousville, Town on the Water
Government Type: Council of Nobles
Police Force: House Guards
Mere is district comprising of the first few layers of the city built over the great lake. While the upper parts of this district look much like other parts of the city, what sets this district apart from the rest of the city is the lowest layer. This layer of the district is made up of island like expanses surrounding the massive supports for the layers above. The waters between these islands are always full of small boats. During the day, these boats are mostly there fishing, but during the night, the enchantments placed on this layer produce a brilliant display of light and color. This display is considered quite romantic, making a night in Mere one of the biggest tourist attractions across the entire city. The district has such a high cost of living that the only permanent residents of Mere are wealthy families of aristocrats. This high density of nobles has lead to a reputation for the district as pretentious and snobbish. The noble families of this district run Mere by convening in a "Council of Nobles" which determines policy and chooses a representative to their district's seat on the City Council. This districts government has face severe scrutiny from the rest of the city by denying less wealthy merchants and other district residents without noble heritage a say in their district. One of the most vocal groups opposing this district's government is actually the radical group Humans First, who oppose the Council of Nobles due to the high percentage of elf and other none human nobles. They claim that a place so beautiful should be put in more capable hands (human hands). The police force of this district, is actually several different police forces, one for each noble house. These house guards patrol the territory of each noble house and punish criminals based on the laws of each house.

Name: The Mithral Heights
Other Names: Wingtown, The Clouds, Snob Heights, The Skydocks
Government Type: The Highest. Those who can afford it and live in the Heights pay their way onto a small committee which charges an exorbitant entrance fee. One of them is then chosen (they really just bribe bribe their way) into the great position of the Highest, who has the greatest authority over the Falcons and the rest of the committee.
Police Forces: The Falcons. The Falcons are a private paramilitary force funded by the richest of the rich people who live in the Heights. They're all equipped with the best of magical equipment and standard-issue flying devices and extremely finely crafted bows.
The Mithral Heights is the name of the district made up of the airship skydocks, floating platforms, and housing the surrounds the Tower, suspended in mid air. This district's population is largely made up of the richest of the rich, airmen, and aerial species. As such, the district ranges from very rich to very poor. The rich ones are the only ones with actual power, though, so that hardly matters as far as the rest of the city is concerned. On the topic of the tower, I think that its origin would likely have been that a wealthy business man found a massive deposit of mithral in a part of land that he had purchased. Rather than sell it to craftsmen, he used it as the building material for a massive tower. The tower's base is where the opening of the old mine is, and the tower itself extends up beyond the clouds. Indeed, because it converted the mine that its material came from into actual carved-stone, finished rooms, it extends nearly as far below the surface as it does above. The business man has actually had a great deal of success with the tower, renting out space to wealth individuals as apartments and to successful business as work places. The stone rooms below serves mostly as warehouses, stock rooms, and vaults. They are so heavily warded that it is considered suicidal to try to steal from them. The base of the tower rests in the Steamworks, and it technically governed by them. The building's owner is adamantly of the anti-union stance. It's rumoured that he may also be involved in Alliance works.

Name: The Monastery
Other Names: The district where time has stopped, purity-town, the awful lawful.
Government Type: The head abbot/abbess both rules this district and reports to the council.
Police Forces: Individual residents take care of themselves.
The Monastery is where monks, paladins, and other quiet lawful types go to meditate. Very little goes on here, except for the training of monks. It is the quietest part of the city, and it has the lowest crime rate. People may come here for quiet, for spiritual advice, or to convince one of the monks or paladins to help them with some good and lawful quest. The Monastery is located in the cave farthest from the city. The tunnel connecting the cave and the city is long and dark. This district is poor, mostly by choice of its residents.

Name: The Necropolis
Other Names: Shambletown. Boneville. Gravecity.
Government Type: Lichocracy.
Police Force: Order of the Bone Shield.
The Necropolis is ruled by a lich named Graveborle the Uncaring. He has been "Alive" so long that he no longer has any interest in actually running the district. Instead, he appoints ministers to handle things for him, so the powerful undead in the district are always trying to figure out how to interest him so he picks their candidate of choice. Interesting novelties, especially books, are prized in the district as they are the best way to attract his favor. Each minister serves for a decade, or until Graveborle is convinced to dismiss them from service and choose somebody to replace them. They are currently represented on the council by the vampire Lord Charles Marche.

Name: The Port District
Other Names: Port-town, The Waterfront, Pirates Cove
Government Type: Guild Masters Collective. While each guild in the area runs itself fairly efficiently, the Guild Masters come together once a month to share information and ideas. The Collective votes every two years on who gets sent to the City Council.
Police Force: Ishka Port Authority

Name: Primordium
Other Names: The Beginning, The First District, The Ancient City
Government Type: Seat of the City's Ruling Council
Police Force: Eternal Guards
As the city grew larger and larger in the canyon, a group of mages thought it would be prudent to preserve part of the original city before it was lost in the massive network of bridges, tunnels, and towers. They transported the entire original village into an extra dimensional space, in order to preserve it. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. After the last of the mages died, a new order of mages decided to expand upon the original village, to make it a more fitting place to house the City Council. The extra dimensional space is now a city in it's own right, with some of the most beautiful architecture in all the city. It is guarded by an order of immortal warriors (not undead) who have pledged to guard Primordium, and the council members, for all of eternity. Contains omniportals.

Name: Ravenshome
Other Names: That district, the place, that place, the district, place of the stone ravens, That place where those bloody bird statues are always watching everything you do
Government Type: Marital
Police Forces: The Sentinels
No one is quite sure where it came from. One popular theory is that the place used to be the home of a powerful spellcasters who had somewhat better defenses than needed. Others say that it was always there and just hadn't been noticed until later. Still others say the Sentinels came with raiders from a random gate in the distant past.
People who enter that district will quickly notice the abundance of raven statues, most of which are slightly larger than a human (usually the first notice it with the large pair that sit on either side of every way in and out). People who are there for more than a few minutes will notice the feeling that the statues are watching them, and don't seem to stay in the same place. Asking the residents will just get the answer that they're the sentinels. Thats about all that is known about them. It has been noticed though that while no one has ever seen them move, they do seem to do so, as sometimes they will show up where it is known there weren't any before, or not be where you just saw one. Similarly covering them will always result in the cover having somehow come off as soon as you aren't looking. Attempting to break them will result in it wither being intact again as soon as you look away, or it and the rubble missing when you look back again.
It is also noted that wherever you go, the statues are there. Even inside the buildings and homes, any room one enters there will always be one of the statues there. Due to this, the place is not very popular to live. The reason people will go there to live however is that it boasts the lowest crime rate of any place in the city. Something attributed entirely to the sentinels. No one is quite sure what they do, but people who break the law seem to have a high tendency to disappear the next time they go somewhere alone. Those that don't, usually the one with only smaller crimes, will usually find the place suddenly become dark, and the next time they can see they will find an ornate raven tattoo on their left hand and arm (its head on their hand and its wings extending up their arm). Looking closely one can see their crimes listed in over 100 languages making up the lines of the wings (which are proportional to their crimes and the severity of them in length). While normally harmless, if they try to cover it, they will feel a burring pain, after which they will find the mark has bled through what they used to cover it and the wings will be longer under the charge of avoiding justice. Some have tried going so far as to cut off their arm, which will have similar result with the whole mark showing up at the point they cut the arm off and the wings much larger under the charge of preventing justice. The mark is also noted to grow with every crime the person commits. No one is quite sure what else the mark does, but some have noticed that the statues that are around the person will frequently have red gemstones in their eyes, and that once the mark gets too large the people seem to vanish. Due to this, criminals tend to avoid the place, and when they must enter are quite well behaved. Some have thought that if they leave they can remove the mark only to find that if they're mark is too large they can't seem to get past the sentinels at the exits of the place, and always seem to become disoriented and take a wrong path whenever they get too close. Others have tried having the mark dispelled or having it removed like a curse. None have been found to be effective, instead they will cause the mark to grow and a stone bracelet with a raven head carved in it will grow out of the persons arm, seeming to match up with the mark. These are found to be irremovable in a similar way to the mark, and are believed by many to be smaller portable versions of the sentinels. This has even lead to the theory that those who disappear are actually turned into sentinels. For such reasons those who are marked are often avoided by other criminals.
Those who have tried to use magic for crime in the district will also quickly find that the sentinels seem to be able to form an anti-magic field between three or more of them. Oddly enough, they seem to be able to function just fine inside the fields, or at least are believed to be able to (considering no one has ever seen them do anything). Their marks also seem unaffected by anti-magic fields, to the general dismay of their bearers.
Outside the sentinels, there is no government in the district. None seem to be able to gain any control over them, nor can they figure out why they are there or uphold the rules they do. The laws of the district are displayed on a pillar that was made in the center after the actions of the sentinels were found. The laws have been mainly determined by what people do before disappearing and what the marks say. Every so often someone will find a new offense that causes a mark to be found on them and it will be subsequently added to the list.
While there is no real proof, there are some that would swear the district has been gradually getting bigger, and the sentinels at the exits have been getting further and further from the center over the years. Though most dismiss the idea as paranoid.

Name: Redmere
Other Names: Cinder, The Smokes
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Fire Platoon
Redmere is the citadel on the Elemental Plane of Fire. It is built of bricks of solidified fire, and all of its inhabitants are either naturally immune to the effects of fire, gain healing from fire, or have some sort of acquired, likely magical immunity to fire. The sole job of these soldiers is to tour the city's extended holdings throughout the plane and make sure that the gates from the elemental plane of fire to the city are safe and clear. It is because of the Fire Platoon that fire elementals don't flood the Steamworks and wreck havok in the city. Aside from that, the occasional trading party reaches Redmere, though these parties are few and far between. Though originally the Fire Platoon saw much action when Redmere was first built, the elementals have learned to avoid the city's holdings, and this is therefore considered to be a relatively boring post. The elementals know the fortress as Cinder.

Name: Smallville
Other Names: The Mansion, The Hive, Littltetopia
Government Type: Council of Elders
Police Force: Splinter Squad, a force made of small and tiny members. Getting into the higher ranks of Splinter Squad typically requires the ability to fly.
In Gulliver's Height, an evil giant had a huge amazing mansion. He kept many small and tiny creatures as prisoners, often eating them. One day the prisoners staged a revolt. They killed the giant, and turned the huge mansion into a district capable of holding millions of small and tiny people.
Since then, other Smallvilles have opened up in various parts of the city. The preferred method is still to turn an existing building into accomadations for huge populations.
The Spintler Squad has vowed never to let the giants of the world take advantage of the little people.

Name: Stadel
Other Names: Out Town, Lost Land, The Lost District
Government Type: King of Stadel
Police Force: Stadel Guard
Long ago, when the city was still fairly new, an entire district of the city vanished. Merchants travel to this district one morning and found it simply gone, with nothing left in its place. Mages and scholars spent months of sleepless nights pondering the fate of this district, but in the end, no answer was ever discovered. Many attempts to build on the site of the district were made, but no matter how stable the structure, or how powerful the magic, it all vanished in the blink of an eye. The city continued to grow, and the gap in the city was closed so as to prevent further loses.
Less then a decade ago, citizens were shocked to wake up one morning, and as mysteriously as it had disappeared, the district had returned. Unfortunately, time had not stopped for this lost district, and their newest generation believed they were under attack when they found themselves suddenly in the center of a vast and never ending city. A small battle ensued, quickly put down by the forces of the city. It ended with the "King" of the district surrendered and swore loyalty to the City Council.
Little is known about what happened to the district. But tales from it's inhabitants described growing up with their district surrounded by a dark and terrible void from which no one had every returned. Their ancestors had apparently survived only by the wit and cunning of their most noble family, the Stadel. Their ancestors had renamed their home in honor of these heroes. They even went so far as to make the Stadel family the monarchs of there small land.
The inhabitants are distrustful of the rest of the city, and will rarely speak with outsiders. They keep to themselves and have little to do with any of the cities organizations (even the Alliance).

Name: The Steamworks
Other Names: The Clanks, Factory District, Rustland
Government Type: Unions/Merchant Leaders
Police Force: The Merchant Agents
The Steamworks is the generic name given to the various steam-powered factory regions scattered throughout the city, nestled away in the old caves. Their industry is powered by vast steam turbines, fueled by permanent elemental fonts. They are the source of almost all modern technological advances and house the best craftsmen of the city. Most of the structures in this area of the city are made of riveted metal, and they rust extremely quickly in the steamy, humid climate, leading to its nickname of Rustland.
There is a constant competition between the unions of the Steamworks and a council of the most powerful merchant managers in the region, always vying and competing with each other to be recognized as the district government. They do this by trying to win the favour of the Merchant Agents; those that do so are virtually guaranteed of being the official governing body for as long as they can maintain that favour. The Merchant Agents are a skilled police body which both maintains the peace in the district and ensures that the industry remains profitable and efficient. Proposing new plans for increased efficiency is a good way to win favour from the Agents.
The rapid rusting that occurs in the Steamworks means that the Streetbuilders spend an inordinate amount of time keeping the Works together. There is also ongoing class conflict, with the Collective and other unions agitating for the workers.

Name: Sunset Isle
Other Names: Seaside Resorts, Venugen Lishe Phapile
Government: The Sunset Corporation
Law Enforcement: Sun Guard, divided into 3 divisions. Whitesuits protect the tourists. Blacksuits patrol the servants. Greensuits hunt the Wild.
Sunset Islands was originally named Venugen Lishe Phapile, Islands of Perpetual Beauty in the dialect of hte local elves, for much of history it's only inhabitants were a small community of elves and merfolk. The Islands are surrounded by reefs, preventing regular ship traffic. For much of history, Venugen Lishe Phapile, was a blank spot on sailor's maps, until an Ishkan vessel was driven to shore by a storm. They were rescued by Merfolk and cared for by the Elves. As luck would have it, one of them was a wizard. The next day he used his emergency Teleport scroll (it had been locked in his trunk at the time) and took the crewmembers back to Ishka. But while they were there, the crew was amazed by the island's natural beauty. Upon hearing about the island, somebody remarked that they would pay two hundred gold to see it. This is Ishka, you can guess what happened next. A group Teleported back to the island, it's not clear what happened next, but apparently the Merfolk decided to leave and the Elves agreed to let the Ishkans begin construction. A decade later, the Elves were almost all gone, those that were left seemed to work only as servants. The Merfolk had vanished very quickly. The big change was when the Islands were officially renamed the much more marketable Sunset Islands, from that point, the isolated paradise of Venugen Lishe Phapile was gone for good.
Today the Sunset Islands are a resort, a tourist destination where Ishkans can visit, get a tan, drink some colorful beverages with little umbrellas, go for a walk in the jungles, and go for a swim. While low class Ishkans will never see the Islands unless they are lucky enough to get a job working there. Those Ishkans capable of affording the portal fees, may be able to visit for a day, though most don't bother, a two way trip through the portal is more money than most Ishkans are willing to spend on a day trip. On the Islands accommodations range from the simple hostels, to the extravagant Hotels. Some incredibly wealthy residents even have personal houses on the Islands.
Everything is operated by the Sunset Corporation, founded by the wizard who first crashed on Venugen Lishe Phapile. There is actually a sizeable "Native" population, primarily consisting of the native elves and people hired from Ishka to work for the Sunset corporation. It's been several generations since the Sunset Corporation was founded, so there are actually many people who Don't work for the Sunset corporation, most of them stick to the "Servant's Town", but some cross to Tourist Town and work as pickpockets, or to sell goods without a license from the Sunset Corporation, or, the very worst crime, to serve the Tourists independent of the Corporation.
Order is kept by the Sun Guard, a group of cheerful, white uniformed guards who are visible on every corner to answer questions (Or, more accurately, to repeat the answers the Company made them memorize) and give directions. They are also one of the most brutal police forces in Ishka. Under those pristine white jackets are rather utalitarian shirts of a color designed not to show bloodstains, and those fancy swords they have aren't, as many people think, ceremonial. The Sun Guard make sure that life on the islands is perfect for the tourists and profitable for the company by intimidating or brutalizing anybody who might make it otherwise.
The Biggest problem on the island is the Wild, who hate the idea of actively destroying nature, especially a place as beautiful as Venugen Lishe Phapile. The Wild are said to have a community hidden somewhere in the jungle, the Sun Guard, as well as hired mercenaries and adventurers have looked for it many times, but either reported failure or didn't report back at all. The Wild used to attack tour groups, but Sunset simply started offering tourists armed guards (for a fee). The Wild is constantly trying to upset the Sunset corporation's operation, but their actions are hindered by the need to constantly stay hidden from Mercenaries combing the jungle, and the watchful vigilance of the Sun Guards. As it is, the Sunset Corporation manages to cover up most of the Wild's activities as having other causes (drunk wizards, etc. Since most people can't afford to stay more than a week or so, they believe that any attacks that occur during their stays are isolated incidents, and since the Sunset Corporation carefully controls information about the Islands that gets back to the city, almost nobody knows that behind the massage parlors, restaurants, and hotels is a brutal police state fighting a constant war.

Name: Terradome
Other Names: Brick, Mount Metal
Government: Martial Tribunal
Law Enforcement: The Element Guard, Earth Platoon
Terradome started as a mountainous adamantine nugget buried half way into the floor of the cavern in the Elemental Plane of Earth in which it was discovered. After a few centuries of excavating this super-hard material, the miners were left with a perfect, polished sphere of adamanium half-buried and completely hollow after the first two feet. The Earth Platoon, at the time operating out of an isolated network of tunnels, saw this as a great opportunity and acquired the sphere, building a citadel inside out of living crystal, making something of an artificial geode.
Hallways and rooms are lit by luminescent crystal formations, and fantastic sweeping vistas are formed of carefully moulded, carved, and sculpted crystal. The Earth Platoon oversees the prospecting of new caverns for mining crews and the protection of said crews from any elemental onslaughts that may occur. Terradome itself has a thriving economy, in part because they take a small tax on all minerals brought through to the city and in part because the beautiful, almost palatial crystal construction of Terradome is considered a fantastic locale in the city's tourist industry.
Terradome is a favoured position for any Guardsmen with a burrow speed, the earth glide ability, or a love of dark places like vampires. The locale denizens of the region know Terradome as Brick.

Name: Ungul
Other Names: Hoofs Heights, The Donkey Path, Animal Farm
Government Type: Tribal federation of centaur tribes, in which other
Police Forces: Various tribal forces enforcing unwritten but commonly understood law.
This town, which borders heavily on one of the Grove areas, is constructed entirely to fit the needs of four-legged inhabitants, and is as such inhabited primarily by centaurs, bauriars, unicorn, and their ilk. It has a certain resemblance to the grove, albeit with less trees, in that it is not all cobblestones and houses. The centaurs founded the district and maintain control over it, though other races therein increasingly demand representation in their government. They don't push too hard, though- they'd rather live here unrepresented than live elsewhere with a vote, and the centaurs aren't particularly oppressive.

Name: The Vault
Other Names: Prison, The Pokey, The Clink, The Hole
Government Type: The Warden. The Warden, an supposedly immortal construct of vast intellect and magical prowess, is the sole governor of the Vault. It rules with a merciless iron fist, and communicates remotely with the city's council instead of going in person as the district's representative.
Police Force: The Guard. The Guard is made up mostly of sentient and mindless constructs, animated by the Warden to police the Vault. They are absolutely loyal to the warden, and follow its edicts without question.
With all of the people in the city, the criminals need to go somewhere. When a suspected criminal is arrested, they're put to trial. If convicted, they are either fined, given some sort of probationary punishment, or sent to serve a certain term in the Vault. There is no death sentence. The vault is a massive extradimensional space constructed by the Academy, staffed by an immortal workforce of constructed. Beings are kept in solitary confinement in sections of the vault based on how much of a potential threat they could be to others.
People serving short sentences for petty crimes are allowed a lot more time out of their cells. People serving life sentences rarely see anything other than the blank face of a construct. Rumours about that sinister acts are performed on lifers, using them for magical and surgical experimentation, among other things. These rumours are unsubstantiated, but whether that's because lifers are in for life or because they're false is unknown.

Renrik
2010-02-25, 01:11 PM
Anarrk and Chambers left out as they were removed, Sphen left out as it has not recieved widespread support, Everdark and Shadowgate merged as decided. Ether's remaining parts named. Port district still needs fleshing if it is being included.

Suggestions:

1. The Collected Colleges should border on the Academy
2. Because there are a north and south commons, I think the canyon and river should run north-south or vise-versa.
3. The Customs and Immigrations officers should also keep watch on other portals to and from the city. However, because they can't keep watch on all them and don't necessarily have the manpower to conduct investigations and raids, quite a few illegal planar immigrants exist in the city. Not having some documentation can prevent you from certain positions, but many of these positions are not available to the majority of immigrants anyway.
4.We need a collection of the ropeball ideas.
5. Are all Goblins oriental-flavored? Or just that one goblin empire?

BRC
2010-02-25, 01:26 PM
Anarrk and Chambers left out as they were removed, Sphen left out as it has not recieved widespread support, Everdark and Shadowgate merged as decided. Ether's remaining parts named. Port district still needs fleshing if it is being included.

Suggestions:

1. The Collected Colleges should border on the Academy

Actually, way back when this was addressed.

The Academy was originally a much more modest institution. When it got too big for it's current facilities, they built a new one, the current Academy. The old Academy was bought by a group of Academy Alumni, and was turned into the Collected Colleges.

Silverscale
2010-02-25, 08:53 PM
Port district still needs fleshing if it is being included.


Ok here we go then.....

Name: The Port District
Other Names: Port-town, The Waterfront, Pirates Cove
Government Type: Guild Masters Collective. While each guild in the area runs itself fairly efficiently, the Guild Masters come together once a month to share information and ideas. The Collective votes every two years on who gets sent to the City Council.
Police Force: Ishka Port Authority

At the far end of the river from The Lake District, where the river joins the ocean, lies The Port District. This great harbor is protected by a string of islands (that may or may not be the site of a wildlife preserve known as Sphen, this particular point is appearently up for debate at this point).

The harbor is the entry point into Ishka for all maritime based trading routes. Just beyond the docks are all manor of warehouses to store goods before they are moved throughout the city, and Guild halls for all manner of different crafts.

One of the most powerful guilds in the district is The Porter's Guild, for they control the flow of goods not only withing the Port District itself but also out into Ishka.

Silverscale
2010-02-25, 09:13 PM
Another thing that's been rattling around in my head but has never been addressed. Given the very high number of people concentrated in the city, Ishka has a much higher than average literacy rate. Even if you don't go into the Academy or one f the Bardic Colleges most Ishkan's would be given enough education to be able to read and write.

My question is how does Ishka take care of educating it's people?

Owrtho
2010-02-25, 09:58 PM
I expect that Ishka doesn't handle it. Most likely unless you go to some school, join a temple, become apprenticed in a profession where reading is required, etc. there isn't anything making you learn. Rather, it just is that literacy is such a vital skill if you want to avoid trouble in Ishka that most people teach themselves, get others to aid them in learning, or are taught by their parents. It isn't done by the city because it doesn't have to be. The people will do it themselves.
However, I also expect that because of this, a number of people can read but not write (at least not more than their name).
I'd also suggest that not all districts use the same language (predominantly). For example, the goblin district that is fairly racist might have almost everything marked in goblinoid to help discourage other races with only the few mandatory things written in common.
Also other race focused districts likely have about as much of their native tongue as common. This would mean that many people would learn to read things in their area, but still have some trouble in other districts. Those with traveling jobs however (such as MI) would likely be able to read most of the predominant languages. There would however likely be enough in common in most districts to have a basic idea of that things are.

Owrtho

BRC
2010-02-25, 11:41 PM
I expect that Ishka doesn't handle it. Most likely unless you go to some school, join a temple, become apprenticed in a profession where reading is required, etc. there isn't anything making you learn. Rather, it just is that literacy is such a vital skill if you want to avoid trouble in Ishka that most people teach themselves, get others to aid them in learning, or are taught by their parents. It isn't done by the city because it doesn't have to be. The people will do it themselves.
However, I also expect that because of this, a number of people can read but not write (at least not more than their name).
I'd also suggest that not all districts use the same language (predominantly). For example, the goblin district that is fairly racist might have almost everything marked in goblinoid to help discourage other races with only the few mandatory things written in common.
Also other race focused districts likely have about as much of their native tongue as common. This would mean that many people would learn to read things in their area, but still have some trouble in other districts. Those with traveling jobs however (such as MI) would likely be able to read most of the predominant languages. There would however likely be enough in common in most districts to have a basic idea of that things are.

Owrtho
The way I imagine it, there is a spoken language, Ishkan, that is used throughout the city. Everybody, from the richest resident of Mithril Heights, to the lowest alliance footpad in the sublevels speaks Ishkan. Now, there are different dialects and accents of Ishkan, but it's understandable by everybody.

The difference is in written languages. When new cultures arrived in Ishka, they brought their language with them. Now, it was highly inconvenient to go around speaking Elvish or Orkish when everybody else was speaking Ishkan (In fact, other languages don't even have words for alot of the things Ishkan's use on a daily basis. Ishkan has an incrediably complex way of giving directions unique to the city's nature), they tended to keep their written languages. As such, there are many, very different, varients of Written Ishkan. The most common one is known as "Standard Ishkan", but many other versions exist, some of them are merely different spellings with a couple odd characters thrown in, some are totally different character sets. The rules of Grammer and Syntax tend to remain common though, seeing as they are all linked to the same spoken language.

Edit: Yeah, I agree there is no public education in Ishka. There are lots of schools though, and some districts do have public education. The Academy itself is really for people dedicated to becoming intellectuals, but it hosts a large number of smaller schools that people go to if they seek education past basic reading writing and arithmetic (And some don't even get that far. Yet even if they can barely write their name, they tend to be very good at counting money). Most of these schools tend to be trade schools (The Streebuilder's School for Engineers. One of the Steamworks is home to CassandraTech University, founded by the Brass Saint herself, there are several merchants schools around).
For most Ishkans if they seek education past the most basic stuff they seek an apprenticeship. There are lots of Counting Houses in the Merchant's District that employ large numbers of people to count and organize merchandise. The pay is decent, and it helps with reading, writing, and math as you count and log merchandise.

jagadaishio
2010-02-26, 03:06 AM
I imagine that there are many basic-level education options available to people, but that education itself isn't mandatory. Most people learn how to read and write in their temple of choice, at "Sunday school" style weekly lessons. Sure, the lessons are always themed based on where they're learning it, but all the basics are there. I think that we also need to take into account certain long-lived races. Elves almost always get around to becoming literate and educated by the time they're adults. The Necropolis is as literate as the Academy just because of how much time the residents have to learn it.

Being illiterate in Ishka would be like someone living in a jungle not knowing which plants are deadly. It just doesn't happen, even if the knowledge is picked up informally.

As for language, I want to venture an entirely different option. Ishkan would have started as a human language spoken by the people living at the base of the canyon. With each new influx of immigrants, be it more humans, elves, or what have you, elements of all of the new languages were added to Ishkan as they integrated. That means that Ishkan is a creole based on Common, but having huge elementals of Elven, Halfling, and even elemental languages mixed in, especially in slang and everyday speech.

Certain races, those bent on not integrating, would have kept their language isolated, meaning that in their neighborhoods their language would be dominant, and Ishkan as a whole wouldn't have elements of it. So, Gobin would have almost everything written in Gobbledegook, the language that the residents speak. The Draconic Heritage Collective would have Draconic as their official language. However, most kobolds would speak Draconic like Catholics speak Latin. Sylvan would be dominant in the Grove districts, where nigh-immortal fey still speak the first-dialect and refuse to walk in the city. Ishkan therefore only bears Sylvan influences second-hand, by means of its elven influences.

So, yeah. Isolationist districts like Gobin and the Grove Districts keep their own languages; everyone else adds theirs to the Ishkan creole. Literacy is high in educated districts, like the Academy, Collected Colleges, and Temple district, as well as in long-lived and rich districts like the Necropolis, Mithral Heights, and the Draconic Heritage Collective. Everywhere else, literacy as at a constant medium, people learning it from church, local schools, over time in trade, and so on. Actual illiteracy, instead of just being a poor but passable reader, would be almost unknown in Ishka.

Silverscale
2010-02-26, 06:07 AM
Ok, another topic we have mentioned but not really done anything with is the geography/world outside of Ishka. I posted a few ideas about a week ago and right now don't have time to go searching for them. Granted the vast majority of any campaign would take place within the city but I still think we should breath some life into the world outside the city, at least the most immediate surroundings.

{EDIT}Took the time to go back and find what I had posted earlier....

As to the world outside Ishka and the continent etc....for some reason I've always envisioned The City to take up most of the south-western area of some vast continent. To the west Ishka is bordered by a mountain range, to the north a battle scared waste-land gives way to forbidding frigid tundra, to the east Galdren eventually gives way to vast plains in the north and a forest to the south east. Beyond the Western Mountains is a coastal nation that sends trade to Ishka mostly through the Port District....
....running out of ideas but this should give us a place to start with the world beyond Ishka.

This isn't much and none of it has been made official yet but it's a place to start.{/EDIT}

{EDIT AGAIN}If all or at least most of the inhabitants of Ishka speak Ishkan, that certainly makes trade within the city a lot easier but what about trade with other nations? Is Ishkan close enough to common that it's not really much of an issue, or do traders coming in from other nations have to learn a little bit of Ishkan for when they come into the city?

BRC
2010-02-26, 11:11 AM
{EDIT AGAIN}If all or at least most of the inhabitants of Ishka speak Ishkan, that certainly makes trade within the city a lot easier but what about trade with other nations? Is Ishkan close enough to common that it's not really much of an issue, or do traders coming in from other nations have to learn a little bit of Ishkan for when they come into the city?
I imagine outside merchants coming to Ishka would learn to speak Ishkan, just like real-world salesmen going to France would learn French.

Owrtho
2010-02-26, 02:52 PM
I find it odd that fey wouldn't enter the city. After all, just because many fey are seen as having ties to nature, not all of them do. Many did other things such as live in homes (as in human homes and have influence on them), cause trickery etc. I expect that while nature type fey wouldn't enter the city much, the others would be if not common, common enough that it isn't seen as a big deal for one to be somewhere.

Owrtho

Zexion
2010-02-26, 04:22 PM
This. Idea. Is. Awesome.

jagadaishio
2010-02-26, 05:06 PM
I find it odd that fey wouldn't enter the city. After all, just because many fey are seen as having ties to nature, not all of them do. Many did other things such as live in homes (as in human homes and have influence on them), cause trickery etc. I expect that while nature type fey wouldn't enter the city much, the others would be if not common, common enough that it isn't seen as a big deal for one to be somewhere.

Owrtho

Fair enough. In fact, Ishka may have its own new class of city-fey. Brownies, cobbler elves, and that sort of thing. That said, I think that the city-fey would have just started speaking Ishkan rather than slowly integrated Sylvan into it. The more ancient, decidedly nature-based fey like nymphs, dryads, and the various nature sprites would find the urbanized parts of Ishka as disconcerting as a brownie would find a forest. For that reason, while the nature-fey wouldn't be unknown in the city, they would be uncommon there, enough so that the Sylvan influences to Ishkan would be second-hand by means of Elven.

On the topic of traders, I imagine that one of two situations would occur. If your average trader is sailing in to Ishka from his home nation, he would probably either learn Ishkan or commission a translator, either once he reaches Ishka or before he even departs. If the Draconic Heritage Collective is receiving an Efreeti business man interested in a lucrative investment project, most of the higher-ups in the kobold investment firm of Redburg and Gold would probably either learn Ingan or would get a magic item that translates for them. So, in simple terms, the plebians have to learn Ishkan if they want to deal in Ishka; anyone with any real power would find Ishka accommodating them instead.

Owrtho
2010-02-26, 05:27 PM
It could also make it rather interesting if you added Ishka into an already existing world for your PCs to enter, to see how they react upon learning that common isn't going to be the only language they need there (or more specificaly, will be all but useless as they may recognize the occasional word, but not most).

Also, anyone have any thoughts on the updated pipe serpents?

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-02-26, 05:47 PM
Fair enough. In fact, Ishka may have its own new class of city-fey. Brownies, cobbler elves, and that sort of thing. That said, I think that the city-fey would have just started speaking Ishkan rather than slowly integrated Sylvan into it. The more ancient, decidedly nature-based fey like nymphs, dryads, and the various nature sprites would find the urbanized parts of Ishka as disconcerting as a brownie would find a forest. For that reason, while the nature-fey wouldn't be unknown in the city, they would be uncommon there, enough so that the Sylvan influences to Ishkan would be second-hand by means of Elven.
I was under the impression that nature-based fey were in the larger areas of the Grove District. Actually I believe there is a large colony of fey living in and around the Millenium Tree.

On the topic of traders, I imagine that one of two situations would occur. If your average trader is sailing in to Ishka from his home nation, he would probably either learn Ishkan or commission a translator, either once he reaches Ishka or before he even departs. If the Draconic Heritage Collective is receiving an Efreeti business man interested in a lucrative investment project, most of the higher-ups in the kobold investment firm of Redburg and Gold would probably either learn Ingan or would get a magic item that translates for them. So, in simple terms, the plebians have to learn Ishkan if they want to deal in Ishka; anyone with any real power would find Ishka accommodating them instead.
That makes sense.

Another thing that just poped into my head that we've never really covered: How big is the river that runs at the base of the canyon? I know it's something like 400 miles long, but how wide is it? How big are the rapids? Basically I'm trying to get an idea of how viable it is as a way to move up and down the canyon?.....If it's not very wide or there are big rapids then it's probably not used as a route of transport very much. If it's fairly wide and slow moving, then it use make sense that Ishkans use it as a way to move about the city.

BRC
2010-02-26, 06:05 PM
Alright, Let's talk Gate Raiders (Unrelated to the current discussion I know)

Randomly Appearing gates are fact of life in Ishka. Usually the local watch just cordons the area off. However, sometimes things come out. Frequently, these things attack, and the Gatekeepers port in Via the nearest gate to stop them. Nobody knows where these raiders come from, or why they attack, but it happens, and there has been alot of discussion on the subject. Generally, these threats fall into either Gate Beasts or Gate Raiders. There are many forms of both, but they have something in common, when killed, they discorporate, preventing any serious study.

Gate Beasts are animals, simple as that. They look bizarre and misshapen. Statistically, any animal or magical beast in the Monster Manual can be re fluffed into a Gate Beast.
Gate Raiders are different, they are humanoid, and they tend to come in one of several forms.
1: Reds
Reds are the most similar to Gate Beasts. Hulking brutes in heavy armor, Reds fight as beserkers, and seem determined to destroy as much as possible. They speak in an incomprehensible language, and tend to seek out the strongest opponent in battle. They'll fight Bystanders and guards until the Gatekeepers arrive, at which point they will turn their attention towards them. Like all Gate Raiders they retreat back to the portal when it begins closing, but they seem most reluctant, waiting until the last possible minute.
Physically Reds are three-eyed, bukly humanoids with rust colored skin. Their Mouths are lined with pointed teeth.
Statistically, Stat Reds as Orcs, Bugbears, and Ogres.
2: Blues
While Reds are Beserkers, Blues fight in tightly organized teams, wearing ornate uniforms and led by clearly marked leaders. he Blues march in tight formation, using shield walls, and spears to great effect. While the Reds seek nothing but destruction, Blues apparently have clear goals. They establish a foothold and send out fast moving scouts. Sometimes they simply return through the portal, sometimes they move towards certain institutions. Blues will only attack Police if absolutely necessary, and they seem to hate Chaos in all it's forms, attacking temples to non-lawful dieties, disorganized crowds, or even badly structured businesses. They seem to have some way of sensing Chaos, and seek to wipe it out or organize it.
The Blues are the only Gate Raiders to appear in Ravenshome, but they never vanish, and do nothing besides establish a foothold, send out scouts, and retreat.
Physically the Blue's are blue skinned humanoids. Their heads are completely devoid of features, yet they still seem to be able to sense and communicate, probably psychically.

Greens
The hooded Greens are some of the most dangerous of the Gate Raiders. They enter in small numbers, but each one is a powerful spellcaster. They usually come with several construct bodyguards. Greens wear dark cloaks, and move by hovering off the ground, they seek out and attempt to secure as many powerful magic items as they can before retreating back to their Portals. Unlike the Blues and Reds, the Greens do not leave people behind to cover their portals, instead, just before the portals close, they tend to teleport back with their ill-gotten gains.

Physically Greens have long, lanky limbs, Four eyes, and thin builds. They speak in a flowing mellifluous language that defies translation by any means. The name comes not from the casters, but from their construct bodyguards, who look like four armed suits of armor filled with a pulsing green light.
Greys
The most insidious of the Gate Raiders, the Greys do not seek to hit and then retreat. Instead, they infiltrate. When the portal opens, a billowing cloud of smoke flows out, and the Greys slip out into the city, staying there for an extended period of time. Greys are capable of disguising themselves, but they cannot speak, so they try to avoid attracting attention. They are almost preternaturally stealthy, and prefer slinking in the shadows in their natural state to adopting disguises. In their natural state they are clad in rags, their skin is featureless, they appear to be made out of billowing smoke compressed into a humanoid shape. They wield long thin daggers and carry pouches of magical explosives. The Greys infiltrate Ishka, and then begin to launch a series of attacks. Unlike other Gate Raiders, the Greys can apparently understand Ishkan, and are somehow able to identify civic leaders, important institutions, and learn about planned events. The goal of the Greys seems to be to dismantle Ishkan society by removing it's leaders and disrupting it's culture. Greys attempt to steal valuable items, assassinate leaders, free dangerous criminals, and destroy buildings. In combat they move very fast, but they are not very durable, and will dissipate into smoke after taking only a few hits, so when confronted they try to get away as quickly as possible.

jagadaishio
2010-02-26, 06:13 PM
I was under the impression that nature-based fey were in the larger areas of the Grove District. Actually I believe there is a large colony of fey living in and around the Millenium Tree.

Exactly. They tend to stick the the Grove Districts, which is far more comfortable to them, rather than going to the urbanized parts of Ishka outside the groves. That isn't to say that don't occasionally leave to do business elsewhere, but a Dryad is not going to be comfortable in an apartment.


Another thing that just poped into my head that we've never really covered: How big is the river that runs at the base of the canyon? I know it's something like 400 miles long, but how wide is it? How big are the rapids? Basically I'm trying to get an idea of how viable it is as a way to move up and down the canyon?.....If it's not very wide or there are big rapids then it's probably not used as a route of transport very much. If it's fairly wide and slow moving, then it use make sense that Ishkans use it as a way to move about the city.

The way I see it, in order to have a canyon like Ishka, we need a river with the width and power of the Nile. That means that the width could be up to five miles across, and deep enough to sail boats up and down it. There were certainly rapids at one point, but at this late date in Ishka's existence, I imagine that those areas were the subject of city-works projects to remove the rocks and curves making the water stability so poor. At this point, you could sail a ship down or a steamship up the river. You will have the lovely scenery of the bottom of tenements above you, the steamworks to your left and right, a few dumps and scrapyards, and an almost pitch-black permanent night. It's like navigating a river that flows underground.

Most people who want to transport goods across Ishka would sooner pay prime fees for use of stations or teleportation circles. The people that actually use the river come in a few flavors. The first are smugglers. People who, for whatever reason, have goods they want to remain so secret that they're willing to brave the dangers lurking in the dark to transport their goods without detection. After all, you can get underneath almost any part of the city by means of the river. They never bother to try to close it down when they're trying to keep people out of places. The second are people so destitute they can't afford the magic. So, in the hopes of getting the money they need, they risk the river. If you find someone who knows the river well enough, you could pay them to smuggle you in to somewhere.

The river has been a target of a beautification project by the Streetbuilders for centuries now. Whenever you travel the river, there's always some stretch that has been cleaned, lighted, and made wonderful. However, they're always putting the project on hold to work on more urgent things, and by the time they get back, the work they originally put in has been defaced, damaged, and generally ruined. As such, this is considered one of those futile projects that the Streetbuilders start and never finish. It is, however, one that they would be willing to outsource to a third party with a good enough plan.

Owrtho
2010-02-26, 06:35 PM
Well, the gate raiders seem interesting. Do they always show up as only a single type, or are there mixed groups? I expect that it might not be so much that blues are the only ones to show up in Ravenshome, but that they're the only ones to last long enough there to be seen.
Also, I suggest that the raiders actually have some method of 'hacking' the gates they come from, rather than it actually leading to their origin, otherwise people would just go in while they were fighting and find they're source. I'd also suggest this only works on wild gates, or else they could use the established ones (though if another random gate opened they could escape through it rather than having to use the one they came from).

As for the river, I'd suggest there are some who like it there, but they'd be more akin to subterranean water dwellers like aboleths, and other things that live in similar places.


Owrtho

jagadaishio
2010-02-26, 07:15 PM
As for the river, I'd suggest there are some who like it there, but they'd be more akin to subterranean water dwellers like aboleths, and other things that live in similar places.


Owrtho

Aboleths were actually what I was picturing when I mentioned the things lurking in the darkness.

Silverscale
2010-02-26, 07:25 PM
If they have gone through the trouble of clearing the rocks and stablizing the river to make it a viable means of transport then I imagine they would make it at least as well lit as the surface of the lake in The Lake District. Yes you're still looking up at the underside of the buildings that fill in the canyon, but at least you can see them well enough to navigate. By the same token I don't think there would be much in the way of interesting lighting like the Light-show that takes place every night on Mere but you can at least see where you're going.

BRC
2010-02-26, 08:05 PM
Well, the gate raiders seem interesting. Do they always show up as only a single type, or are there mixed groups? I expect that it might not be so much that blues are the only ones to show up in Ravenshome, but that they're the only ones to last long enough there to be seen.
Also, I suggest that the raiders actually have some method of 'hacking' the gates they come from, rather than it actually leading to their origin, otherwise people would just go in while they were fighting and find they're source. I'd also suggest this only works on wild gates, or else they could use the established ones (though if another random gate opened they could escape through it rather than having to use the one they came from).
Owrtho
Gate Raiders only come through randomly opened gates. Some people do go through their gates, but they never return. Whether this is because they are captured or killed by forces waiting on the other side, or because something about the gates stops them from returning is unknown.

I imagined Gate Raider groups as showing up independently. Reds might bring a Gate Beast or two with them, Blues and Greens might show up together, supporting each other. Groups of Greys may use other Gate Raiders as cover for infiltrating the city.

The general assumption is that the Gate Raiders come from some other plane, and only appear in Ishka because of the planar instability there. However, a common folk legend is that the City itself produces the Gate Raiders. Each one represents one of the City's strengths, and a method by which it may destroy itself.
The Reds represent Strength and Bravery, something Ishka has alot of. However, it also represents the way the City may get torn apart by internal conflicts. The Reds represent the desire to Prove Oneself.

The Blues represent Leadership and Organization. They also represent that threat that a Tyrant could take control in the city and lead it to destruction. The Blues represent the Desire to Control.
The Greens represent Intellect and Magic. They also represent the fact that the City's endless quest for knowledge and power could destroy it.
The Greens represent the Desire for Power.
The Greys represent Cunning and Guile. They also represent the divisive and untrusting nature of the City, the fact that it may be destroyed by internal factions working against one another behind the scenes.
The Greys represent the Desire to disrupt and destroy.

Owrtho
2010-02-26, 11:02 PM
I could actually see some theorizing that the Gate Raiders are the people vanished by the Ravens trying to get back for revenge.

As for the river being decently lit, I'm not sure. I expect it was cleared up in the early days of the city before there was much covering it. One the city got to the point ti needed lights there, it likely didn't have many people using it. The shores are likely lit, but the middle most likely tends to be fairly poorly lit. It is most likely seen as not worth the time to set up good lights, and likely supposed to be part of the fixing it up thing. So some parts have lights. But they likely end up getting damaged and the like. Possibly in part due to the people who now use the river not wanting it lit.

Owrtho

BRC
2010-02-27, 03:35 AM
I could actually see some theorizing that the Gate Raiders are the people vanished by the Ravens trying to get back for revenge.

As for the river being decently lit, I'm not sure. I expect it was cleared up in the early days of the city before there was much covering it. One the city got to the point ti needed lights there, it likely didn't have many people using it. The shores are likely lit, but the middle most likely tends to be fairly poorly lit. It is most likely seen as not worth the time to set up good lights, and likely supposed to be part of the fixing it up thing. So some parts have lights. But they likely end up getting damaged and the like. Possibly in part due to the people who now use the river not wanting it lit.

Owrtho

Maybe.
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the River was totally filthy, used as a sewer dump by most of the City. Its' right at the bottom of everything after all.
Edit: Hrm, the Raven-Raider theory works.

The Reds have gone mad, and simply want to destroy, to get strong enough to defeat whatever is trapping them there.
The Blues seek to appease the Ravens into letting them return by attacking Chaos anad restoring order.The Greens are trying to amass enough magic to break out, and the Greys, trapped theere by rules, simply want to bring donw as many rules as possible.

Silverscale
2010-02-27, 08:54 AM
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the River was totally filthy, used as a sewer dump by most of the City. Its' right at the bottom of everything after all.

I suppose cleaning up the river and fixing up the lighting could be part of The Garbage Campaign.

BRC
2010-02-27, 02:10 PM
I suppose cleaning up the river and fixing up the lighting could be part of The Garbage Campaign.
Ooh yeah. Some guy believes he's figured out a way to train Oozes to eat Garbage without harming People or boats. The PC's need to secure him lab space and funding.

Silverscale
2010-02-27, 04:19 PM
Ooh yeah. Some guy believes he's figured out a way to train Oozes to eat Garbage without harming People or boats. The PC's need to secure him lab space and funding.

Or someone is trying to work out a way to use "Purify Food and Water" on a large enough scale.

Owrtho
2010-02-27, 05:51 PM
That gives me an idea for another project of the streetbuilders. Can't think of a name at the moment, so I'll just call them the purifiers.

One of the projects the streetbuilders took on was a method to purify the water of the river. To do so they made two pairs of large pillars that sit at the connection of the lake district to the river, and the port district and the river. Both pairs purify any water that passes between them, keeping the two districts free of the filth that befouls the river. For this both districts have guards stationed to avoid damage to them. The purifiers are commonly thought to be one of the few completed projects of the streetbuilders, but in fact they are only barely started. The completed project is supposed to have a pair stationed every few miles along the river, but after finishing the two end ones, the streetbuilders put it on hold for more pressing business and never got back to it.

Owrtho

Renrik
2010-02-28, 01:51 AM
I do think we should put some thought into what lies beyond Ishka and the material plane, if only vaguely. Ishka's a bigger black hole of culture than Manifest (in the Manifest campaign).

Quoth Silverscale:
"...for some reason I've always envisioned The City to take up most of the south-western area of some vast continent. To the west Ishka is bordered by a mountain range, to the north a battle scared waste-land gives way to forbidding frigid tundra, to the east Galdren eventually gives way to vast plains in the north and a forest to the south east. Beyond the Western Mountains is a coastal nation that sends trade to Ishka mostly through the Port District"


I've always imagined Galdren being on both sides of the Canyon, which would include some in these mountains. Now, if Ishka is in a northern clime (which it seems to be by Silverscale's description), then the most likely scenario is that said mountains would create a rain shadow on account of the direction of weather patterns by prevailing winds. That would mean a desert or at least a low-rain area between them and Ishka. Perhaps glaciers high in these mountains feed streams on both side and irrigate the patch that gets less precipitation, or perhaps the rain shadow simply does not occur because the mountains are very old and worn-down. They certainly can't be new, or Ishka would still be having earthquakes from the plated moving that cause said mountains to form. Perhaps it's both.

Why is the plain to the north battle-scarred? Was there some sort of massive war between Ishka and a northern invader? Or perhaps an even older war, before Ishka was founded, that left the land permanently infertile and wasted?

Where does the river that formed the canyon start?

I imagine the wealthy of Ishka would have significant holdings in all other lands and ties to any power structures those lands have.

BRC
2010-02-28, 01:56 AM
So that brings us to Four Completed Streetbuilder Projects (As opposed to maintenance work). The Great Lantern, the Great Fountain, the Purifier (Not technically completed, but it's considered as such), and the Hunting Ground Enclosure.


What are some Unfinished Projects? Great works left forever unfinished, gathering dust and forgotten. Remember that manpower devoted to Projects is generally up to the current Streetbuilder Director, so a Project one Director loved another Director may think is useless, instead going off their own schemes.
Some Projects

The Tiered Farms: Supposedly experts from the Collected Colleges figured out how to build a massive structure that was essentially several Fields stacked on top of each other, greatly increasing agricultural output. The Streetbuilder director at the time was a Galdren Native, and so jumped at the idea. They managed to build half of the second story before a group of Greys took out several major pillars, and the Streetbuilders spent two years rebuilding them and compensating for the increased stress on other pillars.

Silverscale
2010-02-28, 09:10 AM
I've always imagined Galdren being on both sides of the Canyon, which would include some in these mountains.
Fair enough, although most of the mountain range would probably be taken up by Gulliver's Heights.

Now, if Ishka is in a northern clime (which it seems to be by Silverscale's description), then the most likely scenario is that said mountains would create a rain shadow on account of the direction of weather patterns by prevailing winds. That would mean a desert or at least a low-rain area between them and Ishka.
Actually in my description: "...for some reason I've always envisioned The City to take up most of the south-western area of some vast continent."...Ishka would have a more Southern Climate like you might find about 50 miles inland in the southern half of California.

Perhaps glaciers high in these mountains feed streams on both side and irrigate the patch that gets less precipitation, or perhaps the rain shadow simply does not occur because the mountains are very old and worn-down. They certainly can't be new, or Ishka would still be having earthquakes from the plated moving that cause said mountains to form. Perhaps it's both. I'd say the mountains are fairly old and stable otherwise there would have been a major earthquake sometime with in the history of the city and Ishka would have been screwed.

Why is the plain to the north battle-scarred? Was there some sort of massive war between Ishka and a northern invader? Or perhaps an even older war, before Ishka was founded, that left the land permanently infertile and wasted?
Well there was at least one attempted invasion in Ishkan History that was squashed by Ishka's overwhelming numbers but the invaders at least tried to come with enough fire power which means that there was enough devastation to leave it's mark on the land.

Where does the river that formed the canyon start?Doesn't the rive start in the lake of The Lake District?


I imagine the wealthy of Ishka would have significant holdings in all other lands and ties to any power structures those lands have.
Sort of like how America has an Embassy in every country around the world? Even in nations that hate the US.

Silverscale
2010-02-28, 04:10 PM
What are some Unfinished Projects? Great works left forever unfinished, gathering dust and forgotten. Remember that manpower devoted to Projects is generally up to the current Streetbuilder Director, so a Project one Director loved another Director may think is useless, instead going off their own schemes.


Throughout Ishkan history there have been those who thought it would be a good idea to build a massive wall to help fortify the city. Throughout Ishka one can find evidence of these fortification projects, though none were ever actually finished. Some have fallen into ruin and disrepair, others have been maintained either as part of the division between districts, or as the stop points they were conceived as.

jagadaishio
2010-02-28, 05:35 PM
Throughout Ishkan history there have been those who thought it would be a good idea to build a massive wall to help fortify the city. Throughout Ishka one can find evidence of these fortification projects, though none were ever actually finished. Some have fallen into ruin and disrepair, others have been maintained either as part of the division between districts, or as the stop points they were conceived as.

I imagine many of the walls were abandoned when Ishka just spread past them, whether further down the canyon or further out around the edges. Most of these fortifications are now probably in one of three states: foundations of massive buildings, hollowed-out and used as normal structures, or ruins because they weren't completed enough for the first two uses. Hell, if they're trying to create thick enough and tall enough walls, they could even be used as a source of raw materials now when resources run briefly low. Also, this means that aside from having to steer around the struts sticking into the water when navigating the river, you would also have to be careful to slip through the gaps in the ruined walls where the grates rusted through.

50cr4t3s
2010-03-01, 02:33 AM
Ok, here's a clearer picture of how I imagined the Gate Raiders when we were posting back on page 1. I know we've moved well beyond that, but I figure I'll throw my two cents in anyway.

I pictured the Gate Raiders being the most mis-matched band of creatures anyone has ever seen. They carry no identifying marks or banners, and no uniforms to show that they are united. They appear from a gate without warning, and proceed to loot, pillage, rape and kidnap as much as they can, as fast as they can. Even the biology of the creatures is inconsistent. While it is true that some are stronger, some are faster, etc.; no two look anything alike. Some have animal heads, some have multiple limbs, and some don't have a recognizable anatomy at all (basically I thought of them as lovecraftian horrors with the psuedonatural template listed in Complete Arcane). After the Raiders have had their fun, they flee back to the Gate, with just enough time to get there before it closes. Maybe they are called back by something beyond the Gate, maybe they are connected to the Gate itself? These would be the kind of questions the Gatekeepers are dedicated to answering.

Anyway that's how I saw it. I like BRC's suggest for different Archetypes, but I think these would be designations by groups like the Gatekeepers and would not be readily apparent to an onlooker until the Raider has showcased his abilities. I also think that a group that comes through the Gate could be made up of any combination of these archetypes.

jagadaishio
2010-03-01, 04:14 AM
Ok, here's a clearer picture of how I imagined the Gate Raiders when we were posting back on page 1. I know we've moved well beyond that, but I figure I'll throw my two cents in anyway.

I pictured the Gate Raiders being the most mis-matched band of creatures anyone has ever seen. They carry no identifying marks or banners, and no uniforms to show that they are united. They appear from a gate without warning, and proceed to loot, pillage, rape and kidnap as much as they can, as fast as they can. Even the biology of the creatures is inconsistent. While it is true that some are stronger, some are faster, etc.; no two look anything alike. Some have animal heads, some have multiple limbs, and some don't have a recognizable anatomy at all (basically I thought of them as lovecraftian horrors with the psuedonatural template listed in Complete Arcane). After the Raiders have had their fun, they flee back to the Gate, with just enough time to get there before it closes. Maybe they are called back by something beyond the Gate, maybe they are connected to the Gate itself? These would be the kind of questions the Gatekeepers are dedicated to answering.

Anyway that's how I saw it. I like BRC's suggest for different Archetypes, but I think these would be designations by groups like the Gatekeepers and would not be readily apparent to an onlooker until the Raider has showcased his abilities. I also think that a group that comes through the Gate could be made up of any combination of these archetypes.

I actually saw it that way too. I didn't imagine that they would have codified appearances or anything else that really grouped them together. I imagine that some would be big brutes like BRC's reds, some would show signs of organization like the blues, some would have magic like the greens, and some would have stealth like the grays. However, I didn't see them as being clearly anything.

That said, if the consensus is that it would be better for clear divisions of raiders, I'll go with that. I personally prefer 50cr4t3s's idea that there would more likely be Brute, Group, Magic, and Stealth types, which you can only tell through a combination of looking closely as the way their physiology tends to go and the tactics they exhibit. I also agree that there might be combined groups - or even one with multiple archetypes. For example, you might have Stealths sweep in as recon, followed by hordes of the Group type to cause mayhem and establish a foothold, then Magics protected by Brutes coming in to really mess things up before retreating.

There could also be fast, Stealth Brutes that show up in Groups and can use Magic. Truly that would be the more terrifying kind of raid.

So, I suppose in the system that I would present, you would have Brutes, Casters, Soldiers, and Spies. All of these classifications would be those of the gatekeepers, less because the raiders tend to be alike and more as a means of identifying the abilities of specific raiders for on the fly tactics. Brutes are defined as large or larger creatures with great strength and endurance. Most have animal-level intelligence, but this is not universal. Casters are capable of using powerful spells, psionics, and/or spell-like abilities. They would tend towards being intelligent leaders, the ones giving commands. They would be priority targets of Keepers. The Soldiers would be any group of raiders with roughly-similar capabilities that use team work instead of the individualism seen in most raiders. The Spies would be any raider that uses tactics involving stealth and/or assassination. There is no other qualifier for being a Spy.

Like I said, though, it looks like people are liking BRC's idea better, and if that's the case I'll go with his instead.

BRC
2010-03-01, 02:19 PM
I pictured these gate raiders as coming from different places, and each type has their own goals, rather than them all coming from one source, dedicated to destroying the city. If you want them to all come from the same source, that's okay.
I was thinking from a DM's perspective, introducing some uniformity into the gate raiders in order to make them easier to use.

I think we should determine what the Gate Raiders are (Even if nobody in the setting knows). Are they creatures from another plane who broke through due to Ishka's planar instability and seek to conquer and destroy? Are they the stuff of chaos, spewed out at random. Are they a single society, or do they come from a variety of places. Do they have some goal, or do they merely want to destroy Ishka? Do they show up and fight until they are driven back, or do the portals start closing, forcing them to retreat.
Maybe it's like this. The Greens are the leaders of some extraplanar empire. The Blues are a servant-race they created, obedient, logical, and efficient. The Reds are the result of failed experiments, or errors in the process by which Blues are created, so they come in a variety of sizes and shapes, some wield crude weapons, some have claws or smashing hands, they tend to be significantly stronger than Blues (Since the weak ones die off fast), but without the organization or intelligence that guide's the Blue's efforts. They're insane, and while the Greens can cow them into obedience through fear, they are basically uncontrollable, serving only as beserkers and shock troops.

So, while wherever they come from, Blues are far more common, most Blues serve other purposes, while pretty much every Red is sent to fight, so they show up In about equal numbers attacking Ishka.

Greys are not a true race, they are constructs the Greens wove from the stuff of unfinished reality. Half-real shadow thing sent to scout and disrupt the order of Ishkan society, making it all the riper for the takeover.
In this case Reds probably come in a mottled variety of colors, but wherever they are from has red-colored dirt (Like Mars). Greens and Blues keep clean, but Reds don't bother.


In terms of force composition, Usually they will show up individually, or a single Green will be leading a group of Blues or Reds. Or Greys will use an attack by Reds or Blues to infiltrate the city. Occasionally you get a full fledged invasion force. First, a larger than average group of Greys slips into the city. Then, some time later, they strike simultaneously, attempting to cause massive disruption. At this point, a large gate opens up. First, a wave of Reds pours out, tying up defenders and causing chaos. Next, a force of Blues marches out of the portal, forming up and methodically securing the area. Finally, a small group of Greens emerges, guarded by elite Blues or powerful constructs. Some of these Greens take forces of Blues and go after specific objectives. Meanwhile, the Reds are still rampaging about, causing trouble and keeping any defenders busy while the Greens go after their true objectives.

These invasion forces are very rare, and usually the Gatekeepers can predict when they are going to happen by looking for certain patterns in Gate-Raider activity (Groups of Greys trying to infiltrate, but not doing anything. Lots of portals opening in the same area. Blues showing up, capturing a small area, then retreating as if they were merely practicing for later). Even if the Gatekeepers successfully predict when and where it is going to occur, and have sufficient time to prepare, they can still be devastating.

kopout
2010-03-01, 02:30 PM
After the allkin where posted I had a thought that the gate raiders might be from the future. Specifically the far future of Ishka. They open portals to the past to steal from there own ancestors much like the Toclafain from Dr who.

Silverscale
2010-03-01, 04:43 PM
After the allkin where posted I had a thought that the gate raiders might be from the future. Specifically the far future of Ishka. They open portals to the past to steal from there own ancestors much like the Toclafain from Dr who.

Except they do more than just steal. The raiders do as much damage as they can....If they are from Ishka's future they would {not} want to destroy their own past.

I'm with BRC on his view of the Raiders. It makes it easier on the GM's to run them if they are not "You have a 10 creature raiding party, role up 10 different monsters."

Owrtho
2010-03-01, 05:38 PM
Well, I can see benefits to either manner of running them. Though there is one thing I somewhat disagree with. I don't think the gate raiders would actually have control over when or where the portals open up. Thus if they do actually come from another plane, they have to wait for a portal to open up on its own.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-03-01, 07:11 PM
Well unless we're gonna start stating out Reds, Blues, Greens, and Grays, then we could probably leave the question of the Raiders up to the GM. Some might see it as a perfectly good way to throw whatever random crap they just came up with at their players.
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On a completely different note, here's something else that's been bouncing around in my noodle.

Place Of Interest: Fabrige Construct Co.
District: Mythril Heights
Description:
Given the overall wealth of Ishka and the general abundance of Golems and other mechanical beings, not to mention the resources to create them, it was only a matter of time before a group of craftsmen came together with the right combination of talent to create what some consider to be as much art as they are functional Automatons.

Combining the craftsmanship of the Dwarves, The artistry of the Elves, and the ingenuity of the Gnomes, F.C.C., has become the foremost creator of masterfully designed constructs. Their wok is sought after by wealthy citizens looking to show of their money and have the best personal security money can buy.

Once a year, F.C.C. creates an ornately decorated sphere that opens up to reveal a tiny and intricately detailed scene. These spheres are auctioned of at the annual Holiday Ball. Proceeds go the winners charity of choice.

BRC
2010-03-01, 11:27 PM
Well, I can see benefits to either manner of running them. Though there is one thing I somewhat disagree with. I don't think the gate raiders would actually have control over when or where the portals open up. Thus if they do actually come from another plane, they have to wait for a portal to open up on its own.

Owrtho
Even if they can't Control the portals, maybe they have some way of predicting them.

Silverscale
2010-03-03, 04:26 AM
If we're going to go with the Reds, Blues, Greens, and Grays idea then we need to stat some out. Unfortunately I'm not very good at stating out monsters, but I know some of you are.

Silverscale
2010-03-04, 07:33 AM
Since I think it might have gotten lost in the new page shuffle....Here is a Place of Interest I came up with.

Place Of Interest: Fabrige Construct Co.
District: Mythril Heights
Description:
Given the overall wealth of Ishka and the general abundance of Golems and other mechanical beings, not to mention the resources to create them, it was only a matter of time before a group of craftsmen came together with the right combination of talent to create what some consider to be as much art as they are functional Automatons.

Combining the craftsmanship of the Dwarves, The artistry of the Elves, and the ingenuity of the Gnomes, F.C.C., has become the foremost creator of masterfully designed constructs. Their work is sought after by wealthy citizens looking to show of their money and have the best personal security money can buy.

Once a year, F.C.C. creates an ornately decorated sphere that opens up to reveal a tiny and intricately detailed scene. These spheres are auctioned of at the annual Holiday Ball. Proceeds go the winners charity of choice.

Though origionally started by Eberkarn Gorunn, Valdania Lianodel, and Gimble-Nimblefinger-Nackle, F.C.C. has since grown to help keep up with demand although there is still a 1year wait time for orders

Arathnos
2010-03-06, 12:15 PM
I am not sure that creating an Ishkan language feels quite right. I understand the city is a massive mix of cultures and species, but why develop a new language? What would drive he citizens of Ishka towards that option? It makes no sense. If many of the races inhabiting the city know Common, why not deal in common?

Maybe it is just me, but I see Ishkan as more of a regional dialect than a whole new language. In this way, the small time merchant who makes his first trip to the city can get far enough with his standard common to make his deals, though he might feel frustrated when the city merchants throw in the occasional Goblin word or an Orcish curse.

I don't mean to trash any ideas, I just don't understand why anyone would develop a new language when many of the residents already share a common language, that is shared across the world. It could also be possible that this is what was already envisioned for Ishkan, I don't know. I just wanted to throw that out there

BRC
2010-03-06, 12:52 PM
I am not sure that creating an Ishkan language feels quite right. I understand the city is a massive mix of cultures and species, but why develop a new language? What would drive he citizens of Ishka towards that option? It makes no sense. If many of the races inhabiting the city know Common, why not deal in common?

Maybe it is just me, but I see Ishkan as more of a regional dialect than a whole new language. In this way, the small time merchant who makes his first trip to the city can get far enough with his standard common to make his deals, though he might feel frustrated when the city merchants throw in the occasional Goblin word or an Orcish curse.

I don't mean to trash any ideas, I just don't understand why anyone would develop a new language when many of the residents already share a common language, that is shared across the world. It could also be possible that this is what was already envisioned for Ishkan, I don't know. I just wanted to throw that out there
Races don't have languages. Cultures have languages. Human's arn't born speaking Common, they learn it.
The subjects of the Roman empire spoke Latin, but we still have French, Spanish, and Italian (One night Latin woke up in bed next to Germanic and Celtic, and that's where we got English).

Ishka is an insular community with need of very different vocabulary than the outside world. It's been around long enough that an independent language developed on it's own.

Arathnos
2010-03-06, 06:32 PM
Fair enough, though it still seems like it would be very "common-centric", allowing anyone who spoke common to understand enough to communicate ideas, if not eloquently. However, it strikes me that this particular option is very easily left up to DM discretion, moreso than normal, so I am in fact, arguing a moot point. :smalltongue:

EDIT: PoI
Place Of Interest: The House of Conclave
District: Primordium
Description: The House of Conclave represents the earliest attempts at a ruling body for Ishka. Built just before the original village became the Primordium, it has been expanded upon and remodeled countless times over the city's long history.

The seat of the government, the House of Conclave is where the Council convenes. It is a sprawling complex, built around a massive circular chamber at the center. The Council holds session in this chamber, while the rest of the complex houses various embassies and bureaucratic offices.

Although the House of Conclave is propagated as a safe and friendly place for all in Ishka to let their voice be heard, one cannot help but see that it is noticeably harder for minorities to obtain an audience in the Great Hall.

Silverscale
2010-03-07, 10:24 AM
Fair enough, though it still seems like it would be very "common-centric", allowing anyone who spoke common to understand enough to communicate ideas, if not eloquently.
Ishkan would be as "common-centric" as French and Spanish are Latin-centric


EDIT: PoI
Place Of Interest: The House of Conclave
District: Primordium
Description: The House of Conclave represents the earliest attempts at a ruling body for Ishka. Built just before the original village became the Primordium, it has been expanded upon and remodeled countless times over the city's long history.

The seat of the government, the House of Conclave is where the Council convenes. It is a sprawling complex, built around a massive circular chamber at the center. The Council holds session in this chamber, while the rest of the complex houses various embassies and bureaucratic offices.

Although the House of Conclave is propagated as a safe and friendly place for all in Ishka to let their voice be heard, one cannot help but see that it is noticeably harder for minorities to obtain an audience in the Great Hall.

Cool.....what do you think of my PoI?

Owrtho
2010-03-07, 03:51 PM
Ishkan would be as "common-centric" as French and Spanish are Latin-centric
Actually, given the way they are, a closer comparison would likely be English and Germain. They both have the same roots, but have changed over time to be fairly different.

But then, common vs Ishkan is not likely to be an issue often as you could run an entire campaign never leaving the city and still have not been everywhere.

Owrtho

BRC
2010-03-07, 04:30 PM
Actually, given the way they are, a closer comparison would likely be English and Germain. They both have the same roots, but have changed over time to be fairly different.

But then, common vs Ishkan is not likely to be an issue often as you could run an entire campaign never leaving the city and still have not been everywhere.

Owrtho
I imagine a common-speaker hearing Ishkan would hear alot of things that SOUND like common, but are, to their ears, gibberish.


Not to mention that Ishkan's have probably developed a whole new vocabulary unique to the city. Ishkan's have a whole set of grammatical rules for giving directions that is almost incomprehensible to outsiders.
For example, somebody asking an Ishkan "Excuse me, how do I get to the nearest Station" might recieve something like the following answer:
"Oh, that's simple. Go four blocks up, then three upleft, go two top and then head down until you see a SaintPill. Four blocks Downright, go bottom three and your there."

Now, to understand this, you need to know a couple things. Up and Down in the city don't refer to layers, but direction. Up and Down refer to Upriver and Downriver, Top and Bottom refer to going up or down layers. Directions perpendicular to the River are reffered to as "Upleft" "Downleft" "Upright""Downright", or "If you are facing Upriver, it will be on your left". You can't really see the sun, so "East" and "West" are fairly useless terms unless you have a compass on you, but Ishkans tend to have a good instinctive sense of which way the river is flowing (it just develops from growing up. It's not magical in any way, it's just instinct that develops). If they leave familiar territory, they may lose that instinct, but it's easy to ask locals which way the river is flowing.

So, to translate the directions above,
Go four blocks Upriver, turn left and go three blocks. Go Up two layers, and start walking downriver until you reach one of the big pillars designed by the First Builder (Hence the term "Saintpill", Saint's Pillar). If you're still facing Downstream (Which you should be), you turn right, and go four blocks. Then go down three layers and you're at the Station.

For this reason, most outsiders visiting Ishka for an extended period of time simply hire a guide (They tend to be very cheap, since really, all you need is somebody capable of asking for and understanding directions).

Asking for directions in Ishka is not considered rude or a sign of stupidity, Longtime residents do it when visiting unfamiliar areas. It's a standard social exchange, especially if you are asking directions to a local landmark, the equivalent of asking what time it is in modern society. Ghosts are especially useful in this regard, as they often have little to do besides hang around and value any interaction, even if it's just telling somebody how to find the nearest bar. Growing up in Ishka, people become very very good at giving and remembering directions, as such, these exchanges occur almost automatically, an inevitable part of living in such a chaotically planned city. NOT asking for directions in an unfamiliar area is considered the height of foolishness, and refusing to give them (Exempting extreme circumstances) is considered incredibly rude. Humans First members may hate the Allkin with every fiber of their being, but if they were approached by one on the street, and were asked how to get to Mackordite Stree, they would probably respond without thinking, and then, a minute later, have forgotten the conversation ever occurred.

In-game, DM's rarely have to address this issue. It can be assumed that the PC's ask for directions when moving through unfamiliar territory. Familiar areas mean they move faster, because they don't need to ask as frequently.

jagadaishio
2010-03-07, 07:30 PM
Not to mention that Ishkan's have probably developed a whole new vocabulary unique to the city. Ishkan's have a whole set of grammatical rules for giving directions that is almost incomprehensible to outsiders.

For example, somebody asking an Ishkan "Excuse me, how do I get to the nearest Station" might recieve something like the following answer:
"Oh, that's simple. Go four blocks up, then three upleft, go two top and then head down until you see a SaintPill. Four blocks Downright, go bottom three and your there."

And that's only for places that are laid out like the city normally is. Instructions get a whole new level of complex in places like Hedon or Mithral Heights, the former because it's built like a spiral and the latter because stairs and teleportation platforms must be taken in exactly the right order to get to where you want to go. Non-native speakers of Ishkan are never recommended to go to the Grove districts without a guide because their system of direction-giving necessitates the use of branches instead of discrete layers.

I wonder how many people would discover one or more Alliance portals by mistake, and whether they would consider it a boon or would avoid them at all costs. On the one hand, it could make navigating even easier and quicker between the two areas where the portals are. On the other hand, they run the risk of being mistaken for an Alliance crook or, worse, being in the same place at the same time as one and being "disappeared" for using their property without asking or paying.

BRC
2010-03-07, 07:52 PM
Hedon, being a big spiral, is actually reletivly simple for Directions. Adresses are a Level, followed by a Degree (The top of the walkway is considered Degree 0), it's an odd system, but it's relatively simple. Mithril Heights on the other hand, is rather complex. All teleportation platforms are numbered within a floor (as in, if there are 3 platforms on a floor, they are numbered 1, 2, and 3), and people there tend to be busy, as such, Directions are given in a quick staccato, like this:
"Up twice, 4, 3, 6, 1, down, 2 , up , 3, 7, 10, 4, down, 3 ,2 ,4, 1, 5 and left down the hall".
Up/Down mean "find some stairs and go up or down one level", a number means "Use the teleportation platform on the floor you should be on if you followed my instructions that has this number".
The Groves are a total tangle, directions tend to end with "...and then you should be in the right general area, so wander around abit and you'll find it".
The Alliance probably tries to hide it's portals very well, and so they generally won't put them places where people might stumble upon them. People that DO Stumble upon an alliance hole will probably try to forget about it. Knowing a shortcut won't help you out of you're dead. They might remember where it is and use it for emergencies, but they'd generally stay away.

Owrtho
2010-03-08, 06:14 PM
Also there are places like shadowgate, where there is travel between two planes. There instructions would also need to encompass if you should be in the plane of shadows or material plane at any given point. I expect that such things would be shortened to shade and mat for go to the plane of shadows and go to the material plane respectively.

Owrtho

Silverscale
2010-03-08, 08:43 PM
The Groves are a total tangle, directions tend to end with "...and then you should be in the right general area, so wander around abit and you'll find it".

Actually I think the more public areas of The Grove District would be reasonably well marked, but yes most directions would end in "....and then you should be in the right area"

Going anywhere in the Groves not considered "public" would probably require, not just a guide but, an escort by one of the Rangers.

Arathnos
2010-03-08, 10:28 PM
Actually I think the more public areas of The Grove District would be reasonably well marked, but yes most directions would end in "....and then you should be in the right area"

Going anywhere in the Groves not considered "public" would probably require, not just a guide but, an escort by one of the Rangers. And on that note, anyone who was traveling to an area not considered public would be crazy not to have the escort. Some of the beings that call these areas home are less than happy when intruders come bumbling around inside their domain.

Also, love your place of interest. I can imagine heroes who do particularly spectacular deeds for the city might have something commissioned from the Fabrige Construct Co. in their honor. More than gold or power, it is a symbol of status to own one of these incredible creations.

Silverscale
2010-03-09, 12:01 PM
Just a thought that occured to me; Imagine trying to get from the docks of the Port District, to a bar in Mere.....

First you'd have to get directions to the nearest Local Station, from there you need to make your way to the Port District Central Hub, then to the Lake District Central Hub, then the Local Station closest to the bar, and finally directions from the statioin to the bar.

How long would such a trip take? I imagine it could take, at the very least, all afternoon

Renrik
2010-03-09, 12:36 PM
That's why each district has its own bars and whatnot. You only need to go to another district for specific things. Going to a different district is not a daily occurrence for the vast majority of people.

Also, there are people who can just teleport independently. Let's not forget this.

Silverscale
2010-03-09, 12:55 PM
That's why each district has its own bars and whatnot. You only need to go to another district for specific things. Going to a different district is not a daily occurrence for the vast majority of people.

The point is to try and figure out how long such a trip would take....weither it's to a bar (suppose they want to go that particular establishment) or to a particular event, or maybe they just want to spend the night watching the light-show above Mere. You're absolutely right, traveling between districts is not a daily occurence unless you're an M.I. agent, but it does happen all the time.

BRC
2010-03-09, 02:28 PM
The point is to try and figure out how long such a trip would take....weither it's to a bar (suppose they want to go that particular establishment) or to a particular event, or maybe they just want to spend the night watching the light-show above Mere. You're absolutely right, traveling between districts is not a daily occurence unless you're an M.I. agent, but it does happen all the time.
Not true, well, partially true.

People who work in the Steamworks or Market district tend to live in the Commons, they take the Stations to get there (Hence the Shiftward and Homeward rotations) and back.

The way I see it, most everything a person needs is either within their own district, or a station's ride away. Work tends to be either local, or in the Docks, Market, or Steamworks, all of which are reachable by Station. Daily goods can be purchased at local merchants, specialty stuff you have to go to the Market, Magic, or Entertainment districts for, but those are infrequent trips, not a part of daily life.

So yes, it's quite a trip if somebody living in, say, the Commons wants to go to a specific place in the Draconic Heritage Collective, primarily because their unfamiliar with the route. Civic employees like Streetbuilders, MI's, Gatekeepers, or Firefighters are used to moving through unfamiliar areas, and social decorum has crowds part for them (Except for MI's, who are usually plainclothed. Even Hobgoblin nobles in Gobin move out of the way when they see Firefighters or Gatekeepers coming. Streetbuilders less so, but they're jobs arn't as time-sensitive.)
Let's write up a list of general social customs in Ishka.

When asked, you give directions to the best of your ability. When lost, you ask for directions rather than wandering around aimlessly.

Though this is not official nor is it universal, as a general rule Right-of-way occurs in the following order.
1) Firefighters on their way to a fire.
2) Gatekeepers on their way to fight Gate Raiders.
3) Police/MI's in pursuit.
4) People carrying heavy things/obviously in a hurry.
5) Streetbuilders on their way to a job.
6) Carts or other vehicles.
7) Off-duty Firefighters or gatekeepers.
8) Obviously wealthy or dangerous citizens.
9) Police on patrol.
10) ordinary citizens.


It is considered bad form to allow the following to pay for drinks (Though Bartenders do cut them off when they've had enough)
off-duty Gatekeepers (Bartenders ask them when they go on-shift, if the answer is within the next few hours, no drinks.)
off-duty Firefighters (Bartenders ask them when they go on-shift, if the answer is within the next few hours, no drinks.)
Streetbuilders on Builder's day.(There are only two days when no Streetbuilders work, Builder's day, and the day immediately afterward. The first because nobody will charge Streetbuilder's for drinks on Builder's day, and the second for exactly the same reason).
High Ranking alliance members.
Police/MI's (After the closing of a particularly famous case).

When in a Station, one
Spends as little time as possible in line (Even if you're stop isn't coming up for some time).
Gets out of the way for people heading to the exit.
Does not ask "When is the next station shift".
Offers benches to elderly/injured people.
Leaves any newspapers/magazines/books they find in the station for others to read (If the Newspaper or Magazine is very old, they may take it and dispose of it).

When shopping a...
Customer
Always lets the merchant make the first offer before haggling down.
Pays quickly.
Never outright accuses the merchant of Lying (though they may argue them down).
Never Shoplifts from poor merchants (Saint Kenrick protects the poor, and Fleet Footed Jack, normally the protector of thieves, will not help those that steal from people who can't afford it. Shoplifting from wealthy merchants is a time-honored city tradition though).
Never interrupts a sale in progress to ask a question.
Merchant
Only tells outrageous and obvious lies (Claiming a used cart is is new is right out. Claiming it was used by a little old lady who only took it to the shops once a week is just fine).
Always speaks whichever dialect they know that the customer is most comfortable with.
States all flaws and features of the merchandise (Including the aforementioned outrageous lies).

If you catch a pickpocket, you get your property back and let them go with a scolding or a light hit. Pickpockets are the chosen children of Fleet Footed Jack. It's bad luck to hurt one. That said, a pickpocket caught in the act always hands back the property without argument.

Career Criminals in Ishka are a superstitious lot, here are some of the general superstitions they follow, especially alliance members:
Never say the word "Raven" it's said the Ravens can see anywhere the word is said. If you must refer to them, say "Blackbird" instead. Superstition states that anybody who says Raven get's caught within a month.
Never kill or harm a Gatekeeper, Firefighter, or Streetbuilder. They are all protected by one or more Saints. Those that kill Streetbuilders die when a roof collapses on them. Those that kill firefighters burn to death. Those that kill Gatekeepers are themselves killed by Gate Raiders (Or heavily armed groups of Gatekeepers).
Killing Police or MI's is looked down upon, but not for supernatural reasons. The Stone Raven, generally considered the patron saint of Law Enforcement, is impartial, and does not consider a murder of law enforcement any worse than any other murder. However, Cop Killers are hated all over the city, if word gets out that you killed an MI or police officer, the normal inter-district rivalries or bureaucratic red tape that would protect you goes away. If you're very lucky on-duty MI's will find you. If you're unlucky it will be off-duty friends of whomever your killed. If you're very unlucky, the alliance will get annoyed by the increased police presence that's trying to hunt you down and decided to hand you over to MI, and then hand the rest of you over the next day.

If caught, you don't sell out your buddies. If you MUST give the authorities something, you never tell them enough to incriminate your entire group. You sell out one guy to save the others.

The Stone Raven hates criminals, Saint Kenrick is the protector of the weak and oppressed, and Fleet Footed Jack offers no protection to those who harm those unable to protect themselves. Stealing from, hurting, or killing the poor is prohibited. It's said that if you kill a beggar, Kenrick will have a pack of ghouls eat you.


MI follows rules that district policemen don't always follow. For this reason, it's okay to rough up or bribe district police who give you trouble (Depending on the district, Thought you don't kill them, for reasons mentioned above). However, you respect that MI won't drag you into a dark room and beat confessions out of you, so you don't do anything besides threats. This only counts when trying to influence them, if you're resisting arrests, or if they start breaking rules, they're fair game.

Keep it professional. If you want to influence somebody, you can threaten them or their property, but family is right out.

50cr4t3s
2010-03-09, 11:07 PM
I'd imagine particular areas of the city would have their own odd customs as well. Imagine if you would a day in Ravenshome, you have no idea if any new laws have been added, and indeed what they are if they have been added. As such, they would have a very strict set of etiquette in order to prevent any violation.

Example-
When you meet someone on the street with the intention of greeting them, you will look them in the eye for exactly 3 seconds (enough to acknowledge, but not enough to be considered staring), then lean your head down exactly 30 degrees (more then a slight nod, but not enough to be called a bow), and then meet eyes again for another 3 seconds. You may at this point shake hands, but not with to hard a grip, and not for more than 5 seconds. Etc., etc.

I imagine most districts don't have rules like this, but I do imagine that most districts would have some odd and unique customs.

BRC
2010-03-10, 01:42 AM
I imagine most districts don't have rules like this, but I do imagine that most districts would have some odd and unique customs.
Of course.

What I described above was more some general customs present more or less anywhere in Ishka, and some of them are less universal than others.