943 lines
47 KiB
Plaintext
943 lines
47 KiB
Plaintext
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1. Overview
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--------
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Built into a large crater in the side of one of the Eastern
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Mountains. The crater is the bowl of an ancient dormant volcano,
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which the Gnomes use as an infinite source of Geothermal power, and
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as a natural heating source. They also use it as a resource,
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occasionally tapping into a magma flow for this reason or the other.
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The Engineer's Guild is tasked with the sometimes interesting task
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of ensuring that the volcano stays dormant - and that if it doesn't,
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then that the city has no less than one week's advance notice to
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evacuate or help out.
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2. People
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------
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The population of Breech is, for the most part - quite obviously -
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Gnomes. Every Gnome here, with few exceptions, is part of one of the
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ruling Clans that founded the city 75 years ago. Many gnomes that live
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here are old enough to remember escaping from the Alliance; 30% of any
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gnomes encountered will be more than 300 years old, and will remember
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escape from the Alliance. 15% will have been of adult age at the time,
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and will remember actively fighting the alliance during their escape.
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(Most of these people are currently working for the Gnomish Military,
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but a few are in the Engineer's Guild or the Arcanists Guild). For this
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reason the people of Breech take the idea of "Country", "People", etc,
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far more seriously than the human kingdom to the west. Most of the gnomes
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in the city view humans as (for the most part) well intentioned, but
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having excessively short life and memory spans, often leading them to make
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horrible choices - possibly even repeating the past. Gnomes will generally
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hold their tongues around humans, however, preferring to simply ignore them
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and hope that they go away (and "don't touch anything").
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The few humans who have taken up residence in Breech are generally
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either political refugees from the Western Kingdom, farmers who were driven
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out of their holdings in the Free Frontier by advancing Alliance armies, or
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intelligent humans coming to study with the various guilds in Breech. Few
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humano-centric adventuring guilds exist here, and human thieves are generally
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viewed as "western barbarians" by the more sophisticated Gnomish thieves in
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Breech. Still, humans are welcome; gnomes aren't as aloof as the elves. Most
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humans coming here have brains, as there isn't much use for brawn here. So
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humans coming into breech will have little trouble.
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Elves coming into Breech are viewed with some amount of suspicion. The
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Gnomes have never agreed with the elitist view that the Elves take of
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themselves, or the elitism related to their elven arcane arts. The few elves
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in Breech are generally members of the Arcanist Guild, and are serving at
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the Academy of the Arcane Arts. Elves, however, generally don't stay long in
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Breech; it's simply not their kind of place.
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Breech has a strict ban on any residence by any monstrous humanoids;
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this includes Goblins, Kobolds, Orcs and Half Orcs. While the gnomish clan
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leaders despise the elitist attitudes of the Elves, they also distrust the
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collectivist immigration policy of the Western Kingdom, where anybody who
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"accepts the Lord" can immigrate from the frontier. If a monstrous humanoid
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approaches a Gnomish Holding Border outpost, as long as he's peaceful,
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there'll be no trouble; but he'll certainly be turned away, with instructions
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to head south, and look for the nearest church, at which he may seek some sort
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of western kingdom citizenship. If he is hostile, monstrous humanoids in and
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around breech are dealt with decisively. "We were enslaved for millennia; we
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won't have it any more. And if that means I have to blow your brains, out,
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well..."
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While certainly not common, Dwarves do live in Breech. The activities and
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technology of the gnomes are of great interest to the dwarves of Stonehold,
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and unbeknownst to those not reading over my shoulder, there are tunnels
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connecting the two cities. The tunnels have existed as long as Stonehold,
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and are old Underdark passageways. Dwarves patrol them along with Gnomish
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Recon agents, and Dwarves will often settle in Breech as a result. Many of
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the dwarves in Breech are representatives of Stonehold, or prominent Dwarvish
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merchants purchasing materials and technology from the Gnomes. (It is also
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not uncommon - again, unbeknownst to those not reading over my shoulder -
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for gnomes to settle in Stonehold, under a strict gag order about that fact.)
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For the most part, the people of Breech are, by and large, quite happy
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and peaceful. But as with any gathering of peoples, there are bad elements,
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criminal elements. Those residents of Breech fill the ranks on both sides,
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as well as those caught in the middle. But all said and done, the people
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of Breech are far more united and peaceful than those of the rest of the
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Western Kingdom (except for the elves, who nobody knows what the *!@#&
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they're doing).
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3. Notable Persons
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------------------
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4. Notable Locations
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--------------------
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4.1 [Gnomish] Academy of the Arcane Arts [at Breech]
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----------------------------------------------------
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A great octagonal tower complex rising out of the center of
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Breech, soaring to a height of almost 900 feet at its apex. The
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single publically advertised and attendable arcane school in the
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entirety of the Western Kingdoms (if the elves have such
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academies, they - in their elitism - are not advertising).
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It is also the headquarters of the Arcanist's Guild, and the
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school is currently ran by the heads of that Guild.
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4.1.1 Admission
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---------------
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Admission is allowed twice per year, during the
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Spring and Fall equinoxes. The admission is done by test;
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specifically, anyone with an intelligence of less than 12
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is denied entry, period. They will be tested out on a
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standardized test. After that, candidates are put through a
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battery of physical tests to see if their bodies will
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endure the rigors and dangers of magical training; the
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specifics of this test are up to the DM, but they
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generally follow the same pattern - subjecting the
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candidate to severe elemental stresses, endurance tests,
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etc. (Nobody can complete a 24 hour chant if they can't
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stand on watch for 8 hours and function normally the next
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day.) After that, they are subjected to a series of mental
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tests; a series of illusions and terrors meant to test
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their resolve. Any failed test will instantly disqualify a
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candidate, and not even the hand of an Arcanist Senior
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member can save his candidacy. Once the candidate has
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passed entry exams, they are allowed entry into the
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academy. Academy students, for their first four years, are
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required to live on the Academy grounds with their
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Arcanist mentor. They are nearly severed from contact with
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the outside world, steeped in study and practice,
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meditation and reflection. If they successfuly maintain
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their studies for the first four years, then they will have
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attained 1st level magic user, and will have placed 3d3 1st
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level spells into their spellbook. After the four years
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have passed, they are allowed limited contact with the
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outside world, but still must live on-site with their
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Arcanist mentor. In another 8 years, they will achieve 2nd
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level of mastery, and may begin going on expeditions with
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their Arcanist mentor or other Arcanists. Once they have
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achieved their 3rd level of mastery, they are free - if
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they wish - to acquire their own quarters and move out of
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their Mentor's quarters. They will, however, maintain
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the same mentor, regardless of their location. At the 3rd
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level, the student will be assigned a student of their own
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to mentor - whether they still live with their mentor or
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not (naturally, the student's mentor at this time will
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either inform his student that he needs to get his own
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quarters, or the mentor will leave on field studies).
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Admission to the academy and continued study there is
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dependent upon a fee paid yearly, adjusted for the level of
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study of the student. The fee is equal to 25 sp to the Nth
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power, per year, where N is the level of mastery that the
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student is studying. So, for 1st level, the fee is 62 gp;
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but 4th level will cost 39,062 gp. That fee is *per year*.
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Further, the student must maintain an active membership in
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the Arcanist's Guild, which carries its own costs on top of
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that. If the student is unable to pay the fees, then the
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student may request that their mentor - or another Guild
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member - sponsor them. When this happens, the sponsor will
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agree to take on the student's debt, in exchange for the
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services of the student, and forfeiture of any pay for said
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services, outside of that to satisfy basic needs, until
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such debt is repaid. If the student cannot attain
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sponsorship from any of his peers or guild members, he may
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make an appeal to the school board, consisting of the 8
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school heads; if they agree with his hardship, they can
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form an agreement similar to that formed between mentor and
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student - but with the school as the benefactor. The
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various banks in Breech also offer loan programs for the
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students of the Academy, but given the nature of a bank-
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being more interested in finance than the furtherance of
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the science -the student's Mentor must submit the
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application to the school council, and it must be approved
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by the council, and the student's mentor, rather than the
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student itself. The bank's terms are often even worse than
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those of a mentor or the school, making this option the
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least interesting of all.
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4.1.2 Levels and Advancement
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----------------------------
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If a student relies only on book study, then it will
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take 4 years (per level) to attain first level, 8 for 2nd,
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16 for 3rd, 32 for 4th, 64 for 5th, 128 for 6th, 256 for
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7th, 512 for 8th, and 1024 for 9th. So, to attain the 9th
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level of mastery through nothing but book study, the
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student would have to study for 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64 + 128
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+ 256 + 512 + 1024 = 2048 YEARS. This means that nobody
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will ever attain the true understanding of magic necessary
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to use 9th level spells just from books and study at the
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Academy. Generally, once someone reaches the 4th level of
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mastery, if they aren't going on expeditions already, they
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will. The question of "how much XP is a year at the academy
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worth?" will often come up. Specifically, here is the
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chart:
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Level of Years XP Per Year Magic-User
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Mastery Sought To Mastery of Study Level
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----------------------------------------------------------
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1st 4 625 2
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2nd 8 937 4
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3rd 16 1875 6
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4th 32 1562 8
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5th 64 2500 10
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6th 128 6835 13
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7th 256 4394 16
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8th 512 1464 18
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9th 1024 732 20
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For every year spent at the academy, in pursuance
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of a given level of mastery, the student will be taught
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- in theory and practice - a number of spells of a given
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level which they can scribe into their spellbook, as shown
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in the table below:
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Spells Per Year
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Level of By Level
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Mastery 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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---------------------------------------------
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1 5 - - - - - - - -
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2 1 3 - - - - - - -
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3 - 1 1.5 - - - - - -
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4 - - - .75 - - - - -
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5 - - - - .33 - - - -
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6 - - - - - .20 - - -
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7 - - - - - - .05 - -
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8 - - - - - - - .03 -
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9 - - - - - - - - .01
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Fractional spells per year represent that
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it will take more than one year to learn a given spell of
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that school just by book learning; for example, when
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pursuing the 5th level of mastery, each spell takes
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(1/.33 = 3.3r) 3 years to master. At the 9th level
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of mastery, it takes 100 years to master the magical
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energies required to cast the Wish spell, for example.
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This is another reason why most people disembark for
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field studies once they reach the 3rd level of mastery,
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because they can acquire spells far more quickly.
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HOWEVER, note that in order to gain the spells for a given
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year of study, the student must be present *for the entire
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year of study*. So the student does not get automatic
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spells from the academy while out on field studies.
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4.2 Breech Master Pentagonal Library
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------------------------------------
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The single most complete library in the Kingdom. Gnomes
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are known for their love of writing down whatever comes to mind,
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and the Breech Master Pentagonal Library is the single largest
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showcase of that. The library is built - if viewed from above -
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to resemble a sort of pentagram, with five "spokes" coming out
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from a central "hub". Each of the spokes houses a wing, which
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will cover a specific topic (or group of related topics). The
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wings are (at current - they may be rearranged, but have not
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been yet):
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North Wing: Agricultural and Economic texts
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East Wing: Engineering, General Mathematics
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Southeast Wing: Arcana, Arcane Mathematics
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Southwest Wing: History and Public Records
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West Wing: Fiction, Art, etc
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Any texts which do not fall under those topics can be
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found in the central "hub" of the library. The building itself
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is a full 9 stories tall, standing almost 100 feet. Gnomish
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elevators and simple staircases allow for travel between floors.
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Most of the books can not be checked out due to their rare
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nature, but there are few restrictions on what can be viewed and
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copied.
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4.3 Council Home
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----------------
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The Council Home is the location of the Gnomish Clan
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Council, and is where they hold court. The Gnomish Clan Council
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holds court once per month, lasting 14 days, with each session
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per day lasting 9 hours (sometimes more if circumstances permit).
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The council then takes two weeks off to "be amongst the people,
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and understand their affairs far better than we possibly could,
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cloistered in the lavishly decorated comfort of the Council
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Home." (It is, in fact, a requirement that the Gnomish Clan
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Council members - each one the head of a prominent Gnomish Clan -
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hold some sort of employment outside of their council duties.)
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The building is made of white marble, and is in the
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Athenian style - an open building surrounded by columns,
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onto which the original Clan Law, to include the Knight's Old
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Code handed down by the Council of Nine, is magically carved so
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that it may never be eroded and forgotten. At night it glows
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with a faint white light, and those who cannot see need but
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touch one of the pillars, and they will hear the law spoken
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in their mind. Law and lawlessness are central issues to the
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Gnomish people, as they believe that only by strict adherence to
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the law - with the occasional slip by a well meaning engineer's
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device - can the society remain free of corruption and tyrrany.
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The Council Home is carved with various Gnomish art and sayings,
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but the most prominent is carved above the main entrance. With
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a sword and a scales flanking the phrase, carved in the stone
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(again magically to prevent erosion), it says:
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"AS ABOVE - SO BELOW"
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... A reference to how the law must apply equally to
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all people in Breech, whether they are a Clan leader or a
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beggar in the street. Walking through the main doors
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of the Council Home, you are instantly placed in the
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Auditorium. Stairs lead down into an open pit in the floor,
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built as an Amphiteatre, where speakers present their cases
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to the court. The Council sits behind the amphitheater floor,
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in a semi-closed box, facing the pit and the rest of the
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seats on the other side.
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The people of Breech, by and large, detest the idea of
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secrets - secret societies, secret meetings, secret
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organizations. For that reason, all meetings of the Council
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are held open to the scrutiny of the public eye and the Breech
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press. In fact, one of the reasons why the clan leaders
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declared their independence from the Braddock line 75 years ago
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was the increasing talk of secret meetings and societies in the
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ranks.
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4.4 Advanced Agricultural Growth Advancement Domes
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--------------------------------------------------
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In the AAGDA (pronounced simply "Ag-da" by those who
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speak of them frequently), the Agriculturalist's Guild
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attempts to develop methods by which:
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- crops that grow well only in the foothills may
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be made to grow in the mountains for additional
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security of the crops
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- any crop can be made to grow faster, and produce
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more yield per square acre of planting
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The domes stretch over an area of about 20 acres at
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current, with 10 separate aquaducts feeding only this site.
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At any given time there will be from 10 to 100 different
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experiments taking place here, with an unknown probability of
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success. Most players won't go here often.
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|
||
|
|
4.5 Breech Aquifer and Aquaducts
|
||
|
|
--------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Breech Aquifer itself is located deep under the
|
||
|
|
mountain, above Breech proper, somewhere beneath the peak
|
||
|
|
of the mountain. The various stations that make up the
|
||
|
|
Gnomish Aquafier System are lined up and down the side of
|
||
|
|
the mountain, sometimes above, and sometimes below, Breech
|
||
|
|
proper - sometimes even outside of the walls.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.5.1 Boiling Station
|
||
|
|
---------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Water collects here from the aquifer, and is brought
|
||
|
|
to a boil by a combination of copper heating elements and
|
||
|
|
magical heating effects. The Boiling Station is large
|
||
|
|
enough to hold approximately 5,000 gallons of water,
|
||
|
|
and will not release to the pumping station unless the
|
||
|
|
water has reached boiling temperatures. This is both a
|
||
|
|
general sanitation concern, as well as a security concern-
|
||
|
|
Slaadi hate hot water, and they're renown for their love of
|
||
|
|
underground, cool fresh waters, like the Aquifer below
|
||
|
|
breech. The Gnomish Defense Force and Engineer's Guild
|
||
|
|
would rather not deal with the consequences if a Slaad
|
||
|
|
somehow found its way out into the Aquaduct.
|
||
|
|
Grills above the boiling station open into a network
|
||
|
|
of massive iron pipes, which open out into natural steam
|
||
|
|
vents from the underground volcanic flows. While the
|
||
|
|
steam pipes are theoretically large enough for a full sized
|
||
|
|
Orc - or even a Troll - to fit inside of and infiltrate
|
||
|
|
the Boiling Station, the intense heat of the Boiling
|
||
|
|
Station's own steam, combined with the constant - and
|
||
|
|
occasionally violent - steam release of the underground
|
||
|
|
magma flows, it is doubtful that any creature would be
|
||
|
|
able to survive the trip.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.5.2 Pumping Station
|
||
|
|
---------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Water is pumped here from the boiling station, into
|
||
|
|
the aquaducts, out into the city and out to the outlying
|
||
|
|
foothills. It consists of no less than ten (and they are
|
||
|
|
often constructing more) huge pumps the size of the average
|
||
|
|
human house (each pump is approximately 60,000 cubic feet
|
||
|
|
in size, or about 100 x 50 x 10 feet tall). The pumps
|
||
|
|
are capable of moving up to 10,000 gallons of water
|
||
|
|
per hour, though they are hardly ever used to capacity.
|
||
|
|
The extra capacity was built into the pumps so that,
|
||
|
|
if Breech ever experienced flooding, the polarity on the
|
||
|
|
pumps could be reversed, and the city's excess water level
|
||
|
|
emptied out into surrounding ravines. Here, much like the
|
||
|
|
Boiling Station, there are massive iron pipes leading out
|
||
|
|
to the city and the aquaducts. It is an extremely dangerous
|
||
|
|
place, access is highly restricted, even amongst the
|
||
|
|
Engineer's Guild members who operate the location. (For
|
||
|
|
example, just because you work for the Engineer's Guild
|
||
|
|
at the Aquifer, if you work at the Boiling Station,
|
||
|
|
or the Recovery Station, you won't be granted access to
|
||
|
|
the Pumping Station).
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.5.3 Recovery Station
|
||
|
|
----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Water is collected here from both rainwater sources,
|
||
|
|
street runoff, sewer return, and aquaduct return flows. The
|
||
|
|
recovery station measures the volume of water coming in -
|
||
|
|
of each variety - and ensures that contaminated ground
|
||
|
|
water (e.g. street run off and sewage) do not mix with
|
||
|
|
fresh rain water and aquaduct return flows. Contaminated
|
||
|
|
water is sent out to the Sewage Treatment Station,
|
||
|
|
and the fresh (or mostly fresh) water is sent to the
|
||
|
|
Boiling Station. The Recovery Station is also a magical
|
||
|
|
detection point; water is taken in from the various sources
|
||
|
|
and held for five minutes in large 500 gallon storage
|
||
|
|
tanks, where Detect Magic spells are cast upon it. Any
|
||
|
|
water showing traces of magical tampering is sent to the
|
||
|
|
Sewage Treatment Station instead of the Boiling Station,
|
||
|
|
regardless of its type.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.5.4 Sewage Treatment Station
|
||
|
|
------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Contaminated water is sent here after being separated
|
||
|
|
out from fresh water at the Recovery Station. Here it goes
|
||
|
|
through a number of cleansing and preparation steps, to
|
||
|
|
include mechanical separation of waste matter, sediment
|
||
|
|
removal, chemical antibacterial and antiviral treatments,
|
||
|
|
etc. The final step of the sewage treatment station is to
|
||
|
|
undergo a final separation; non-magical water elements get
|
||
|
|
delivered directly back into the boiling station, but
|
||
|
|
any water showing magical enchantments is separated off
|
||
|
|
into a separate holding tank where the nature of the
|
||
|
|
dweomer is determined, and Dispel Magic spells used upon it
|
||
|
|
if necessary. Any water showing magical enchantments that
|
||
|
|
cannot be dispelled, is immediately dumped into one of the
|
||
|
|
various underground magma flows under the treatment
|
||
|
|
station, thus ending any threat it may pose.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.5.5 Secondary Pumping Station
|
||
|
|
-------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Located in the foothills at the base of the mountain,
|
||
|
|
it is the job of the Secondary Pumping Station to ensure
|
||
|
|
that any and all water coming in from the aquaducts in the
|
||
|
|
foothills, and any captured mountain rainwater, is pumped
|
||
|
|
positively back up the mountain, back to the Recovery
|
||
|
|
Station. This station is almost identical to the
|
||
|
|
Pumping Station, except that its pumps are smaller and it
|
||
|
|
has less of them. Each pump here is capable of moving only
|
||
|
|
about 2,000 gallons per hour, but with more force, to
|
||
|
|
propel the water back up the mountain. There are currently
|
||
|
|
five pumps at the facility, each measuring about 30x30x10
|
||
|
|
feet.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.6 Gnomish Military Headquarters and Command Center
|
||
|
|
----------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Built in the same area of the city as the Academy of the
|
||
|
|
Arcane Arts, the compound is walled and rises approximately 120
|
||
|
|
feet above the streets (the single tallest structure in the city
|
||
|
|
next to the Academy itself). It consists of two main structures,
|
||
|
|
one for the Headquarters and another for the Command Center.
|
||
|
|
Headquarters houses the administrative and financial branches of
|
||
|
|
the Gnomish Military and Gnomish Defense Force. Its 10 story
|
||
|
|
building is full, for the most part, of offices, and the type of
|
||
|
|
people who spend their day in an office.
|
||
|
|
The second building in the pair is the Command Center,
|
||
|
|
which also houses the Gnomish Defense Force Command Center. Few
|
||
|
|
know what goes on in this 12 story building - or in its 5 level
|
||
|
|
basement.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.6.1 Jail
|
||
|
|
----------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Also on this site is the Gnomish Clan Holdings Center
|
||
|
|
for Administrative and Military Judicial Punishment and
|
||
|
|
Executions, or "the jail" for short. The jail here is more
|
||
|
|
technological, and much more comfortable, than the one in
|
||
|
|
Throne, which is the only known jail to which it may be
|
||
|
|
readily compared. The building itself is a 4 story
|
||
|
|
building with concertina wire surrounding it,
|
||
|
|
in addition to the stone wall already surrounding the HQ/
|
||
|
|
Command Center site. Guards patrol the wire, and are
|
||
|
|
stationed on the roof, all equipped with Gnomish Light
|
||
|
|
Rifles and short swords. Escape is difficult if not
|
||
|
|
impossible. The entire site is built on top of the
|
||
|
|
mountain's own stone floor, making tunneling - again -
|
||
|
|
difficult if not impossible.
|
||
|
|
The cells are generally 10x10, have a
|
||
|
|
commode which may be flushed (rather than the simple
|
||
|
|
watered channel the ones in Throne are equipped with),
|
||
|
|
a mattress on a stone slab, a foot locker for the
|
||
|
|
holding of personal effects, a writing desk - "so that
|
||
|
|
one might study and better one's self whilst in prison,
|
||
|
|
to be a useful member of society upon one's release,
|
||
|
|
rather than yet another criminal awaiting re-entry into
|
||
|
|
a criminal world" - and, in the cases where the prisoner
|
||
|
|
is lucky enough, a reinforced glass window looking out
|
||
|
|
over various portions of the prison/city (which may or may
|
||
|
|
not be green). The rooms are also equipped with "less-than-
|
||
|
|
lethal prisoner compliance systems", which amount to a hole
|
||
|
|
in the wall through which water can be blasted at high
|
||
|
|
pressure, targeted at a troublesome prisoner, "inducing
|
||
|
|
compliance rapidly".
|
||
|
|
Those criminals unlucky enough to be assigned to a
|
||
|
|
"high risk" cell will find their stay far less enjoyable.
|
||
|
|
These prisoners are generally kept under chemical sedation
|
||
|
|
while in prison, inside their 8x8 cells with simple
|
||
|
|
stone beds - to which they may be electronically shackled.
|
||
|
|
The flushing commode has been replaced in these cells
|
||
|
|
by the simpler watered channel, "to reduce the amount of
|
||
|
|
frangible material available to a prisoner, which may be
|
||
|
|
reduced to weapon-like shards to be used against
|
||
|
|
themselves, other prisoners, or their guards". Closed-
|
||
|
|
circuit electronic/magical hybrid cameras monitor the
|
||
|
|
cells 24/7, giving the prisoners not one minute of privacy.
|
||
|
|
And if that wasn't enough, the room is equipped with not
|
||
|
|
one, but two, means of automatically doing away with a
|
||
|
|
troublesome prisoner. Inside of an armored hemisphere in
|
||
|
|
one corner of the roof rests a gnomish machine pistol on
|
||
|
|
an automated turret with a 1,000 round magical magazine
|
||
|
|
which may be controlled from the same room as the
|
||
|
|
cameras. This should be scary enough. The rooms also
|
||
|
|
have the same "less-than-lethel prisoner compliance
|
||
|
|
systems" of the simpler cells, with a rather nasty twist;
|
||
|
|
not only can they direct water into the room, but they can
|
||
|
|
also fill the room with knockout or poison gas.
|
||
|
|
Gnomish prison is not a place that anyone wants
|
||
|
|
to find themselves. The only thing that is worse than
|
||
|
|
being in a Gnomish jail, is being in Throne, with the
|
||
|
|
Church being out for your blood.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.7 Power Generating and Recyling Station
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The PGRS is the station at which all the electrical
|
||
|
|
power is generated in Breech. The power is generated through
|
||
|
|
a collection of geothermal and biological generation methods,
|
||
|
|
to include the standard geothermal generation from magma flows,
|
||
|
|
to the production of electricity using Methane gas from
|
||
|
|
decomposing garbage as it sits in the Recycling Station,
|
||
|
|
awaiting incineration. (Sitting atop a dormant volcano, with
|
||
|
|
access to its magma flows, Breech has no problem disposing of
|
||
|
|
its garbage.) The site is a sprawling location, covering almost
|
||
|
|
150 acres of property, much of which is bare for the purpose of
|
||
|
|
separating the station from the rest of the city in case of
|
||
|
|
some sort of disaster. The power generation site is located
|
||
|
|
on the southern edge of the city just behind the walls (in case
|
||
|
|
a disaster does ever happen and a magma flow erupts from the
|
||
|
|
site, it will flow down the mountain, and not out into the
|
||
|
|
rest of the city). The plant is currently operating near
|
||
|
|
capacity, and plans are being made to expand it further, outside
|
||
|
|
the city walls, with a second site closer down towards the
|
||
|
|
foothills. The plant provides power to the entire city,
|
||
|
|
as well as the pumping station down in the foothills, and
|
||
|
|
select outposts along the mountains. Much expense is spent
|
||
|
|
policing the miles of electrical power lines stretching out into
|
||
|
|
the mountains and the foothills, against monstrous interference.
|
||
|
|
As for the location itself, it is, as has been said, ~150
|
||
|
|
acres square. The entire site is fenced off with a stone wall
|
||
|
|
and concertina wire, much as the Jail. Entry is allowed through
|
||
|
|
only one narrow gate on the eastern edge of the facility, which
|
||
|
|
is under armed guard at all times. (Guards generally carry
|
||
|
|
Short Swords and Gnomish Light Rifles with 20 rounds of
|
||
|
|
ammunition).
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.7.1 Power Generating Station
|
||
|
|
------------------------------
|
||
|
|
The facility itself is located in the center of the
|
||
|
|
150 acres, with the ground level building being only a few
|
||
|
|
thousand square feet, consisting mainly of administrative
|
||
|
|
offices. All engineering levels are below ground, closer to
|
||
|
|
the magma. The facility holds 20 geothermal power
|
||
|
|
generators, each capable of generating 120,000 killowatts
|
||
|
|
of electricity continuously. Each generator sits directly
|
||
|
|
atop a shaft that goes between 200 and 500 feet straight
|
||
|
|
down into a magma flow. There is one generator per level,
|
||
|
|
given their massive size (each generator shaft is
|
||
|
|
approximately 40 feet wide, and the generators themselves
|
||
|
|
are about 200x200x30 feet, *massive* machines). The area
|
||
|
|
around the generators is excessively hot, and excessively
|
||
|
|
tangled with a maze and mess of thick electrical wires,
|
||
|
|
carrying current out to distribution sites across the
|
||
|
|
mountains, and ultimately into gnomish holding buildings.
|
||
|
|
The entire area is plastered, quite obviously, with
|
||
|
|
signs simply illustrated. The illustration is generally of
|
||
|
|
a stick figure touching something, and exploding, or
|
||
|
|
vaporizing, or melting, or having some other similar
|
||
|
|
horrific fate visited upon them. Warnings in common,
|
||
|
|
gnomish, elven, and even in Goblin and Orcish, read:
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
"DANGER! EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS! INSTANT DEATH GUARANTEED!
|
||
|
|
(or your money back)"
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The only other location of note on the surface here
|
||
|
|
is the Recycling Station and the Methane Power Generation
|
||
|
|
Station, located adjacent to it.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.7.1 Recycling Station
|
||
|
|
-----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
A smaller facility added on to the side of the
|
||
|
|
generating facility at a later date, this facility is
|
||
|
|
located just by the gate on the inside of the walls.
|
||
|
|
It houses various holding tanks/rooms for garbage and
|
||
|
|
various substances. Once the room or tank is filled,
|
||
|
|
it is sealed, and a large rubber tube - measuring about
|
||
|
|
3 feet in diameter - is attached to the room, and to
|
||
|
|
an outlet in the wall next to it. The tube leads to
|
||
|
|
a great iron pipe that leads back to the Methane
|
||
|
|
power generation site.
|
||
|
|
The garbage substances are allowed to generate
|
||
|
|
the gas for some time before being released to the
|
||
|
|
recycling center proper. Some materials are reclaimed
|
||
|
|
and used again; such as precious metals (copper, aluminum,
|
||
|
|
etc). Some are milled up and used to produce other
|
||
|
|
materials (such as paper). Some are unusable and,
|
||
|
|
once they stop generating methane, are taken to
|
||
|
|
the "Dump Chute" - a 100 foot wide chute, leading straight
|
||
|
|
down into a series of magma flows.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
4.7.2 Methane Power Generation Station
|
||
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
This is where the methane gas produced by
|
||
|
|
trash waiting recycling in the Recycling Station is
|
||
|
|
pumped to generate additional electricity. The
|
||
|
|
Methane Power Generation Station is responsible for
|
||
|
|
only about 8% of the power generated and used in the
|
||
|
|
kingdom, but it is an essential part of the equation
|
||
|
|
nonetheless. It consists of 2 large generators that
|
||
|
|
burn the gas to spin large motors which generate
|
||
|
|
electricity, which is fed back into the master
|
||
|
|
grid at the Power Generating Station (proper), to which
|
||
|
|
the MPGS is adjacently located.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
5. Government and Politics
|
||
|
|
-----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
5.1 Ruling Body - Gnomish Clan Council
|
||
|
|
--------------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Gnomish Clan Council consists of the family head of
|
||
|
|
each large gnomish clan. The "large" gnomish clans are the ones
|
||
|
|
that :
|
||
|
|
- Originally escaped Alliance enslavement
|
||
|
|
- Have ammassed considerable wealth, and therefore are
|
||
|
|
in a position to help (or hurt) the gnomish
|
||
|
|
holdings with their actions
|
||
|
|
- Have ammassed a large extended family size (500+) but
|
||
|
|
are not extremely wealthy
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
In this way, almost every segment of the population of
|
||
|
|
Breech is represented - with the notable exception of those
|
||
|
|
*who are not gnomish*. Non-gnomes can *not* sit on the
|
||
|
|
council, by its very design. This issue has only been briefly
|
||
|
|
discussed by councilmen, outside the Council Home, before.
|
||
|
|
It cannot currently be concieved why a non-gnome would want
|
||
|
|
to sit on the council; outside of influence from the Western
|
||
|
|
Kingdom's Royal Trading Company, that is. And the fairly simple
|
||
|
|
tactic of refusing non-gnomes on the council makes that easy (as
|
||
|
|
the Royal Trading Company's distrust of gnomes is well known).
|
||
|
|
Currently, there are 7 clan leaders sitting on the
|
||
|
|
Council. Presence on the Council is not voluntary; if a clan
|
||
|
|
falls within the designations above, their leaders are required
|
||
|
|
by law to be present at all council hearings to speak for their
|
||
|
|
people. It is also Gnomish law that presence on the council will
|
||
|
|
provide the person with no special powers or priveleges beyond
|
||
|
|
their normal status as clan leaders; by law, no single member of
|
||
|
|
the council has legal power. Rather, the council - acting in
|
||
|
|
majority - have the power to create, repeal, modify laws, and
|
||
|
|
manage the finances of the Gnomish Holdings at large. This policy
|
||
|
|
was created to help curb additional abuses of power seen in the
|
||
|
|
Western Kingdom at the time of the Clan Leaders' separation.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
5.2 Police and Military
|
||
|
|
-----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Gnomish Military is designed around the essential
|
||
|
|
feudal system with some differences. Each Clan maintains its
|
||
|
|
own fighting force, much the way British lords did in the
|
||
|
|
olden days. Each clan is required to outfit its army on its
|
||
|
|
own, but they can petition the Council for additional funding
|
||
|
|
from the nation's coffers if necessary. When operating,
|
||
|
|
each clan's unit is under the specific command of that clan.
|
||
|
|
Therefore, unity of purpose in the Gnomish Holdings is of
|
||
|
|
ultimate importance; if they saw fit, a clan could take its army
|
||
|
|
and go home, since they do not take orders from some detached
|
||
|
|
government entity, but rather from senior clan members to whom
|
||
|
|
they are directly related.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
5.2.1 Gnomish Defense Force
|
||
|
|
---------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Gnomish Defense Force is the domestic branch of
|
||
|
|
the Gnomish Military, tasked with defending Breech and the
|
||
|
|
outlying foothills. The GDF does not - in general - have
|
||
|
|
the advanced weaponry, training, and support networks that
|
||
|
|
the Gnomish Military proper does. The GDF generally
|
||
|
|
operates in pairs of 2, patrolling the streets. GDF agents
|
||
|
|
are, in general, armed with short sword and billy club,
|
||
|
|
short spear and billy club, or light crossbow and billy
|
||
|
|
club. It is not common to see GDF members operating in
|
||
|
|
teams of more than 4, and that is only in high crime
|
||
|
|
areas. The GDF does, however, have a few big guns -
|
||
|
|
specifically, they have the Machiners. (See new monster,
|
||
|
|
"The Machiner".) The GDF has a force of 10 Machiners
|
||
|
|
in reserve. They rarely operate at all, and when they
|
||
|
|
do, it's generally a terrifying thing to watch.
|
||
|
|
The Gnomihs Defense Force is the only branch of the
|
||
|
|
Gnomish Military that breaks free from the clan system;
|
||
|
|
the Council agreed early on that, in order to provide for
|
||
|
|
efficient security at home, the safety of the city at large
|
||
|
|
must take precedence over individual clan interests.
|
||
|
|
Therefore, a separate command was created - the GDF - and
|
||
|
|
troops are donated to the GDF in equal number by all clans
|
||
|
|
(to prevent one clan having an excess of troops in the GDF,
|
||
|
|
and attempting to stage a coup). The troops in the GDF
|
||
|
|
are commanded by GDF leaders, and from the council - in
|
||
|
|
majority - above them.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
5.2.2 Gnomish Military Proper
|
||
|
|
-----------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Generally speaking, the gnomish military is too busy
|
||
|
|
on the frontier - and other places - to be bothered with
|
||
|
|
policing Breech itself, and prefer to leave that to the
|
||
|
|
Gnomish Defense Force. That, however, shouldn't be taken to
|
||
|
|
believe that the gnomish military never operates
|
||
|
|
domestically - just that it's extremely rare.
|
||
|
|
The Gnomish Military headquarters, however, is here
|
||
|
|
in Breech, as well as the Gnomish Command Center. (Head-
|
||
|
|
quarters is the administrative branch of command, while the
|
||
|
|
GCC is the active branch that actually controls troops in
|
||
|
|
the field). For this reason, there is - in reserve and
|
||
|
|
on standby - one company of Gnomish Reconnaisance
|
||
|
|
operatives in Breech (about 200 men), under the direct
|
||
|
|
command of the GCC. They are only given out to the GDF in
|
||
|
|
*extremely* dire circumstances; they generally are kept to
|
||
|
|
protect the Military HQ and the GCC itself in case of
|
||
|
|
attack. The only activity that the gnomish recon here
|
||
|
|
in Breech actively engage in on a routine basis is the
|
||
|
|
patrol and policing of the magma flows (yes, magma flows)
|
||
|
|
beneath the city to ensure that they are not somehow
|
||
|
|
being magically penetrated by denizens of the underdark.
|
||
|
|
The same applies to the various caverns underneath
|
||
|
|
and around Breech. Naturally, "GCC Duty" for gnomish
|
||
|
|
recon is not sneezed at - not just anybody has the big
|
||
|
|
iron balls to go patrolling a magma flow.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
6. Economy
|
||
|
|
----------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Breech has an economy that could be labeled as "sufficient".
|
||
|
|
There are a few wealthy people in Breech, but for the most part,
|
||
|
|
everyone is "comfortable". There are various programs ran by the Clan
|
||
|
|
Council to provide low cost health care, copyright and trademark
|
||
|
|
protection of valuable assets and products, and all the economic
|
||
|
|
trappings expected of a high technology / high magic society; yes,
|
||
|
|
including crooked banks.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
6.1 Agriculture in Breech
|
||
|
|
-------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Little Agricultural activities are performed in Breech
|
||
|
|
proper outside of the Domes. The city has no soil to speak of,
|
||
|
|
making agriculture mostly impossible. What little agriculture is
|
||
|
|
done in breech revolves around research and the herding of
|
||
|
|
mountain goats/sheep for food stuffs, wool, horn, etc.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
6.2 Imports and Exports
|
||
|
|
-----------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The single biggest export of Breech is gnomish weaponry
|
||
|
|
and engineering devices to Stonehold. They trade with Stonehold
|
||
|
|
far more than they do with any other nation, and are the only
|
||
|
|
nation with which Stonehold will trade. Medicines and various
|
||
|
|
technology are exported to wealthy people and governments in the
|
||
|
|
Western Kingdom, mostly King Braddock in Throne, and those in
|
||
|
|
Mast. Beyond that, information and personnel are the largest
|
||
|
|
export from Breech. Many troops leave from here to join up,
|
||
|
|
under Clan leadership, with various Western Kingdom armies on
|
||
|
|
the Frontier. Gnomish Engineers often leave and hire out in the
|
||
|
|
larger cities of the Western Kingdom, and sometimes work pro-bono
|
||
|
|
in smaller villages throughout the Kingdom. Gnomish Arcanists
|
||
|
|
will sometimes - though rarely - be invited to come and visit
|
||
|
|
with the Elven Archmages in the Elven Protectorate.
|
||
|
|
The other lesser known exports of Breech are the precious
|
||
|
|
stones and metals turned up by Dwarves using Gnomish mining
|
||
|
|
techniques. The dwarves are able to mine so quickly using gnomish
|
||
|
|
engineering, that the Gnomes worked out an agreement; the Dwarves
|
||
|
|
purchase gnomish mining equipment at a reduced price in return
|
||
|
|
for a small cut of whatever is produced from the mines. (This
|
||
|
|
allows dwarven miners who are down on their luck to purchase
|
||
|
|
equipment, get back on their feet, and provide additional
|
||
|
|
continuing revenue to Breech all at the same time. It's a win-win
|
||
|
|
situation.) Most of the results of this agreement are used here
|
||
|
|
by the various Guilds, but many of them are exported down towards
|
||
|
|
Mast and Throne for a hefty profit.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
6.3 Domestic Markets in Breech
|
||
|
|
------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Breech doesn't have markets like most people think of them;
|
||
|
|
gone is the Bazaar of Mast. Most needs are filled by a few large
|
||
|
|
"shopping centers" where a single merchant guild member will
|
||
|
|
contract the service of various artisans to work and stock the
|
||
|
|
various "departments" of their stores with the goods they need.
|
||
|
|
Food is bought in bulk from the farmers in the foothills, and
|
||
|
|
some in the free frontier, and presented in the "grocery"
|
||
|
|
department of these stores. Some food is even magically preserved
|
||
|
|
and smuggled through customs in the Western Kingdom to provide
|
||
|
|
fresh seafood in Breech, to those willing to pay for it. Many
|
||
|
|
of these "shopping centers" are open 24 hours per day, seven
|
||
|
|
days per week, providing a continuously operating economy.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
6.4 Currency and Banking in Breech
|
||
|
|
----------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The standard currency of Breech, and the entire Gnomish
|
||
|
|
Holdings, is the standard Gold Piece. On one side, it is graven
|
||
|
|
with the seal of the Western Kingdom; on the other, the seal of
|
||
|
|
the Clan Council. "Thus shall it always be recognised, by all
|
||
|
|
who do business with us, that we are eternally connected to, and
|
||
|
|
hold respect for, our brethren in the West; while also displaying
|
||
|
|
obviously and proudly that the Gnomish Holdings are a free and
|
||
|
|
sovereign entity." The currency of the Western Kingdom proper is
|
||
|
|
also accepted, but the use of Breech currency is encouraged by
|
||
|
|
those who intend to reside here long.
|
||
|
|
The Banking system in breech is above and beyond anything
|
||
|
|
in the Western Kingdom, and would make the bankers in Throne and
|
||
|
|
Mast wet their pants. There are 2 or 3 large banks in Breech,
|
||
|
|
each having large gnomish safes inside. All the banks in the city
|
||
|
|
are electronically connected, and many of the "shopping centers"
|
||
|
|
are electronically connected to the banks (which often own the
|
||
|
|
centers...) in turn. Often money changes hands in Breech without
|
||
|
|
any coin or chits being present; many locations have small
|
||
|
|
plates on which a customer can reference their bank account
|
||
|
|
and transfer money into the account of the shopping center, thus
|
||
|
|
reducing the amount of cash actually carried on a person. Most
|
||
|
|
residents of Breech - specifically the more wealthy ones - have
|
||
|
|
welcomed this system, while many others - Dwarves and low income
|
||
|
|
gnomish clans specifically - have rejected the system and
|
||
|
|
refuse to work within it, instead opening traditional banks and
|
||
|
|
spending money in traditional ways. Even in Breech, and even in
|
||
|
|
the financial sector, there is still often a divide drawn - when
|
||
|
|
everyone begins to ponder just how much technology is too much.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7. Notable Non-Government Bodies
|
||
|
|
--------------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.1 Thieve's Guilds
|
||
|
|
-------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.1.1 Gnomish Guild
|
||
|
|
-----------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Gnomish Guild in Breech is part thieves guild,
|
||
|
|
part separatist organization. They maintain a firm stance
|
||
|
|
that non-gnomish thieves should not be allowed to operate
|
||
|
|
inside of Breech, and that when caught they should be dealt
|
||
|
|
with swiftly - before the law has a chance to swoop in and
|
||
|
|
save their sorry hides. Non-gnomish thieves don't have the
|
||
|
|
finesse of a gnomish thief, they don't understand the
|
||
|
|
technology, and they don't understand the risks inherent
|
||
|
|
in the city's operations. They just wind up using the same
|
||
|
|
tactics that work back home where torches and swords are
|
||
|
|
your biggest problems, and most locks can be defeated with
|
||
|
|
simple picks, or a prybar. All they do is bring down the
|
||
|
|
heat on the Gnomish thieves when their idiocy gets them
|
||
|
|
caught. When the Gnomish Guild catches a non-gnomish thief
|
||
|
|
operating in the city, they send a simple warning - a
|
||
|
|
rat skewered on a long knife, delivered in a black box.
|
||
|
|
"Get out" is the meaning of the warning. If they don't
|
||
|
|
clear out within a week, the Guild will generally eliminate
|
||
|
|
them by whatever means are expedient.
|
||
|
|
Aside from their separatist leanings, the Gnomish
|
||
|
|
Guild is extremely efficient and is highly wanted by the
|
||
|
|
Gnomish Defense Force. They live amongst and apart from the
|
||
|
|
people, using the shadows of the city, the technology and
|
||
|
|
the magic, to make off with the most choice valuables.
|
||
|
|
Purses of coin and a rare vase are above the Gnomish Guild
|
||
|
|
thief; magic items, engineering plans, equipment, all these
|
||
|
|
are their aims. They will use their catch for their own
|
||
|
|
ends, or sell it to the highest bidder on open markets.
|
||
|
|
But even the Gnomish Guild, consisting of some very old
|
||
|
|
Gnomish Thieves, understands the nature of the situation
|
||
|
|
at large; anyone caught dealing with monstrous races
|
||
|
|
is dealt with decisively. Stealing from your neighbors
|
||
|
|
is one thing, but giving your neighbor's enemy a weapon
|
||
|
|
against them, is entirely another. The Gnomish Guild has
|
||
|
|
a strict honor code to which they adhere, despite their
|
||
|
|
roguish appearance outside. In fact, many Gnomish Thieve's
|
||
|
|
Guild members are ex-gnomish Recon operatives who decided
|
||
|
|
this life was much more exciting than going straight.
|
||
|
|
Much to the surprise of most players, the alignment of the
|
||
|
|
average thief in the Gnomish Guild is Lawful Neutral.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.1.2 Other Guilds
|
||
|
|
------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Other guilds will pop up from time to time,
|
||
|
|
consisting mostly of non-gnomish thieves, due to the
|
||
|
|
Gnomish guild's separatist leanings. Occasionally there
|
||
|
|
will be a gnome amongst them; sometimes they are genuinely
|
||
|
|
interested in working with the others, often times they are
|
||
|
|
a plant sent there by the Gnomish Guild to bring this new
|
||
|
|
upstart "mongreloid" guild down from the inside. Non-
|
||
|
|
gnomish guilds don't generally last more than a year,
|
||
|
|
and even then they generally aren't all that successful.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.2 Arcanist Guild
|
||
|
|
------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
Not much is known about the Arcanist Guild, other than
|
||
|
|
that they run the Academy of the Arcane Arts. They're not a
|
||
|
|
secret society per-se, but most people simply don't have an
|
||
|
|
interest in what they do. And besides, most of what they do
|
||
|
|
pertains to arcane research, which is - by necessity - secret.
|
||
|
|
For the most part, the hierarchy and operations of the Arcanist
|
||
|
|
Guild is the hierarchy and operations of the Academy.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.3 Engineering Guild
|
||
|
|
---------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Engineering Guild serves an obvious purpose; it
|
||
|
|
provides support to engineering workers in Breech, as well as
|
||
|
|
providing uniform testing and certification criteria for various
|
||
|
|
occupations. It also provides legal support to any engineer whose
|
||
|
|
trademark gnomish careless zeal has resulted in some form of
|
||
|
|
accident or other legal liability. The Engineering Guild is a
|
||
|
|
perfectly respectable organization, whose headquarters are
|
||
|
|
located just outside the Aquifer Pumping Station.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.4 Merchant's Guild
|
||
|
|
--------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Merchant's Guild is actually populated, mostly, by
|
||
|
|
bankers. It is not so much a guild, as a lobbying entity; those
|
||
|
|
in it have money, and firmly believe that the council should be
|
||
|
|
doing more for them, to ensure that they get more money.
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
7.5 Argicultural Guild
|
||
|
|
-------------------------
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
The Agricultural Guild is composed entirely of
|
||
|
|
agriculturalists from the surrounding foothills and countryside,
|
||
|
|
and is both a lobbying entity and a guild. The agricultural guild
|
||
|
|
runs its own bank, the First Farmer's Bank of Breech, with
|
||
|
|
offices scattered across the countryside to assist village
|
||
|
|
farmers who are having difficulties. It also works to ensure
|
||
|
|
that those members of the Council who are not actively engaged
|
||
|
|
in agriculture, are certain of how important agriculture is,
|
||
|
|
and that they do not rule against agriculture in their court
|
||
|
|
proceedings. The Agricultural Guild also runs experiments at
|
||
|
|
the Domes with the cooperation of the Engineers Guild.
|