darstone | World Setting

WORLD SETTING
HISTORY OF DARSTONE Long ago, Darstone was a citadel high in the mountains, protected by heavy defensive walls. It was remote, the countryside around it practically unscalable except by the very determined, and it was for this reason that when the virus swept the world, it was one of the last affected. Catarrhalic Fever has ravaged the planet, defying all treatment and indelibly changing the political and cultural landscape. To escape the devastated fate that met other countries, Darstone, formerly an isolated city-state, was magically sunk into the earth and brought below ground. It is now one of the few havens left against the infection, and has been there ever since. They take in huge quantities of refugees every year, each carefully vetted against the virus before being allowed in, and work diligently to discover a cure. To that end, they have made use of a portal-creating device that has long been in their possession to bring in beings from other dimensions, in hopes that they will be willing to help. They are quite familiar and almost casual about the concept of multiple realities, and though dimensional travel is relatively rare, it suffuses their myths and legends. In daily life, Darstone is not a disease-ravaged city. It has done well at keeping itself free of the virus, and for the most part its struggles are around trying to be self-sufficient. Because of that, those they bring in through the portal do not necessarily need to be skilled in medicine; they simply must be able to contribute to the city in some way. They are not cruel nor merciless, and the moral ambiguity of effectively kidnapping people to help them is not lost on them. Yet as time goes on, they hope to find not only a cure, but a way to repair and rejoin the rest of the world on the surface. DAILY LIFE IN DARSTONE Darstone is a normal city which has been brought underground into a cave. Some parts of the city don't really work well with a cave structure - why have buildings when you're already underground? But the natives are doing their best to adapt to their new environment. Holes have been drilled to the surface to allow air to circulate and to allow in light, though magical lights are also used to supplement the shafts of sunlight that filter down from far above. The local mages have also created a simulated weather system, which causes the seasons to change and even for rain to fall from time to time, to help the surface-dwelling citizens to feel more comfortable. Though Catarrhalic Fever doesn't affect small mammals like cats or dogs, it has also devastated the population of large mammals such as horses and cows, and this has changed life for Darstone as well. They have adapted a kind of cave-dwelling crustacean called a Hornback Land Lobster to pull loads and work as a draft animal. They can be seen pulling carriages as well, huge black lobsters the size of a carthorse. Though the lobsters have claws, most of them are domesticated and well-fed enough not to attack passersby, and simply use their claws to move obstacles out of the way. Other than that, people work and live much as they did before. They go to work and school, and go to plays or other entertainment. They celebrate the turnings of the seasons. MAGIC & TECHNOLOGY Magic and technology exist in a seamless integration, with slight preference given toward magic, as it is an innate skill, old and familiar to inhabitants. But as technological advancements progress, they are made to work with that skill, not separate from it-- resulting in objects with very similar functionality to what we would expect on modern Earth, run in a slightly different way. The line between advanced science and miracles is very fine, after all. As an example, computers are not called computers, but fulfill almost identical functions; there is just a strange lack of microchips and a strange use of enchantments instead. There are no keyboards at all, as there was never a need to use anything but plain handwriting with a stylus adapted for that purpose. Other technology follows similar lines. You can write in whatever modern conveniences you wish, just keep in mind that they will be powered by a mix of magic and tech, and look somewhat different and be called something different. The mysterious portal that is responsible for bringing characters here obeys this trend. However, its details are kept a close secret. Perhaps in time you will learn more about it, and its history. CATARRHALIC FEVER Commonly just called "the virus" by locals, it’s officially called Respirovirus catarrhalis or Catarrhalic Fever. It starts out not dissimilar to the common cold: Sneezing, coughing, runny noses, and a low-grade fever are all common first symptoms, so it sneaks under the radar as something less serious. However, as a person’s internal temperature continues to climb higher despite treatment that would work on a cold, it becomes increasingly apparent that it’s something worse. The fever usually tops out at 101°F after approximately 72 hours with accompanying fatigue around that point as the body begins to get dehydrated. 48 hours after the second set of symptoms set in, pulmonary edema, fluid build-up in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath and eventually respiratory failure; hypersensitivity, not unlike an allergic reaction, so that the body can no longer fight off the virus; and hemorrhaging. A week after the initial infection, barring a miracle, you’re dead, though the virus isn’t, which is why necromancing anyone who has been infected is strictly prohibited and an all-around terrible idea. The virus itself is well-equipped to handle both hot and cold environments, deserts, rainforests, and it develops immunity to drugs and evolves so quickly that any attempt to vaccinate or cure has been rendered useless. It is unknown if Respirovirus catarrhalis evolved naturally or if it was created as a means of biological warfare. Initially, it was transmitted via insect bite, so many people referred to being infected as being “bitten”, however it evolved into an airborne virus that is only able to be transmitted from person to person a few years after the epidemic started, though the colloquialism has remained. Because the air is more stagnant underground due to the lack of wind, the virus has a harder time spreading below the surface, though there are still cases, mostly among people who frequently go above ground. If infected, the natives are kept in quarantine and those who wish to be with them during their final week must take precautions. The hospital is equipped with hazmat suits that are sterilized frequently for anyone wishing to help take care of infected natives or venture to the surface without taking the risk. However the ones who have been brought to Darstone are sent back to their own world to prevent further infection to the populace, no exceptions. CITY GOVERNMENT Centuries ago Darstone was the capital of a country run by monarchy, and housed the resident king and queen. When the last king died without issue, they fended off civil war by instead instating a council system, where elected representatives legislate by vote. It has had its ups and downs, but is firmly established by now. Each race has its own representative once they rise above a certain population threshold within the city, and representatives serve other functions as well, such as internal affairs, education, security, medicine, and so forth. Especially powerful workers' guilds may gain their own representative, too. Having a seat on the council is having a foot into the legal decision-making process of Darstone, and not only that, but an equal foot. Yet more representatives means each one has less and less power, so adding new ones does not happen lightly. Straight democracy sounds like chaos, and it probably would be, so the council functions with its head as the Speaker. While the Speaker has no more political decision-making power than any other member, he or she is responsible for directing the tabled conversations, and determining what matters are discussed when. They function as mediator and taskmaster both, and are given some punitive powers as well. The Speaker is determined by internal vote among the representatives, not among the general populace. As might be expected, tension exists among the factions within the city. There is continual jockeying for power, constant attempts to squeeze another seat onto the council, and a rare few that even want to go back to a monarchy. Most notably, there is a rising belief in certain parties that the portal should never have been used at all, and that the newcomers will do much more harm than good. Not everyone is pleased to have them there. TRAVELING Darstone is housed largely in a huge cavern, though portions of it are on different levels, such as The Steps, and some parts of the Docks, which may be on rocky plateaus that are higher or lower than the main bulk of the city. Once one passes through the gates, however, one moves into a network of caves which span in a dizzying maze in all directions. Some of the caves are inhabited - Kra'shak reside in some of the caves, and many of them have been sectioned off for hydroponic farming, or mining, or the gathering of important spell components. Others may house wildlife, both dangerous and benign. The further you travel from Darstone, the more you leave civilization behind, and move into wild country. There are people living even in the wild country some distance from Darstone. Smaller villages have sprung up, living in a wild, lawless kind of anarchy, much like the Wild West. Most of the villages are run by a single charismatic leader, or a group of bandits who have decided to settle down. Some of these villages have good relationships with Darstone, but many view Darstone as a source of wealth to be exploited, or simply as an enemy to be stamped out if possible. Don't expect to find many friends once you leave the city. If you survive wildlife, bandits, underground rivers and cave-ins, and don't wind up finding a dead end, there's a possibility of emerging from the cave system itself and reaching the surface. The caves are actually inside a tall mountain, and the most easily accessible surface immediately outside is extremely forbidding, having very cold glaciers, rocky cliffs and blowing snow, with little plant life. THE SENTIENT RACES »Chocolina A birdlike race with wings attached to their arms, and bright plumage on their heads, as well as big feathered tails. Of all the races of Darstone, these most closely resemble humans. (Yes, there are males, too.) They are the least suited to living in the city, having lived on the surface before this, and having difficulty adapting to living in a place where there is restricted room to fly. The Chocolina are powerful mages, one and all, naturally adept with magic, the arts and basically anything involving dealing with other people - they're excellent merchants and politicians as well. They're comparatively bad warriors. It’s difficult to wield a sword with all those feathers in the way, but their magical abilities make it possible to protect themselves quite well. They are the rarest of the races in Darstone, with barely enough of their race remaining to have a seat on the council. Their race was the last to join the initiative, and they have been devastated by the virus. The Chocolina mostly live in the Steps, the highest of the districts, closest to the ceiling of the cave. Many of the houses in this district are built into the walls of the cave, or on tiers, so you can often see Chocolina taking off from their porches and flying across the city. They aren’t numerous enough to fully populate this area, and a number of other citizens of many races also live in this area, but the Chocolina alone make up about half of the population of the district, but are rare outside of it. »Gnomes Small human-shaped creatures no more than two feet tall. Males and females have white hair, and the men usually have long beards, even when young. They reside mostly in the aptly-named Gnomish District. Second most populous of the races in the city, they live in a part of the city that was almost completely destroyed during the move. Because of their tiny size, they are able to make homes in collapsed buildings and caves, though they aren’t native to the caves. Buildings are being rebuilt in that section, and other races do live there, but it’s not uncommon to have a family of gnomes move into your basement, or in the rubble in the empty lot next door. The positive side is that gnomes are very territorial and very good at kneecapping intruders. If a gnome family accepts you by allowing you to move into their circle of influence, they will defend the property against all intruders, keeping your belongings safe. Except when they steal your belongings, themselves. Gnomes have a magpie-like attraction to shiny baubles, even things that really have no value, and a fluid view of property - what belongs to one could totally belong to someone else if they are able to take it. So if you have gnomes, expect to find watches, balls of aluminum foil, and jewellery showing up in their nest in your basement. »Huglu A froglike race. Easily the least human-looking of the citizens, the Huglu are fully amphibious and reside in the entire area around the underground lake. The district assigned to them has been nicknamed 'Frogtown', but they can be found living in the Market area, the Docks, and even a bit in the Industrial district. They just don’t feel right unless they’ve got waterfront property, and many of their houses have flooded basements. The Huglu are also good warriors, as well as quite strong and sturdy. In fact, they are so strong that they can rip things apart with their bare hands or act as pack animals - though you don’t want them to catch you referring to them that way! Their main role in the city is patrolling the city’s water supply, keeping it safe, clean and free from monsters. They also ship items across the city in boats, sometimes rowing barges across the lake or even towing them with ropes while they swim. They can seem quite bestial, gathering in large groups and licking one another - or others - as part of their native communication and to express happiness and excitement. They're definitely not the smartest of the races in Darstone, though they are sentient, and not nearly as dumb as they seem. »Kra'shak A lizardlike race native to the caves. They are a warrior people, extremely strong and fast, and can run on four legs as easily as two. Because of their natural armour plates, they are very tough to hurt, and they have also embraced technology, so they use weapons and shields, not just their own natural weaponry, which are considerable. They are very suited to the caves, as they originated here. The Kra'shak people were instrumental in preparing the safe place for the city to be moved into when the big project came to its fruition, and so unofficially they consider this area to be their territory, with everyone else living here on their sufferance. Kra'shak reside all over the city in small numbers, but the greatest number of them live in natural hollows and caves outside of the city. Many of this race refuse to live in the city, finding it cramped and artificial, since traditionally the Kra'shak don’t construct buildings, but live in natural caves in large family groups, stopping up exits and defending the caves from predators. They are probably the most numerous of Darstone's citizens. Kra'shak are not skilled mages, and are rarely found in jobs that require a lot of magic. Though it is possible for them to learn, they lack the patience for study. That isn’t to say that they aren’t intelligent, though. They are very good at tactics and games, and can hold an intelligent conversation on many topics, but they don’t tend to be good at sitting still and meditating, being very active and high energy people. In contrast to their difficulties with magic, they can be quite skilled artisans and craftsmen. They are quite deft with their hands.

SITE MAP
comms » logs network inbox ooc characters » taken reserve app	info » faq calendar quests city contact » players mods