BujiCities/BujiGem
This is where I am going to describe my workings of Gem. I have had to flesh out some minor things about the city and its operations from my player's inquiries. I also have somethings I am currently fleshing out as to the history of Gem ... because we all want to know how and why the lava wound up frozen at the top of the volcano.
First of all I have many things occuring in the city, so let me list them so you will be up to speed
when I bring them up later. First, Gem is actually a prison for a First Age Fae Lord. Second, The First
and Forsaken Lion is trying to breach through to Creation and sees Gem as the key. Third, the war between
Paragon and Gem isn't a full-scale battle yet and some of the Dragon-Blooded are trying to use the tension
between the cities to get better pricing on Firedust and other rare commodities from the area.
Bars, Inns, Eateries
Order of the Shield
Hesiesh's Prayers
Merchant Families
These are the families who have bought out the monopoly for a certain trade from the Despot and maintain it through yearly contributions.
The Arbani Family controls the monopoly on firewands in Gem.
The House of Sahlak controls all of the dream palors, dream opals merchants and brothels in Gem.
The House Iblan manages the flow and trade of all gold and silver in the city. This also encompasses the trade of jade and other precious materials.
The Circla Family maintains the gladiator arenas, upkeeps the slaves and runs the gladiator training facilities in the city.
The House Trasti watches over all of the gambling houses and ensures the safety of all the public banks in Gem.
The Despot has his main focus on the mercenaries in the area and makes his money from them in addition to yearly wages from the merchant families.
Thieves Guilds
The Silent Flow is a small but powerful presence in the city.
Odd Facts
- Due to Gem's local and sedimentary features it makes it rather difficult to bury the dead. Those that are not sent to Sijan are taken one of two places, the "chute" or the desert.
- The desert is the most common of the two choices. The bodies are marched out two days from Gem to a part of the desert that is continually sanctified to prevent hungry ghosts or undead nasties. The markers are off kilter from the shifting sands, and some are just piled into a mound for scavengers or the sand to bury. This is the most common disposal of bodies for the poor in Gem.
- The "chute" is where bodies disappear to when they are a victim of a murder or cover-up. Used soley by the guild and local assassins to dispose of evidence that shouldn't show up. The chute is very difficult to get to, especially carrying a body. It is in the higher chambers of Gem through a series of lava tubes, from this a person can stare straight down into the heart of the volcano. Since the top of the volcano is sealed with frozen lava no light illumniates the pit. Some say that a glow can be seen from the bowels of the city, but few talk of it. Bodies are usually shoved out and forgotten. Not being able to see the bottom tends to make one believe that no one can return from the fall even if they weren't completely dead.
- Gem has a top. Yes, the lava that was frozen in place also sealed the top of the volcano and adds to Gem's heating problem during the summer. It is possible to camp up there to avoid prying eyes.
- The climb to the top of Gem is 2 days with guides and 4-5 without. Now it's not the directions that cause the delay, its the fact that to reach the top you must scale sheer obsidian. This tends to throw most climbers down the mountain, if not to their death. The last 300' are on obsidian, the last 50 is a straight vertical climb.
Comments
I have a lot to do on this page and plan on finishing it out by Summer of 2005. Bare with me or if you have questions feel free to ask, I will be more than happy to let you in on what I have planned. -Buji
