Locations

Really this page would ideally be combined with the various nation pages, but for right now it's probably better to keep fresher more original ideas separate from those right now so it's clear what we're using.

Claslat

General

• The Guild's got a strong foothold here, but there's a cult spreading throughout the Tripartite which wants to live forever and Pramoda's own personal project, all of which largely conflict with one another in some subtle and not so subtle ways. Few of these reports reach the Deliberative thanks to the Slug, though.
• Largest nation, mentioned as having nine cities. Alchemicals are encouraged to compete, so that's probably the general for any Exalts or even mortals there?
• Feeling like a nation: 35%.
  • What does it need? Each city to have a bit more personality, I think. Contrast between two or three fairly detailed and different cities would probably do it.
  • One of the cities mentioned in passing is gonna be where Pramoda has a stronghold, trying to build up a collection of Titanic artifacts, as well as benefit off of the interest in Spiral culture. The customs and fashion are probably slightly different than the rest of the Gunstar, but what eventually tips the party off is one of the other factions tips the Deliberative off that there are people dying there yet their souls aren't returning (because they're working dead for the moment). I don't think Pramoda does it maliciously so much as pragmatically, but it's still something that's likely to repulse any Deliberative members. Pick one and I'll get started.
  • The rest that are mentioned in passing probably don't need to be detailed!

Arat

• Big weapons manufacturer in Vanilla, probably still that in Gunstar. Yugash and Estasia probably refine stuff they make into strange and powerful weapons, but any that are purchased through the glass market can probably sufficiently kill if necessary.
• Vibrant and decadent as well as exploitive, probably has some standard casinos or something to make it feel more like Vegas than it already does.
• Probably a big 'gun' culture, but as a result one of the cities that's generally unmolested by gremlins due to how capable the mortals are. Granted, it's almost really easy to exploit, a stray shot here or there and the whole thing's up in paranoid 'self-defense.'
• Feeling like its own city: 30%.
  • What does it need? A few landmarks and notables, probably. Perhaps a casino detailed, ran by Plentimon.

Cishan (town)

• Major shipping hub, built between the Central and Outer segments. Due to its location, it is also where the black market is the strongest in the nation.
• Feeling like its own town: 10%.
  • What does it need? In a book where cities are vague, towns are even vaguer. Normally wouldn't even bother with this, but we could possibly make it a Guild location that helps actually protect it some. Or maybe Pramoda can only work in towns because the cities would be like 'Wait a second I think there's a Titanic setting up shop inside me.' Or maybe the two struggle over it a bit but keep gremlins out in the process.

Goll

• Metropolis mentioned in passing in the hungry ghost section.

Harmegis (capital)

• Small, cramped city which shows no interest in expansion. Heavy on more standard factory work, the city is so compact most people sleep five hundred paces from where they work. Built upward instead of outward, lowest level is for the Populat work, middle is most of the Tripartite and any Alchemicals (or Dragon-Blooded) stay, and the top layer is temples and theaters housing the Theomarchracy, and possibly any Solar, Lunar, or Sidereal guests.
• The lowest level has a specialized charm that raises the sounds of industry above it, as otherwise the sound would deafen all of those who work there. The middle layer is where Harvesters make food and contains the Vats for Alchemicals. The highest layer is high above the displaced sound from below, where any citizen must ascend once a week to appreciate the city in full. The highest layer also houses the sarcophagus of Claslat in Vanilla, but I think that's pretty unimportant!
• Feeling like its own city: 35%.
  • What does it need? It's small, so it's easier to bump up than most, but it's still a capital so it probably needs some detail somewhere. Perhaps a few temples or theaters in passing to flesh out the upper layer, as it's the one the party will probably spend a lot of time, as well as the most unique among them compared to other cities.

Jandis

• Built with a furnace in the middle, Jandis takes in raw metal flows from Autochthonia and refines them into basic components such as springs and gears before shipping them out. It's also where Gladiate originated and the most famous of all cities for it.
• I feel like we can flesh this city out more, it's the least detailed of the Claslati cities but the most evocative to me. I feel like the center is lit blindingly bright by the furnace, so people live on the outer ring then probably have to wear protective eye coverings while they go to work in the industries suspended above it. Augmented eyes to adjust easily are common both legally through favors and illegally through the glass market. This might lead to a bit more transhumanism than other cities in the nation.
• Regardless of that, it's where Marilna grew up so the Guild is strongest here. Corruption with the glot and glass market has always been strong anywhere in Claslat for centuries, but she was able to consolidate the web almost entirely in Jandis as well as decently in other areas where she now works to progress further.
• It's also the only detailed city to be mentioned in the hungry ghost section, but I feel like we might move that to one of the other cities in more detail and focus on this one being the Guild city.
• Feeling like its own city: 35%.
  • What does it need? I think this could actually be at 50+% if they spent more than a paragraph detailing it in the book. We'll probably have to figure out a few links of where the industry goes now (expanding small Guild influence to other nations in the process probably), detail some Gladiat (and gambling on it), and uh...I think that's it, because I think most notables are gonna be Guildies.

Kur

• Patropolis mentioned in passing in the hungry ghost section.

Thuron

• Metropolis mentioned in passing in the hungry ghost section.

Yugash

General

• Science. Uh, I don't think we've invested heavily in this.
• Building are built in cramp spaaces and in drift from one another, explicitly only has four cities, so there's that at least. Treats the Alchemicals like celebrities, celebrating their creativity in parades and such.
• Feeling like a nation: 20%.
  • What does it need? Ugh. Both in Vanilla and Gunstar, it's so heavily focused on history it's hard to get a feel for culture and setting. The worst.

Autrama (town)

• Town that collides with a Sovan town and splinters off into the Reaches in Vanilla. In Gunstar, probably just a name we can throw out as a destroyed town if anything. Same with those undetailed cities in Claslate if we really want.

Het

• Smallest and most conservative of the nations. Likely to oppose new technologies being integrated blindly and quickly, possibly being a 'beta test' location.
• Feeling like its own city: 5%.
  • What does it need? Doesn't really need to be used because it's not described in any real way at all. If it is used, as I said, but you know.

Kadar (capital)

• Contested to be the oldest city in Autochthonia. It has the worst safety record for Tripartite members for some reason. In Gunstar, contains the Wyldstorms, Miracle Shells, protoshinmaic vortices, and the Titanomach. Might shift some things to other cities just to give them some personality.
• Feeling like its own city: 30%.
  • What does it need? Even with all that, it's a list, not actual detail, so it's still not in great shape itself. But I think we throw in some scientists and some ideas they've done and we've got a feel for here if not some other cities. Eh, Yugash.

Kereth

• Built on almost 45-degree slope, the city keeps it safe with surveillance, leading to a quiet but serene life in the city.
• Feeling like its own city: 10%.
  • What does it need? Yugash cities just don't really grab you, it's sad to say. Might get more detailed if we think of more things for Yugash, or if we make each city a specialization instead of Kadar just the city that's best at every field, I think that's one thing that's REALLY hurting this nation.

Ot

• Ot is comprised of three ring-shaped layers, stacked one atop another, pierced by a massive central trunk of veins and conduits. The city acts as an ancillary vascular system for the Great Maker, making it naturally wealthy in water, oil, and other necessary resources, but also a dangerous place to live; if the trunk ruptures deadly liquids can flood the streets. The lowest tier tends to be Populat/pilgrim residency, generally too hard to police effectively. Middle tier is Tripartite and Alchemicals housing, as well as industry and seat of government. Upper tier is warehouses and light industry, and used as the staging area for the exodus into Creation.
• Feeling like its own city: 15%.
  • What does it need? Anything. Ot's a big deal because it's trying to pierce the Seal of Eight Divinities but you remove that and it doesn't have much going for it.

Estasia

General

• YOU GOTTA DIE, GOTTA DIE, GOTTA DIE FOR YOUR GOVERNMENT, DIE FOR YOUR COUNTRY, THAT'S SHIT
• Foggy and rainy, war is valued above all things. Virtue and honesty are king shit.
• Feeling like a nation: 30%.
  • What does it need? Mmm...It's an identity, but doesn't really feel like it has a hook yet?

Cidon

• Where newly-Exalted Dragon-Blooded go through five years of flight school in the Steel Crucible of Dragons Academy, undergoing a hyper-accelerated regimen of Solar training to prepare them for service in the Gunstar Defense Line. On the rain-slick plains below, the mortal soldiers of the Deliberative Army train for war, a legion four thousand years in the making.
• Feeling like its own city: 10%.
  • What does it need? I... am not entirely sure this IS a city, actually, it's mentioning in incredible passing in both Vanilla and Gunstar, it COULD just be a training camp? In any case, I feel if it is one, more than any Estasian city is the competitive nature brought to light - every aspect of life is about thriving to better one's self, and probably view foreigners as weak. Interesting, this probably makes it a place where the Dragon-Blooded are among the most respected? Ideas, some fleshing out definitely needed.

Lux (capital)

• In Gunstar, where siege weaponry is assembled. Also in general a really interesting city, with eight wedges as separate districts, with Lux itself tossing people between them. One thing of note that I actually forgot is a good hook to roll around - The Halls of the Conquered, which obviously contains spoilers from beaten enemies. All sorts of Voidtech and Spiral artifacts are probably housed in there, and given how visitors are encouraged to vandalize them something could easily go wrong there.
• Feeling like its own city: 30%.
  • What does it need? LOVE this place aesthetically. Just need some stuff in it, probably in separate wedges. I imagine each wedge is a separate industry, one for voidfighters, one for warstriders, so forth. Makes it easier to develop at least, I think.

Sova

• Hot hot heat. Mining into lava. The malki, seriously, the malki. I imagine if we throw furnace rhinos somewhere, it's here (hounds of Autochthon are probably throughout the nations and I don't remember the third one, I'll look later!).
• Family is important here - Individual hold powers through the Caucus, influencing the Tripartite, usually just by bitching about the other families. The Sova him or herself is both high celebrant and grand autocrat of Sova, and pretty much whatever they say goes - unless they really split the families, in which case CIVIL WAR BITCHES.
• Geographically the smallest, close cities. Exurbs, spicy food, skimpy clothes, duels between families. Replicated relics of Creation(!!!). Casual use of hallucinogens(!!!). Good amount of hooks.
• Feeling like a nation: 40%.
  • What does it need? They really hit their stride after the first couple of nations, I feel. Tons of stuff to grab onto, we just have to figure out where really.

Imtu (capital)

• In Vanilla, seems to contain all the malki as well as the Caucus.
• Feeling like its own city: 30%.
  • What does it need? Just pin down some particulars again. The city is described in great detail in the CoCD or the page for Sova, look there if you want that.

Ixut

• Dead in Vanilla, but before that it was sort of the heart of the nation, especially for conurbation. Greater Ixut is an advanced exurb around it, boasting a population more than some cities of other nations.
• Feeling like its own city: 15%.
  • What does it need? There's really not a lot of detail on it before its downfall, and I'm really hesitant to have any MAJOR cities fall (that one in Kamak that becomes that Alchemical probably does, Ixut and Perygra probably don't). Exurbs are a really fascinating thing, but Greater Ixut's divergence from the norm actually makes it less appealing than the idea in general. Exurbs are probably threatened by gremlins moreso than cities, due to largely not having any sort of defenses.

Nurad

General

• Pyrophone! Nomads. Wide-open spaces, lending to terrace climbing, hang-gliding, and aircar and watercraft regattas. Sodalite festivals. Exaggerated art (and minimalism in response). Sapient devices in work, probably especially in ecosystem care in Gunstar.
• The whole of the nation is contained within one chamber. Monsoon season. NO movement of the pieces of the nation, allowing higher structures and more permanent connections between the cities. Ecosystems of the Spiral preserved in various arcologies, Genesis savants create behemoths and super-soldiers, Thaumaturgical hospitals treat mortals while Garden of Holistic Rejuvenation tends to Exalt, offering modification as well. The plentiful plains lend to voidfighter testing, making it home to the Gunstar Defense Line’s Illustrious Institute of Voidflight Research, nicknamed the Hatchery.
• Feeling like a nation: 40%.
  • What does it need? Same as Sova, almost everything's there, we just need to figure out where to put it. So much good stuff.

Perygra (capital)

• Not really detailed in Vanilla before its death. But it's implied to be a pretty badass advanced place before they trapped themselves in crystal like a bunch of retards.
• Feeling like its own city: 15%.
  • What does it need? Well, I feel Nurad in general we can really go nuts with both because of arcologies and also science so why not. Everything. I'm not even sure what that meant when I typed it like a minute ago, huh.

Shastar

• Gloomy city where buildings grow tall and close, blotting out Wisant in the sky, where the rich live in luxury and the poor poverty. Crafts stone.
• Feeling like its own city: 20%.
  • What does it need? Doesn't really feel like it has a hook, and I don't really feel we've used it as is. But in Gunstar, we can toss something on top of it and bam.

Wisant

• Beautifully done city. Very evocative, just needs some specifics. A globe at the uppermost tip shifts from gold to red to orange to blue to silver over the five shifts. Like a chandelier about Nurad, balconies, windows, and lights run through it. Luminors are revered and trained here from across the Octet, and airships and aircars are developed heavily for use here.
• Feeling like its own city: 40%.
  • What does it need? Uh, I just said at the beginning. Clearly a battle in airships/aircars sometime. Clearly.

Xefin

• Accessible only by tram, webbed out with bridges and catwalks, a prison city. Wants to remove free will from prisoners.
• Feeling like its own city: 30%.
  • What does it need? Uh, if the party ends up there it's probably not for sightseeing. We can add some prisoners or experiments there if we want, but you know, otherwise uh.

Yereka Nur

• The closest to the Blight Zone in Vanilla, could be under attack most often in Gunstar. Surprisingly evocative for a town, but without the Vanilla hook still feels bare interest-wise.
• Feeling like its own town: 15%.
  • What does it need? Bitch what did I just say.

Kamak

General

• Don't really know if I even have to put anything here. We know Kamak so well. Still: Kaff. Cold. Privacy and hospitality. Cities thrown like jumbles. Fatty food, layers of clothing. Like bull walrus. I've got an idea. As mentioned elsewhere, I imagine Dragon-Blooded AND Alchemicals are treated more like people than superiors, something that pisses Ragni Star-Bear off a lot.
• Also the Ennead setting up shop in a city is nice. They'd probably like the nation in general, but I feel like giving them only one city allows for more variation in what we do.
• Feeling like a nation: 40%.
  • What does it need? Very well done, just a bit here and there in the cities. We've got Vethem's Solace and Vars to throw somewhere too.

Ein (capital?)

• Like an egg in a web, most cosmopolitan of Kamaki cities. Surgeons are trained here from across the Octet to study prosthetic limbs Kamak is famous for. She interacts through exmachina sometimes, though largely for repairs. Houses the Garden of Creation in Vanilla, which is a metal facsimile of the world described in the Tome of the Great Maker.
• Feeling like its own city: 40%.
  • What does it need? Nice, like most just needs a few things of interest specifically.

Idasna (town)

• Blah blah blah pretty uninteresting hook on its own.
• Feeling like its own town: 10%.
  • What does it need? Eh, do we even need it? Maybe instead of the Coldheart Plague bleh bleh bleh this is where the Ennead set up? CANON

Radura (ruins)

• A city that destroyed itself eight years ago. No one knows what happens, and concern spread among the Deliberative and other cities at the seemingly unexplained disaster. Amoth City-Smiter left the Palace of the Maidens around this point, but even if he was behind it, there's many unanswered questions. And Excellent Inquisitive Analyst, Radura's spiritual successor, is gnawed at by them.
• Feeling like its own city: 10%.
  • What does it need? Just a bit of flavor, like something the city was famous for before kaboom.

Trantec (founder city, but took city status after Ein was already considered the capital)

• A big ol' pillar, sending at least avatar into the Reaches. As soulsteel he keeps eyes on the streets but does not intrude into houses, and has a charm to focus heat - to clear ice, or enemies. He also displays memories within Autochthon through spheres with a charm, which has tons of promise. Also contains the Motherhouse, where the Conducters' administration is.
• Feeling like its own city: 40%.
  • What does it need? Another nice'un, same as Ein.

Jarish

General

• Another one we've got very strongly. But for the sake of completion: Faith. Communion with nature. The smallest but most hardy. Romance. Faith. Sacrifice. Sparkmoon (I imagine is celebrated throughout the Deliberative on some level but especially in Jarish). The light obelisk. Moving through the Gunstar, reformatting exmachina as necessary.
• Feeling like a nation: 45%.
  • What does it need? Again, just a few specifics sprinkled here and there.

Jast-Qune (capital, only city in Gunstar???)

• The Bridge and the Dam (which I imagine is a romantic play throughout the Octet), surviving and evolving through even attacks of the Viator of Nullspace. The cities still bear scars from it as beautiful wonders, and have grown together into a wondrous city. Jast and Qune occasionally move among the city in avatars, shutting down all but essential city functions for the last night of Sparkmoon so they can focus through them.
• Feeling like its own city: 45%.
  • What does it need? Jast and Qune are both FUCKING AMAZING cities, and having them combined into one in Gunstar just makes me so happy in such a weird way. I'd say something in both cities, and something unique to where they meet, but I'll be honest, I really want to spoil this city because oh my god you guys.

Gulak

General

• Another one we have a pretty good feel on. Space Murica. Debatably oldest city, pilgrim travel and migration, collection of relics from such. Cosmopolitan, diverse. Clades. Cool weather. Lectors are hella popular. All art is embodied there, including many forgotten ones from other countries and probably some allegedly from the Spiral. Tons of food types. Team-based sports. Worship the Divine Ministers directly more than other nations(!!!). Promote one Populat to lector a year, including modifying the soulgem upon their death. Cities in chambers like grapes. And of course, theremin.
• Feeling like a nation: 40%.
  • What does it need? Again, we've got the pieces, just time to figure out where to put them.

Mogera

• Largely burrowed under the surface, with differing corridors, courtyards, and plazas that confuse visitors in their layout. The city transmutes the liquids flowing through Autochthon’s conduits into in-numerable alchemical reagents used in manufacturing and food processing, making it the center for Harvesters. They also turn oil into edible goo, which is usually refined further to unique Gulaki dishes.
• Feeling like its own city: 40%.
  • What does it need? Nice stuff. So wait, where are Scholars centered then? I should look it up sometime if it's covered? They feel biased towards the last few nations in general, I feel like they were finishing the book and were like 'Oh we should make centers for the Sodalites huh?'

Sata Ka'est

• Created by the Sahima clade, pacifist Estasians who migrated to Gulak, which means it actually probably still exists in Gunstar as a clade. Including Sahima Amat, who is one of the my favorite Vanilla NPCs.
• Feeling like its own town: 15%.
  • What does it need? Not much, doesn't need much detail, I imagine it'll be exerting influence on other areas more than explored in any detail anyway. If used at all. Sahima Amat is awesome, though.

Thutot (capital)

• Considered the oldest city by the Octet, rife with religion, with music playing constantly signifying things like shift changes, festivals, or Deliberative visitors, or even fires or other disasters. The city can move objects at will, which we're definitely using at some point. Lectors ambush passerbys with impromptu performances. ON THE THEREMIN
• Feeling like its own city: 40%.
  • What does it need? The music and charm are really really boss, it just needs stuff to play about and stuff to move about.

Beyond

Erlik

• Gremlins, gremlins everywhere.
• Feeling like its own city: 15%.
  • What does it need? Unlike most cities, I think instead of nice places for the group to explore and interact with it just needs some hostile shit in there.

Hadal

• Capital of the Gunstar, built on the pole of crystal, got a Palace of the Maidens where all the gods of various ranks hang out, got an empty temple for Luna, and tons of stuff for the Deliberative.
• Feeling like its own city: 40%.
  • What does it need? DEFINITELY have enough notables, I'd say if anything just some residential stuff at this point.

Loran

• Everything's better under the sea. OR: City built in the Pole of Oil, made of separate wards that float anchored to the central part.
• Feeling like its own city: 35%.
  • What does it need? Like most in this range, a few details and I'd say a few notables.

Om

• Adamant city made in the Pole of Crystal, created with the idea of watcher watching watchers. Don't know if it exists in Gunstar.
• Feeling like its own city: 15%.
  • What does it need? I like the idea, but not sure if it works in Gunstar. If it's used, I feel the city the gang's in might be bumped out of the Pole of Crystal. Or maybe this is, instead out there somewhere to be less close to the heart of the Deliberative. Who knows.

Xexas

• Upside down citadel that hangs on the ceiling of the Pole of Smoke.
• Feeling like its own city: 35%.
  • What does it need? It's Loran, but smoke instead. Probably a bit higher because of Siron, but there you are.