Monday, July 23, 2012

HMS Apollyon - Maps of Lower Stern Town

Below are the maps of the two maxi-decks (100' deck sections that make up the basic deck level of the Apollyon but may include up to 10 sub-levels. There are about 25 of them (no one is really sure how far down they go, but there are currently nine above the waterline) in addition to the deck-top towers.  These are maps of the two lower levels of Sterntown, and are the maps that the characters will be easily able to obtain.

Deck Prime and Deck Secundus - HMS Apollyon


The Keyed areas are described below:

Area 1 - Sorrow gate: Castaways are pulled in through this gate - winched up in metal cages from the fishing pools and held for a few days of examination and testing.  Those who are found dangerous are imprisoned here, executed or exiled out the Rust Gates.  Those that are useful are placed in dormitories in Picked Bone Square or Angler's Quarter.  The rest are declared Flotsam and enlisted in the Scavengers.  A parade of Flotsam once a month winds down the avenue to the Rust Gates once a month.  Any Sterntowner may gain entrance to this area by telling the Stewards and Scavenger Gaolers "I mean to discuss a way out with the cowards" - meaning they intend to leap into the sea. For Flailsnails' PCs the swirling waves are like to wash them up elsewhere after a brief extremely unpleasant drowning in the preternatural waters.

Area 2 - Flotsam Souk: The area where Scavengers come to buy supplies and sell their pickings unless they have enough status to go to the Promenade.  Agent's agreements are possible but the right to set up a booth here is very expensive.

Area 3 - Museum Combatant:  Open to the public on holiday's this is a museum for the marine's of the Apollyon.  It is also a home for marine families and retired marines.  Many of the rooms appear of a ritualistic and religious nature. 

Area 4 - Picked Bone Square: The Apollyon's worst slum, it contains dreary dormitories, shanties and an unseemly number of terrible stale beer joints. Most citizen's of this area are failed or timid former scavengers who now work in the Processory.  A few nicer homes and apartment warrens are home to retired scavengers that failed to move uptown. 


Area 5 - Warehouses of the Low Trade:  Dealings with scavenged items "the low trade" is conducted out of this area and many workshops and small businesses catering to scavengers operate from this area in addition to the warehouses proper

Area 6 - The Bleeding Gaol: The main bastion of the stewards, less a prison and more a fortress. Those non-stewards entering are rarely seen again, and if they are seen they are rarely recognized due to the mutilation and scarring.

Area 7 -  Rust Gates: Huge barricaded gates manned by boiler-mail armored stewards, trapped and defended at all times.  Cannon, packs of giant mutated attack dogs, belt powered automatics and a network of trenches all face outward towards the undiscovered areas of the hull.  The area directly behind the gates is the home for scavengers who do not yet have the trust of the Sterntown authorities.

Area a - The Promenade: Sterntown's oldest shopping district still accounts for some of the high trade and contains many of the oldest commercial establishments.  A special pass is required for Scavengers to walk the promenade.  This area is also home to most of the town's churches - including the One and Only Cenacle of the Ship Spirits and the Queen's 6th Basilica of Anticipated Deliverance.

Area b - Angler's Quarter:  A vibrant lower-class quarter and one of the more welcoming in Sterntown.  Angler's have jobs almost as dangerous as scavengers and are very conscious of the terrors of being lost at sea so they are more sympathetic to flotsam than most.  More successful Scavengers are advised to move to Angler's Quarter.


Area c - The Processory: Fish brought in from the Pool are canned, salted, fermented, frozen and hexed here. Grey and stinking this neighborhood has no residents and is devoted solely to industry.

Area d - Fort Defeat:  The Marine's took near annihilation at the battle of the Devil's Tomb 40 years ago very hard.  They lost their best soldiers and most of their irreplaceable anarcho-tech.  It's debatable if the sacrifice saved the Apollyon's humanity, but the Marines have been exiled to this sally port, under 1,000 feet from the stern of the Apollyon and they do not appear to be rebuilding their numbers. A guard in wondrous white and blue powered ceramic armor stands sentry here though, every morning - even if it's obvious to the careful observer that there are only three such suits, much repaired, slow moving and lacking the deadly gyro-jet weaponry that was long the hallmark of the marines.

Area e - The Pool:  The Apollyon's fishing fleet docks here.  These boats are an incredibly valuable resource and closely guarded.  The pool itself is constantly bustling as the Anglers, both human and frogling go about their business. Massive hawsers run throughout the pool, as any boat leaving the Apollyon through the yawning sea gates will be lost if it is not anchored in some way to the larger vessel.


Area f - Frogburg:  A network of submerged alleyways, dredge tailing huts, kelp paddies and jury rigged architecture, Frogtown is home to Sterntown's Frogling minority.  Frogtown has a dangerous reputation, though the anglers and kelp processors who work closest with the Froglings scoff at these rumors and describe the Froglings as orderly and pious, with the rare exception of the odd gambler high on mad-kelp and slashing at everyone that moves with his boot razor.

4 comments:

  1. Looks excellent.

    I've just been reading all of your posts for HMS Apollyon and as I was doing so I kept thinking of the two Bioshock computer games. :)

    More please!

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    1. Hmmm. Haven't played Bioshock, but in that it's rusted, nautical and a bit creepy sure I can see a connection. I'd say that Bioshock is more 20's Deco while the Apollyon had a neo-Victorian feel when built and now has a Dickensian nightmare thing going on. Also there is civilization to "save" in the Apolloyon, albeit one run by viciously corrupt thugs in league with otherworldly horrors.

      As to what's next I need to do the following large posts prior to play:
      1) Specialist Class Notes
      2) Clerical Class Notes
      3) Non-Human Class Notes (Frogling MU/thief, Flying Monkey fighter/thief, and Outsider Tainted fighter/MU)
      4) Orientation fluff
      5) Equipment (random starting packages) and rumor lists.

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    2. Good stuff. Keep me in the loop if this gets to the playable stage.

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    3. It's playable - as flailsnails, Apolloyon clerics, thieves and demihumans will need a few weeks. It's just finding a time and a party I worry about. I shall do the fluff next few days and see who a I can cajole into playing - finding a good time is key. The rumors already have a good set of starting adventures mapped out.

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