Sewage on Athas - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Sewage on Athas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Feb 10, 2006 9:09:17 Ok, Since I started this run on food and drinks on Athas, I would like to start the debate on where it all goes when our Characters flush. some to the fields, some to the streets EW! as my daughter would say, and some with help from plumbing might go to the Kreen lands to feed the masses, maybe even the blue shrine or the Mud Palace? anyway, any ideas of who actually has a sewage system that is working besides maybe the Rhul-Thaun with their life toilets.

;O)
#2
the_peacebringer
Feb 10, 2006 11:48:22 Gulgs go in the bushes. Many cities probably sun-dry feces to use as combustibles, just like in some poor countries that have little to no trees. Btw, sun-drying excrement really stinks up the city street: walking through the street of Nibenay's lower quarter, a wind draft hits you in the nose with a fetid odor of sun-drying ...
#3
zombiegleemax
Feb 10, 2006 12:27:13 Check out this place http://www.beloit.edu/~museum/logan/southwest/casasgrandes/introduction.htm

It doesn't mention it on this site, but they had an open sewer system. I imagine that some of the City States would as well.
#4
squidfur-
Feb 10, 2006 19:44:39 The more well-to-do Urikites have miden shafts that take their waste to street level (or lower - Urik does have an underground sewer system in some parts of the city). Others just go in the street, where slaves collect it up for use as fertilizer for the fields outside the city walls. It is said that vagrants also rummage through collected waste - can't remember off hand for what purpose though.
#5
zombiegleemax
Feb 11, 2006 1:50:00 I doubt there would be any need for a large scale sewage/drainage system in many palces on athas. Water certainly won't be wasted to carry away such stuff, so it would go no where even if a sewer system was inplace. I'm thinking chamber pots are just dumped in a palce where the stuff would sun dry. In most places on athas, it would dry and become nearly sterile very quickly.
#6
schizoidray
Feb 11, 2006 12:38:01 In one of my campaigns, I had one of the cities with an interesting low-non water sewer system which relies on collection basins and manual labor to transport waste to the outlying fields that support the population. The basins and tunnels conecting them were not everywhere, like a traditional sewer, but most were a series of public restrooms with collection basins underneath. Low ranking templars (removers of waste, a rank listed in the original boxed set) and a contingent of slaves would collect the waste from the basins and transport it to the farmlands. Field slaves would then distribute the wastes to fertilize the fields.
#7
joboo
Feb 11, 2006 13:32:12
Low ranking templars (removers of waste, a rank listed in the original boxed set) and a contingent of slaves would collect the waste from the basins and transport it to the farmlands. Field slaves would then distribute the wastes to fertilize the fields.

It's a good thing they don't have to worry about disease! (writing, in a sarcastic, light hearted, tone)
#8
squidfur-
Feb 11, 2006 18:12:54
I doubt there would be any need for a large scale sewage/drainage system in many palces on athas. Water certainly won't be wasted to carry away such stuff, so it would go no where even if a sewer system was inplace. I'm thinking chamber pots are just dumped in a palce where the stuff would sun dry. In most places on athas, it would dry and become nearly sterile very quickly.

As pointed out by schizoidray, you don't necessarily need to have water to have a working sewer system.
#9
zombiegleemax
Feb 13, 2006 11:57:36 I don't think that the use of water for a sewage system would necessarily be a waste. If you have the channels radiate out from the center of the city you could pump water into them carrying away the sewage out into the fields. This water would be part of the irrigation used by the farms surrounding the city states helping to fertilize and making the fields a very smelly place. I think it would make for good political intrigue, the rich merchant houses have access to best sources of sewage. Also, since the nobels tend to live in the center of the city, the warrens would be the last stop before the fields. I can't imagine that that would be a fun place to live.

Just some ideas. I think that "dry" sewer systems would work equally well, and there is certainly canon information supporting this.
#10
zombiegleemax
Feb 13, 2006 20:26:43
I don't think that the use of water for a sewage system would necessarily be a waste. If you have the channels radiate out from the center of the city you could pump water into them carrying away the sewage out into the fields. This water would be part of the irrigation used by the farms surrounding the city states helping to fertilize and making the fields a very smelly place. I think it would make for good political intrigue, the rich merchant houses have access to best sources of sewage. Also, since the nobels tend to live in the center of the city, the warrens would be the last stop before the fields. I can't imagine that that would be a fun place to live.

Just some ideas. I think that "dry" sewer systems would work equally well, and there is certainly canon information supporting this.

Excellent idea Thanks I think this could work for my campaign. I had one city-state using Life shaped pumps and filters for this very thing.
#11
sel_carim
Feb 14, 2006 13:48:28 I've heard that some cultures use fecal matter as a building material. When combined with mud, sand and straw you can make a fairly strong brick. The smell mostly goes away after the brick is dry (or so I have heard) The rich of Athas could probably aford plaster to cover their homes with to improve the visual effect.
#12
darkkhaine
Feb 16, 2006 10:38:09 black pudding pits works in a fantasy world, thats if athas has them as critters.

Sooner or later the Kings would have thought of them as low maintaince and effective trash management system.
#13
zombiegleemax
Mar 28, 2006 15:01:26 Considering that a lot of the City-states were built around the time of the Green Age, they would probably have sewers beneath the streets, although non-functioning now. Another use for all that, ahem, waste is as fertilizer, possibly explaining how the cities grow their crops.

The old toilets (if any still existed) would no doubt be replaced by chamber pots now in houses and some businesses (such as Inns), since no one would want that smell wafting up into their house or building.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Feb 10, 2006 9:09:17	Ok, Since I started this run on food and drinks on Athas, I would like to start the debate on where it all goes when our Characters flush. some to the fields, some to the streets EW! as my daughter would say, and some with help from plumbing might go to the Kreen lands to feed the masses, maybe even the blue shrine or the Mud Palace? anyway, any ideas of who actually has a sewage system that is working besides maybe the Rhul-Thaun with their life toilets. ;O)
#2 the_peacebringer Feb 10, 2006 11:48:22	Gulgs go in the bushes. Many cities probably sun-dry feces to use as combustibles, just like in some poor countries that have little to no trees. Btw, sun-drying excrement really stinks up the city street: walking through the street of Nibenay's lower quarter, a wind draft hits you in the nose with a fetid odor of sun-drying ...
#3 zombiegleemax Feb 10, 2006 12:27:13	Check out this place http://www.beloit.edu/~museum/logan/southwest/casasgrandes/introduction.htm It doesn't mention it on this site, but they had an open sewer system. I imagine that some of the City States would as well.
#4 squidfur- Feb 10, 2006 19:44:39	The more well-to-do Urikites have miden shafts that take their waste to street level (or lower - Urik does have an underground sewer system in some parts of the city). Others just go in the street, where slaves collect it up for use as fertilizer for the fields outside the city walls. It is said that vagrants also rummage through collected waste - can't remember off hand for what purpose though.
#5 zombiegleemax Feb 11, 2006 1:50:00	I doubt there would be any need for a large scale sewage/drainage system in many palces on athas. Water certainly won't be wasted to carry away such stuff, so it would go no where even if a sewer system was inplace. I'm thinking chamber pots are just dumped in a palce where the stuff would sun dry. In most places on athas, it would dry and become nearly sterile very quickly.
#6 schizoidray Feb 11, 2006 12:38:01	In one of my campaigns, I had one of the cities with an interesting low-non water sewer system which relies on collection basins and manual labor to transport waste to the outlying fields that support the population. The basins and tunnels conecting them were not everywhere, like a traditional sewer, but most were a series of public restrooms with collection basins underneath. Low ranking templars (removers of waste, a rank listed in the original boxed set) and a contingent of slaves would collect the waste from the basins and transport it to the farmlands. Field slaves would then distribute the wastes to fertilize the fields.
#7 joboo Feb 11, 2006 13:32:12	Low ranking templars (removers of waste, a rank listed in the original boxed set) and a contingent of slaves would collect the waste from the basins and transport it to the farmlands. Field slaves would then distribute the wastes to fertilize the fields. It's a good thing they don't have to worry about disease! (writing, in a sarcastic, light hearted, tone)
#8 squidfur- Feb 11, 2006 18:12:54	I doubt there would be any need for a large scale sewage/drainage system in many palces on athas. Water certainly won't be wasted to carry away such stuff, so it would go no where even if a sewer system was inplace. I'm thinking chamber pots are just dumped in a palce where the stuff would sun dry. In most places on athas, it would dry and become nearly sterile very quickly. As pointed out by schizoidray, you don't necessarily need to have water to have a working sewer system.
#9 zombiegleemax Feb 13, 2006 11:57:36	I don't think that the use of water for a sewage system would necessarily be a waste. If you have the channels radiate out from the center of the city you could pump water into them carrying away the sewage out into the fields. This water would be part of the irrigation used by the farms surrounding the city states helping to fertilize and making the fields a very smelly place. I think it would make for good political intrigue, the rich merchant houses have access to best sources of sewage. Also, since the nobels tend to live in the center of the city, the warrens would be the last stop before the fields. I can't imagine that that would be a fun place to live. Just some ideas. I think that "dry" sewer systems would work equally well, and there is certainly canon information supporting this.
#10 zombiegleemax Feb 13, 2006 20:26:43	I don't think that the use of water for a sewage system would necessarily be a waste. If you have the channels radiate out from the center of the city you could pump water into them carrying away the sewage out into the fields. This water would be part of the irrigation used by the farms surrounding the city states helping to fertilize and making the fields a very smelly place. I think it would make for good political intrigue, the rich merchant houses have access to best sources of sewage. Also, since the nobels tend to live in the center of the city, the warrens would be the last stop before the fields. I can't imagine that that would be a fun place to live. Just some ideas. I think that "dry" sewer systems would work equally well, and there is certainly canon information supporting this. Excellent idea Thanks I think this could work for my campaign. I had one city-state using Life shaped pumps and filters for this very thing.
#11 sel_carim Feb 14, 2006 13:48:28	I've heard that some cultures use fecal matter as a building material. When combined with mud, sand and straw you can make a fairly strong brick. The smell mostly goes away after the brick is dry (or so I have heard) The rich of Athas could probably aford plaster to cover their homes with to improve the visual effect.
#12 darkkhaine Feb 16, 2006 10:38:09	black pudding pits works in a fantasy world, thats if athas has them as critters. Sooner or later the Kings would have thought of them as low maintaince and effective trash management system.
#13 zombiegleemax Mar 28, 2006 15:01:26	Considering that a lot of the City-states were built around the time of the Green Age, they would probably have sewers beneath the streets, although non-functioning now. Another use for all that, ahem, waste is as fertilizer, possibly explaining how the cities grow their crops. The old toilets (if any still existed) would no doubt be replaced by chamber pots now in houses and some businesses (such as Inns), since no one would want that smell wafting up into their house or building.