The City of Rune - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

The City of Rune

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
chaosvirus
Aug 18, 2007 10:11:26 If anyone has read my plaines of lost innocence topic, I am trying to make a dark steampunk city of twisted monstrosties and dark charecters.

All under the rule of the trainmaster, who may or may not be a dark lord.

As noted in the last topic, it became distracted from its main theme, so this is an attempt to get back to it.

The city is supposed to be a perversion of the steampunk cities of eberron, and also of sigil. A city that repersents the most darkest aspects of progress, of the caste system, of technology itself.

Taking inspiration from books such as the Dark Tower.

I am looking for suggestions, and any critique to make this fit in ravenloft more.

History
The city was founded as New Glenwhich, but that was many many a year ago, and little if any of that once prosperus city remains.
What is left is twisted and broken, to lie forver in the shadows
of the beast which lies now at the cities centre. The very thing this city now takes its name, the train station, Grand Central.

Some even mockingly call now this city Rune.

It all changed when he came, though some even say he did not exist at all, just the collective name for a group of entrepreneurs. But there fools, and he did.
Marcus Fleeting he was called, though I doubt that name was real. The Planar Consumption Engine he called it, it will change the world he said, and it did. It really did.

Description
Surrounded by endless dessert, the city lies in the centre of a a barren wasteland. Which only the mad and the mutated even dare to set foot in. Though offered the choice most would choose the wastes to the city.

Titanic walls surround it, far higher then any man can climb, the only way in are the trains. Which emerge from the city in every direction, going everywhere that the mortal mind can comprehend.

Some say that the city grows, despite the walls that border it dont move. That the city is far bigger then what should be contained. Goes deeper then even the deepest known layer, hiding things which cannot be named.

The city is an enigma, a twisted monstrosity, a blot on the landscape, and despite all the things against it is the most occupied and visted city in all of the demiplane.

The Districts

The Watchtower - Rising from grand central like some foul totem, stands the most prominent feature of Rune. The final thing built when Marcus Fleeting "rejunivated" New Glenwhich, with it he organised time across the demiplanes, made the first universal time system, NGT (New Glenwhich Time).
The watchtower, it can be seen from all across the plaines, and even in some of the lands beyond its borders. It is a work of art, so beutifull that its dreadfull, so wonderfull that looking at it makes you want to bash your head with a rock to wipe clean its image from your mind. The central clock is a confusing array of dials and cogs, with arms which tell, second, minute, hour, day, month, year, century, and even millenia. There is also said to be one arm, that has never compleatly rotated, which they say as the rumours tells, only goes round once. Whats its counting down to, no one knows.

The Shackled Gardens - Suspended by chains, held in place by the cities walls. Lies the most exlusive section of the city.
The homes of the elites of scoiety, and the cities goverment.
Constructed when the Infection ransacked the city, as an escape for the rich to avoid the diseases of the poor.
Many a time servants are seen dropping from this paradise, due to the employers disatification with there service, or merely for there amusement.

Unamed middle class section - The second level is in the daylight, and is a sprawing metropolis. It is the level most seen by visitors. It is filled with merchants, and workshops.

The Maw The lowest level, is a mixture of slums, and factories, and also serves as a water collection basin. It is located just above the sewers, but alot of these open up into this layer, so disease is run rife.
It is the world of the slaves and the lower class, and as such many of the blind grey skinned orcs and morlocks (humans who have devolved over the genertions), with also many mutants and outcasts (there is also a civizilisation of drow down here, who usually live in luxury, and also organise the slaves, and also run alot of the criminal underbelly in grand central).
The main food source down here is a special type of black rice made to grow in darkness, another lynchpin of there diet is fungus bread, made from flour which is composed of the various fungi which grow in this damp underbelly.
Looks akin to a smog and darkness filled venice.

The Trains
The trains will take you anywhere, as long as its not out.

Necropolis Railway - When the graveyards burst there banks, and the dead walked the streets a new way to manage the constant flood of the dead that now rotted in the streets.
So the necropolis railway was devised. Taking the dead across the wastelands, through Necropolis, and then into the elemental plane of Graves.

Mistway Express - Will take you anywhere in the demiplae of dread, just remember to pay your fare.

People of Rune

The Anonymous - Humonoids, who all look the same. There faces but a faint memory, there skin stretched over there heads, removing any sign which can tell them apart. They are the Anonymous, and they are legion.
The Anonymous, are a CN undead creature. Each one used to be another. But now fail to do so, left to wander the streets and the wastelands as the servants of the trainmaster. Your naighbor may disapear one day, and the next you see one more anonymous then usual. Both a reward and a punishment, for those who displease the lord.

Sometimes one will gain themselves again, and break free from the hive. But are left permently scarred, left without a face, and a life. Most go mad, wearing the skullls of animals to gain some sense of individuality.

(they are my anti dabus)

Influences are: Chatter from hellraiser, mr smith from matrix, the borg, faction paradox

Name: Mayour Grubwich III
Age: 64
Occupation: Mayor
Bio: The Mayour of Rune is a greedy pussball of a man, corrupted and fed by the money which endlessly flows into his pockets, from taxes and from his employer and master.
He runs the town for the trainmaster, provides a face, somthing to fool the poulace that they as a group have some control over the running of the city.He is Glutunnous as he is greedy, and often has food stains covering his shirt, his belly rasing obesisity new hieghts (and widths).

Name: Margret Lodd
Age: Unknown
Occupation: Pie Maker
Bio: In times long gone, she was a succubus, as beutifull and beguiling as the rest of her kin. But cursed by the dark powers she was. Stripped of her beauty, and power, forced to take the form of a hag.
Now she makes fine pies which are known throughtout the demiplane of dread, one may even be tempeted to be trapped in the demiplane just to taste one of her legendary pies.
Using her remain powers to drain the fear, the desire, and the despair from her victims, using the esscence of there soul as flavourings for her famous gourmet pies.
They say she has baked at least one of everything in a pie at one time or another.[/quote]
The Cabals

The Cabals formed shortly after the formation of Rune, each one vying for control of the city, each one locked in petty wars, and paper thin alliances.

Though they are the very things which keep it falling into war.

(more to add as I go along)

Seekers of the Beast - The erradication of rational thought is there motto, and is the only rule this cabal permits. The devolution of the mind, going back to the primal roots from which all "intellegent" races came.
They belive in instinct, most of there members are degenerates, slipping further into more amoral beastial creatures.
They operate deep within the maw, and count many of the slaves among its members, especially the morlocks, who they considure very close to there idea of perfection.

Fraternity of Shadow - The fraternity of shadows also has a base in the city.

Outside of Rune

Mist extraction plants
You approach a tower of iron and steel that bursts from the eath and reaches into the sky. The mist it emmits blocks out the sun, and a cold chill surround you no matter how hot the day had become. Jutting pipes go in all possible directions, reaching into the earth like roots of a tree.
Dotted around the plaines, and p'haps even further, stand the great beating machinations of the city of trains. Huge machines encircled by mists, and haunted by the things that inhabit them.
They pump ever hour of every day, drinking the mists, pumping them from the earth itself. Using it as a energy source, to power grand central, and the trains.....oh yes and the trains.
Mist elementals, and other mist based creatures are common here, even mist wierds are said to live in the mist extraction plants themselves.
Entering one of these places can be disorientating however, somtimes the machines emmit screams, as if the very souls of the people who have passed are being used as fuel themselves.
#2
darkor
Aug 18, 2007 18:49:33 The only thing I can come up with ATM is that the darklord could be a artifical intelligence (or something like that) that controle either one particular thing in the domain (like a train or something) or the entierty of the technology. For some inspiration think about Blain in the book "Wizard and Glass" from the Dark Tower serie (by Stephen King). Also, from what I read about the domain, I suggest you to watch the movie "Kafka" that might get you some ideas, I really think it as the good mood for it.
Now thinking about it, the book "The Gunslinger" (still by King, and still part of the Dark Tower serie) might also help as it descripe an entire world in ruin (and it's not because of nuclear warfare for once!). Hope it helps.
#3
chaosvirus
Aug 21, 2007 6:23:13 Yeah dark tower's my main influence, also the idea, is that marcus fleetings is dead.

But his intellegence has survived, and he is technically the city itself.
#4
Remmster
Aug 22, 2007 8:35:07 I suggest you also take a look at China Mieville's books, first of all, they're all good, and second, Mieville's city of New Crobuzon might give you dozens of good ideas for a rather twisted dark steampunk city. Particulary "Perdido Street Station", but "Iron Council" and "The Scar" might prove helpful too.
Elements like the Construct Council from Perdido Street Station might work very well as opposing forces to whatever's governing the place firsthand.

Hm, also, there was some book/story with a city being its own mind as well, but I cannot remember which one it was...
#5
the_ubbergeek
Sep 30, 2007 23:46:59 Nice idea.... Bumping a bit.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 chaosvirus Aug 18, 2007 10:11:26	If anyone has read my plaines of lost innocence topic, I am trying to make a dark steampunk city of twisted monstrosties and dark charecters. All under the rule of the trainmaster, who may or may not be a dark lord. As noted in the last topic, it became distracted from its main theme, so this is an attempt to get back to it. The city is supposed to be a perversion of the steampunk cities of eberron, and also of sigil. A city that repersents the most darkest aspects of progress, of the caste system, of technology itself. Taking inspiration from books such as the Dark Tower. I am looking for suggestions, and any critique to make this fit in ravenloft more. History The city was founded as New Glenwhich, but that was many many a year ago, and little if any of that once prosperus city remains. What is left is twisted and broken, to lie forver in the shadows of the beast which lies now at the cities centre. The very thing this city now takes its name, the train station, Grand Central. Some even mockingly call now this city Rune. It all changed when he came, though some even say he did not exist at all, just the collective name for a group of entrepreneurs. But there fools, and he did. Marcus Fleeting he was called, though I doubt that name was real. The Planar Consumption Engine he called it, it will change the world he said, and it did. It really did. Description Surrounded by endless dessert, the city lies in the centre of a a barren wasteland. Which only the mad and the mutated even dare to set foot in. Though offered the choice most would choose the wastes to the city. Titanic walls surround it, far higher then any man can climb, the only way in are the trains. Which emerge from the city in every direction, going everywhere that the mortal mind can comprehend. Some say that the city grows, despite the walls that border it dont move. That the city is far bigger then what should be contained. Goes deeper then even the deepest known layer, hiding things which cannot be named. The city is an enigma, a twisted monstrosity, a blot on the landscape, and despite all the things against it is the most occupied and visted city in all of the demiplane. The Districts The Watchtower - Rising from grand central like some foul totem, stands the most prominent feature of Rune. The final thing built when Marcus Fleeting "rejunivated" New Glenwhich, with it he organised time across the demiplanes, made the first universal time system, NGT (New Glenwhich Time). The watchtower, it can be seen from all across the plaines, and even in some of the lands beyond its borders. It is a work of art, so beutifull that its dreadfull, so wonderfull that looking at it makes you want to bash your head with a rock to wipe clean its image from your mind. The central clock is a confusing array of dials and cogs, with arms which tell, second, minute, hour, day, month, year, century, and even millenia. There is also said to be one arm, that has never compleatly rotated, which they say as the rumours tells, only goes round once. Whats its counting down to, no one knows. The Shackled Gardens - Suspended by chains, held in place by the cities walls. Lies the most exlusive section of the city. The homes of the elites of scoiety, and the cities goverment. Constructed when the Infection ransacked the city, as an escape for the rich to avoid the diseases of the poor. Many a time servants are seen dropping from this paradise, due to the employers disatification with there service, or merely for there amusement. Unamed middle class section - The second level is in the daylight, and is a sprawing metropolis. It is the level most seen by visitors. It is filled with merchants, and workshops. The Maw The lowest level, is a mixture of slums, and factories, and also serves as a water collection basin. It is located just above the sewers, but alot of these open up into this layer, so disease is run rife. It is the world of the slaves and the lower class, and as such many of the blind grey skinned orcs and morlocks (humans who have devolved over the genertions), with also many mutants and outcasts (there is also a civizilisation of drow down here, who usually live in luxury, and also organise the slaves, and also run alot of the criminal underbelly in grand central). The main food source down here is a special type of black rice made to grow in darkness, another lynchpin of there diet is fungus bread, made from flour which is composed of the various fungi which grow in this damp underbelly. Looks akin to a smog and darkness filled venice. The Trains The trains will take you anywhere, as long as its not out. Necropolis Railway - When the graveyards burst there banks, and the dead walked the streets a new way to manage the constant flood of the dead that now rotted in the streets. So the necropolis railway was devised. Taking the dead across the wastelands, through Necropolis, and then into the elemental plane of Graves. Mistway Express - Will take you anywhere in the demiplae of dread, just remember to pay your fare. People of Rune The Anonymous - Humonoids, who all look the same. There faces but a faint memory, there skin stretched over there heads, removing any sign which can tell them apart. They are the Anonymous, and they are legion. The Anonymous, are a CN undead creature. Each one used to be another. But now fail to do so, left to wander the streets and the wastelands as the servants of the trainmaster. Your naighbor may disapear one day, and the next you see one more anonymous then usual. Both a reward and a punishment, for those who displease the lord. Sometimes one will gain themselves again, and break free from the hive. But are left permently scarred, left without a face, and a life. Most go mad, wearing the skullls of animals to gain some sense of individuality. (they are my anti dabus) Influences are: Chatter from hellraiser, mr smith from matrix, the borg, faction paradox Name: Mayour Grubwich III Age: 64 Occupation: Mayor Bio: The Mayour of Rune is a greedy pussball of a man, corrupted and fed by the money which endlessly flows into his pockets, from taxes and from his employer and master. He runs the town for the trainmaster, provides a face, somthing to fool the poulace that they as a group have some control over the running of the city.He is Glutunnous as he is greedy, and often has food stains covering his shirt, his belly rasing obesisity new hieghts (and widths). Name: Margret Lodd Age: Unknown Occupation: Pie Maker Bio: In times long gone, she was a succubus, as beutifull and beguiling as the rest of her kin. But cursed by the dark powers she was. Stripped of her beauty, and power, forced to take the form of a hag. Now she makes fine pies which are known throughtout the demiplane of dread, one may even be tempeted to be trapped in the demiplane just to taste one of her legendary pies. Using her remain powers to drain the fear, the desire, and the despair from her victims, using the esscence of there soul as flavourings for her famous gourmet pies. They say she has baked at least one of everything in a pie at one time or another.[/quote] The Cabals The Cabals formed shortly after the formation of Rune, each one vying for control of the city, each one locked in petty wars, and paper thin alliances. Though they are the very things which keep it falling into war. (more to add as I go along) Seekers of the Beast - The erradication of rational thought is there motto, and is the only rule this cabal permits. The devolution of the mind, going back to the primal roots from which all "intellegent" races came. They belive in instinct, most of there members are degenerates, slipping further into more amoral beastial creatures. They operate deep within the maw, and count many of the slaves among its members, especially the morlocks, who they considure very close to there idea of perfection. Fraternity of Shadow - The fraternity of shadows also has a base in the city. Outside of Rune Mist extraction plants You approach a tower of iron and steel that bursts from the eath and reaches into the sky. The mist it emmits blocks out the sun, and a cold chill surround you no matter how hot the day had become. Jutting pipes go in all possible directions, reaching into the earth like roots of a tree. Dotted around the plaines, and p'haps even further, stand the great beating machinations of the city of trains. Huge machines encircled by mists, and haunted by the things that inhabit them. They pump ever hour of every day, drinking the mists, pumping them from the earth itself. Using it as a energy source, to power grand central, and the trains.....oh yes and the trains. Mist elementals, and other mist based creatures are common here, even mist wierds are said to live in the mist extraction plants themselves. Entering one of these places can be disorientating however, somtimes the machines emmit screams, as if the very souls of the people who have passed are being used as fuel themselves.
#2 darkor Aug 18, 2007 18:49:33	The only thing I can come up with ATM is that the darklord could be a artifical intelligence (or something like that) that controle either one particular thing in the domain (like a train or something) or the entierty of the technology. For some inspiration think about Blain in the book "Wizard and Glass" from the Dark Tower serie (by Stephen King). Also, from what I read about the domain, I suggest you to watch the movie "Kafka" that might get you some ideas, I really think it as the good mood for it. Now thinking about it, the book "The Gunslinger" (still by King, and still part of the Dark Tower serie) might also help as it descripe an entire world in ruin (and it's not because of nuclear warfare for once!). Hope it helps.
#3 chaosvirus Aug 21, 2007 6:23:13	Yeah dark tower's my main influence, also the idea, is that marcus fleetings is dead. But his intellegence has survived, and he is technically the city itself.
#4 Remmster Aug 22, 2007 8:35:07	I suggest you also take a look at China Mieville's books, first of all, they're all good, and second, Mieville's city of New Crobuzon might give you dozens of good ideas for a rather twisted dark steampunk city. Particulary "Perdido Street Station", but "Iron Council" and "The Scar" might prove helpful too. Elements like the Construct Council from Perdido Street Station might work very well as opposing forces to whatever's governing the place firsthand. Hm, also, there was some book/story with a city being its own mind as well, but I cannot remember which one it was...
#5 the_ubbergeek Sep 30, 2007 23:46:59	Nice idea.... Bumping a bit.