The Urban Journey: An “Ex Novo” City-building Quest

[ComiTurtle]

My problem here is I like all of them, and don't really have an idea for a write-in. I think all offer things I like.

Option one, I like the Forest becoming a resource for the game and it sort of works as a stab by the Cult of Olpan post their weakening which is nice.
Option two, I like the idea that we'll get more events associated with the ruins, though I'll admit a large part of my interest is more in its restoration than its pilfering, but perhaps one leads to the other.
Option three, I like the general mafia faction idea and while I want the city to have a good history I like things that create conflict and the mafia-like faction I think offers the most conflict potential.

For now, I think I find myself slightly pushed towards the mafia faction though I'm probably not going to be too dificult to convince.

[X] The Etchers sponsored troublemakers to make life difficult for the Convocation in the initial days of the city's reorganization. They have since them organized themselves into a cabal of extortionists and thieves. While efforts have been made to uproot them, some among the Etchers still secretly support them to keep them out of Etchers districts.

 

[Happerry]

[X] The Etchers sponsored troublemakers to make life difficult for the Convocation in the initial days of the city's reorganization. They have since them organized themselves into a cabal of extortionists and thieves. While efforts have been made to uproot them, some among the Etchers still secretly support them to keep them out of Etchers districts.

 

[Twiggierjet]

[X] Some people have come to realize that the bark of the trees can be used as a mind-altering drug outside of the Companions' religious rituals. A group has organized to sell it to outside cities and the black market even though the export of the bark has been banned and sale to locals requires a license from the Convocation. The criminals are loosely supported by the Cult of Olpan because the criminals have been become a major funder for the Cult's ritual events.
=> Add a Smuggler faction; transform the Strange Forest from a landmark into a resource
-[X] Star Dust Guild: A guild founded by the Cult to operate and control the supply of Star Dust trees. The barks of the trees shine like star dust hence the name and when burned multicolored sparks would be seen as visions from the divine. When made into a tea it turns silvery and was said to heal and relieve aiments of the sick. Though originally it was envisioned to only produce a small profit the chaos that happened forced the faction who prefer a stronger cult not ridden by factionalism so operations were made to sell it in foreign markets and their fellow people. But with the Convocation's obstruction the guild had to use alternate measures that would be turned on a blind eye when a priest of their faction is with them.

 

[ALanos]

To be perfectly honest the Etchers mafia sounds extremely boring when we could make a whole new faction for this. I don't like having vagabonds and thieves duking it out on the streets to gain control of the city. It would be more fun if there was a conspiracy happening to escalate tensions than doing this.

Also @ComiTurtle what do you not like about the Star Dust Guild because I do believe that it can be an interesting part of the Cradle's history?

 

[ComiTurtle]

Also @ComiTurtle what do you not like about the Star Dust Guild because I do believe that it can be an interesting part of the Cradle's history?

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Never said I disliked it, I think each of the options offer something interesting, though the mafia faction is still a faction not just a reflavoring of the Etchers.

 

[ALanos]

Never said I disliked it, I think each of the options offer something interesting, though the mafia faction is still a faction not just a reflavoring of the Etchers.

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Unless it has some flavor text on how it can be unique to the story of the city I will still be miffed at how generic it sounds. Because there is no effort to characterize it and it would be a shame if that won when people made write ins on a choice where there is something asked that will feel pointless and wouldn't be bothered to participate in a more involved fashion then.

 

[Solarstream]

...or we just like the mafia option and trust the qm to make it interesting, maybe?

 

[hessan_yongdi]

Sorry for being quiet recently! The holidays have been keeping me busy. I will leave voting open for a little longer in case people change their minds or we have some new members join us.

Unless it has some flavor text on how it can be unique to the story of the city I will still be miffed at how generic it sounds. Because there is no effort to characterize it and it would be a shame if that won when people made write ins on a choice where there is something asked that will feel pointless and wouldn't be bothered to participate in a more involved fashion then.

Click to shrink...

I don't like having vagabonds and thieves duking it out on the streets to gain control of the city. It would be more fun if there was a conspiracy happening to escalate tensions than doing this.

Click to shrink...

I understand wanting to convince people to support your recommendation and you are fully welcome to attempt it. However, that generally works better when you try to convince people your preference is better rather than shame the majority choice as being bad or boring. That said, I will try to allay some of your concerns should the current vote results stand without trying to show any favoritism.


First, I mentioned in the outline that the founding members of this new crime faction were encouraged to act against the Convocation by some in the Etchers because some hoped to undermine the legitimacy of the new city government. However, the mafia is not taking orders from the Etchers. They may have started with material or moral support from the Etchers, but that support is over by now. I would expect the Etchers to work with the Convocation to crush their creation if it ever it tried to operate against their interests.

Second, I don't think any mafia would actually want to "control the city" in a direct fashion. Therefore, I do not intend on this mafia doing that unless the dice and votes are very unfriendly to the other factions. The profit of organized crime organizations like mafias is usually based on circumventing or being more efficient (e.g. costing people less) than the usual tools of State control (e.g. official institutions) in providing physical protection and services to supporters. These include guaranteeing contracts, evading costly fees and taxes, financial backing like loans & investments, providing illicit goods & services, insurance and social support nets, "discouraging" a supporter's business competitors, and so on. Doing these activities too openly in a city-state like ours would lead to the other factions coming down hard on the organization to enforce their legitimacy. They have to tread the thin line of being a tolerable annoyance, which lends itself more to conspiracy and backroom dealings than blood in the streets.

Third, I think part of your concern comes from my use of the word "mafia" and the connotations involved. I used this terminology because for many people Mafia is synonymous with organized crime just like cartel is for drug-trafficking. At least some of the activities and services I outlined above are things that merchant families & cartels, urban youth & university student gangs, moneychangers, and professional guilds were doing for millennia in Europe before La Cosa Nostra. The main difference between these groups and a modern mafia is that the later is more likely to resort to violence than financial and social harm to punish rulebreaking and suppress opposition.

Since there is support for the drug-dealers, I can incorporate some elements of that into this new faction. The faction can be involved in the distribution as one of the gigs. Some other pieces like a mutual positive relationship with the Cult of Olpan would also fit the MO of an organized crime faction.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

Sorry everyone! One of my sons got a nasty cold (fortunately not COVID or anything related), so I have been playing nurse during my usual writing times.

I will now officially close the vote, which means we will be adding a mafia-type faction to the city. I will also be including the Star Dust drug that the other supporters wanted to develop in the write-up, though I will need to make some small changes to it to better fit the preexisting lore for our city. Hopefully I will have that up in the next day or two.

As an additional update, I am currently working on a world wiki for the city on the Kanka.io website. It is kind of like World Anvil or Campfire if you are familiar with those platforms. When it is roughly caught up to my current story documents, I will be sure to let you all know and add a link to it on the opening post of the thread.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

As I mentioned earlier, the vote resulted in the mafia-like organization winning the vote to be the new criminal faction. Some parts of this post has been resisting moving from brain to page, so I am going to break it in two. This first part is going to focus on the origins of the group as well as the beginnings of a vignette that will be finished in part #2. Please enjoy!

Crime in Early Cradle's Rest

Like all societies, Cradle's Rest was not immune to criminal activity. Normally, the fragmented nature of its leadership would have encouraged such behaviors to grow, but each of the three main factions kept tight control over their respective communities. As a result, criminal activities within the city limits were quite small and unsophisticated in comparison to modern crime. However, the expansion of the city's population combined with the social reforms made it easier for organized criminal activity to develop in the gaps between the Etchers and the Convocation of Union. The South Point Clique was such an organization. Started in the relatively new South Point neighborhood, they started by binding together the disaffected in the chaos of the early Convocation. A small number of business families working together began hiring a group of youth to help protect their business interests from fraud and crime. Early on, several prominent Etcher guild masters were among their clients. While many of these initial clients left the organization as the Etchers stabilized, but their wealth and influence was important for solidifying the leadership of the Clique. One thing that protected the Clique from official retribution was support they received the people of South Point. The Clique invested in their businesses, set up insurance schemes to help protect them, and connected local producers with major merchants and consumers. Many of these moves were done by the South Point Clique to improve their own wealth opportunities or shield their criminal activities. However, there is no denying that these efforts did speed up the development their communities and have many of clique leaders upstanding reputations. The Cult of Olpan began receiving significant funding from prominent members of the Clique, which improved the reach of this unofficial propaganda network.

Lethorak looked out the window at the sundial in the courtyard before pacing back to the other side of the tea house lobby. "How much longer, Bolra?" they whinged to the man behind the counter, "I have to go talk to the Nermer family about their house after my meeting."

Bolra's eyes followed Lethorak as they passed though the room but did not quite focus on them. The poor man had been working with stardust for so long, the stars had gotten into his eyes and new he was almost blind. Still, Bolra's reign as master of dust production was undisputed.

It also helped that he brewed amazing tea. The old man slid Lethorak a tray containing a freshly poured cup. "How are the Nermery doing?"

Lethorak let the silence linger as he enjoyed the warmth of the green crystal cup between their fingers and the light earthy smell of the tea within. "Everyone is alive, but the fire destroyed their bakery." They took a sip. "The boss decided to honor their claim for compensation. They were up to date with their due and their girl Poro has been with us for half a year now."

"Blessings for them. Will need to find a new place for lunch."

It went without saying that the ones responsible for the fire in the first place were going to be severely punished, assuming they still had all of their fingers. What started out as a little revenge arson had destroyed half a block and the Nermery weren't the only family who had lost an insured home or business.

After a minute of companionable silence, a scrawny young worker came out from the back with a sealed case. It was designed to look like a tea case, but the thump it made on the counter showed it was too heavy to be tea.

"Finally!" Lethorak muttered. They drained their cup and placed it back on the counter. In a louder voice, they added, "I should go alone, Hakket. I will take it from here."

The worker mumbled some thanks and returned into the back room. Lethorak gave a deferential Ra'a-el whistle of farewell as they took the case, but the Bolra just grunted and waved them off as Lethorak exited to the courtyard and street beyond. The old man was likely grouching about young folks and their obsessions with whistling instead of using good, honest words.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

Sorry all. That second half of the last post is still resisting me. However, I don't want to leave you all without something to do while writers block rears its ugly head, so I will go ahead and start the discussion on Turn #6.

531 - Public Transportation
The city invests in horse-drawn buses, underground trains, or exotic beasts of burden. How does this transform the city's streets and avenues? => Add a landmark

Something I would like to remind everyone is that we are currently at an early to mid-medieval Northern European technological level. This means that the people in our city rely on carts, porters, and beast of burden for land transportation. Roads are mostly packed dirt tracks. Cogs, hulks, balingers, and galleys would dominate travel on the sea and major rivers.

Some options...

[] Digging in the Fletcher's Field has revealed an entrance into an unnatural cave system that runs under the city, connecting the old ruins to several locations on the peninsula. Several inventive individuals have been mapping the caves to find the old entrances and use them as cart tunnels. This could be really helpful to reduce congestion on the roads.
=> Add a landmark (Cave Entrances) {might find something else down there depending on events!}

[] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
=> Add a landmark (Drydocks)
-How do the experiments go? (Either way, the drydocks will still exist and might come construct regular ships later)

[] The rivers to date have not be very useful for transportation. Shallows, rapids, and other navigation hazards in the rivers make them difficult to use. However, a major difficulty in the northern river has been bypassed by a canal and a series of locks built by a local merchant guild. Combined with several other channel improvement projects further upstream, the northern river has become a useful shipping route for both people and trade with the border of the Northern Kingdom.
=> Add a landmark (Locks) {Could something else come down the river?}

[] Write in
=> Add a landmark

I will leave the vote up with time until the midnight of Friday/Saturday, Eastern US Time. Feel free to discuss it! Hopefully I will have the Turn #5 part 2 done by then to give you all something to read while I work on the Turn #6 results.

 

[Solarstream]

[X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
=> Add a landmark (Drydocks)
-How do the experiments go? (Either way, the drydocks will still exist and might come construct regular ships later)
-[X] While the experiments failed, there was an unexpected benefit. The experimenter, a meticulous note-taker, wrote down their methods and process of experimentation, and shared them with other literate and wealthy people. This has sparked some interest in a more rigorous study of the natural world, and the experimenter now has a few students under their belt.

i'm assuming we have writing, though most of the population would be illiterate. if we don't, i'll probably switch to the caves.

 

[ComiTurtle]

[X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
-[X] Neither produced viable results for long voyages, yet the bark of Ethmanek trees was discovered to be very useful in the production of purple dye, and the boiled flesh of Roqumpan was found to be usable as a potent adhesive... though that discovery was made in a very unfortunate accident.

 

[Twiggierjet]

[X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
-[X] Neither produced viable results for long voyages, yet the bark of Ethmanek trees was discovered to be very useful in the production of purple dye, and the boiled flesh of Roqumpan was found to be usable as a potent adhesive... though that discovery was made in a very unfortunate accident.

 

[Happerry]

[X] Digging in the Fletcher's Field has revealed an entrance into an unnatural cave system that runs under the city, connecting the old ruins to several locations on the peninsula. Several inventive individuals have been mapping the caves to find the old entrances and use them as cart tunnels. This could be really helpful to reduce congestion on the roads.

 

[ALanos]

[X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
-[X] While there was a failure in the experiment there was a renewed fervor for a cult for sailors and there was a reinterpretation of an existing god used. Shrines were built for each ship to guide them the way.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

Spoiler: Vote Results

Scheduled vote count started by hessan_yongdi on Jan 5, 2021 at 4:40 PM, finished with 6 posts and 5 votes.

• ---

  2 people have voted

  [X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
  -[X] Neither produced viable results for long voyages, yet the bark of Ethmanek trees was discovered to be very useful in the production of purple dye, and the boiled flesh of Roqumpan was found to be usable as a potent adhesive... though that discovery was made in a very unfortunate accident.

  • ComiTurtle
  • Twiggierjet

  1 people have voted

  [X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
  -[X] While the experiments failed, there was an unexpected benefit. The experimenter, a meticulous note-taker, wrote down their methods and process of experimentation, and shared them with other literate and wealthy people. This has sparked some interest in a more rigorous study of the natural world, and the experimenter now has a few students under their belt.

  • Solarstream

  1 people have voted

  [X] Digging in the Fletcher's Field has revealed an entrance into an unnatural cave system that runs under the city, connecting the old ruins to several locations on the peninsula. Several inventive individuals have been mapping the caves to find the old entrances and use them as cart tunnels. This could be really helpful to reduce congestion on the roads.

  • Happerry

  1 people have voted

  [X] Growing trade has increased the needs for ship building, but the merchant class has relied on foreign built hulls. A very wealthy merchant and amateur eccentric experimenter has been trying to build ships with roqumpan or wood from the Ethmanek trees (the purple trees). A series of drydocks has been constructed for his first attempts.
  -[X] While there was a failure in the experiment there was a renewed fervor for a cult for sailors and there was a reinterpretation of an existing god used. Shrines were built for each ship to guide them the way.

  • ALanos

Thank you all for voting! The winner was the dry docks. I will be sure to incorporate some of your suggestions on how the experiments went.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

As I mentioned previously, I have started making a informational wiki on Kanka containing informational articles about the city and its world. I will add it to the introductory post of the thread shortly and include the link here.

Please keep in mind that it is a Work In Progress and will remain such thought the run of the quest. You can navigate the different types of articles using the navigation panel on the left of the page.

Please enjoy the page!

 

[ALanos]

Please enjoy the page!

Click to shrink...

It is not showing up for me only a permission denied page keeps on being shown.

 

[Twiggierjet]

Same

 

[hessan_yongdi]

It is not showing up for me only a permission denied page keeps on being shown.

Click to shrink...

Same

Click to shrink...

Sorry, I messed up the privacy settings. It should be visible now along with all of the articles that have been completed up to this point.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

Hello all. Hope you enjoy our post for the turn 6 results. I have been neglecting the map recently, so that is next on my list of things to update. I promise, I have not forgotten about writing about stardust. I will add that to the thread as soon as it is done as a side story.

Here is an article that was published in the modern day by the local student journal. Keep in mind that it might not be 100% accurate. After all, stories change over time and students make mistakes sometimes. 😅

The Origins of Ethnektan University

The university we all call our intellectual home is said to be founded by the Rae'el scholar Niyyofi. But who exactly was this being? Surely xe had a reputation for knowledge and achievement? This could not be further from the truth. Niyyofi was a well-known eccentric in is time. Xe was a wealthy merchant, but these were not from xer efforts but the achievements of xer ancestors. Instead, Niyyofi's own records show a series of failures in xer past to the point where xer nestmates forced xem to stay away from the family's established trade routes and businesses. You see, dear reader, Niyyofi's failing was the compulsion to try something new. Even if something worked, xe would change it to find something better. Any of us with a mercantile background may know that constant changes are bad for business. It confuses our customers and partners. It puts our efforts at constant risk of failure. When the family discovered a shortage of ships, they placed Niyyofi in charge of setting up construction facilities. After all, the city had never had a drydocks before. Something new! Oh, would they rue the day! While Niyyofi did establish the drydocks and build several regular ships, xe soon became frustrated and the compulsion struck again. So, instead of constructing normal ships, xe began gathering new materials to build ships from. This is where the discovery of roqumpan glue came from. You see, it had become a common practice by that time to steam wood between plates of bronze or brass when attempting to shape it. Whenn Niyyofi had a section of a roqumpan placed inside the steamer, the steam interacted with chemicals from inside the fungus. They leaked all over inside the mechanism. When the Rae'el assistant attempted to open it the chamber, it was discovered that the resulting goop dried quickly when it cooled and was excellent at attaching organic materials like Rae'el feathers and wood together. Following this incident a cousin took over the drydocks, but the family recognized the usefulness of the accidental invention. A laboratory was constructed for Niyyofi's use that now bears his name. Assistants joined him and they became the seeds that eventually grew into our great university. The funds for the teaching part of our institution was founded by Niyyofi's brood with the proceeds from developing tekkif dye, a chemical not used much today. Discovered in the Niyyofi laboratory by several of former student-assistants, the rich purple dye was extracted from Ethmanek wood and became a valuable trade commodity for the city in the following years. We can only hope to live up to their achievements.

 

[hessan_yongdi]

Hello all! Here is our updated map.

Spoiler: Turn #6 map

You will notice the major changes from the last version are the drydocks on the west coast of the peninsula, several new inhabited districts and the change of the factions that occured in the last several turns. If you think I missed something, please let me know!


Now, let us discuss the results of our Turn #7 roll

646 - Animals Swarm the City
The creatures of the wild make the city their new home. Driven by curiosity of scarcity? Did someone or something encroach on their former habitats? => Add or remove a resource

I already have a plan for this creature that is going to be based on an old creation of mine, but I don't want to tell you all too much about them and risk giving some things away. Just know that the creatures will be small and are not going to be malevolent.

Since the creatures are not going to be destructive, I think it is more appropriate to add a resource rather than remove it. What I would like for you all to vote on is where the creatures are going to appear to be coming from. However, the animals themselves are not going to be the resource. Rather, it will be recognizing the already-existing importance of the location for the city in the lore of the story and emphasizing this resource's economic utility to the citizens of Cradle's Rest.

[] The Drydocks
=> Adds resource: Niyyofi's Laboratory (the development of new products and academic prestige)

[] Fletcher's Field
=> Adds resource: The Arrow (scavenged resources and communication with Qanme)

[] The South Point neighborhood
=> Adds resource: Stardust Network (the drug trade)


I do not have a hard deadline set right now, but I will leave the vote open for the next several days. In addition to your vote, I need a couple more rolls, so if you could do one more set of 3d6 with your votes, I would appreciate it!

 

[Solarstream]

[X] The Drydocks

roll will be attached

Solarstream threw 3 6-faced dice. Reason: dry dry docks Total: 10

 

[ComiTurtle]

[X] The Drydocks

Part of the choice to be a peninsula was to become a trading power, so I like the continued amplification of the Drydocks. Though I don't want to just hard push it every chance we get, yet right now is probably fine.

ComiTurtle threw 3 6-faced dice. Reason: Banked Event Total: 15