A Tale of Waifs and Strays - a Steampunk Apocolypse (Inactive)

Game Master JonGarrett

A world powered by the very Fog choking it to death...with robots!


General Information

The Fog:
No one knows where the Fog came from, what created it or even what, exactly, it is. Currently 'stable' at about 400 feet above sea level, the Fog has swallowed much of the lower lands that once held the great cities - and the farms that fed them.

The Fog - a Killer: The Fog is, eventually, lethal to most mortals. Where it touches the skin it warps, creating dead flesh and strange growths. Breathing it in slowly sears the lungs. It damages the eyes, and even hearing as it seeps into the ear canal. And upon any contact it will slowly corrode the brain.

How, exactly, the Fog changes what it touches varies. Different people will see different results, but one thing is definitive - prolonged contact with the Fog causes madness, death and, rumour has it, far worse.

The Fog - A Power Supply: One of the oddities of the Fog is that it is magically charged. By pulling the Fog through special engines that power can be extracted and the residue burnt off as waste. It is this power that allows most of the remaining towns and cities to survive at all. Even airships are equipped with these engines, flying low to scoop Fog in and storing it for flight.

The World:
The world has changed a great deal since the old days. With only the land that can be seized from the Fog an those rare areas that rise above it naturally resources are a real problem. It is not uncommon to see the roofs of cities covered in gardens as people find ways to grow more food. Water traps are another common creation, as most rivers are far below the Fogline.

As a perhaps obvious result of these conditions most nations have long since broken down into smaller nation-states, as each island of civilization is difficult to assault and hold, and even more difficult to keep fed. Most battles are fought over fertile fields and springs instead, and the few mines not controlled by the Dwarfs.

Despite all this, most species survive one way or another. From the sealed vaults of the Drawfs with clean air pumped in from the summits of mountains to the giant tree-cities grown to rise above the Fog and supply the cities with fresh fruit mortal kind always finds a way.

Shadowvale:
In the shadow of a huge mountain, this low valley is right at the border of the Fog. A huge wall, constantly maintained, keeps the Fog back and allows the lower valley to grow food.

The town of Shadowvale proper sits further up, truly in the mountain's shadow. Far enough below the snowline to not suffer from constant snow, there is still commonly a bite to the air.

The Town is controlled by a small council of eight members. One member is elected to there post each year, and the chair is often unofficially tied to another position, such as the head of the town's Cog Guard, the Headmaster of the Shadowvale Orphanage and the Commander of the Town Wall.

In the event of a Council Deadlock all eligible voters are called on to vote upon the issue, although this is unusual.

Notable locations include the Palatori Hotsprings, the Temple of Old Gods, the Airdocks and the Orphanage.

Cog Guard: One of the notable oddities of Shadowvale is the Cog Guard, a unit of Tinkers who protect the town. Each Tinker, with his mechanical servants, is a unit unto himself, and contribute significantly to the defence of the town.

Shadowvale Orphanage:
The Shadowvale Orphanage sits outside the city walls proper, surrounded by it's own walls. A large estate with an estimated 250 residents and a staff of around 40, the Orphanage was created some 400 years ago to train the gifted from Shadowvale and any other city that would allow people to come. The Orphanage then trains these children to be adventurers, although it has no control over them once they graduate, creating questions as to exactly what the goal is...

Staff

Headmistress Joniah Quist - Half-Orc - Vanguard

Master of Alchemy Vandoe Ilia - Human - Alchemist

Master of the Sword Alark Coutran - Human - Fighter

Mistress of the Faith Marta Ven'ia - Aasimar - Druid

Master of Nature Lianda Greentouch - Paizo Publishing - Druid

Mistress of Magic Valara Mojah - Gnome - Magister

Mistress of the Mechanical Shala Longbridge - Changeling - Tinker