The warmth of the Sun and gentle sound of trickling of water gently wake from a deep slumber. Blinking away the sleep from your eyes you find yourself in a small clearing in an unknown woods. Surveying the area you find a well-kept path leading to the north. You feel compelled to take it.
The path slopes upward, until you find yourself at the top of a hill. Sitting in a circle around a small campfire you see yourself... five times over.
As you come closer the Yellow at the head of the circle stands and with a gesture of his hand bids you to join the circle.
"Welcome Yellow, we have been waiting for you."
He is you, but much older. He bears a scar across left eye, which looks like it has healed permanently shut. His left hand is made entirely of brass colored clockwork. Closely cropped white hair frames his tanned lined face.
You sit next to the Elder Yellow and view the circle in a clockwise manner. Each of the five meets your gaze a give a slight nod of acknowledgement. You realize the five get progressively older with you being the youngest.
The Yellow to the left of you wears dark goggles, a scarf, and his skin is curiously purple. The Yellow next to him wears a top hat, monocle, and sports a handlebar mustache. A cane lays across his lap. The third wears only a tattered vest and pants. He has a Mohawk, multiple piercings, and is covered in strange tattoos that slither and reshape themselves about his body on their own accord. The last before the Elder Yellow is completed concealed by his vestments except for his glowing yellow eyes.
The Elder Yellow stands to address the circle.
"We are gathered here by the will of The Throneless King. He has bent the Dreaming to his will so we may all converse for this first and last time. We have all witnessed something not meant to be seen, and thus allowed things long undone, to be once again. All of us save the newcomer. Do you understand newcomer?"
You nod in affirmation as the story of Azathonius forms in your mind. The Gods employed the demon Azathonius to undo a rival God by erasing his name from every writing in which it appeared, and cutting the tongues out of his worshippers so they could not speak his name. He simply ceased to be. If his name is spoken, or written however; he would be again.
"The things are for our Lord to know, but not for us. We have set the end of everything in motion. This undoing of reality can be only stopped by the undoing of us five."
Elder Yellow sweepingly motions with his arm at himself and your companions. The Yellows, saddened, nod in understanding.
"Newcomer, you will endure, for we have dreamed you into existence. Into you are life forces will flow and we will become one. Our Lord has shown this to be the way. Being born of dream you will never dream again, but you will forever be able to enter the Dreaming physically, be it through the doorways or your own magical means. "
Come now brothers we must hasten, the Undoing is near. The Witness has allowed each of us to tell you two secrets we have learned in our travels to help you survive, unrelated to the Undoing, then our life energies will merge to create you."
One by one the Yellows approach you, grasp your hand, whisper their secrets in you ear, and slowly fade out of existence, as they are absorbed into your being.
PC's Prelude:
The rat plague, a virulent and deadly disease, has emerged in Dunwall's poorest districts and is decimating the city's population. A plea for aid from Empress Jessamine Kaldwin, has resulted in the other nations of the Empire blockading Dunwall to prevent the disease from spreading outside the city. Although the Empress rejected initial efforts to establish quarantines and martial law to combat the plague, her recent (suspicious) death from the plague has allowed Lord Regent Hiram Burrows to enforce aggressive policies, including using military technology for social control. Desperation within the city is leading to riots and chaos as Dunwall's government becomes increasingly oppressive and obtrusive. Whole areas of the cities are becoming depopulated as neighbors, family, and friends succumb to the disease, either dying or turning into weepers.
Walls of light control the flow of movement within the city, and the City Watch patrols the streets with a strict curfew imposed from dusk to dawn. An ever-increasing wealth gap has secured health for those fortunate to have enough money, as the upper classes and their retinues hoard elixirs that stave off the plague. Victims of the plague, both alive and dead, are deported to the Flooded District, a devastated area as a result of poor maintenance. Gang activity is rampant, strengthened by lax law enforcement and the collapse of industry within the city. Amid the chaos, corruption thrives as the City Watch pulls its efforts back to guarding more affluent areas of the city, leaving uncontrolled areas in the hand of numerous gangs.
The Basics:
Basic Rules:
We will be using Mage: The Ascension as base rule system.
Character Creation:
Zones and Aspects:
Zones and Aspects:
A zone is a loosely defined area. Characters can engage in melee combat with other characters in a zone, can move anywhere in a zone they want, and can move from one zone to an adjacent zone.
A large room might contain multiple zones, each with their own description. For example, we might have a space defined with a "arcane-glyphed entryway", a "hall of ancient spiked armor", and an "raised platform supporting a throne of fire". If you want to do a melee attack, you must move into the same zone as their target.
Zone aspects define people, places, and things. Characters can "invoke" these aspects to do things. These one or two word definitions give hooks to use as they describe a character's options.
For example, "hall of ancient armor" may have the aspects "alcove cover", "crumbling pillars" and "spike damage".
Ranges and Movement in a Zone:
Ranges:
A= Adjacent, can grapple, touch, and melee.
C= Close, within the same zone
M= Medium, next zone
L= Long, two zones away
D=Distant, 3 zones plus.
You can move within a zone and perform another action without penalty.
You can move while performing and action at -1 to your dice pool.
You can move to an adjacent zone with a Dex+Athletics (DC 6) any other action counts as a multi-action.
Each additional zone requires an additional success (1/1) and any other action counts as a multi-action.
Initiative and Action Declaration:
Initiative:
This stage organizes the turn and is when you declare your character’s action. Various actions are possible — anything from leaping behind a wall to shouting a warning. You must declare what your character does,in as much detail as the Storyteller requires.Everyone, player and Storyteller character alike, rolls one die and adds it to their initiative rating (Dexterity +Wits); the character with the highest result acts first,with the remaining characters acting in decreasing order of result. (Storytellers looking for a slightly faster or more predictable system can choose to use Dexterity + Wits + 6 for each character’s initiative, forgoing the die roll.) If two characters get the same total,the one with the higher initiative rating goes first. If initiative ratings are also the same, the two characters act simultaneously. Wound penalties subtract directly from a character’s initiative rating.
Although you declare your character’s action now (including stating that your character delays her action to see what someone else does), you wait until the attack stage to implement that action. At this time, you must also state if any multiple actions will be performed and/or if Willpower points will be spent. Characters declare in reverse order of initiative, thus giving faster characters the opportunity to react to slower characters’ actions.
All of your character’s actions are staged at her rank in the order of initiative. There are three exceptions to this rule:
The first is if your character delays her action, in which case her maneuvers happen when she finally takes action. Your character may act at any time after her designated order in the initiative, even to interrupt another, slower character’s action. If two characters both delay their actions, and both finally act at the same time, the one with the higher initiative rating for the turn acts first.
The second breach of the initiative order occurs int he case of a defensive action (see “Aborting Actions”and “Defensive Maneuvers,” ), which your character may perform at any time as long as she has an action left.
Finally, all additional actions that turn occur at the end of the turn. If two or more characters take multiple actions, the actions occur in order of initiative rating. An exception is made for defensive multiple actions, such as multiple dodges, which happen when they need to happen in order to avert attack.
Aborting Actions:
Aborting Actions:
You can abandon your character’s declared action in favor of a defensive action as long as your character hasn’t acted in the turn. Actions that can take the place of a previously declared action include block, dodge, and parry. A successful Willpower roll versus difficulty 6 (or the expenditure of a Willpower point) is required for a character to abort an action and perform a defensive one instead.
When spending Willpower for an abort maneuver, a character may declare the Willpower expenditure at the time of the abort. A Willpower roll to abort is considered a reflexive action.
You may announce a defensive action at any time before your character’s opponent makes an attack roll, as long as your character has an action left to perform. You can declare a defensive action on your character’s turn in the initiative, or can even abort to a defensive maneuver. You must make a successful Willpower roll (or may simply spend one point of Willpower) to abort. If the Willpower roll fails, your character must carry out the action that you declared originally.
Defensive Actions:
Defensive Actions:
Each defensive maneuver uses the same basic system:
The defensive action is a resisted roll against the opponent’s attack roll. Unless the attacker gets more total successes, he misses. If the attacker gets more successes, those that he achieves in excess of the defender’s successes, if any, are used to hit (the attacker doesn’t necessarily use all the successes he rolled). So if the defender has fewer successes than the attacker does, the defender’s maneuver can still reduce the effectiveness of the attack, even if the maneuver can’t counteract it completely.
• Block: A Dexterity + Brawl maneuver using your character’s own body to deflect a hand-to-hand bashing attack. Lethal and aggravated attacks cannot beblocked unless the defender has Fortitude or is wearing armor.
• Dodge: A Dexterity + Athletics maneuver useful for avoiding attacks of all types. Your character bobs and weaves to avoid Melee or Brawl attacks (if there’s no room to maneuver, she must block or parry instead). In gunfights, your character moves at least one yard/meter and ends up behind cover (if there’s no room to maneuver or no cover available, she can drop to the ground). If your character remains under coveror prone, cover rules apply against further Firearms attacks.
• Parry: A Dexterity + Melee maneuver using a weapon to block a Brawl or Melee attack. If a character makes a Brawl attack and the defender parries with a weapon that normally causes lethal damage, the attacker can actually be hurt by a successful parry. If the defender rolls more successes than the attacker does in the resisted action, the defender rolls the weapon’s base damage plus the parry’s extra successes as a damage dice pool against the attacker.
Block, dodge, and parry can be performed as part of a multiple action in your character’s turn (punching then blocking, shooting then dodging, parrying then striking). Using a multiple action to act and defend is advantageous because your character can still accomplish something in a turn besides avoiding attacks.
Rather than having to divide your dice pool among multiple defensive actions, you may declare that your character spends an entire turn defending. The normal multiple-action rules are not used in this case. Instead, you have a full dice pool for the first defensive action, but lose one die, cumulatively, for each subsequent defense action made in the same turn. It is still difficult to avoid several incoming attacks, but not as difficult as trying to attempt multiple things at once.
Remember that any actions, including defensive ones, versus multiple attackers still suffer difficulty penalties.
Multiple Actions:
Multiple Actions:
Occasionally, a player will want her character to perform more than one action in a turn. For example, a character may be trying to search through a notebook to find a password while creeping stealthily through a hallway, or might be trying to sidestep an incoming attack while firing a pistol into her assailant’s gut. In such situations, the player can attempt actions normally, though all actions become more difficult as the character’s attention is split among them.
The player declares the total number of actions he wishes his character to attempt and determines which of those dice pools is the smallest. He may then allocate that number dice among the actions as he sees fit.
Example: You want your character to hang a sharp right turn in a stolen taxi cab while simultaneously screaming at the surprised cabbie in the passenger seat to calm the hell down or you’ll tear him in half. This is a Dexterity +Drive roll (for which your character has seven dice) and a Charisma + Intimidation roll (for which your character has five dice). Five dice is the smaller dice pool, and you may thus divide five dice among the number of actions you want to take. That is, you may allocate these five dice as you see fit between the driving maneuver and intimidating the cabbie.
At the Storyteller’s discretion, certain action combinations that are wildly disparate may incur a difficulty increase on top of the split dice pool limitations. Composing a stirring poem while showering an enemy with a hail of bullets is a task not lightly under taken. As well, at the Storyteller’s discretion, splitting dice pools to a certain degree may well just be plain impossible.
The Setting:
Dunwall:
Inspiration: London and Edinburgh
History "Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave Dunwall. No, Sir, when a man is tired of Dunwall, he is tired of life; for there is in Dunwall all that life can afford."
—Conversations of a Natural Philosopher, extract from a popular pamphlet
Dunwall, the capital of Gristol and the Empire of the Isles, is an industrial whaling city situated on the Wrenhaven River. Its strategic importance has made it the target of numerous events throughout recorded history.
The present site that Dunwall occupies was once home to an ancient civilization that collapsed for unknown reasons. Having existed approximately 1000 years before disappearing around the 9th century, its people left bizzare ruins that were discovered in 1814, deep under present-day Dunwall. Many trinkets and artifacts still wash up along Dunwall's shores.
Dunwall was originally a small whaling town before becoming the beating heart of the Empire. The city was severely threatened during the Morley Insurrection, and the stability of its infrastructure was questioned. Emperor Euhorn Kaldwin, first of his name, undertook various urban projects to improve Dunwall and created the City Watch in 1809. Furthermore, the discovery of whale oil's potential as a fuel source by natural philosopher Esmond Roseburrow led to the emergence of various technological marvels, from mechanized whaling trawlers to electric lighting and security devices, many created by the inventor Anton Sokolov. This set an industrial boom across the Empire in 1825, further increasing Dunwall's wealth.
Geography
Dunwall is one of the largest cities in the Empire, spanning an area of 19.65 square miles, and sitting at an elevation of 125 feet. It is divided in two by the Wrenhaven, a vast river which serves as the main thoroughfare for whaling trawlers and other commercial traffic. Kingsparrow Island, located where the river meets the sea, is the only island known to exist off the city. Dunwall is dominated by rocky outcroppings and numerous cliffs, which are in turn topped by multiple factories and manors.
Dunwall is an expansive city comprised of numerous districts and locations: industrial, commercial and residential. The districts north of the Wrenhaven are generally wealthier than those located on its southern shores. The Estate District, home of the aristocracy, and Dunwall Tower, seat of the Empire, are located on the north side, dominated by the Clocktower of Dunwall, the tallest building in the city, save for Dunwall Tower itself. Industrial districts such as Slaughterhouse Row and Drapers Ward are mostly located near the river, facilitating transport by trade vessels. Transport of goods and people is also assured by rails circulating all over the city. Lastly, Kaldwin's Bridge joins each side of the river while still allowing access to large vessels inland.
Watercourses
Wrenhaven River: The main river flowing through Dunwall. Used mainly by whaling trawlers to access the slaughterhouses alongside the river.
Dunwall Sewers: The city's waterworks used to evacuate wastewater directly into the Wrenhaven. They cover most of Dunwall's underground.
Districts
Distillery District: A district named after the old Dunwall Whiskey Distillery, which is located there.
Holger Square: Location of the Office of the High Overseer. It serves as headquarters for the Overseers of the Abbey of the Everyman in Dunwall.
Estate District: A wealthy, upper class district housing the estates of Dunwall's most prestigious families, such as the Boyles and the Morays.
Rudshore Financial District: Dunwall's financial heart. It flooded recently and is thus colloquially referred to as the "Flooded District", and it is used to round up plague victims, both dead and alive.
Old Port District: A harbor quarantined due to Rat Plague.
Slaughterhouse Row: An industrial district of slaughterhouses nested in a bay of the river. It had some of the most modern whale slaughterhouses in its heyday, including the Rothwild Slaughterhouse.
Legal District: Home to several major law offices in Dunwall, such as the estate of the City Barrister Arnold Timsh.
Drapers Ward: A major textile production area reconverted into a high-class clothing center. It is declining due to the plague crisis and is currently violently disputed between the Hatters and the Dead Eels.
Mutcherhaven District: An area north from Dunwall, outside the city's old walls, along the course of the Wrenhaven. Home to several large estates, such as the abandoned Brigmore Manor.
Civil Services District: District where emergency grain rationing is set up to help Dunwall's citizens survive the plague crisis.
Tailors' District: District where a protesting for more food, elixir rations and better treatment is being severely repressed by the City Watch.
Rust District: An industrial district on the riverside where the Berrington Ironworks are located.
New Mercantile District: A large residential village north from the Estate District past the old walls, emptied due to plague crisis.
Old Waterfront: An industrial district on the riverside, east of Drapers Ward. It consists of several factories, including a small whale slaughterhouse.
Tower District: The district around Dunwall Tower, with businesses such as the Boyle Industries office and the Dunwall Courier, and various docks.
Dunwall Harbor: The city's harbor spreads along each shore of the Wrenhaven, with numerous docks boarding the city's riverside districts. It starts upriver, west from Slaughterhouse Row and continues past the Old Port and Rudshore.
Monuments And Other Important Landmarks
Dunwall Tower: Home and central seat of the Empire's rulers.
Coldridge Prison: Main prison in Gristol holding Dunwall's criminals.
The Golden Cat: An upscale bathhouse renowned for its essential part in Dunwall history, famous for theater and burlesque. It is Dunwall's most famous brothel, and the best-known tavern in the Isles.
Kaldwin's Bridge: A large bridge spanning across the Wrenhaven. It holds several warehouses, apartments and estates, such as Anton Sokolov's Safehouse.
Kingsparrow Island: A small island off the coast of Dunwall. It serves as a military fortress and holds a luxury penthouse atop the monumental lighthouse.
The Academy of Natural Philosophy: Home to the intellectual elite of Dunwall and the chief authority of science across the Empire.
Clocktower: The Clocktower is one of Dunwall's most famous landmark, located on the northern border of the Estate District and towering the city.
Gristol Parliament: The seat of Dunwall's government, where Gristol's aristocracy gathers to vote on issues and make decisions regarding the island.
Wyrmwood Way: A street where fringe alchemists, bone charm crafters and anyone dabbling into the occult and the superstitious gather, despite the occasional raids by Overseers. The surrounding area is referred to as Wyrmwood.
Old Whaling Ship Hulks: Several hulks of whaling trawlers are located downriver in a stretch of the Wrenhaven. They were abandoned by their bankrupted company before being broken down for scrap. They now serve as hideouts for illegal activities.
Society
Dunwall is known for extreme class division and xenophobia. The poor form the lowest stratum of society. Plague survivors are downtrodden and oppressed. They are encouraged to join the Navy or, in the case of children, the Abbey in return for protection from the plague.
The aristocracy continues to thrive even during the prevalence of the plague, many of them belonging to influential families such as the Carmines, Inchmouths, Boyles and Pendletons. Individuals from other nations within the Empire are not highly regarded, and are not often seen among the privileged classes; Anton Sokolov is the only known exception, he continues to experience degradation due to his nationality. Further, it is common belief that marriage between members of Gristol's aristocracy and people of other nations "dirties the blood."
Adherence to the Abbey of the Everyman is widespread, yet cultists prevail in the city's many dark corners. Cuisine is also divided - for the downtrodden, there are cheap canned goods and rations, and for Dunwall's upper classes, expensive foods, whiskeys and ciders are imported from across the Isles.
Demographics
In 1837, Dunwall had a total population of 202,900 persons, with an average density of 10,620 per square mile. The total county population totaled 682,500.
Law and Order
The Dunwall City Watch is the primary law enforcement agency for the entire city, with three different tiers: the Lower Watch, the Guards, the Officers and a specialized rank, the tallboys. The Wrenhaven River Patrol enforces Dunwall's laws across the River and its tributaries. The soldiers of the Combined Armies of the Empire work with the Watch. Due to the plague crisis, The Abbey of the Everyman's Overseers work alongside the Watch, given all the powers of a civil police, though they largely deal with crimes of heresy. Some of Dunwall's largest criminal organizations include the Bottle Street Gang, Dead Eels, the Hatters, and Parliament Street Cutters.
Currently, Arnold Timsh serves in the newly-created position of City Barrister, and is responsible for confiscating properties left abandoned during the plague crisis, and to incorporate these holdings into state hands if no owner comes forward. The Responsible Citizens Group reports directly to the Royal Spymaster, and are tasked with reporting on suspicious activities.
Architecture
Much of Dunwall's architecture is determined by wealth and status. Areas of affluence such as the Estate District exhibit the city's most elaborate architectural influences, with tall columns, marble staircases, large gardens and ornamental guilding. Poorer districts are comprised of simpler, more utilitarian structures. The latter also experience the heaviest deterioration during the plague, due to lack of civil maintenance; the Rudshore Financial District and Drapers Ward act as major exceptions following the breaking of the river barriers and the rise of gang warfare, respectively.
Technology and Transportation
Dunwall, being one of the most industrialized cities of the Isles, possesses numerous advanced technologies from the mundane to the sophisticated. Electric lighting and heaters are common in almost every home, while for security purposes, walls of light and arc pylons are utilized to control movement. The most infamous of these technologies is the tallboy, a heavily armored soldier armed with explosive arrows, walking on motorized stilts. Almost all of these technologies are powered by whale oil.
Due to Dunwall's port environment, boats, from small motor boats to massive, hulking whaling trawlers, form the bulk of transportation in and out of Dunwall. On the ground, railway tracks provide transport for the City Watch and smaller rail cars are used by the aristocracy as a means of personal transport. Elevated rail lines provide fast and easy transport for people, cargo and even corpses.
Empire of the Isles:
The Empire of the Isles is the foremost constitutional monarchy in the known world, encompassing the Isles of Gristol, Morley, Serkonos, and Tyvia.
Formed at the end of the War of Four Crowns in 1625, with the crowning of Emperor Finlay Morgengaard I on 2nd Day, Month of Nets, 1626, the Empire, aided by the Imperial Navy, became the foremost hegemonic power across the Isles, aided by its prodigal religious body, the Abbey of the Everyman. Ruled by a hereditary Emperor or Empress, a legislative Parliament helps curb possible excesses of the monarch, and a long line of aristocrats and other influential members of high society largely dominate its political affairs.
The Empire encompasses four large islands and several smaller ones, which make up the Isles.
Gristol — Home to the Imperial capital of Dunwall and half the population of the Isles. Gristol is a large, centrally located Isle known for its farming, shipping, whaling, and mining, and is a proud supporter of the Imperial Navy.
Morley — Isle in the Empire known for its poets, musicians, philosophers, and food.
Serkonos — Southernmost Isle in the Empire known for its hardworking people, exotic climate, and as the preferred retreat for the nobility.
Tyvia — Northernmost Isle in the Empire known for its cold, harsh climate, independent people and valuable ores.
History:
Foundation (1626-1700's)
The Empire of the Isles was founded after the end of the War of Four Crowns in 1625. On the 2nd Day of the Month of Nets 1626, Finlay Morgengaard I was crowned Emperor. In the same year, the Parliament was formed in Gristol on the 26th Day of the Month of Timber, officially designating the Empire as a constitutional monarchy. Morgengaard's dynasty lasted 43 years before he was succeeded by the Rhydderch family who subsequently ruled the Empire for 9 years. Hurien Morgengaard came to the throne in 1678 and was the last Emperor of his name.
The Rise of the Abbey (1700-1800's)
The Abbey of the Everyman founded by Benjamin Holger gained influence during the reign of Hurien Morgengaard in the late 17th century. Holger's successor, John Clavering, ordered the construction of the Abbey in Dunwall in 1701, then initiated the Rectification War in 1705 in order to purge the region of those deemed followers of the Outsider. During that same year, the coronation of Yefim Olaskir took place. In 1708, the completion of the Abbey led to many Overseers gathering for the Siege of White Cliff, which marked the end of the war with their victory following the 'purging' of those deemed heretical by the Abbey. Following these events, the Abbey of the Everyman was named the official state religion in 1711.
The Morley Insurrection and the First Regency (1801-1803)
The Olaskir dysnasty was the longest in the Empire's history, spanning over 96 years. However, it was marked by major crisis. On the 1st Day of the Month of High Cold, 1801, the Isle of Morley started a violent uprising against Gristol and the Empire. Warfare between the two nations was largely naval, which led to the fortification of Kingsparrow Island to protect Dunwall's maritime entrance. However, the city's poorly maintained sewers allowed rebels to access important locations, which led to the assassination of Empress Larisa Olaskir on the 8th Day of the Month of Clans, 1801.
With no time to name a proper successor to the throne, a regent was elected by the Parliament ten days later to rule the Empire through the crisis. The war ended with Gristol's victory on the 15th day of the Month of Seeds, 1802. The victory was due in part due to the superiority of the nation's naval fleet, but also with the efforts of the acting Royal Spymaster. This position, held secret since the foundation of the Empire, became public knowledge after the insurrection.
The Regency lasted one more year and ended with the coronation of Euhorn Jacob Kaldwin I on the 3rd Day of the Month of Seeds, 1803. A few months later, the Morley Famine was officially declared on the 13th Day of the Month of Winds, forcing some natives to settle in Karnaca, Serkonos.
The Industrial Age (1800's)
Euhorn's reign was marked by industrial advancement for the city of Dunwall. Under his rule, the City Planning Department reinforced and expanded the sewers beneath the city to prevent deterioration. The Emperor also commissioned the construction of a large bridge spanning the Wrenhaven River, Kaldwin's Bridge. It was also during his reign that the City Watch was formed to protect Dunwall, the 1st Day of the Month of Timber, 1809. Finally, the work of the natural philosopher Esmond Roseburrow led to the creation of new whale oil-powered technologies, such as electric lampposts. In 1820, Roseburrow came into acquaintance with Anton Sokolov, who brought new ideas to the production and exploitation of whale oil. Sokolov was named Royal Physician and Head of the Academy of Natural Philosophy in 1822, and his new technologies initiated an industrial and economical boom across the Empire in 1825.
Government:
Despite Gristol's political influence over the other Isles, each island is mostly autonomous with their own heads of state. A king reigns in Morley, Tyvia is ruled by a council known as the "High Judges", while the title of marquis exists in some capacity within the Empire, and the nation of Serkonos is noted as having a duke.
Officially, the Emperor (or Empress) is the head of state and government of the Empire, holding a great amount of political power. Each island in the Empire has its own lesser monarch, and diplomatic and trade relations between the nations vary. In situations where a ruler is too young to assume the throne, or a proper successor cannot be determined, a Lord Regent chosen by Parliament may act as a temporary head of state.
The legislature of Gristol is comprised of the Parliament, headed by a Prime Minister of which the Emperor or Empress is dependent upon to pursue his or her governmental policies. Parliament was formed in the year 1626, on the 20th Day of the Month of Timber. An aristocratic and heredity body, members included influential members of society and other "important figures," with membership in Parliament "based on holdings, inheritance, and special dispensation."As voter priority was determined by the size of members' holdings and land, important families in Parliament established voting blocks that could have a greater influence than those of individual members and lesser aristocrats. Treavor Pendleton became temporary Prime Minister of the Empire in 1837.
Positions and Ranks:
There are a number of positions of note that serve in the royal court of the Emperor or Empress. The Royal Protector acts as the bodyguard to the Imperial head of state and his/her family. The Royal Protector keeps constant company with the Emperor or Empress and as such acts as a court figure, given "enormous latitude" by the demands of their position.[27] Corvo Attano was declared Royal Protector to Empress Jessamine on 7th Day, Month of Songs, 1817,[10] and was later appointed Royal Protector to Empress Emily Kaldwin.
The Royal Physician serves as medical practitioner to the Emperor or Empress. While the specifics of the assignment are unknown, it appears to be tasked with matters of public health, as Royal Physician Anton Sokolov was charged with finding a cure for the rat plague by Empress Jessamine Kaldwin.
The Royal Spymaster, a formerly secret position that became public knowledge following the Morley Insurrection, is in charge of espionage operations throughout the Empire. Although the Spymaster officially serves as an adviser to the Emperor or Empress and his position is under the authority of the monarch, in practice the position is highly autonomous and therefore not accountable to the head of state. This autonomy allows the Royal Spymaster to act without the ruler's approval or knowledge.[9] Following the events of the rat plague and the Regency of Hiram Burrows, the positions of Royal Spymaster and Royal Protector were partially merged, with Corvo Attano serving in this position.
Other positions of recognition, though not as notable as the stated above, are the Royal Interrogator, who interrogates and executes criminals in Dunwall Tower and Coldridge Prison, and the Royal Tailor, who is at the Emperor or Empress' disposal in subjects regarding clothing.
Military:
The Imperial Navy, led by the Grand Admiral of the Fleet, is the Empire's naval force, and protects the port city of Dunwall, as well as seafaring vessels from pirate incursions. It holds much prestige among the population of Gristol, and some families continue the tradition of enlisting at least one boy from each generation. The Fleet is best known for its substantial role in claiming victory for the Empire over Morley during the Morley Insurrection.
The Empire also maintains a standing army commanded by the Supreme Commander of the Combined Armies of the Empire[29] and his generals, and its soldiers guard high-profile locations in Dunwall alongside the City Watch. The Overseers of the Abbey of the Everyman also serve in a military capacity, but are a separate group, and neither the City Watch nor the Overseers cooperate professionally.[30]
Law:
Currently due to the rat plague, Dunwall is ruled over by martial law: curfews are strictly enforced, nearly all supplies are rationed on pain of death, and the City Watch acts with impunity when enforcing the Lord Regent's decrees.
In addition to secular law, the citizenry must abide by the state-sanctioned religious laws of the Abbey.
Religion:
The Empire's state religion is the Abbey of the Everyman, run by the High Overseer. Under Burrows, the Overseers have the judicial right to arrest and prosecute any citizen accused of worshiping the Outsider or participating in other occult practices, such as collecting runes or bone charms. Followers abide by seven core tenets, called the Seven Strictures, and draw teachings from their holy text, Litany on the White Cliff. The Abbey itself is located in Whitecliff, and the Office of the High Overseer stands in Holger Square in Dunwall.
Gristol:
Inspiration: The countries of Western Europe; England (not all Britain), France, the Low Countries and Germany.
Location: Gristol is centrally located within the Isles and is the imperial center of the Empire of the Isles.
Cities: Baleton, Driscol, Dunwall (Capital), Old Lamprow, Poolwick, Potterstead, Redmoor, and Whitecliff.
Description:
Gristol is a large island, known for its rolling green hills and foggy meadows, that is home to half the population of the Isles.
Industry and Trade:
While the nation's economy was originally based in fishing and whaling, whale oil processing techniques invented by Esmond Roseburrow, and technological advancements pioneered by Anton Sokolov, gave rise to a fully-realized industrial revolution. Gristol is referred to as the "heart of industry" within the Isles and several major production companies (such as Greaves Lightning Oil) are based there.
The island is mostly rural. Outside of the city, sheep, blood oxen, and gazelle are raised for their hides and meat, and many large mines, owned by various influential families, can be found scattered about the island. Known contents of these mines include silver and a special crystal used to make rat lights.
Morely:
Inspiration: Scotland and Ireland
Location: One of the northern islands of the Empire of the Isles.
Cities: Alba, Arran, Caulkenny, Fraeport, and Wynnedown (Capital)
Description:
It is noted that, despite the isle's dreary climate, the people of Morley are spirited and creative, with a rich history of "poets, musicians and philosophers." Morley is not as hierarchically-oriented as Gristol, as it is mentioned in the book The Isle of Morley that intellectuals and artists could be found "even among the poorest folk".
Ruler: The nation is ruled by an empowered king Ruaidhrí Ó Conchobhair.
History:
The Morley Insurrection
The Morley Insurrection was a violent uprising of the kingdom of Morley against the rule of the Empire. The conflict began in 1801, culminating with the assassination of the Empress Larisa Olaskir.
One of the major reasons for the rebellion was due to public outcry against the exploitation of Morley and its people by the extremely wealthy families of the mercantile class, who had traveled to the island from other nations.
Warfare between Gristol and Morley was largely conducted by sea. During the revolt, the Empire fortified Kingsparrow Island to protect the capitol from attack, and Dunwall Tower was similarly strengthened. Admiralty and the Fleet, a history of the naval power of Gristol, suggests that Gristol's victory over Morley was due in large part to its superior navy.
Morley rebels also employed invasive stealth tactics, using the sewer systems of Dunwall to infiltrate and strike at the Empire. There were also several assassination attempts against the monarch near the conclusion of the insurrection, which led to the creation of the Royal Protector position.
After the revolt ended in the Empire's favor, the Morley people would continue to harbor pro-Independence feelings.
Famine was officially declared in 1803 during the immediate aftermath of the Insurrection. Many settlers emigrated from Morley to Karnaca as a result. Many Morleyan immigrants in Karnaca can be found at the cities docks working in the fishing industry.
Culture:
Morley is renowned for its food culture. The Isle of Morley suggests that it focuses largely on hearty foods, such as stews and roasted meats, and the author of Customs and Food of Morley makes special mention of Morley's infamous "jellied ox tongue". Morley boasts several highly valued brands of alcohol, and may be the original source of King Street Brandy.
Morley celebrates one national festival, called the Festival of Churners - the author of Customs and Food of Morley notes in particular the "high banners, bare feet, and red robes" present at the event.
The people of Morley are also fiercely independent, which was likely a contributing factor of the Morley Insurrection.
Physically the native ethnic people of Morley are noted by other islanders for their tall height, bulkiness and blonde hair.
Serkonos:
Inspiration: The countries of southern Europe, such as Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Some parts of Serkonos, particularly Karnaca, are based off the Caribbean and Latin America (namely Cuba).
Location: The southernmost island of the Empire of the Isles.
Cities: Bastillian, Cullero, Saggunto, and Karnaca
Description:
Serkonos, the jewel of the South, is best known for its warm winds, spiced foods and endless beaches. While the city of Cullero sees the heaviest flow of travelers from across the Isles, Karnaca, on the Southernmost edge of the known world, is preferred among the elite of the Empire. It is said that a month spent resting beneath the sun of the beaches of Serkonos, or within one of the rural villages, can cure most maladies. Travelers bring back recipes and styles from the South, and the dances that all Serkonans learn in their youth are favored in Gristol for their sensuality, copied by the fashionable aristocracy in the capital city of Dunwall.
The only persistent trouble in Serkonos originates along the string of tiny islands stretching away from the mainland to the East. For generations, pirates have hidden among this archipelago, raiding traders passing between the Isles and, more recently, attacking whaling ships returning with rich stores of oil.
Ruler:
Duke Theodanis Abele, known for having united the Eastern and Western portions of the Isle, and is described as an "old, benevolent Duke". He is advised by the recently created post of Grand Inventor. A position created for and filled by the mysterious Kirin Jindosh.
History:
Along with Tyvia, Serkonos was early to join the Empire, leaving Morley as the only hold-out against the Empire's expansion. The circumstances under which Serkonos joined (whether willingly, under duress, or as a move to avoid violent conflict) are not known.
The people of Serkonos are affiliated with the Abbey of the Everyman, in particular the Oracular Order. The first High Oracle from Serkonos placed an oracular chapel there before she was murdered by "agents of the Occult."
At some point in the history of Serkonos, the Grand Serkonan Canal was built, allowing passage from Gristol and the Northern Isles to Serkonos' Southern Coast. Much of it was funded and built by settlers from Gristol.
Culture:
Serkonos is well known in particular for its cuisine, which consists largely of spiced dishes—travelers to Serkonos often return home with recipes from the island. One known dish, which can be found and consumed throughout Gristol, is the Serkonan blood sausage. Grapes and figs are also known to grow on the island.
The nation is perhaps even more noteworthy for its traditional dances, passed down to Serkonan children early in life. They are described as "sensual" by the author of The Isle of Serkonos, and are "copied by the fashionable aristocracy in the capital city of Dunwall."
The island is a frequent destination for travelers from around the Isles; according to The Isles of Serkonos, "a month spent resting beneath the sun of the beaches of Serkonos, or within one of the rural villages, can cure most maladies."
Tyvia:
Inspiration: The countries of North and East Europe; Sweden, Russia, Poland, and East Asia.
Location: The northernmost island in the Empire of the Isles.
Northernmost among the Isles, Tyvia is dominated by snarling mountain ranges that rise up from frozen plains. Travel between cities involves arduous treks through territory thickly infested with terrible bears and packs of hounds adapted to the climate. Bandits and revolutionaries, encouraged by exiled Princes, also beset Tyvia. Despite these conditions, Tyvian art, architecture, food and fashion are ornate and complex, marked by an intricate refinement that perhaps arose as a counterpoint to the cold, harsh land itself.
Due to its northern location, Tyvia spends half the year in total darkness.
Culture:
Tyvian culture is one that mixes survivalism and refinement. While Tyvia is cold and boasts a hostile ecosystem, its residents are known to be skilled in the culinary arts. In particular, Tyvian foods (such as whale meats and fine wines) are exported all over the Empire, and are enjoyed by both commoners and nobles alike. Tyvian art, from architecture to fashion, has been described as "ornate and complex". Tyvia also produces exceptional metal ore, something sought after due to its superiority. The Overseers of the Abbey of the Everyman also use Tyvian ore to craft their sabres.
Government:
Orginally ruled by Princes from their majestic estates, Tyvia is now ruled from the Citadel of Dabokva, within the People's Chamber. It is in here where a small council of sixteen sits, called the Presidium, made up of eleven men and five women. They are obedient to the High Judges, each a Secretary for the People of Tyvia. Council members are voted in democratically, however there is only one political party, fielding one representative from each district of Tyvia.
The High Judges hold the real power, also ranked as "Secretary for the People of Tyvia", they are considered senior council members. They rule Tyvia with an iron fist, they themselves being set to three members:
Secretary Cushing
Secretary Taren
Secretary Kalin
As a result of Tyvia's alliance with Gristol to stop the Morley Insurrection, Tyvia was granted a certain autonomy from the Empire by its recent rulers. This allowance further expands Tyvia's independence, both culturally and politically.
Prison Camps:
"[…]we sentence you to a lifetime of freedom."
—Secretary Kalin
Tyvia utilizes penal labor camps located in the nation's center for incarceration, some of which have no surrounding walls to contain prisoners; a prisoner is considered free if they choose to flee. However, due to the area's harsh climate, no escaped prisoner has survived the trek to civilization in recorded history. The prison guards' only functions is to keep order in the camps and to punish prisoners who did not fulfill their job quotas, as they are ordered not to stop fleeing prisoners.
Varying in size, ranging from small camps of a few dozen convicts to prisons the size of a small town. They also ranged in functions. Convicts of lesser offenses are doomed to harvest lumber; but lumber camps were not penitentiaries, merely "correctional" facilities. Prisoners might even one day return to society - a ghost of their former self, their rebellion worked out of them. Other prisons exist, such as quarries or mines. Utyrka being an infamous salt mine, to be sent to one of these camps would be to disappear. But, to be sent to a prison camp is to be granted freedom.
Prison guards wear the uniform of the Tyvian army, consisting of a fur-lined greatcoat, a wide-brimmed hat, a scarf woven from the pelt of a saber-toothed black bear and red snow goggles.
The Pandyssian Continent:
The Pandyssian Continent, also known as the "Far Continent" and more simply as Pandyssia, is the largest known landmass in the world. It remains unpopulated by the people of the Isles and the citizens of the Empire believe that there is no civilization on the continent.
Details
Similar to Dunwall, the continent was once inhabited by ancient civilizations that built temples and shrines, and possibly practiced the use of magical charms and runes. Much of Pandyssia's population, as of today, is presumably far more primitive than the industrialized Isles; the Abbey of the Everyman believes that the people of Pandyssia are nothing but brutal subhumans that engage in strange and heretical rituals.
The wildlife of Pandyssia is also bizarre and has bewildered even the most esteemed natural philosophers of the Isles. Anton Sokolov made note of strange fish with poisonous quills that jump out of the water during an expedition to the continent, and there have been reports of large flying serpents in the area as well. Piero Joplin claims to have read about "land-going whales deep in the Pandyssian interior".
As of now, the continent is undergoing a slow process of exploration by expeditions from the Isles. However, the journey is difficult, even with the new technologies, due to the great distance involved. Similarly, a strange and violent ecosystem, as well as inhospitable terrain, have virtually prevented colonization.
Attempts at exploring and researching the interior have ended in catastrophe, with survivors driven to insanity by the experience.
The bulk of the continent is unexplored stretches of lethal desert and jungle.
The Dreaming:
Beyond the world of men exists an alternate, parallel dimension called the Dreaming, where supernatural beings, mundane men, and anything in-between may reside. It is a nexus of all worlds that are, were and will ever be. Areas can be closely intertwined with the various planes and worlds; events that take place within a world often times appear within the dimension, although skewed. It is highly malleable; time, magic, and the laws of nature can and do change. Various means, both abstract and direct, can be used to visit the Dreaming from the physical world, from actual dreaming , magic, physical portals, and minglings.
Calander:
The calendar year for the people of the Isles consists of thirteen months of 28 days each, in total 364 days, as well as an indeterminate period which follows it, named the Fugue Feast. A new year only begins once the astronomical clock is officially reset by the High Overseer of the Abbey of the Everyman.
The months of the year are as follows:
1. The Month of Earth
2. The Month of Seeds
3. The Month of Nets
4. The Month of Rain
5. The Month of Wind
6. The Month of Darkness
7. The Month of High Cold
8. The Month of Ice
9. The Month of Hearths
10. The Month of Harvest
11. The Month of Timber
12. The Month of Clans
13. The Month of Songs
The Fugue Feast is an indeterminate period of sanctioned anarchy, which follows the end of the set calendar year.
After the 28th day of the Month of Songs,the new year does not immediately begin; instead, a period "outside the calendar" takes place. A decree from the standing High Overseer of the Abbey of the Everyman both initiates the Feast and concludes it in "a day or two" when specific cosmological signs are observed.
During the Fugue Feast, people can act as they wish without fear of prosecution, as the time which passes "does not exist and is not recorded" in any official capacity. Acts which defy the Seven Strictures, such as intoxication and adultery, are common during this period. Even criminal behavior is overlooked, as individuals cannot be held accountable for their actions by official bodies. Nevertheless, people often wear masks or paint their faces in order to hide their identities during the Feast, so that they may "pursue their passions without reservation."
Once the appropriate celestial signs are detected, the High Overseer signals for the hymn of atonement, which ends the Fugue Feast, along with all associated impunity.
Religion:
The Abbey of the Everyman:
The Empire's state religion is the Abbey of the Everyman, run by the High Overseer. Under Burrows, the Overseers have the judicial right to arrest and prosecute any citizen accused of participating in occult practices. Followers abide by seven core tenets, called the Seven Strictures, and draw teachings from their holy text, Litany on the White Cliff. The Abbey itself is located in Whitecliff, and the Office of the High Overseer stands in Holger Square in Dunwall.
Foundation:
The Abbey of the Everyman founded by Benjamin Holger gained influence during the reign of Hurien Morgengaard in the late 17th century. Holger's successor, John Clavering, ordered the construction of the Abbey in Dunwall in 1701, then initiated the Rectification War in 1705 in order to purge the region of those deemed followers of various cults. During that same year, the coronation of Yefim Olaskir took place. In 1708, the completion of the Abbey led to many Overseers gathering for the Siege of White Cliff, which marked the end of the war with their victory. Following these events, the Abbey of the Everyman was named State Religion in 1711.
The Seven Strictures:
1. Wandering Gaze
"Restrict the Wandering Gaze that looks hither and yonder for some flashing thing that easily catches a man's fancy in one moment, but brings calamity in the next. For the eyes are never tired of seeing, nor are they quick to spot illusion. A man whose gaze is corrupted is like a warped mirror that has traded beauty for ugliness and ugliness for beauty. Instead, fix your eyes to what is edifying and to what is pure, and then you will be able to recognize the profane monuments of the Occult."
-Overseer Chant.
2. Lying Tongue
"Restrict the lying tongue that is like a spark in a man's mouth. It is such a little thing, yet from one spark an entire city may burn to the ground. The father of a lie will suffer a punishment compounded by each person relayed it. Better to live a life of silence than unleash a stream of untruth. The echoes of lies come back as the voice of the Occult."
-Overseer Chant.
3. Restless Hands
"Restrict the Restless Hands, which quickly become the workmates of the Occult. Unfettered by honest labor, they rush to sordid gain, vain pursuits, and deeds of violence. Of what value are the hands that steal and kill and destroy? Instead, put your hands to the plow, the fork, and the spade. For even the lowliest labor that is rigorous squeezes the muscles as a sponge, rinsing impurities from the mind and body."
-Overseer Chant.
4. Roving Feet
"Restrict roving feet that love to trespass. They pay no heed to the boundary stones of other men's fields. They wander into foreign lands, only to return with their soles blackened by iniquity. Where have you strayed that destruction now comes behind you? Would you walk across burning coals or broken glass? Then why do you prowl into the homes of the honest, or into the dens of hidden things, for the result is the same. You will fall into the Void! Instead, rest your feet on a firm foundation so that when the winds of the Occult shriek against you, you will stand firm and not be overthrown."
-Overseer Chant.
5. Rampant Hunger
"Restrict the Rampant Hunger or the intemperate will rise up among you like a virulent swarm, devouring everything wherever they go, even filth. For what goes into your body, poisons you, and if you eat filth then filth is what you will vomit up. Surely the glutton will sell away birthright, family, and friends for a morsel of meat."
-Overseer Chant.
6. Wanton Flesh
"Restrict the Wanton Flesh. Truly, there is no quicker means by which a life can be upheaved and sifted than by the depredations of uncontrolled desire. What avail is the concourse of a prostitute? The attention of a loose companion? Nothing. And what of the fruit of such unions? Only sorrow is born, only misery is multiplied; within these things, the Occult dwells."
-Overseer Chant.
7. Errant Mind
"Restrict an errant mind before it becomes fractious and divided. Can two enemies occupy the same body? No, for the first will direct it one way, and the second another, until they stumble into a ditch and its neck is broken. Likewise, two contrary thoughts cannot long abide in a man's mind, or he will become weak-willed and subject to any heresy."
-Overseer Chant.
The Occult:
The Occult is the title given by the Abbey of Everyman to any worship or veneration if the supernatural.
Throughout history there has been many cults devoted to various entities, but the Abbey has diligently tracked down and expunged all records of such activities. With the current Rat Plague, and the exploration of Pandyssia there is renewed interest in the The Occult, but it is confined to whispers and innuendo. The Abbey treats such heresy as a capital offence.
...and when the gods had finished their first feast, they noticed an extra place setting at the head of the table; and though it was clear someone or something had dined there, none among them could remember who or what it might have been.
An enigma even amongst other deities, the being commonly referred to as the Throneless King has no known name; instead, it is referred to only by titles, many of which refer to the deity's habit of being where it isn't wanted or doesn't belong, such as the Uninvited Guest or the Unknown Visitor. While none who have been in the god's presence have a firm memory of it's appearance (if any memory of the event at all!), images of a crown and an eye are the most common impressions left behind.
The followers of the Nameless Eye believe that their god is searching the entirety of the cosmos for something, though they know not what, and that it has been literally everywhere looking for it; many take comfort in knowing that wherever they may tread, their god has come before them. A fine grey or silvery dust, from the ethereal roads the god travels, is said on rare occasion to be left in the wake of it's passing, though normally there is no evidence of the god's presence. The discovery of this dust in the unlikeliest of places - locked or sealed chambers, lake beds, treetops, rabbit's burrows, underneath the chamber pot of a king or the teacups in a spinster's cupboard - attests to the apparent universality of the god's travels.
Clerics and oracles of the god are rare, as only those with no given name receive any sort of divine power from it. These few, even more so than the lay worshipper, seek to acquire titles through their deeds to describe themselves and build their legend, attempting to maintain the delicate balance between widespread notoriety of their achievements and personal obscurity.
The Throneless King's portfolio includes travel, stealth and the discovery of secrets, the enforcement of frivolous oaths, and magic - especially divinatory scryings and conjurings of the calling and teleportation subschools.
Magic related. The... Unseen Eye, Heirarch of the Hidden, Ally of the Unguessable.
Technology:
Whale Oil:
Whale oil is the refined oil that is harvested from whales, and the basis of the Empire's industrial revolution. Highly volatile, it is held in tanks which can be found throughout major cities. In Dunwall, it is used to power all technology, while in Karnaca, it is used interchangeably with wind power.
History:
Whale oil's (spermaceti) potential as an energy source was discovered by the natural philosopher Esmond Roseburrow, who observed vagabonds in Slaughterhouse Row using collected whale oil to stoke fires. Through a special refinement process, he turned whale oil into a fuel source that advanced the Isles' technology by centuries. It also turned the once marginal and supplementary whaling industry into the most vital industry for all the Isles. Whaling houses like the Greaves Company and the Rothwild Slaughterhouse turned into wealthy, industrial powerhouses. Later, Anton Sokolov proposed the first plans to use whale oil in technological weaponization.
Characteristics:
Whale oil is easily recognized by the bright blue glow it emits, which can be best seen in the whale processing and oil refining areas of the Greaves Refinery in the Flooded District and in Slaughterhouse Row, where leaked whale oil illuminates the halls and surrounding streets. It is extremely unstable and volatile; throwing or shooting a full whale oil tank will cause it to explode.
It is speculated that whale oil is naturally produced within the bodies of whales due to great pressures deep in the ocean, for the purpose of temperature regulation. It is theorized by Piero Joplin that if the human body were exposed to such pressures, it could produce something similar to whale oil; these experiments have not come to fruition, due to financial and ethical concerns.
Whale Oil Tank:
Whale oil is primarily stored and utilized in the form of specialized tanks (whaleoiltanks), which power all of Dunwall's technology. The tanks are plugged into magnetic sockets that can be found attached to all Sokolov technology. As such, the tank only needs to be brought near the socket, and the magnetism will allow it to insert itself into the power source. As the tanks are clear, one can easily tell when a whale oil tank is empty and must be replaced.
Arc Technology:
Walls of light: Electrified entryways that are powered by whale oil, situated around Dunwall and Karnaca for the purposes of security and quarantine control. Normally, only the City Watch, Grand Guard and tallboys are able to pass through unharmed, as they deactivate upon their approach. Anyone else attempting passage will be vaporized. They work via two electric coils placed together on either side of an entry, as if to resemble a gate. Above these coils is a revolving device that emits a blue light. When a hostile approaches, it will sound an alarm and glow red. It will let out a low-pitched signal when someone attuned to the wall passes through it. Upon starting their watch duty, members of the City Watch will be approached by the Technical Officer. This individual will be carrying a device known as a charger, which is attuned to a specific wall of light. Each member of the new shift must lay a hand upon the charger. Once this is done, that wall of light "recognizes" these individuals and will not harm them.
Arc pylons: A lethal defense technology utilized by various authorities around the Empire of the Isles. They work similarly to walls of light, but are effective at a distance, disintegrating any living thing within range that they have not been configured to recognize. Arc pylons are powered by whale oil.
Arc mines: A powerful proximity-based mines that will incinerate anything unfortunate enough to get caught in its attack radius. The effect
