I'm kinda seeing Sasserine a either a fantasy version of Port Royal or more likely a New Orleans type of city. How are you picturing this city?
Port Royal all the way. Been there before when I lived in Jamaica, so it's much easier to imagine for me. I've never been to New Orleans, only seen what the media has shown.
Never been to Port Royal. Visited New Orleans a couple times, and I could see this with an almost sectioned off city...
Port Royal all the way. Been there before when I lived in Jamaica, so it's much easier to imagine for me. I've never been to New Orleans, only seen what the media has shown.
I wouldn't imagine NOLA being like Sasserine. NOLA isn't a "proper" port it just has lots of berths along the length of the Mississipi river. Can't comment on Port Royal never been there myself.
Sasserine reminds me (taking into account the surrounding terrain and climate) of Panama City/Balboa.
Another tropical contender could be the port of Manaus up the Amazon river, but this is more of a port in the middle of the jungle.
As a New Orleans native and resident I can tell you the geography of Sasserine in no way reflects New Orleans. The only used navigable waterway is the Mississippi River. The other canals are mainly used for drainage (or flooding!) purposes. But we do have swamps nearby and former plantations just up the river. Lizardfolk (alligators) occasionally make forays into the city.
However, if you are going more for the feel of the city, particularly in its early days, you may be right. Whereas today it has become a more generic American city, in its early days it was very much an eccletic mix and in many ways resembled a Caribbean city. We have a strong Pirate legacy - Jean LaFitte helped defend the city against the British in the War of 1812. VooDoo was big here - look up Marie Laveau. Although I went to Catholic school, I'll need some convincing that the Jesuits represent the Scarlet Brotherhood. In the post-Katrina world we are currently enduring a struggle of thieves' guilds (gangbangers) competing for turf. But I pray that our city watch prevails.
Oh, I have to say, thinking about it more I'm sure NOLA could be like Sasserine if one took into account the surrounding marshlands/swamps but beyond that its pretty featureless - no mountains etc.
As a New Orleans native and resident I can tell you the geography of Sasserine in no way reflects New Orleans. The only used navigable waterway is the Mississippi River. The other canals are mainly used for drainage (or flooding!) purposes. But we do have swamps nearby and former plantations just up the river. Lizardfolk (alligators) occasionally make forays into the city.
However, if you are going more for the feel of the city, particularly in its early days, you may be right. Whereas today it has become a more generic American city, in its early days it was very much an eccletic mix and in many ways resembled a Caribbean city. We have a strong Pirate legacy - Jean LaFitte helped defend the city against the British in the War of 1812. VooDoo was big here - look up Marie Laveau. Although I went to Catholic school, I'll need some convincing that the Jesuits represent the Scarlet Brotherhood. In the post-Katrina world we are currently enduring a struggle of thieves' guilds (gangbangers) competing for turf. But I pray that our city watch prevails.
LOL. I mean, it's not funny, but it is. :|
Honestly, I've always seen Sasserine more as Rio De Janeiro, but that may just be because I've never been to the other ports in question.
As a New Orleans native and resident I can tell you the geography of Sasserine in no way reflects New Orleans. The only used navigable waterway is the Mississippi River. The other canals are mainly used for drainage (or flooding!) purposes. But we do have swamps nearby and former plantations just up the river. Lizardfolk (alligators) occasionally make forays into the city.
However, if you are going more for the feel of the city, particularly in its early days, you may be right. Whereas today it has become a more generic American city, in its early days it was very much an eccletic mix and in many ways resembled a Caribbean city. We have a strong Pirate legacy - Jean LaFitte helped defend the city against the British in the War of 1812. VooDoo was big here - look up Marie Laveau. Although I went to Catholic school, I'll need some convincing that the Jesuits represent the Scarlet Brotherhood. In the post-Katrina world we are currently enduring a struggle of thieves' guilds (gangbangers) competing for turf. But I pray that our city watch prevails.
Having seen the before (2 months prior) and the after (1 & 1/2 month after), you have my deepest sympathy. My Dad lived both there and in Mobile, AL. He told me about some of the fun times you all are going through. Good luck and my prayers are with you.
BTW, Steve is right. In a twisted sort of way it is funny, even though it is not.
Yep, before someone starts bashing me for insensitivity, the D&D analogies for Waltero's New Orleans problems are what's funny. Not the problems. ::Whew! That was close!::
Now you have me wondering, did someone drop a big black pearl on this city last August 29th?....
Anyway, I guess humor is an attempt to cope and heal. Yes things were/are bad but there's other places worse and I feel for those people. It will be a slow recovery but I am hopeful. Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm always happy to entertain discussions about New Orleans.
BTW, when I read the first couple of adventures, I immediatley thought of Brazil. Go figure.
I've been thinking old-time (Colonial-era) New Orleans myself; I've spent some time in Kingston, Jamaica, and can't quite make it fit the bill.
I could also see the Wormfest and Carnival cross over with New Orleans.
Venice with the all the waterways and Carnival too.
As a native of Rio de Janiero (who has been living in Canada for over 22 years now), I can see how someone can think of Rio when reading up on Sasserine. It's pretty much a more modern version of Sasserine, albeit more modern does not necessarily mean "safer" or "better." My own grandmother got robbed 8 times there and some of my relatives got held at either gun-point or knife-point (including in broad daylight in the middle of a traffic jam).
Food and booze is cheap (well, relatively speaking from the point of view of a Western or European tourist who could afford to go to Brasil in the first place) but stuff like computers and video games and other luxury items/goods/services are insanely expensive as if they are black market items (which, appropriately enough, many are since the tarrif taxes are pretty high). Last time I checked, a single PS2 unit with no games and only one controller was selling for between 300 to 600 dollars (Canadian), depending on where you bought it in Rio (whether it be the street markets or the local mall).
But honestly, the biggest difference (besides the fact that Sasserine is a fantasy setting) between the two is primarily the number of people. Rio has like somewhere between 6 million to 9 million people living there. The streets are rarely empty except during nighttime because people have enough common sense not to be walking on the street at night. Muggings are a serious problem. In fact, you're allowed to drive through a red light during the night so long as you make sure first that no other cars perpendicular to you are crossing at the same time. This is to ensure that you don't get mugged in your own car while waiting at a red light.
Anyways, enough ramblings from me. Sorry for going off-track from the topic on this thread.
CB out.
The three cities I had in mind while designing Sasserine were New Orleans, Casablanca, and Venice. Port Royal's certainly not a bad choice, but it's a bit rough for Sasserine; it's probably a better model for Scuttlecove.
The map in the players guide cried "Venice" to me, for sure. As I have never been to any of the cities mentioned, I can´t really judge it, but from reading on New Orleans, there sure are parallels to Sasserine.
Stefan