Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== Sargasso ====== | {{:location:sargassosymbol.png|}} | Sargasso is a coastal city with two islands linked together by bridges. It is located on a moon colony of the planet [[planet:traveller|Traveller]], and is part of the [[society:unity_protocol|Unity Protocol]]. ===== Records & Information ===== As a colony-moon of Traveller, Sargasso is an island in an ocean with 70% of its population centred on its main city. Originally, the moon (T-05) had a large concentration of bacteria-rich water under its rocky crust, just above the mantle. When terraforming and colonisation efforts began, the moon was given more mass from a nearby asteroid belt, a ferromagnetic, liquid core was added to the moon, and a network of artificial gravity generators deep under the planet's surface, allowing less mass to be necessary for 1G of gravity all throughout the planet. Once a sterile ocean was placed on top of the planet, the subterranean ocean was bored into and propagated throughout the ocean, giving it a rich amount of ocean life, which kickstarted the ocean's biological life, then left to multiply and settle. After twenty years of work and a population of plants, animals, and fish had grown, the planet-colony was complete with 70% of its surface covered in water, and a balmy sub-tropical climate. Sargasso City itself is sixty years old, founded on an archipelago and home to many species which prefer aquatic or tropical conditions. In particular, the area is a favourite of Sourcia species, as the humid conditions and abundance of edible and notably tasty((Sargasso has something of a gourmet algae subculture amongst Sourcia!)) bacteria in the water are attractive to Sourcia. Records and information about Sargasso and its citizens are kept at **City Hall**. ==== People ==== Sargasso's main population includes most forms of human-derived people, Sourcia, and other species who are suited to a sub-tropical or aquatic environment. * [[culture/greasehearts|Greasehearts]] are found primarily in Southern Palms and Barrier Island. * [[culture/mindeyes|Mindeyes]] and [[culture/hagbloods|Hagbloods]] are found primarily in Central View and North Shore. * [[culture/maidenhands|Maidenhands]] and occupy Ogonori Island and North Shore. * [[culture/oddbody|Oddbodies]] are spread around, but concentrated in South Palms and Ogonori Island. * [[species/sourcia|Sourcians and Crudes]] can be found on Barrier Island and Ogonori Island. * Other aquatic species can be found in the bay. In general, the attitude in Sargasso is quite laid back, but fiercely loyal of what they have thanks to how prosperous the region is. Crime is present in small amounts, but local politics seems dirty thanks to how often the mayor and opposition, **Rex Tannerman** and **Dianne Proctor** trade barbs and insults. Common offences include illicit drug trafficking, public drunkenness, vandalism, and petty theft. === Notable People === The following player character and non-player characters are natives of Sargasso: * **Counsellors, Politicians and Elected Officials** - Sargasso has a love/hate relationship with their public officials. * **Rex Tannerman** - A Greaseheart man in his sixties with silver hair and a silver tongue, Rex is the current mayor of Sargasso, having being a former United Defence Directive sergeant prior to entering politics. Rex strongly believes in arming the public in case of another 'gosh-darned Kaiju attack comes from the bay', strong trade tariffs, and business protection against foreign interests. * **Dianne Proctor** - A Mindeye woman in her forties with a family of four, Dianne is the current opposition candidate for Mayor of Sargasso. Her election platform is founded on free love, union power, and a stronger UDD presence in Sargasso to combat the usual Kaiju threat rather than deregulating weaponry. She isn't fond of superheroes or vigilantes either. * **Edmund Holt** - Generally seen as an enjoyable waste of space, this Oddbody man holds Sargasso's parks and recreation portfolio. Usually quiet in the chambers, but often keen to talk about his mild daily life in Sargasso's wilderness and beaches during sessions. He's very fond of swimming in Little Arkham, and appears to have gills under his arms. * **Desmond Devilfish** - Though he has no known source of income, no job, wears a gumboot stretched over his head with eyeholes cut out of it, and may be legally dead in [[location/noir]], Desmond Devilfish((real name unknown)) is elected by the Drill Plains, and preaches nonsensical policies such as 'mandatory harmonica lessons for fish men' and 'regulating the flow of algae going upstream', he is a politician(?) with a clear(?) but nonsensical mandate. * **Businesspeople** * **Johnny Longhands** - A frequent trader at the Night Markets with a permanent outlet at Wayward Mall, Johnny Longhands is a Greaseheart trader whose claim to fame is keeping all of his logistics organised and streamlined as much as possible, letting him import any product, from anywhere, with ease. The difficult can be delivered immediately. The impossible takes a bit longer. * **Lina Rarius** - The primary proprietor of Lina's Palace in the CBD, Lina is a well respected Greaseheart businesswoman who used to be something of a town flame in her prime. Lina is said to have a little black book containing the names of all the people who owe her a favour. She has competition over in Barrier Island from Harumi... * **[[/character/harumi]]** - A mysterious woman with an unspoken past but a cheery image and demeanor whose self-named club specializes in...exotic tastes and services. Despite her taste in dress she never works the club herself, and the bizarre array of devices and inventions that end up incorporated into her club indict either she's an advanced engineer, or has access to some high-end laboratories. * **[[character/seiren_isbala|Seiren Isbala]]** - Owner and main genius mind of Galacta Candy, this oddball inventor has a penchant for crossdressing when he isn't coming up with new confections or wild contraptions. On occassion, he fights monsters and works on a defense network for the town. * **Celebrities** * **Aoi Tanaka** - A big-band, and big name Maidenhand musician who enjoys working with other musicians as much as she enjoys her big band to deliver a diverse range of music. She was named Sargasso Community Radio's #1 muse for stuck bands, and enjoys helping garage bands get their act together and giving them pointers. * **[[character/luca_pavone]]** - Gaining fame by repelling a Polygon invasion on Ferros Block, Luca is regarded as a superhero by the people of Sargasso. However, Luca is usually shy of the public eye, and downplays the importance his ongoing contributions to Sargasso's safety. He isn't fond of interacting with Rex Tannerman or Dianne Proctor... * **45.6C.65.6E.61 'Elena'** - A Sourcian woman who frequently appears on Sargasso's morning television talk shows and commercials. Being a former film star, she uses her waning star power to peddle humidifiers and other Sourcia-friendly products to daytime television watchers. She also has a branded line of gourmet slime "Elana's Delight" on the market. * **Gerald Ewings** - A film director who collaborates frequently with Elena to produce creature features and monster movies. He acknowledges that his films are a bit shlocky and silly, but he always has fun on a project. He had a brief retirement stint to farm slimes, but was kidnapped by [[company/gruppen_tanhauss]] for not bending to their will. He was rescued by [[plot/phoenix_team]], and has gone back into making films. * **Groups and Gangs** * **The Apachopper Club** - A motley gang of bikers and skimmer jockeys residing in Southern Palms and the fringes of Central View. They are known for being a persistent headache for Sargasso's police department by racketeering, extortion, blackmail, and gun running. Every few weeks, they head outside of Southern Palms and go for a 'race around Sargasso' to induct new members into the gang and cause mayhem and upset along the way. In these races, they will pick a fight with anything that has wheels - including each other and the new inductees! Their main colours are red and black, and their symbol is a flaming skull wearing a helmet. * **Mae 'Heck on Legs' Cuthbert** - One of the Lieutenants of the Apachoppers, and their contact to Frankie. Having the loudest chopper and the most confirmed hits under her belt, she holds a position of power amongst the gang and lordes it over her underlings. She has a fondness for strong drink, and arcade games. * **The Uprights** - Named for their business-like attire and 'upstanding' image, the Uprights operate from the North Shore and take many cues from their cousins in [[location/noir]]: the Suits. They are responsible for a litany of white collar crimes, sex trafficking, smuggling contraband products from Noir, and using their contacts within the Blue Sky Society to pressure businesses into following various business agendas suitable for [[company/gruppen_tanhauss]] - lest they face delisting from the Professional Register. They prefer misdirection and using the system against people over direct confrontation - but the Uprights are always prepared to rally their goon squad if someone pushes back. They are symbolised by their blue ties, grey suits, and 24 hour sunglasses. * **Frankie Papadopolos** - An 'agitator' for [[company/gruppen_tanhauss]], responsible for canvassing businesses by posing as an employee((Primary or secondary to the business.)) and finding their weaknesses, to allow his friends amongst the Uprights or the Apachoppers to apply pressure and get them to toe the Tanhauss line. He doesn't like dealing with the Towners, and hates having to confront the Phoenix Team. * **Tourak Nekkoum Bolyo** - Also known as 'The Out Of Towners', this primarily alien gang operate out of Sargasso's Central View - particularly the heart of Redfield. Their primarily alien population of enforcers and criminals ensures their range of threats and crimes are just as diverse as they are. The Towners delight in picking on humans by claiming they are ignorant, inferior, smelly, and hateful. Anyone who defends themselves proves they're ignorant, and the Towners then con targets into empathy schemes and abduct them for 'cultural enrichment'. They are a particular pain for the Units since the Towners promote ghetto and segregation behaviour, causing sparks to fly and highly negative and destructive mentalities to entrench themselves, despite optimal surroundings. The Towners fly colours of green and pink, with a tentacle motif - since it symbolises 'alien' best, and unnerves inferior humans. * **[[plot/phoenix_team]]** - Organised by [[character/luca_pavone]], Phoenix Team is a group of 'troubleshooters' who are fed up with the crime in Sargasso, taking matters into their own hands. If citizens have a problem nobody else can solve, or would run the risk of personal embarrassment or action from aggressors if they took it to the authorities or the press: Call Phoenix Team. They solve problems and get in fights with the above groups more often than not. * **The New Pragmatists** - Political activists with high efficiency haircuts, believing in a strangely calm but near anarchical political philosophy that revolves around the most efficient methods to achieve their objectives. Such as not engaging political violence, a non-threatening demeanor, and enacting social change. * **Other** * **[[character/crone|The Crone]]** - An old Hagblood woman with stringy white hair and milky eyes, living in Witchwood with the company of her pet cat. Crone is a lecturer at **Sargasso Magician's Academy**, offering lectures specialising in bodily control, misdirections, pacts and contracts, and culinary arts((Her cookies are delicious. Try some!)). She is a frequent poster of odd jobs, as her cat keeps finding ways to get lost and her garden grows very wild. ==== Wildlife ==== Being a highly urbanised seaside city, Sargasso has a large range of animals native to the city and its ocean. Conservation groups such as the Blue Sky Society and other scientific research teams monitor and catalogue the local wildlife. * **Capybara** - Living in the northeastern and easterly portions of Sargasso around the rivers and marshes, these large herbivorous rodents . They are highly social creatures, making calls to let insect-eating animals pick bugs off its thick, shaggy hide - and they can be seen wandering through urban areas; Many people find them endearing and cute. * **Coconut Crab** - This large, terrestrial crustacean thrives on eating fruits, plant matter like tree pith, and the occasional bird or carrion. They use their powerful pincers to husk and cut holes into coconuts, and can often be seen climbing trees. Sometimes, they can be found upending and raiding rubbish bins for food, or stealing unattended items as potential food sources. * **Longbog Mudworm** - Growing to about a foot long and a half-inch thick, these squiggly red worms thrive in tidal mud shallows and rock pools. They are a favourite of fishermen for bait - one worm can provide about ten cuts of bait that the fish love. * **Raccoon** - Thriving in the urban areas of Sargasso, these clever little omnivores live in the wild and the city with equal ease. They are not bothered by humans or other people, and some are even known to be pets or companions. However, they are known to be pests for the farmers of Southern Palms, as they eat many of the fruits. * **Rainbow Trout** - A species of trout found in the bay, ocean, and rivers throughout Sargasso. They are a common source of food for many sea creatures and a fisherman's staple. Their iridescent scales make them easy to spot on bright, sunny days in clear water. * **Sargasso Slime** - A teal green in colouration, this species of [[species/sourcia#variants|Uraxi Sourcia]] is native to the waterways and marshes of Sargasso. Individual specimens weigh around twenty kilograms and are about two feet across in any direction, and often cluster together to former larger globs in areas where they are preyed upon by slime-eaters, such as fish and other Sourcians. ==== Phenomena ==== Sargasso's reputation for strange occurrences at weird hours arises from the volume of natural and unnatural stories passed among its inhabitants and tourists. Tales of things with too many legs living in undersea hovels, extra-dimensional lurkers in alleyways, occult practices, and captured footage of the just plain outlandish. * **Hyperhumidity** - A natural phenomenon occurring in Sargasso's wetland areas, where rotting vegetation, balmy hot weather, and persistent rainfall combine to create air and surfaces so moist, many water-borne animals can't tell the difference. This leads to strange sights such as fish swimming through trees and tall grass. Locals in the wetlands respond to this strange occurrence by stringing nets into the air to capture an easy and fresh meal, and driving slowly in poor visibility lest they experience fishstrike. * **They Who Rides Eternal** - Revellers and party-goers throughout Southern Palms and Central View talk hushed of someone who parties harder than any mortal. The description of this anomalous individual remains consistent: dark skinned, naked from the waist, covered in cryptic tattoos, and sporting a scraggly black beard. People who encounter this eternal party-goer are advised to turn away as soon as they can, as those who party with They Who Rides Eternal report losing days, even weeks of time and waking up compromised, broken, and bruised on the other end of town. ==== Economy ==== With its bacteria-rich ocean, Sargasso's primary income stream is through organic matter cultivation and collection arrays dotted throughout the ocean and on the shores of islands. Processable matter includes plankton, seaweed, krill, and algae. Export products from this industry include fertilisers, food products, vitamin supplements, and biofuels. Their main trading and business partner for raw materials and investment is the moon colony of [[location/noir]]. A secondary source of income for the city comes from fishing. Care is taken via judicious monitoring to avoid overfishing and other environmental problems which arise from fishing. Another secondary source of income is a fruit industry in the Southern Palms, growing bananas, apples, corn, and sugar cane, assisted by the genetic engineering work of **Blossom Laboratories**. In addition, a tertiary industry has sprung up involving the breeding and cultivation of the common slime. Driven primarily by demand from Sourcia. === Common Occupations === The following occupations are synonymous with Sargasso's residents. <WRAP tablewidth 66%> ^ Name ^ Type ^ Description ^ Pay per annum ^ Notes | ^ Algae Worker | Agricultural/Industrial | Works with, collects from, and maintains algae collectors. Transports algae to business. | ¤43000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤65000<sup>__00__</sup> | Diving Suit operation skills favoured. | ^ Brusher | Civic/Environment | Exterminates extreme pests, such as Kaiju mites, hostile slime colonies, zombies, boomvines, lover's embrace kelp, and foul tempered rodents. | ¤38000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤87000<sup>__00__</sup> | Highly dangerous, weapon skills favoured. Militia and medical assistance available. | ^ Diving Suit Mechanic | Industrial | Fabricates, maintains, and recycles parts from diving suits. | ¤50000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤120000<sup>__00__</sup> | Always in demand, highly technical. | ^ Marine Biologist | Science | Monitors ocean flora, fauna, chemicals, and environment. | ¤40000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤70000<sup>__00__</sup> | Can range from reading data from probes, to field work. | ^ Odd Jobber | Local | A go-to person for handyman tasks, furniture transportation, and more. You name it, they'll know someone who can help. | ¤8000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤100000<sup>__00__</sup> | Highly varied work, never dull! | ^ Ocean Ranger | Civic/Environment | Controls pest species, maintains marine environment, punishes poachers and illegal fishing. | ¤57000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤81000<sup>__00__</sup> | Diving suit and combat experience required. | ^ Slime Farmer | Agricultural | Cultivates and extracts common strains of slime for consumption. | ¤20000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤80000<sup>__00__</sup> | Seasonal, dependent on Sourcian demand, quick to start up. | ^ Tourist Trap Operator | Commercial | Runs tourist-friendly attractions in Sargasso's beaches and rainforests. | ¤15000<sup>__00__</sup> to ¤54000<sup>__00__</sup> | Seasonal. Fast moving and highly competitive on season, laid back off season. | </WRAP> ==== Aesthetics ==== The buildings around the city are built for the balmy weather and climate. Most housing and establishments are built upon thick stone pillars festooned in colourful graffiti, providing elevation against floods and looking snappy in a riot of colours. Foundations are hardy and power lines and utilities are handled primarily underground and threaded through the pillars instead of overground due to storm winds damaging the power lines and creating hazards. Shops and stores supported by pillars often have a plaza area beneath the building where they may let customers make purchases for commonly sold items on the ground level. Customers willing to look for more can head upstairs into the shop from ground level via stairs, and walkways between shops just over the street level connect commercial areas together. Stores are locked with roller shutters when the day's over. Glass store fronts at ground level are uncommon in flood prone areas, due to how fragile it can be in a natural disaster and how difficult it can be to clean. The general style of artwork around the city can be described as brash, created mostly by Greaseheart artists using welded steel scrap and spray paint. Within the pavement, stone works, and building pillars, geometric patterns are often carved into them upon construction, and drainage channels are carved deep into each side walk to ensure that water flows back into the ocean. Common colours associated with Sargasso are neon pink and cyan. In flood prone areas, there are poles twelve feet tall with the first foot off the ground being solid, while the remaining eleven are made of a fine mesh, with a steel cap on top. These structures, called Flood Poles, are made to drain water during floods by pumping flood water into the pole, through a separate series of pipes to the regular storm drains, and into a reservoir further inland or back into the ocean. ==== Transportation and Mass Transit ==== Getting around Sargasso is simple, and cheap. Most of the transport infrastructure was laid down by the Unity Protocol. The highways stretching through Sargasso are fitted with sound barriers to reduce noise pollution. There are freeway bridges between North Shore and Central View over the Sargasso River, and a bridge from North Shore and Barrier Island. There is a bridge between Barrier Island and Ogonori Island, and from Ogonori Island's southernmost point there is a freeway bridge to Southern Palms. === Sargasso Busses === A fleet of soft topped, open cabined busses drive around Sargasso, with the goal of transporting goods, services, and people around Sargasso. Blue busses are intended for transporting people, green busses are used to transport goods, yellow busses are intended for school routes, and grey busses are privately chartered for events. Depots on high ground are dotted around town, and the routes cover most of Sargasso, looping around each major neighbourhood. Some services cross between districts, and chartered services to the outside fringes of Sargasso are available too, leaving on a three-day schedule. During floods and other adverse weather, the busses are parked at the depot for maintenance and repairs. === Subway === Running throughout Sargasso is the subway system. Each station is ventilated, drained, spacious, staffed by helpful Units, and well lit. Posters and commissioned graffiti murals are present on some stations to break up the monotony, adding colour and vivacity to otherwise dreary task of commuting. Sometimes, subway lines pass through underwater tunnels, giving stunning views to the ocean floor and its denizens on clear days. In the advent of flooding, the Subway is sealed shut with spaceship-style blast shutters, and commuters are evacuated to higher ground via evacuation tunnels dotted throughout each line at 250 metre intervals which lead to higher ground and flood safe houses. There are three lines of Subway operating, with the Northern and Southern lines overlapping in Central View. Fares are reasonably priced, and take commuters a long way. * **Northern** - Goes between Northern Shore and Central View. * **Southern** - Goes between Central View and Southern Palms. * **Island Line** - Goes between Barrier Island and Ogonori Island. Has one station in common with the Northern and Southern lines each. === Ziplines === The most interesting feature of Sargasso is the abundance of zipline transportation from building to building, or building to ground. They are intended to transport goods from building to building in the advent of a flood. Occasionally, daredevils in a hurry take the ziplines themselves to get from building to building. Ziplines start from elevated positions, and go towards the coast or downhill. Ziplines heading inland are usually placed from building to building to create the downward slope necessary. === Diving Suits === Surplus diving suits intended for industrial operations such as algae farming and marine biology are dotted around the beaches in tourist locations. Blocky models of diving suit are older, suited to ocean pressures and long distance walking, while sleeker, more recent designs allow wearers to swim like fish. Their use as what amounts to toys is given a degree of oversight and control. Suits are fitted with tracking beacons, and unique identifiers stamped on various inner parts of the suit. Suit chassis and their parts are sometimes stolen and chopped up for use in crudely made power armours. ===== Districts and Neighbourhoods ===== | {{:location:sargasso_map.png|}} \\ Trivia: This area is approximately 1600 square kilometres. | Sargasso is divided into five districts, with five neighbourhoods within each one. At minimum, every district contains schools, supermarkets, a police station, a fire station, a local hospital, subway access, a government management branch, a species council or two, and the resources and infrastructure necessary to create or obtain a job which generates a personal income suitable for living. If all else fails, there's usually an odd job or two somewhere in town that'll pay good money, few questions asked. Each neighbourhood holds two areas of interest, usually areas well-known and to locals and notorious enough to have been put on the map. ^ :!: For GMs | Each neighbourhood and their locations can serve as plot hooks for adventures and other roleplaying.\\ Let these prompts be your starting points, and diversify from there. | ==== Barrier Island ==== A large island north-east of Sargasso's bay, Barrier Island was the first island of Sargasso's bay to be developed. A bridge to North Shore is on the northern point of the island, while the bridge going south leads to to Ogonori island. * **Wayward Mall** - The northern neighbourhood of Barrier Island is a cosmopolitan, though seedy part of the island, boasting the largest appetites for casual flings and peep shows. * **Butterfly Way** is the most notorious side street, boasting many pleasures for the adventurous or undiscerning sort. It is wise to exercise a degree caution when walking around here though, and to keep an open mind. Many have seen things that can't be unseen - and head tiltingly kinky. * **Fort Grenadier** is a military port used by UDD forces for aquatic combat training. Soldiers can often be seen running up and down the beach and swimming in the bay. Not surprisingly, one of Grenadier's main outputs is frogmen. * **Mt. Cartwheel** - The tallest point of Barrier Island, it gets its name from the large carousel situated on top of the mountain, wrapped around its peak: **Cartwheel**. * From this disc-shaped attraction((It gets called the 'Pizza Pan' by local air traffic control, for its distinct shape from above.)) tourists and other viewers can see 360 degree views of Barrier Island down below, watch Sargasso's skyline go by, and gaze out into the ocean. All the while, the Cartwheel slowly rotates, so the scenery always changes, walking or sitting. * Within Mt. Cartwheel meanwhile is **Devil's Depths**, an extensive cave network with subterranean real estate. The unexplored caverns are a popular tourist attraction for the rumours of mysterious ruins underneath the mountain, and alleged hives of criminal hideouts. * **Middleton** - Situated between Flatirons Hill and Mt. Cartwheel, Middleton rests between the mountains. Logically, it became the seat of Barrier Island's local council, and its terminus, as arrivals go up and down the island. * It is home to the **Sargasso Magician's Academy**, the forest parks around the valley are the ideal place to train the recruits with minimal collateral damage, and its lecturers are locals like the Crone, or imported specialists from [[location/york]] or [[planet/albion/null]]. * The **Barrier Island Spaceport** is also situated between the mountains, giving new arrivals and travellers the best access to the northern and southern parts of the island. Due to the elevated locale and proximity to Mt. Cartwheel, long stretches of space are at a premium, and the landing is considered a tricky by hand - but easily handled by autopilot. * **Flatirons Hill** - Known colloquially as The Anvil, this neighbourhood covers the southern portion of the island. It gets its name from the primarily Greaseheart demographic, breathing their way of life and noise into the neighbourhood. * The largest tower in the Anvil is **Ferros Block**, an iron façaded apartment building with a solid granite foundation, and trendy living. It is a U shaped building, with the halfway through the U being filled with open-aired, two storey high lobbies with a view of a forest down below. * **The Heroes Armaments** is the perfect pub to unwind and tell stories, serving hearty meals and cold drinks in the brash ambience of the ideal adventuring traveller. It isn't uncommon for a bar fight to break out over something stupid, but they're soon ended by a notorious red headed Maidenhand waitress. * **Dripton** - The southernmost point of Barrier Island, Dripton is a tourist area with glitzy and welcoming appearance. It isn't hard to find a restaurant, a bar, pub, or a good takeaway place around Dripton. * Its primary attraction is the **Night Markets**, run by crafty locals and travelling merchants alike. In addition to buying and selling exotic wares from across Sargasso and beyond, many information brokers use the area as a meeting place, away from the main strip. * In the water is a **Glowing Cove**, a C-shaped beach home to a bioluminescent kelp visible at night. Local noodle bars scoop it up to make glowing noodles and other foodstuffs. Its an acquired taste for travellers, given the glow's resemblance to cherenkov radiation. ==== Ogonori Island ==== Named after a Maidenhand seafood dish which uses a particular type of kelp which grows wild in the waters near the island, Ogonori Island is the second of Sargasso's islands to be inhabited, residing south of Barrier Island, and east of Southern Palms. * **Plainview** - The northern tip of the island is built much lighter, and most of its buildings are elevated. It has the best view of the ocean and Dripton up North, and a long stretch of pristine beach formerly called Whitesands. * The sand has the texture of sugar and is alabaster white. It commonly attracts the likes of Coral Snake [[guide/species#serpentinetinian|Tinians]], thanks to the abundance of rocks to sun on, and the aquatic grottos to lounge in. It is now called '**Snek Beach**', thanks to a helpful sign left by the Tinians. * Further south down Plainview is **Longbog**, a stretch of dark tidal flats known to be a favourite spot for mudlarks or trapping unwary tourists. Worms are known to wriggle in the muck, making it a favourite for fishermen to venture in and grab some bait. * **Ameshi Corner** - A primarily Maidenhand-occupied and technological district, Ameshi Corner's side walks are bristling with fruit trees - a testament to the biological and genetic advances in plants - and beyond. * **Blossom Laboratories** is a premier plant geneticist agency, capable of creating boutique plants and responsible for the Corner's fruity look. It isn't uncommon, however, for something to go haywire at Blossom Labs and escape. * **Asuka's** is the primary retailer for enlarged fruit, with grapes the size of basketballs and apples as big as sedans being common purchases - either for bulk catering orders, props for movies which need to be //genuine//, or sheer novelty. * **Gotwick Ridge** - The tall point of Ogonori, Gotwick is a neighbourhood divided by the ridge into **Bayside** and the **Oceanside** districts. The area boasts a concentration of Maidenhands, with posses moving in shortly after Sargasso was founded to take advantage of the space. * Bayside residents are known to own many tamed, dangerous animals as pets, and work animals. For example, it isn't uncommon to see an aurochs on the road hauling grain, a woman taking her pet cheetah for a walk, or a moving shadow on the ground: the eight foot wingspan of a bird of prey flying overhead. * Oceanside has most of its available space taken up by a sub-tropical safari park, host to the animals used by Bayside. The owners the parks and the Units hire the services of beast masters to raise and handle the park's animals, while assisting and supervising citizens raising exotic pets. * **Little Arkham** - They say everyone goes mad over the fishing here, and they wouldn't be wrong. Little Arkham is commonly voted by magazines to be the creepiest part of town, for reasons unconsolabe. * Coming in from the north gives motorists a view of the abandoned **Pearson's Sanatorium** being a reminder of a darker time in Sargasso's history. Even so, that doesn't stop amateur ghost hunters from giving the place a scouring every few weeks. * **Gull Jetty** is the premier meeting spot for fishing trips into the ocean, but they may end up getting hooked into something worse by the local aquatics. Reports of missing persons are frequent, and those who return //aren't// quite right. * **Vulcanshore** - Chiefly industrial, Vulcanshore boasts enough manufacturing and distribution power to feed the demands of Ogonori Island and Barrier Island combined. * **Forgesters' Refinery** serves as the primary alloy fabrication plant for Sargasso, towering above and below ground. It's hard, hot working there, and around the area all year around thanks to the persistent demand locally and abroad. * The refinery's biggest buyer is **Fort Swordfish**, the largest UDD presence between the islands, and put on the map for the big reputation of their daring flyboys and cigar-chomping marines. The soldiers stationed here are mostly Maidenhands and Greasehearts. ==== North Shore ==== The oldest part of Sargasso, and where the first buildings were erected, North Shore is the top of the town. All the important decisions flow from here. To the south-east over a bridge is Barrier Island, while to the south-west and over the Sargasso River, you can get to Central View. * **Shakershore** - The eastern part of the northern landmass, Shakershore is the gateway to Barrier Island. Generally regarded as the trendy part of town for new arrivals by land. * **Hawthorne's Bar** is the melting pot for tourist and local alike, in a chilled, minimalist ambience and decoration. It has an excellent view out into the bay, and is a frequent meeting place for Mayor Rex Tannerman((Good friends with the owners, apparently...)). * The **Hightide Beach** is home to fortnightly surfing competitions, with waves reaching between two and fifteen metres in height. Surfers are known to risk life and limb to look cool, and catch sick waves. * **Featherwell** - Located up in the hills north-east, Featherwell is a laid back part of Sargasso, away from the worst hustle and bustle, for a quieter living. * It //is// close enough to something exciting for the population of **Windsweet Retirement Village**. Most of the folks there are veterans from various conflicts around the [[territories:aleph_null]], given especially comfortable retirements in return for their bravery. * Featherwell is also home to the **Sargasso Weather Bureau**, an observation post responsible for observing and reporting the weather to the rest of Sargasso. They also run a television channel with ongoing, automated updates to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdGmrpeeC-U|slow electronic music]]. Its quite relaxing viewing. * The burgeoning confectionary delight purveyor of Sargasso and expanding in Aleph, **[[company/galacta_candy|Galacta Candy]]**'s main factory and only store front is located here, just between Featherwell and Hellion Overlook. The factory is surrounded by high walls and automated turrets that fire reject taffy like rubber bullets at anybody without a company pass that gets onto the campus. * **CBD** - The central business area of Sargasso at the southernmost point of the North Shore, the CBD is home to the **City Hall**, where the majority of Sargasso's civic decisions are made, and where its Councils come together to discuss the direction of the bustling city. * The most famous street in the CBD is **Commercial Lane**, which boasts the largest selection of commercially owned chain shops, and the headquarters of said chain shops and conglomerates. * **Hellion Overlook** - Over in the Northwest, Hellion Overlook is a primarily industrial slice of land. * **Salty Pete's Gunsmithy** is the meeting place for gunsmiths of all persuasions and types to trade ideas and designs, as well as sell guns. It isn't uncommon for shooting competitions to be sponsored by Pete's coffers. * Not far away to test new guns is **Camp Centre-Mass**, a fully-featured, long distance shooting range which is often host to contests between military or police units. Centre-Mass also features an indoor training course with obstacles. * **Delta North** - At the 9 o'clock of the North Shore is the quieter corner of Delta North. The main sounds are natural, and manmade respectively... * The **Sargasso Rainforest** stretches westwards along the river, offering a popular hiking trail boasting tropical scenery. Off the beaten path however is a hungry jungle, laden with dense, choking vegetation, trecharous hazards, and creepy crawlies. * Interposed in the river meanwhile is the kilometre-long **Hydroelectric Dam**. Superseded by advances in tidal and solar power, but generating electricity as an export, as well as providing scenic views into Sargasso's bay down the river. ==== Central View ==== Serving as the transnational area between the uptown and the downtown, Central View is home to most of Sargasso's middle class and suburbia. Up north of here is North Shore over the Sargasso River. Down south and through the trees is Southern Palms. * **Delta South** - On the southern side of the river is the primary residential area of Sargasso, boasting the highest population density of humans and other humanoid species. A series of canals and waterways snakes through the neighbourhood, making it popular with amphibious species. * The **Walled City** is the densest place of them all, with so many people living together in such close buildings that where one person's apartment starts and ends is subject to intense debate. * Beneath the Walled City is a series of indoor harbours and ports called the **Underhall Harbours**. They serve as the built-up area's primary commercial area. River merchants and fishermen take their wares here, offering good deals on fish and other ocean-derived produce. * Unsurprisingly, the **Sargasso Courthouse** gets a lot of property bounds complaints from the tenants within the Walled City, along with other legal matters. * **Bay Grove** - With a stunning view into the bay, Bay Grove is considered one of the best places for beach side business. * The business here flows from the tourists, who come from **Central View Spaceport**, a fully featured space station, also the primary cargo spaceport of Sargasso. * After arriving, assuming one manages to avoid the pull of the **[[location/sargasso/starliner_mall]]** beneath the spaceport, the best place to grab a hot meal and a bed for the evening or a week is **Lina's Palace**, serving alcohol, warm food, and companionship if you have the money. * **Redfield** - An unintentional ghetto for aliens due to the need for specific living conditions and easy access to like-talking folk, many of the less humanoid aliens make a living in the neighbourhood of Redfield. * The **Municipal Swimming Pool** is home to many water-derived and other strange-atmosphered creatures, using the old pool's buildings as a climate controlled living spaces. The swimming pool itself has been deepened, and diving bells deep below can transport a user out to the ocean. * Those able to overcome the mnemonic and topological hazards can buy from **Escher's Bazaar**, where weird alien artefacts sell for absurd prices, no questions asked, and //absolutely// no refunds. It is alleged the proprietor of this place is a [[species/polygons]], but there is no definite proof. * **Iorex** - A religious district populated by laymen and high clergy alike, Iorex bristles with shrines and cloisters to various faiths and belief systems across the galaxy. * The enormous **Allcathedral** is a haphazard, but lovingly created basilica where many faiths congregations are together under a common roof in devotion. Even so, there is some friction time to time between opposing faiths. * In addition, the **Sargasso Police HQ** is situated here. The police and Units inside and around tasked with keeping Sargasso safe. Their heavy response force is ready to spring out at a moment's notice with deadly force! * **Briarpatch Mountain** - Named after the thorny blackberries which grow all over the mountain, Briarpatch Mountain presents hikers with a hazardous trek. * The **Rosen Grotto** is said to be host to the prettiest flowers in Sargasso's outdoors - surrounded by the sharpest thorns and stingiest insects. * On a lonely plateau is the **Hermit's Hovel**, home to a dangerous loner psionic who has surrounded their home in a thorny wall. They prefer not to talked to or sought out. ==== Southern Palms ==== The agrarian and open part of Sargasso, Southern Palms is mostly forested, and most of its space is taken up by agriculture. North of the Palms is Central View, while a long bridge heading east over the bay leads to Ogonori Island. * **Agrary** - A primarily agricultural neighbourhood, Agrary feeds Sargasso, while sending the extra produce off-planet for trade. * The huge fields of bananas, apples, corn, and sugar cane called the **Sweet Fields** are host to music festivals in nearby paddocks, and festival goers usually pilfer a banana or two. * Away from the noise is the **Psion's Retreat**, a getaway in a field host to psychic gatherings and discussions. Woe betide those who disturb their daily rituals... * **Drill Plains** - This flat stretch of land was formerly an underground mining operation. Now, it has been left mostly fallow. * It didn't take long for residents of Sargasso find a use for the place as a thrashing ground for Drill Tanks at the **Drill Derby**. A manic and wild sport, almost as useless as [[wp>tractor pulling]], but twenty times louder and shoutier. * For those who need a place to get a drink watching the drill tanks, a glass of stout in the **Miner's Hole** is the perfect place - a pub accessible via stairway into the ground, or a mineshaft elevator. They're still digging, too! * **Sticks County** - The most populous area of the Palms, Sticks County is known for its motoring enthusiasts, garage mechanics, strong moonshine, and friendly - if intense - people. * The **Trailerstack** was a ship junk yard re-purposed into a trailer park by the locals, who live amidst the hulls of old spaceships. With a bit of elbow grease and electrical engineering skills, its possible to turn the old hulks into new abodes. * Not far from there is **Cletus'**, the best place to get a steak of questionable origins, and drinks with a little of everything, including glaucoma if its //too// strong. Don't worry - clears up in an hour. * **The Quiet** - A notorious stretch of beach and grassy plain with the occasional gnarled palm tree, The Quiet is an eerie place where few stay around for long. Most travellers chalk it up to the eerie feeling of being watched, even though nothing is around. * The **Sargasso Graveyard** is a neglected part of town, overstuffed with the dead. This makes the place a hotspot for rookie reanimators to pilfer corpses for the next army of undead. * **Bloodsucker's Lagoon** meanwhile is a fenced off lagoon, brimming with horrible leeches the size of a man's forearm. * **Witchwood** - Known for being a very old part of town, Witchwood has many old mansions which used to belong to influential families of old. * People allege that ghosts haunt the **Old Villas**, former homes of CEOs and magnates who went out of business and turned on each other. * The **Drunk Pines** is a notorious bootlegger's forest, thick woods concealing misdeeds easily, as stills can be found off the beaten path. Every few weeks, a still explodes in the forest. ==== Sargasso Ocean ==== Surrounding Sargasso, and in the middle of it is the ocean. It is large, and wet, and can be accessed by walking into any beach and strolling into the water. Diving suits can be hired, and an industry is made of underwater hiking tours, with lots of aquatic scenery visible. * **Sargasso River** - The one-kilometre wide river which flows from a mountainous region to the west, flowing into the bay east. * This enormous stretch of water is protected by the **Bacteria Filter** in order to preserve the purity of the cultivatable algae within the bay. Fish are still able to swim up the river to spawn with a ladder. * **Sargasso Bay** - The middle of Sargasso is home to the Bay. * Resting in the lowest point is **Aquahub**, a small village intended for entirely aquatic races who are native to deep water, and need the water pressure to survive. It can be reached via subway, or hiring a diving suit and walking there. Be warned - it gets //wet//. * **Deepwater** - Out in the east, the water goes deeper and deeper, eventually turning pitch black at about two hundred metres below sea level. * In a crevice near Ogonori Island is a **Research Facility** run by a mysterious skincare company. They might be letting on more than they know, since there is an exclusion zone enforced by the company's aquatic killdrones. * **Barrier Bight** - Just north-east of Barrier Island, the Bight is a stretch of water with a few **Offshore Platforms** dotted around. * These are the homes of wealthy hermits, or warehouses for sensitive material. There is ample space for upstarts to commission new offshore platforms, if they have the money. * **Ogonori Reef** - South-east of Ognori Island is a sprawling coral reef, blasting with fish, life, and colour. * Large **Fields of Kelp** are a frequently cultivated item, since they make the tastiest ogonori. While exploring the area however, divers and farmers have found evidence of unknown ruins beneath prime growing parcels, though... ==== Sargasso Wetlands ==== To the Northwest of the metropolitan area of Sargasso, there is an island beyond the river delta covered in mangrove forests. This quality and the relative isolation from much of the disruption of city hustle and bustle (as well as being away from the smell) makes it ideal for slime cultivation, and a couple of notable players have entered the scene. * One of the newest competitors to the area is **Ewings Slime Colony**, joint-owned by Gerald Ewings and his frequent collaborator Elena. They produce a strain of slime said to be 'spicy' to the Sourcian palette. It is currently run by a group of individuals trusted by the director and his muse - and was previously owned/exploited by [[company/gruppen_tanhauss]]. * Another long-running farming colony here is **Tølen Algae Works**, an industrial scale provider of algae-related products, including fertilisers, food, fuel and medical research and samples. It has been owned by [[company/gruppen_tanhauss]] as one of its main exporters from Sargasso to Noir. * The natural attraction of **The Mangroves** is a variety of freshwater fauna and flora growing in the area, as well as natural colonies of Sargasso Slime. Boat tour operators make their claims around here, offering guided expeditions and explanations for all of the mangroves' nooks and crannies. * The **Splintered Delta** is a large series of long, sandy islets created by the conflicting flows of water - pushing sand from two separate oceans north and west of Sargasso to form these sandbars. Fishermen often keep an eye on these areas for the spawning seasons, and time their expeditions accordingly to get the freshest fish. ==== Sargasso Commercial Spaceport ==== A huge terminal for major planetary traffic through Sargasso, such as larger spacecraft and commercial quantities unsuitable for the smaller spaceports in the metropolitan area((Such as Barrier Island and Central View's spaceports. Both more suited to tourist traffic.)). The spaceport is well connected to the highways of the city for a trip in, and host to some residential areas just south and north of the bustling area. * The spaceport is broken into a handful of clusters specialising in different tasks. **Arrivals** and **Departures** handle much of the foot traffic coming on and off the colony. There is also a large **Freight** section with a bustling logistics section, responsible for dealing with commercial and trade quantities of items coming in and out of Sargasso. For the well-connected and those with certain clearances afforded to them by the Units, there is also a **Private** section of the spaceport. * To the south of the spaceport is a mixed development of commercial and residential zones colloquially called the **Hotel District**, where travellers from abroad can settle down for a night or two before venturing into the rest of Sargasso. * To the north of the spaceport district is **Outerly Town**, a charming rural town out on the plain and considered a quasi-industrial development as it is home to most of the staff who work in and around the spaceport. location/sargasso.txt Last modified: 2020/03/08 23:24by luca