TEXT: You will never forget The City.
  But The City will forget you.
  
  Credits
  Original Concept: Malcolm Craig
  Additional Concepts: Rab Robertson & John Wilson
  Writing: Malcolm Craig
  Additional Writing: Iain McAllister
  Editing: Iain McAllister
  Typesetting: Paul Bourne & Malcolm Craig
  System Design: Malcolm Craig
  Cover & Interior Art: Paul Bourne
  Graphic Design: Paul Bourne
  Proofreading: Rab Robertson
  Additional System Revision & Advice: John Kahane, Iain McAllister & Matthew Seaborn
  CGS Website Design: Paul Bourne & John Wilson
  Business Management: John Wilson
  Playtesting: Tam Connelly, Alex Duchart, Gareth Fortheringham, Baz Johnston, Chris Jones, Ally Leishman, 
  Stuart McKelvie, Andy MacVicar, Brian Pickles & Fraser Thornton.
  Thanks to: Matthew Barrowcliffe, Chris Baylis, Ferry Bazelmans, Brett Bernstein, Conpulsion, Simon Cox 
  (cyberpunk.co.uk), Matt Drake, DrakCon, David Innes, Ed Handley, Berin Kinsman (unclebear.com), Guy 
  McLimore, Jens Meyer, China Mieville, Jay Forster, Liam O’Connor (Black Lion Games, Edinburgh), Janet 
  Pashley, Greg Porter, Simon Proctor, Ron van der Velden, James Wallis (for invaluable help and advice 
  right at the very start), Mike (Asylum Books & Games, Aberdeen), Dylan (Impact Games, Liverpool), Angus 
  Abranson, Gregor Hutton, Leanne Fulton, John & Irene Craig, Mary MacMillan, Jim Fallone, Conpulsion, 
  DrakCon, Gaelcon, UberCon, WarpCon, BiMonSciFiCon, all the members of the Contested Ground Studios 
  forum and mailing list, all the members of the Digital Publishers Group (digitalrpg.org) and all those people 
  who’ve given us help, advice, encouragement, discouragement, criticism, abuse, wise words and general sup-
  port: you know who you are and you know we’re grateful.
  Published by:
  Contested Ground Studios
  www.contestedground.co.uk
  mail to: enquiries@contestedground.co.uk
  Legal Stuff
  a|state and its associated concepts are Copyright 2001-2008 Contested Ground Studios. All rights reserved. 
  Reproduction without the permission of the publishers is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of 
  reviews. Permission is given to reproduce blank character sheets for personal use only. Any similarities to char-
  acters, places, situations or institutions, etc. (without satirical intent) are purely coincidental.
  Disclaimer
  a|state is a game for mature gamers. Remember, it’s only a game. The views expressed in some parts of this 
  book do not necessarily represent the view of the staff of Contested Ground Studios. This is a work of fiction 
  and should be treated as such. Contested Ground Studios take no responsibility for physical or mental dam-
  age as a result of reading or using this book in other ways. In other words, if you hit your friend over the head 
  with this, then it’s not our fault. If anything in a|state disturbs or upsets you, then it’s probably best that you 
  stop reading now. If you choose to continue, then on your head be it. Although, as we said, it’s only a game 
  and should be treated as such. If you’re a concerned parent who’s reading this, aghast at what your child 
  has been looking at, then maybe you should pay closer attention to what your child is purchasing, rather than 
  blaming us for publishing what is, admittedly, a fairly darkly themed game.
  Support your friendly local games shop!
  
  The Preface 
   
  Intro 
   
   
   
   
   
  7
  Chapter Descriptions 
   
   
   
  8
  'An Education' 
   
   
   
   
  8
  The Precepts 
  Tales Of The City  
   
   
   
  17
  The Shortest Distance: Transport & Travel 
   
  18
  Lifeblood: The Canals 
   
   
   
  18
  Tracks: The Railways 
   
   
   
  20
  Complexity: The Streets 
   
   
   
  21
  Overhead: Air 
   
   
   
   
  22
  'A Sense of Common Indecency' (Part 1) 
   
  23
  Nervous System: Computing & Communication 
  24
  Sedate The Masses: Entertainment 
   
   
  25
  You Are What You Eat: Food & Drink 
   
  29
  But Where Does It All Come From?: Resources 
  31
  'A Sense of Common Indecency' (Part 2) 
   
  31
  The Infernal Game: Politics  
   
   
  33
  The Symbol of The City: The Gun 
   
   
  34
  Counter/Culture: Gangs & Criminals  
   
  35
  The Shifted 
   
   
   
   
  36
  The Lost Places 
   
   
   
   
  39
  'A Sense of Common Indecency' (Part 3) 
   
  39
  The Place  
  City Map 
   
   
   
   
  42
  The Passing of Time 
   
   
   
  43
  The Bliss of Ignorance: Drugs in The City 
   
  43
  Sound & Fury: Language in The City  
   
  45
  Flora & Fauna in The City  
   
   
  45
  Burghs  
   
   
   
   
  48
   
  Bankside  
   
   
   
  48
   
  Brightlights 
   
   
   
  49
   
  Calculus Tor 
   
   
   
  51
   
  Clearwater Break  
   
   
  53
   
  Colsetter Parish 
   
   
   
  55
   
  Dog Junction 
   
   
   
  56
   
  Dreamingspires 
   
   
   
  58
   
  Fogwarren 
   
   
   
  60
   
  Folly Hills 
   
   
   
  62
   
  Hangside 
   
   
   
  63
   
  Long Pond 
   
   
   
  65
   
  Lucent Heights 
   
   
   
  66
   
  Merryhell 
   
   
   
  68
   
  Mire End  
   
   
   
  69
   
  Project 97 
   
   
   
  71
   
  Shore Ditch Warrens 
   
   
  73
  Industrial Areas 
   
   
   
   
  75
   
  Burningfell 
   
   
   
  75
   
  Deepdown 
   
   
   
  77
   
  The Train  
   
   
   
  78
  Macrocorporate Domains  
   
   
  80
   
  The Cathedral 
   
   
   
  80
   
  The Forbidden City 
   
   
  82
   
  The Iron Bastion  
   
   
  83
   
  Konkret  
   
   
   
  85
   
  Luminosity Tower  
   
   
  87
   
  The Powerhouse  
   
   
  88
   
  Trenevier  
   
   
   
  90
  Notable Buildings  
   
   
   
  92
   
  CrossBar Terminus  
   
   
  92
   
  Inferno  
   
   
   
  94
   
  Longshore University 
   
   
  96
  Other Areas 
   
   
   
   
  98
   
  The Brackens 
   
   
   
  98
   
  The Contested Grounds 
   
   
  99
   
  The Forest 
   
   
   
  101
   
  Smokey Mountain  
   
   
  103
  The Power 
  Who Cares? 
   
   
   
   
  107
  Criminal Organisations 
   
   
   
  110
   
  The 3rd Syndicate  
   
   
  110
   
  Daylight  
   
   
   
  111
   
  The Hohler Gang  
   
   
  112
  Local Governments 
   
   
   
  113
   
  The Red Canal Collectivist Republic  
  113
   
  Three Canals Metropolitan Area Authority 
  115
  Macrocorps 
   
   
   
   
  118
   
  Not One Step Back: The Hundred Block War 118
   
  Arclight  
   
   
   
  119
   
  Gorunna Logistics  
   
   
  120
   
  GRID 
   
    
   
   
  121
   
  Hirplakker Combine 
   
   
  122
   
  I-LOK 
   
   
   
   
  123
   
  Nakamura-Yebisu Group 
   
   
  124
   
  Sideband Media  
   
   
  125
   
  Trilhoeven 
   
   
   
  126
  Minor Companies  
   
   
   
  127
   
  Firefinger 
   
   
   
  127
   
  Iron Hand Security 
   
   
  128
  Pan-Urban Organisations  
   
   
  130
   
  The Ancient & Honourable Guild of Fulgurators 130
   
  The Crypt 
   
   
   
  131
   
  The Transit Militia  
   
   
  131
  Religious Groups  
   
   
   
  133
   
  Religion and Cultism 
   
   
  133
   
  The Mortal God Church 
   
   
  134
   
  The Shining Sky  
   
   
  136
   
  The Third Church Of God The Architect 
  137
  The Procedure
  Modifying The Roll 
   
   
   
  141
  Skill & Attribute Challenges  
    
   
  141
  Skills & Skill Modifiers 
   
   
   
  141
  Combat  
   
   
   
   
  142
   
  Basics 
   
   
   
   
  142
   
  Melee Combat 
   
   
   
  142
   
  Fire Combat 
   
   
   
  143
  contents
  
   
  Hitting The Target  
   
   
  143
   
  Penetrating Armour 
   
   
  145
   
  Damage    
   
   
   
  146
   
  Medical Aid & Healing 
   
   
  146
   
  Other Forms of Damage 
   
   
  147
  Vehicle Combat  
   
   
   
  149
   
  Vehicle Stats 
   
   
   
  149
   
  Combat Manoeuvring 
   
   
  149
   
  Hitting The Target  
   
   
  150
   
  Vehicle Damage Table 
   
   
  150
  The Players
  Attributes 
   
   
   
   
  153
  Buying Attributes & Skills 
   
   
   
  153
  Character Concept 
   
   
   
  154
  Questions To Be Asked 
   
   
   
  154
  Advantages & Disadvantages 
   
   
  154
  Origin 
   
   
   
   
   
  156
  Upbringing 
   
   
   
   
  157
  Types Of Characters In The City 
   
   
  158
  Starting Wealth 
   
   
   
   
  163
  Rounding Out The Character 
   
   
  163
  Wealth Table 
   
   
   
   
  163
  Example of Character Generation 
   
   
  164
  Skill Descriptions  
    
   
   
  167
  Skills Table 
   
    
   
   
  168
  Character Advancement 
   
    
   
  172
  NPCs 
   
    
   
   
   
  174
  Pre-Generated Characters  
   
   
  178
  The Product 
  Memo 
   
   
   
   
   
  191
  Money In The City 
   
    
   
  192
  Pricing & Scarcity of Resources 
   
    
  192
  Technology Level In The City 
   
    
  192
  Armament Technology In The City 
   
   
  192
  Weapons 
   
    
   
   
  193
   
  Pistols 
   
   
   
   
  193
   
  Submachineguns & Machine Pistols  
  195
   
  Rifles 
   
   
   
   
  195
   
  Sniper Weapons  
   
   
  196
   
  Shotguns  
   
   
   
  196
   
  Heavy Weapons  
   
   
  197
   
  Vehicular Weapons 
   
   
  197
   
  Ammunition Types & Costs  
   
  198
   
  Weapon Accessories 
   
   
  199
   
  Melee Weapons  
   
   
  200
  Armour  
   
   
   
   
  200
  Living Costs & Upkeep 
   
   
   
  202
  Dingins  
   
   
   
   
  203
  Dingin Accessories 
   
    
   
  204
  General Equipment 
   
   
   
  205
   
  Clothing  
   
   
   
  205
   
  Navigation Devices 
   
   
  205
   
  Medical Equipment 
   
   
  205
   
  Survival Gear 
   
   
   
  206
   
  Tools 
   
   
   
   
  206
   
  Scientific Equipment 
   
   
  206
   
  Vision Enhancers  
   
   
  207
   
  Miscellaneous Equipment  
   
  207
  Bioscience 
   
   
   
   
  208
  Vehicles  
   
   
   
   
  211
   
  Boats 
   
   
   
   
  211
   
  Ekranoplans 
   
   
   
  212
   
  Aircraft  
   
   
   
  214
   
  Powerbikes 
   
   
   
  216
   
  Military Vehicles  
   
   
  216
   
  Groundcars & Other Vehicles 
   
  216
  Weapons Table  
   
   
   
  218
  Vehicle Weapons Table 
   
   
   
  219
  Vehicles Table 
   
   
   
   
  219
  Equipment Table  
   
   
   
  220
  Armour Table 
   
   
   
   
  221
  Melee Weapons Table 
   
   
   
  221
   
   
   
   
  The Prescription
  A Few Guidelines on Running a/state 
   
  225
  Introductory Adventure: The Prescription 
   
  226
   
  Synopsis  
   
   
   
  226
   
  Getting The Players Involved 
   
  227
   
  Murder, Murder, Polis! 
   
   
  227
   
  The Victim 
   
   
   
  227
   
  The Victim's Apartment 
   
   
  227
   
  Investigations 
   
   
   
  228
   
  An Encounter In The Dark  
   
  229
   
  Strength In Numbers 
   
   
  230
   
  Incarceration 
   
   
   
  230
   
  We Don't Like Being Lied To 
   
  232
   
  Inside The Faculty  
   
   
  233
   
  Showdown 
   
   
   
  233
   
  Consequences 
   
   
   
  233
   
  Appendix: Improvement Point Awards 
  233
  Adventure Nuggets 
   
   
   
  234
   
  Cabaret Of Horror 
   
   
  234
   
  Disengage The Simulator  
   
  235
   
  The Sculptor 
   
   
   
  236
   
  You Might Go To The Ball  
   
  236
   
  Something Fishy In The Air  
   
  237
   
  Guns In The Sky  
   
   
  237
   
  A Grand Day Out  
   
   
  238
   
  Stuck In A Hole 
   
   
   
  238
  Appendix 1: Timeline 
   
   
   
  239
  Appendix 2: Glossary 
   
   
   
  241
  Tables 
   
   
   
   
   
  245
  Character Sheet  
   
   
   
  247
  Index 
   
   
   
   
   
  249
  Forthcoming Supplements for a|state 
   
  253
  contents
  
  the preface
  "The City is here to test us. It is part of His Great 
  Plan. The Almighty, in His aspect as The Great 
  Architect, has created this domain for us. Only the 
  true believers will gain admittance to His Eternal 
  City in the Heavens. Everyone else? They're all just 
  damned to an eternity in the slums and wastes of 
  The Great Demolisher. And it serves them right."
  Father Jurich Karsten, Third Church of God The 
  Architect
  
  the preface 6
  
  the preface 7
  Welcome to The City. A sepiatone world lit by guttering gas lamps and the flickering 
  filaments of electric bulbs. A closed world, isolated and alone. Stinking canals radiate 
  out through The City, thick with effluent and the detritus of millions of lives. Dank alleys 
  wind between corroding concrete towerblocks, wide boulevards swarm with peddlers, 
  traders, sellers, buyers, thieves and victims. The City is full of dark places where the lights 
  of knowledge, morality and justice fail to glow.
  Welcome to The City. A world of contrasts and contradictions. The citizens live their 
  lives in a tangle of technological obscurity. In crumbling brick tenements, they crowd 
  round dim televisions, sedated by the media output. In the factories, workshops, mills 
  and yards, they toil and strain with rusting, decaying machinery. Above them all, the 
  macrocorps stand like gods, islands of glittering advancement in a sea of black oil, flak-
  ing iron and reeking gas.
  Welcome to The City. A world of pain, fear, longing and hatred. Where the basest 
  human emotions rise to the surface, where men will cripple each other for a dull shilling. 
  Yet light, life, love and hope manage to raise their voices, occasionally heard above the 
  clamour of darkness. Through all the evil and wreckage, some still manage to retain a 
  sense of decency and honour.
  Welcome to The City. A world of superstition, folk tales, wild religion and rampant 
  rumour. The Shift and The Bombardment are apocalyptic legends from the far past, feed-
  ing the nightmares and fantasies of current generations. Some pray to God for salvation, 
  others pray to a cold, empty universe. In hidden places, black rites are carried out, for 
  reasons as varied and obscure as The City itself. Folk heroes and villains stalk the streets: 
  Ticktock Man, The Leaper, Iron Lady, all contributing to the second city, the city carried 
  on the tongues and in the minds of its citizens.
  Welcome to The City. A world of strangers and beings who do not belong. The 
  Shifted, strange entities, whispered about in pubs and taverns, lest the very mention of 
  their name summon them from the dark. The Ubel, twitching and creaking through the 
  backstreets in their bloodstained rags, chittering incomprehensibly. Lugner, whispering 
  maddening dreams in the night. Drache, as insubstantial as mist, clouds of unreason. 
  Hager, assassins and kidnappers, looming figures cast in black cloth and pale flesh. The 
  Simils, pitied and reviled in equal measure, clanking golems of iron, brass and stone.
  Welcome to The City.
  You will never forget The City.
  But The City will forget you.
  
  the preface 8
  Welcome to a|state, the role-playing game of gothic horror SF. Within these pages, you’ll find 
  masses of detailed information on The City, the people who inhabit it, the organisations who attempt 
  to control it and the technology they use. A simple but detailed game system allows you to generate 
  interesting characters for hundreds of hours of fascinating gaming in The City.
  a|state is divided into eight chapters, as follows:
  The Preface
  The bit you’re reading right now.
  The Precepts
  An introduction to The City, its past, its present and possible future. You’ll find essays, lectures and 
  stories giving information on many aspects of city life, from the stinking canals to sports and enter-
  tainment.
  The Place
  33 areas of The City described in detail, with highlighted locations and important local personali-
  ties.
  The Power
  Who controls life in The City? Macrocorporations, religions, criminal syndicates and many others all 
  try to influence the lives of the citizens. From the seeming altruism of the Three Canals Metropolitan 
  Area Authority to the fractured infighting of the Mortal God Church, everyone fights their own cor-
  ner and scrabbles for the reigns of power.
  The Procedure
  The basic rules system for play in The City. Covering task resolution, man to man combat and vehi-
  cle combat.
  The Players
  The people who make the game really live. Presented here are rules for creating unique characters 
  for play in a|state.
  The Product
  From clunky, primitive sparklock pistols to tiny nanoscale dingins, all the variety of technology avail-
  able is featured here.
  The Prescription
  A brutal murder in Folly Hills leads the players into a web of intrigue, double dealing and deceit. 
  An introductory a|state adventure for any number of players.
  
  An Education
  Heckle was strung out by the ravagers during the assault 
  on the Virus House. It was never expected that he survive, 
  least of all with some fragment of personality intact. Yet, 
  survive he did. Not as anyone would remember him. None 
  who witnessed the concrete scream of the Virus House would 
  ever really be the same. The shudderlines and eyehacks saw 
  to that, reducing Brigade troopers to dust and drooling husks. 
  Heckle scraped a living in Dreamingspires, rooting amongst 
  the rubbish left by a society of scavengers. The Risers and 
  Tunnel Scurts left him well alone, aware on an almost primal 
  level that there was something wrong with him. 
  �
  "What a massively serendipitous circumstance, eh?"
  "Granted, yes. But there still remains the essential question of 
  how to retrieve the information."
  The first speaker turned towards the second, fixing her with a 
  stare of peculiar quality. His face was rough and chalky, as if 
  hewn from some crumbling sedimentary stone. The lighting in 
  the room did nothing to improve his disquieting appearance. 
  All uplighters and harsh bulbs, throwing their luminance 
  towards the ceiling in angry cones. The woman backed 
  away and dropped herself onto a low green couch with an 
  audible thud, grimacing as she hit the unyielding surface.
  "Ah, yes. Should have warned you, the frame is not terribly 
  well padded. Sorry about that."
  "I’m sure I’ll survive. Bruised buttocks are not the worst I’ll 
  have suffered." She glanced about the room, it’s bare con-
  crete walls decorated with warble-prints and artfully applied 
  layers of rust. One of the prints chose that moment to start 
  humming up and down the scale, a low intensity ululation that 
  set her teeth on edge within seconds.
  "Anyway, I’m also pretty certain that you didn’t call me here 
  to exchange pleasantries, hmmm?"
  "True, true. You were, shall we say, involved with Heckle, 
  yes?" A quizzical eyebrow arched up across the white chalk 
  cliff of a forehead.
  "Involved? You might say that. Possibly."
  "But you were his psychologist after the Virus House?"
  "As well you know, Scorn. As well you know. Why go through 
  this pretence, what do you want? Just spit it out, man."
  "Really, Madame, there’s no need to adopt such a hectoring 
  tone. You forget yourself. Come on, you’re the only one who 
  ever broke through to Heckle, got anything out of him. You 
  managed…"
  "I managed to get ten words out of him. Words that have 
  been pored over. It was nonsense. Heckle was totally insane. 
  More to the point, it was your fault that he was let go. Bloody 
  stupid move if you ask me."
  "But we’re not asking you for your opinion, Miss Volkersam, 
  we are most certainly not asking for your opinion."
  The seated woman stiffened her shoulders and made to rise.
  "Now, now, dear lady. Don’t take offence, we’d just like you 
  to speak to Heckle again. Quietly."
  "So, as discussed, you know where he is. He won’t want to 
  talk. Would you, after what he went through? I mean, God, 
  who knows?"
  The chalk faced man strolled over to the window which took 
  up the entire north wall of the room. Through the smog and 
  haze, The City stretched on, seemingly limitless. The rings and 
  lines of the canals glittered with the lights of small craft. Brick 
  smokestacks exhaled vertical rivers of brown particulates, 
  the swollen disks of aerostats bumbled through the thicken-
  ing gloom.
  "There." The man pointed, indicated somewhere far removed 
  from their current position. "Out there. Dreamingspires."
  "You. Have. Got. To. Be. Fucking. Joking. Really? 
  Dreamingspires? Are you quite, quite mad? Absolutely no 
  way."
  "Yes, Dreamingspires. Don’t worry, you’ll have protection."
  "Protection?" the word screeched from her mouth as if pro-
  pelled by a blast of compressed air "I wouldn’t go in there 
  with the bloody Brigade. God, man! They tear you apart. 
  You remember that incident with that flowghost, Murayam 
  or whatever he was called. Hirplakker lost gun platforms in 
  there. Bloody gun platforms!"
  "Calm down, Miss Volkersam! There is no need to get hysteri-
  cal. We’ve managed to obtain top class assistance for you. 
  Top class." His voice petered out slightly with the last state-
  ment. "I’d like you to meet Miss Card, she comes highly rec-
  ommended by our friends in, shall we say, lower society."
  �
  A tall figure entered into the room, quietly, cautiously. A 
  woman, shaven headed and wide eyed, walking warily, as if 
  expecting an inquisition at any moment. She took up position 
  behind the couch, her faded black culottes rippling gently 
  and her heavy, ancient, threadbare frock coat striking an 
  incongruous chord, giving the appearance of a somewhat 
  shabby and down at heel assassin.
  "Miss Volkersam, I’d like you to meet Miss Card. She’ll 
  be your companion when visiting Mr Heckle." The seated 
  woman rose and turned towards the newcomer, who raised 
  a faint, questioning eyebrow.
  "Miss Card, nice to meet you."
  "Probably not, I’d imagine. But you can keep your illusions if 
  it makes you feel any better." A sharp cough sounded from 
  the window area.
  the preface 9
  
  "Ladies, you’re both professionals, let’s keep things civil 
  here."
  "Civil? CIVIL? Scorn, I really think this is pushing it. You 
  appear to have hired some form of streetscum in one of your 
  twisted games and…."
  "I really don’t like being called scum, if it’s all the same to 
  you. Just ‘cos I come from Mire End, don’t give you the right 
  to have a go." Something dropped into her hand from the 
  sleeve of her shabby coat; a long grey object which glittered 
  faintly. Volkersam spun to face Scorn.
  "You’ve taken on a bloody ghostfighter, haven’t you? Fuck, 
  Scorn, you really better know what you’re up to."
  "Miss Card comes highly recommended by some friends of 
  mine. Honestly, appearances can be deceptive. Miss Card 
  is a highly skilled individual, but I’d urge you not to find out 
  in a hurry. I’d really prefer if this project didn’t start out on a 
  mutually antagonistic basis. For a start, you’re going to have 
  to travel to Dreamingspires on your own, I’m afraid we can’t 
  provide transport at this time. Not after previous incidents, 
  anyway."
  �
  The canal thronged. Alive with the hum of commerce. An 
  artery choked by the very things which kept it alive. The 
  city slowly died because of its very existence. On a squalid 
  rooftop, Volkersam and Card paid tuppence to ride a fast 
  zipline across the canal to a rude landing stage. The journey 
  from Luminosity Tower had been made in silence and an air 
  of mutual distrust. Water taxis clustered around, swaying at 
  the end of their tethers, the owners shouting at the end of 
  theirs. Huge lead acid batteries spat and crackled as water 
  slopped over their terminals. Combustion engines, reeking 
  of the fish oil they burnt barked and stuttered. The canalside 
  heaved with people. 
  �
  "Look, Miss Volkersam, I know you don’t trust me. I know 
  you don’t like what I am. I know…"
  "Does this monologue have a point, or do you just like the 
  sound of your own voice?"
  "I’m just trying to establish…"
  "Don’t. Don’t try to establish anything. I’m not interested in 
  having a relationship with your class or kind." The remark 
  was accompanied with a hard stare. A stare which was 
  matched by numerous bystanders who overheard these 
  loud and uncautious remarks. A long arm extended in a 
  whiplash movement, catching Volkersam just below the rib-
  cage, doubling her over, rich food spewing onto the greasy 
  flagstones. 
  The crowd laughed, jeered, gestured. Taxi pilots hurled sug-
  gestions like missiles, invective fell like rain. Taken by her col-
  lar, Volkersam was dragged into an alley, buildings on either 
  side leaned towards each other in the manner of conspirators 
  plotting dark schemes, iron staircases dripped orange water 
  into spreading puddles of rust.
  "Holy…..shit…."
  "Look you, I just saved your neck there. You think that was 
  hard, you talk like that again in a crowd and I’ll leave you 
  to them. They can smell you, from up there, clean, well fed, 
  pampered. You talk like that, you get nailed and sold to a 
  deathdealer. Down here, you’re just another resource, you’re 
  food."
  "Scum, thieves…" a hacking cough and dribbles of vomit 
  concluded the remarks.
  "Nah. Down here, your kind are the thieves. You lot hold on 
  to the good stuff, resources. Dribble it out like a soup kitchen, 
  feeding us scraps. You use these people, these are people 
  who slave in your factories, without them you’re nothing. 
  Show some respect and keep your fucking mouth shut. My 
  contract says keep you alive, doesn’t say anything about 
  not hurting you bad to keep you from getting yourself killed, 
  see?" Card held a flat, grey, long knife in front of Volkersams 
  face. Blunt ended and broad, its surface glittered gently in 
  the wan light. As the blade tapered down to its edge, a trick 
  of the light made it seem as if you could almost see through 
  it.
  "See this? It’s a llive, killed five people to get the money for 
  this. From your kind! Not saying they didn’t deserve it, prob-
  ably did, who knows. Took lots of money to get this, ‘cos you 
  people keep things back. Keep the people down."
  "It’s alive?"
  "No, it’s a llive. El el eye vee ee."
  "Oh."
  "Right. Now let’s go."
  �
  Shift change was always busy on the railways. Transit Militia 
  in shaggy grey greatcoats patrolled the platforms and stair-
  cases, checking tickets, swinging their billy clubs, waiting for 
  an opportunity to start something, waiting for someone to run. 
  Workers in darned, sweat-stained clothes jostled one another 
  as the train approached, a single yellow eye coming down the 
  tracks. Fat blue sparks illuminated the railway line, jolting down 
  from the overhead lines. As a single consciousness, the waiting 
  passengers eased back, wary of the iron creature coming to 
  rest in the station. Drizzle turned to steam as it hit metal plates 
  hot from the exertions of the giant motor. Militiamen swung 
  their clubs, cracked heads as the crowd surged forward for the 
  doors. Passengers trying to leave the carriages were pushed 
  back by the horde and chaos ensued until the Militia cleared 
  space, clubbing and yelling. 
  the preface 10
  
  Clutching Volkersam by the hand and strategically prodding, 
  poking and punching, Card cleared a lane to the carriage 
  door. The interior was already crammed with unwashed 
  bodies, voices were being raised and those with seats eyed 
  with unconcealed disdain. The two women found themselves 
  wedged into a corner, hemmed in by a scrawny figure 
  coated in brick dust and a fat woman clutching a package 
  of reeking fish.
  Vokersam shuddered, "This is bloody awful!"
  "Keep your voice down, you daft bint! You determined to get 
  us killed?"
  "No, but…"
  "Then shut it. And for your own sake, get your ticket ready. 
  The Militia don’t take kindly to fare dodgers."
  "The what?"
  "Transit Militia. Keep control on the railways. Dodge the 
  fare, you get a beating. You run, you get shot. They hate fare 
  dodgers, they do."
  "Isn’t that a bit brutal?"
  "Don’t make me laugh, you think your lot would do any less? 
  I’ve seen how you guys handle industrial disputes, don’t 
  come it."
  With a jolt which caused more than a few people to fall to 
  the floor, the train lurched off once more. Inside the swaying, 
  bouncing carriages, the atmosphere was stifling, thick with 
  a cocktail of smells; oil, sweat, fish and hot iron. Young men 
  with greased hair and shabby frock coats eyed up a gaggle 
  of young girls on their way home from the factories. Their 
  eyes lit upon Card and Volkersam, resting for a moment 
  before catching Card’s unblinking stare and hurriedly look-
  ing away. Nervous laughs. A Militiaman rattled the con-
  necting door from the next carriage and shoved his way in, 
  demanding tickets. With an audible groan, the passengers 
  started to produced the tokens from their pockets, bags and 
  bundles, handing them to the officer without meeting his 
  eyes. The pair of sparklocks on his belt swayed and jangled 
  against a greasy bunch of keys as he pushed his way through 
  the heaving mass.
  �
  The window squeaked as Volkersam cleared away the 
  moisture and dirt with the edge of her sleeve. The train 
  rattled along its brick arches, the tenements on either side 
  occasionally giving way to offer a view of the wider city. 
  Lights blinked under the evening haze, soot, rain and smoke 
  mingling noxiously. The overhead speaking tube running 
  through the carriage barked angrily "14th and Hoken. 14th 
  and Hoken, all change, all change." The train ground into the 
  station, hemmed in on one side by three decrepit, sagging 
  concrete towerblocks and on the other side by a rubbish 
  filled capillary canal. 
  "Where are we now?"
  "Southern tip of the Three Canals Metropolitan Area, the 
  TCMA, got to travel north-west to get to Dreamingspires. Best 
  to get a canal taxi. Afford it?"
  "Yes, I have funds. Who are those guys over there?
  "Provosts, local police force. Rough bunch, corrupt as hell."
  The passengers spilled out of the station down a broad 
  flight of brick stairs, mingling with the crowds already on the 
  street. The crumbling towerblocks loomed above, black with 
  soot, crusted with lichen and moss, filthy with age. A bass 
  howl came from overhead and a yellow shape streaked 
  by, skimming the roofs, causing pedestrians to duck and 
  run. Volkersam glanced at the rapidly retreating shape 
  "Mikefighter. NYG, I’d say."
  "Say again?"
  "Nakamura-Yebisu Group, one of their Weapons Division 
  mikefighters."
  "Oh, know a lot about that kind of thing do you?"
  "A bit, worked with a lot of military types, you pick up a thing 
  or two here and there."
  "Ah."
  �
  The pair blended in with the crowd, heading back down 
  the trainlines in the direction of Ring Canal 1. Alleys sprouted 
  off from the main boulevard like so many veins in a corpse. 
  Dark figures lurked in some, others contained small groups 
  conducting clandestine business deals, others housed whole 
  families, crouching under tattered tarpaulins. Down the 
  alleys were visible the brick arches of the railway line, shops, 
  dwellings and huddling places visible beneath their curved 
  roofs. Rickshaw pullers barged through the crowds, tooting 
  their horns and yelling at obstructive pedestrians. Swearing 
  followed their progress, their passengers found themselves 
  coated in spittle, targets of the masses envious of someone 
  able to afford not to walk. Through it all, the Provosts strode, 
  their dark blue coats billowing out behind them, peaked 
  caps soaked with the dirty rain. Citizens avoided their eyes, 
  darting only furtive looks at those who were nominally their 
  protectors. They stopped to hassle a Collectivist who was 
  distributing pamphlets, haranguing a small crowd which had 
  gathered about the upturned box on which he stood. The 
  lead Provost kicked the box out from under him and stamped 
  on his face.
  "Fuck off out of here trash. Get back to the Republic where 
  you belong!"
  The Collectivist attempted to stand but was booted back to 
  the ground by another Provost. The crowd followed their 
  lead, a dull roar emerging from their throats as they kicked 
  and punched the poor unfortunate.
  "Does that kind of thing happen round here a lot?"
  the preface 11
  
  "Kind of, most people don’t like the Collectivists. They run the 
  Red Canal Collectivist Republic, just across the canal from the 
  TCMA. Have some strange notions about stuff, TCMA don’t 
  like them as a rule."
  "I see."
  "No, you probably don’t. The RCCR is strong, lots of military 
  gear. But the TCMA is better off, generally."
  "So why don’t they like them?"
  "Jealousy? Envy? People always think the buildings on the 
  other side of the canal are better kept, that kind of thing. 
  Mind you, they didn’t do themselves any favours with the Cox 
  Lane Incident a few years ago."
  "Ah, was it one of those kind of incidents?"
  "Depends what you mean. Someone got their info all fouled 
  up and sent a squadron of warcrawls into Cox Lane on the 
  TCMA side of the Red Canal. The things practically demol-
  ished the place, killed lots of folk, kids included. People 
  round here have never really forgiven them. Can’t say as I 
  blame them, all in all."
  "I always thought the RCCR and the TCMA were just silly little 
  administrations controlling a few burghs here and there?"
  "Yeah, that’s what a lot of you folk think. That’s what you're 
  afraid of, they’re more powerful than most give ‘em credit for. 
  It was your kind that kick-started the RCCR in the first place, 
  giving ‘em weapons, warcrawls and stuff. Now they’re self-
  sufficient and you boys don’t like it one little bit."
  "Uh huh. Right."
  �
  Ahead, scores of canal taxis, barges and boats clamoured 
  for business. Oars smacked into flesh, engines revved and 
  coughed, fights broke out as a patron sat helplessly, wishing 
  only to be on his way. A group of Provosts lounged by a tea 
  stall, puffing on their slim, blown glass nebelweed pipes and 
  gulping down hot mugs of thick, black spiced tea. Overhead, 
  cablecars stuttered along their rusted lines, swaying to and 
  fro in the wind. A dandified young man, clad in a threadbare 
  green suit and a rather incongruous red top hat approached 
  Card and Volkersam.
  "Good day to you ladies, perchance are you looking for 
  transport hereabouts?"
  Card faced him and flexed her hands, shaking her sleeves 
  drying her palms on her lapels.
  "So what’f we are? No biz of yours."
  "Oh, sorry. I was just concerned that two lovely ladies such as 
  yourself may be in need of guidance in these rough parts."
  "Well, yes, we’d like to go to Dre…" There was a sharp crack 
  and one of Card's booted feet caught Volkersam square on 
  the shin, eliciting a sharp, but mercifully brief, scream.
  "We’re going up the Red, know any one that can take us 
  there?"
  "Why certainly. I myself have the finest and fastest skiff in 
  these parts. I’d be more than happy to transport you for a 
  small consideration."
  "We’re going a long way. May need you for a long spell."
  "If you have the appropriate monies, dear lady, then I am at 
  your disposal"
  Volkersam glared up from rubbing her shin, her eyes burning 
  through her rain tangled hair.
  �
  The tiered ochre banks of the Red Canal whipped past, 
  giant steps created by quarrying of the carefully constructed 
  walls to provide stone for building. On the left lay the Red 
  Canal Collectivist Republic, on the right the Three Canals 
  Metropolitan Area, glaring at each other in mutual suspicion. 
  The occasional RCCR warcrawl could be seen on the banks, 
  its guns not quite trained on the buildings across the water. 
  Blue and grey flags fluttered wetly from the stubby masts 
  fixed to the warcrawl’s turret. Heavily laden iron barges 
  moved sluggishly up and down the canal, their cargoes 
  hidden from sight under tarpaulins. The valuable ones were 
  easy to spot: escorted by gunskiffs, armed troopers standing 
  watch in the decks. The only bright spots along this section 
  of the canal were the huge murals painted onto the canal-
  side buildings by the RCCR: stern, stylised faces stared out 
  relentlessly, cartoon warcrawls crushed enemies beneath 
  their tracks, proud komrades strove to create their collectivist 
  utopia. All designed to wind up the TCMA folk and maybe 
  convince a few to cross the canal and join their ranks.
  �
  Up the canal lay Dreamingspires, refuge for the dis-
  possessed, the impoverished, the insane. Some said the 
  Fulgurators Guild had built Dreamingspires hundreds of 
  years ago as a model burgh, a shining example to the rest 
  of The City. Then money, or will or enthusiasm ran out. Now 
  the half-completed towerblocks stood as mute reminders of 
  the pride and folly of the Guild, their concrete worn and pit-
  ted with time. Fungal encrustations scarred the surfaces and 
  burrowed into the walls. As Dreamingspires drew closer, they 
  could see the towers rising out of the mist, apparently caught 
  in some gigantic web. These were the cables, ropes and 
  ziplines that the inhabitants slung between their decaying 
  homes. A smell began to drift down on the wind.
  �
  Drawing a rag over his face, the taxi driver hunkered down 
  over his motor and remained silent. The skiff crawled towards 
  the bank, tying up at a partially submerged jetty just down 
  from the outflow of a stinking, diseased stream. 
  the preface 12
  
  Volkersam gagged. Card stood and surveyed the scene.
  "That's the Gross Burn. Probably don't want to go near that if 
  I were you. Pretty nasty. You finished?"
  Volkersam stood and wiped spew from her mouth, leaving 
  silvery trails on the sleeve of her coat. The taxi driver looked 
  distinctly unamused by the entire proceedings.
  "You, wait for us here."
  "You must be kidding lady, it's not worth my life to stay 
  here."
  "Look, just hang about off the bank then, idiot. We'll shout 
  for you when we need you. There's good money in this for 
  you.” "Fair nuff."
  Card turned to Volkersam who was by now wobbling along 
  the sunken jetty, slimy water slapping at her boots.
  "Hey! Wait a sec!"
  "What? I thought we needed to push on?"
  "Er…let me go first, probably wisest. And don't insult anyone, 
  don't look at anyone, don't pick anything up, don't do any-
  thing at all."
  "What, are you afraid I might upset someone?"
  "You really still don't get it, do you? It's not a matter of upset-
  ting someone, it's that you don't belong here. You're kind just 
  don't understand that this is about as low as you can get. 
  What do they have to lose by killing you and taking your 
  stuff? Nothing. They can only gain. Now wait for me."
  �
  For Volkersam, Dreamingspires was a place of unimagi-
  nable horror. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this. 
  People scrabbled in the dirt, questing for food, bits of metal, 
  anything usable, scrawny dogs slunk about, drinking from the 
  varicoloured pools on the ground. Everyone was dressed, 
  at best, in rags. Deformed or mutilated children were every-
  where, some missing limbs, eyes, digits or suffering from 
  some more subtle deformity. The adults were little better, all 
  scarred, wasted and riddled with disease. They stared with 
  blank eyes at the two women as they marched between the 
  towering buildings. Up close, the blocks looked as if they 
  would topple over at any moment. Rusty ribs of iron jutted out 
  at odd angles, massive fragments of concrete lay scattered 
  at their bases. It was astounding that people chose to live 
  among such destruction and decay. Truly astounding.
  �
  They found Heckle. Eventually. After many threats, bribes 
  and pained negotiations, they were directed to the base-
  ment of one of the most decrepit and wasted towers. The 
  darkness was lit by faint shafts of light, the floor more like a 
  series of holes joined together by thin pieces of concrete than 
  an actual floor. Moans came from around the walls, from 
  huddled figures. The smell was truly sickening. Corrupting 
  flesh and putrefying human waste. In a far corner, crouched 
  under a filthy tarpaulin, was Heckle. He lay on a pallet, star-
  ing up at the tarpaulin, his emaciated frame clad only in a 
  thin loincloth. In the cold atmosphere of the basement, they 
  could see his skin puckered and tightened as his body sought 
  to retain some heat. Once a tall, proud soldier. One of the 
  elite, a leader of men. Heckle had been loved by those under 
  his command and respected by those above him. Hence, he 
  was chosen to assault the Virus House. His men would have 
  followed him into the arms of The Shifted, had he asked. They 
  would have followed him to annihilation at the city limits, had 
  he only said. Now, he lay in his own filth, amongst the wreck-
  age of The City. Volkersam squatted down and spoke softly.
  "Major? Major Heckle? It's me, Adina. You remember me, 
  don't you?" The wasted head rotated round and the blank 
  eyes fixed on Volkersam. No flicker of intelligence or person-
  ality showed in those eyes, nothing at all.
  "Major Heckle, we need to ask you a few things, important 
  things. I've come here to bring you back."
  The mouth opened to reveal the jagged stumps of rotten teeth 
  and the empty space where his tongue should have been. 
  Card took a momentary step back and Volkersam rocked 
  on her heels.
  "Heckle, we can fix you, sort you out. Everything will be bet-
  ter again." Was that a hint of a smile on the ravaged face? 
  He looked towards Card. For a split second there was a 
  flash in those eyes. A signal from one fighter to another, a 
  common understanding between those who face the horrors 
  of combat. Then nothing. Card nodded and drew her llive, 
  stepping towards the prone figure. Volkersam whirled round, 
  standing as she turned.
  "NO! Card! You can't, we must keep him alive!"
  The knife silently moved through an arc, ending the argu-
  ment.
  �
  The taxi puttered back down the Red Canal, two figures 
  sitting in the stern, one being propped up by the other. The 
  driver glanced back and fiddled with his red top hat.
  "Where to, lady?"
  Card glanced up and lowered her eyebrows.
  "Mire End. Take us to Mire End. For now."
  "That's a long way, lady. Cost you."
  "Don't worry, I can pay."
  She turned back to the emaciated figure clad in a woman's 
  coat. The figure stared blankly at the surface of the canal 
  as it swished by. Card tightened her arm around the figure, 
  drawing it close like a child.
  "You're safe now. They can't get you. We'll keep you safe."
  Heckle turned and looked into her eyes. He smiled. 
  the preface 13
  
  the preface 14
  
  the precepts
  "I tell you one thing, there's something not right 
  about this place. I've seen things, done things and 
  turned my back on things that, well, I forget. But, 
  there's something deep, something really, really 
  wrong with The City. I don't care for all these 
  academics and speculators who study The Shifted 
  and mutter on endlessly about lost science. There's 
  something out there that we're not getting told. 
  Someone is hiding something, something really 
  big. Why do we all accept that we can't leave 
  this place? Because we're told we can't. Who 
  tells us? Rumour, folklore, stories. Old wives tales. 
  Something's happening, something bad."
  Nina Locke, Stringer, Sideband Media.
  
  the precepts 16
  
  TALES OF THE CITY
  Centuries of industry and human activity have created a pall 
  that hangs over The City. Some pilots say they have seen 
  the stars. Eight giant mercantile structures dominate The City. 
  Yet in many ways, they fail abjectly in their goals. So numer-
  ous are the inhabitants, so fractured the layout of this giant 
  sprawl, that domination is impossible. Yet they fight, and 
  scheme and plot and affect the lives of millions. The citizens 
  struggle to get by. Fear and desperation are the defining 
  attributes of society. Some sell their souls to the corporate 
  monoliths, others get by on their own, and others seek solace 
  in the blissful ignorance of religion, whilst the unfortunate are 
  driven beyond the edge of insanity.
  The unremittingly heavy nature of The City crushes even the 
  most hardened soul. The oppressive presence of the millions 
  of gargoyles, spires, arches, buttresses and walls would drain 
  the life out of the most optimistic of people. Stone, brick and 
  concrete are the bones of The City. The Canals are the blood. 
  The corrupted, unfathomably complex network which makes 
  up the Dataflow the nervous system. Despair, madness and sui-
  cide are commonplace, just normal facets of life in the crushing 
  urban maze. A good night's sleep is a luxury enjoyed by only 
  the rich or the dead. The Sound is everywhere, the constant 
  hum of traffic, of industry and of all human activity. Silence 
  must be bought, and then only at the highest of prices.
  The variety of technology is remarkable. Some live in claustro-
  phobic brick-built tenements, lit by gas piped in from ancient 
  landfills, flickering blue flames in the dark. Others repose in 
  utter luxury atop a granite spire, served by armies of semi-
  aware drones or fully aware slaves. The greatest division of 
  technology can be seen in that defining icon of The City: 
  the gun. Backstreet gangers, guffers and underworlders kill 
  each other with oily cartridge pistols and smoking sparklocks 
  while the macrocorporate security shoot back with magnetic 
  repeaters. Some men's wealth can be judged by how hitech 
  a firearm they carry. A sad and inescapable fact.
  Nearly one thousand years ago, as far as anyone can tell, 
  two legends came in to being. Why and how these cataclys-
  mic events happened remains unknown. But learned men are 
  sure they happened, and since then things have been differ-
  ent in The City. Philosophers, scientists and poets argue that 
  The City once had a name. In the present it is simply called 
  The City, for there is nowhere else other than the blasted 
  Outlands. 
  One event came to be known as The Shift, rumoured to be 
  a change so great that the very fabric of The City was trans-
  formed forever. Places and people were altered, new beings 
  sprang, fully formed, into existence. Then, so the tellers of 
  tales would have it, The City was subjected to a rain of fire: 
  The Bombardment. Infernos fell from the sky and laid waste 
  to whole tracts of land. More important than the destruc-
  tion of the physical was the destruction of knowledge that 
  The Bombardment caused. Datacores were wiped, libraries 
  reduced to ashes and the memories of the survivors scarred. 
  Few remnants of life before The Shift and The Bombardment 
  remain. A few structures of vast size and strength remain 
  to remind the inhabitants of the past. For centuries people 
  have lived in limbo, the only history that of the past hundred 
  decades. The people also discovered that invisible forces 
  prevented them from leaving their wasted home. Survivors 
  trying to reach the Outlands disappeared in a storm of 
  vapour and a titanic thunderclap. To the present day, no one 
  leaves The City.
  Folklore has it that the Outlands were once fertile and green, 
  now they are a blasted land of desert, rock and desiccated 
  forests. The City itself is a place of dark alleys, ponderous 
  architecture and stinking canals. In the centuries following 
  The Shift and The Bombardment, the survivors sought to band 
  together and make some sort of life for themselves. Not only 
  did they have to deal with the destruction of their technol-
  ogy; they had to deal with the creatures which became 
  known as The Shifted: beings which seemed to have come 
  from nowhere. It appears these entities  are just as angry 
  and confused by The Shift as the human inhabitants of The 
  City. In the thousand years since The Shift, something of an 
  equilibrium has been reached. The Shifted and humans go 
  about their affairs, mostly co-existing in a rough semblance of 
  order. Some do not. Some on both sides seek to inflict pain 
  on the rest of the population. Alliances between humankind 
  and The Shifted are made and broken every day. Humans 
  stumble on areas affected by The Shift and descend into 
  abject madness.
  The struggles of the first century gave rise to organisations 
  which still exist today. The macrocorps all grew from the 
  ashes, each with their own unique story of war, decima-
  tion and survival. Over the coming centuries, The City and 
  its inhabitants would reach a twisted equilibrium with their 
  situation. Society grew and expanded, the population stut-
  tered, fell and then grew again. Sciences and technologies 
  were rediscovered, yet even today, many live in poverty and 
  the precepts 17
  
  grindingly primitive conditions. The rediscovered technolo-
  gies were harnessed by those who had the power and 
  resources to utilise them. The macrocorps evolved into bas-
  tions of knowledge, hoarding their precious discoveries, only 
  to find them ripped away by unceasing war and the more 
  subtle calamities of espionage and treachery.
  Now, in the present day, The City is a study in contrasts. The 
  majority of the population live in tenements and towers built 
  of brick, stone and concrete. Their dwellings are lit by gas 
  piped in from huge rubbish heaps or by flickering electric 
  lamps, their clothes made from crude fibres and their prop-
  erty that of a society barely reaching the industrial age. In 
  the domains of the macrocorps, things are very different. The 
  corporate citizens have access to the finest food, to unlimited 
  power, to shining vehicles and well made clothes. The soldiers 
  who guard them ward off the unruly, clamouring mobs.
  In the slums of Mire End, Dreamingspires and Fogwarren, life 
  is a daily toil, earning enough to buy some food as best you 
  can. The middle classes fear the slums, seeing them encroach 
  upon their own moderately comfortable lives. In the corpo-
  rate bastions of Luminosity Tower, Konkret and The Forbidden 
  City, the macrocorporates look down upon the teeming mil-
  lions: their workforce and their potential downfall.
  Through the backstreets and alleys, The Shifted Ubel stalk, 
  ripping and tearing those who come too close, leaving only 
  a cooling corpse as an echo of their passing. Simils made 
  of iron and brass, surmounted with a human head, clank 
  their way through the streets or lay down their existences in 
  the hell of the Contested Grounds. Lugner spread rumour, 
  fear and suspicion through their whispers and fleeting 
  dreams. 
  Some seek to stand up to the despair and hopelessness. 
  Lostfinders investigate the miserable dealings of the common 
  populace for little or no reward while Stringers piece togeth-
  er fragments of information to feed into the hungry newswires 
  and memory cores of the Dataflow. The Provosts of the Three 
  Canals Metropolitan Area Authority (TCMAA) try to enforce 
  some form of law and order in their chaotic collection of 
  burghs, holding on to the belief that theirs is the one place in 
  The City where life is that little bit better. Others believe that 
  the unknown forces which prevent anyone leaving this place 
  are corroding, that soon they will be able to leave this place 
  for a better life above the smog.
  Perhaps the clouds will one-day part, and then, the people of 
  The City will once again have that rarest and most precious 
  of commodities: hope.
  THE SHORTEST DISTANCE: transport and travel
  Getting around The City is a problem that can tax even 
  the most cunning, intelligent and streetwise of citizens. The 
  massive complexity and interconnectivity of The City makes 
  navigation an extremely difficult proposition. That having 
  been said, there are three main ways which allow you to get 
  about: the canals, the railways and the streets. 
  LIFEBLOOD: THE CANALS
  The floating wharves and loitering skiffs rocked violently as 
  the ekranoplan rushed by in a howl of props and a wall of 
  spray. Traders were pitched overboard and stock sank into the 
  impenetrable depths.
  "Bastard!" screamed Innes. "Utter, utter, utter bastard!"
  "I wouldn't worry, pal. Someone'll get the gadgie." uttered a drip-
  ping, brown figure standing unsteadily on a small plastic skiff.
  "Fuck that, I've jist lost all me stock."
  "Ach, never mind, you'll get more."
  "Get more? Fuck you, ya dick. It took me weeks of raking 
  about underground to get that lot. Good scrap it was, too. 
  Don't you blether to me about getting more."
  "Steady, man. Didn't mean to cause any offence. Just com-
  menting, like."
  "Oh, jist piss off, OK."
  The dripping figure scrunched his fists up in his pockets and 
  made to start the engine of his skiff. He turned.
  "Hey, pal!"
  Innes looked up from what remained of his stock, ready to tell 
  that annoying idiot exactly where to go.
  "What the fu..." He found himself looking down the barrel of 
  a massive sparklock.
  "Stitch this, ye miserable sod." 
  The roar of the gun was lost as another ekranoplan roared 
  past, rocking the boats.
  If the Dataflow is the nervous system of The City, then the 
  canals are its lifeblood. From the majesty of the Grand 
  Canal to the stinking Capillary Streams, the canals provide 
  transport, food, water and even entertainment. Dominating 
  the canal network are the eight major Lateral Canals. The 
  Laterals are connected by the Concentrics, rings of water 
  spreading out from the centre of the city. At the very heart of 
  the system is Basin, a deep, dark pool of water a thousand 
  yards across. This perfect black circle is home to no drift-
  ers, no markets float on its surface. Rumour and superstition 
  abound about Basin. Some say that monsters inhabit the 
  depths, other state with authority that it is a bottomless pit. 
  the precepts 18
  
  Whatever the real story, Basin is another one of the mysteries 
  of The City, a mystery no one is in a hurry to investigate.
  The Grand Canal
  Largest and most impressive of all the main canals, the 
  Grand (or 'Big Blue' as it is known locally) is walled by 
  sheets of incredibly tough, grey metal which seems impervi-
  ous to any known force (short of an atom weapon, which 
  no one has tried yet). Completely different in construction to 
  any of the other canals, the Grand is by far the biggest, at a 
  constant 100 metres wide for its entire length. Ancient and 
  ill-understood pump mechanisms ensure that water flows 
  (at a very slow rate) around the canal, preventing stagna-
  tion. However, many of the mechanisms have broken down 
  and the Grand has become choked with rubbish at several 
  points along its length. The largest event of the year on the 
  Grand Canal is the GC:2000, the biggest and most impres-
  sive ekranoplan race of the season. Teams from all classes 
  and from all over The City line up to make 200 sprints up 
  and down a 10 mile section of the Grand. Hundreds of 
  thousands of spectators line the banks and millions more 
  watch on TV or from the buildings overlooking the canal, 
  all hoping to catch sight of the most impressive crash or 
  spectacular mechanical failure.
  The Least Canal
  Narrowest of the main lateral canals, the Least is, at points, 
  totally clogged with waste and rubbish. Indeed, at some 
  points along the canal, settlements have grown up on the 
  solid ground formed by the rubbish blockages. This has cre-
  ated large stagnant ponds fed by sewers and runoff from the 
  streets. Disease is common around these pools, hence the fact 
  that some of the worst slums in The City can found along the 
  banks of the Least. 
  The Black Canal
  Poisoned by slurry and toxic waste from the mining zones, 
  which straddle the canal, and by toxic waste from rustbelts 
  and landfills to its north, the Black Canal has been closed off 
  at its eastern end to prevent contamination leaking in to the 
  main canal system. All of the concentric and capillary canals 
  leading into Black have also been blocked off.
  The Red Canal
  The Red Canal takes its name not from the colour of the 
  water, which is the usual blackish brown, but from the smooth 
  red stone which makes up its banks and bed. Theorists 
  speculate that the Red Canal is the oldest of the main canals 
  (apart from the Serpentine, whose origin may be natural). 
  Nonetheless, the Red is a massively busy waterway, con-
  stantly thronged with rowboats, barges, steamers and hov-
  ercraft. Many areas of the bank have been cut away over 
  hundreds of years to provide good stone for building and 
  now resemble vast flights of steps.
  The Nothing
  The Nothing is deep. Not just ordinarily deep like the other 
  canals, but really deep. A slab sided trench extending  100 
  metres into the ground. Why the Nothing was built like this, 
  nobody is sure and any records of its creation were lost long 
  ago.
  The Green Canal
  For most of its length, the Green Canal is covered with a thick 
  carpet of hardy waterplants. Traffic along the Green is sorely 
  impeded by the tough, fibrous growths which emit highly 
  toxic compounds when slashed or cut. They also seem almost 
  immune to any form of toxin or parasite, fuelling the theory 
  that they originated from genetically modified stock, created 
  for some forgotten purpose.
  The Serpentine Canal
  Winding its way lazily through the western reaches of The 
  City, the Serpentine Canal is an oddity amongst the sharp 
  regularity of the canals. Some topographers speculate that 
  at some point in the distant past, the Serpentine was a river 
  on which the ancient ancestor of The City stood. Now, the 
  Serpentine is enclosed by concrete banks and brick walls, a 
  naturally shaped feature in an unnaturally twisted environ-
  ment. 
  The Trench
  Cutting through what must have once been an upland area, 
  The Trench has steep rock walls, sometimes as much as  200 
  metres high. The walls are now riddled with dwellings, fac-
  tories, malls, sewers, traintubes and roadways. The Trench is 
  seldom used as a means of transport and is, for most of its 
  length, ill-supplied with turnoffs and tributaries. However, the 
  canal itself is criss-crossed with a latticework of walkways, 
  traintubes, bridges, conduits and pipelines. On occasion the 
  lattice becomes so thick that it is impossible to view the canal 
  from above.
  the precepts 19
  
  THE CONCENTRIC CANALS
  Slashing across the main lateral canals are the eight 
  Concentric Canals. Unlike the Laterals, the Concentrics are 
  bereft of romantic names, being referred to as Ring One 
  to Eight. They are uniformly 60 metres wide and are often 
  thronged with watercraft and speeding ekranoplans (in some 
  sections, there are dedicated ekranoplan lanes for safety 
  purposes). Certain parts of the Concentrics are blocked off, 
  especially all of those connecting with the Black Canal. This 
  can sometimes prove a hindrance to traffic, but back canals 
  and capillary waterways usually provide an alternative 
  route.
  THE MINOR CANALS AND CAPILLARIES
  Connecting up the Laterals and 
  the Concentrics are hundreds upon 
  hundreds of minor canals, some no 
  more than a couple of metres wide, 
  water alleys through the heart of 
  The City. In some places they are 
  hemmed in by buildings, only acces-
  sible through tight, narrow lanes, 
  sewage outfalls and watergates at 
  their edge. Others have walkways, 
  paths and streets by their sides 
  whilst gangways, bridges, pipes, 
  ropes and cables create a lattice-
  work over the canals, often making 
  high-speed travel a distinctly dan-
  gerous prospect. 
  TRACKS: THE RAILWAYS
  An analysis of the rail network prepared for presentation to 
  the 2nd Level Disbursements Committee, Nakamura Yebisu 
  Group.
  "While the canals dominate the mercantile life of our city, 
  the extensive railway network operated by the Ancient and 
  Honourable Guild of Fulgurators and the Transit Militia pro-
  vides a useful adjunct to waterborne transport. Please do not 
  be mistaken that the railway system is anything like our own 
  railtracks used to bring resources in from the Outlands. Our 
  tracks are wonders of engineering. With the city network, one 
  wonders how the engineering holds up.
  The tracks spread through the city like a parasitic plant, some-
  times aping the spread of the canals, sometimes following their 
  own routes. At times they are held aloft on brick arches, iron 
  trestles and concrete skyways. In other sections they dive 
  deep underground, threading through ancient tunnels and 
  passageways, but at no time do the railways run at what we 
  would call 'ground level', i.e.: the level of the canals. They are 
  always either elevated or subterranean.
  Power for the railways is provided by the ancient, failing 
  systems of the Guild. We have always denied them aid, as 
  have the other seven, in accordance with our agreements. 
  The Guild maintains rusting, decrepit power production sys-
  tems at various locations around The City, patching, tending 
  and caring for these decaying mechanisms as best they can. 
  Power outages and flow fail-
  ures are becoming more and 
  more common in some areas 
  as they fight to maintain a 
  working supply. 
  The power is routed to 
  the railways through mas-
  sive overhead power lines, 
  dangerous, deadly systems 
  that have killed more than 
  one wandering unfortunate. 
  Pantographs on the tops of 
  the engines hauling the trains 
  draw power from these lines, 
  sparking and arcing in a 
  most alarming manner. The 
  engines and trains are impressive things to behold. The 
  engine itself is essentially one huge electric motor driving 
  eight or more wheels. They are ornate constructions of black 
  iron and brass, impressive in a primitive sort of way. The 
  coaches are variable in the extreme, no two exactly alike. The 
  trains rumble and crackle along the tracks, the blue sparks 
  from their engines mingling with the orange sparks of the iron 
  brakes. The train drivers are all members of the Guild, clad 
  from head to toe in heavy, insulated suits to protect them-
  selves from the ever-present danger of electrocution.
  The engines are jealously guarded, precious things. We hold a 
  strong suspicion, as do other intelligence organisations, that the 
  Guild no longer has the capability or the funds to produce more 
  engines. We feel this is evidenced by the increasing number of 
  engines being stripped for parts in the yards and sidings. 
  the precepts 20
  
  It is therefore not unsurprising that the 
  engines are guarded with some vigour 
  by the Transit Militia. Gaining access 
  to one is impossible within the pre-
  cincts of a station or yard. The Militia 
  are somewhat trigger-happy and will 
  gladly shoot anyone they suspect of 
  interfering with the engines. I person-
  ally experienced this while gathering 
  intelligence in CrossBar Terminus, but 
  gladly, I escaped unscathed.
  You will note from the map behind me 
  that stations are numerous and widely 
  scattered. Each parish, burgh or area 
  has at least one station, many of the 
  larger areas having several within their 
  boundaries. Stations are very variable 
  in their construction and facilities, but 
  none are kept in particularly good 
  repair. The Militia guards at all sta-
  tions I visited are, however, highly moti-
  vated and devoted to their duty. Any 
  transgression of rail law is punished 
  very swiftly, as I witnessed on several 
  occasions.
  The locus of all rail activity in The City 
  is CrossBar Terminus. You will see on 
  the map that all lines converge here. 
  A massive, rambling place, it is the 
  bastion of power for both the Guild 
  and the Militia. I have a firm belief that 
  the Guild maintains its most important 
  power production facilities under the 
  terminus, although I was, sadly, unable 
  to find their location or even to confirm 
  their very existence.
  In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I would say that our 
  current course of action, i.e.: doing nothing, should be con-
  tinued. It is my strong belief that the railways are on a down-
  ward course and will expire without any excessive outside 
  influence from ourselves.
  I do sincerely hope you found this short exposition useful and 
  I thank you for your time."
  COMPLEXITY: THE STREETS
  For sheer diversity, complexity and mad-
  dening resistance to order, only one 
  network comes close to The Dataflow: 
  the streets, alleys, boulevards, thor-
  oughfares and sidewalks of The City. 
  An ancient tangle, riddled with secrets, 
  with hidden byways and centuries old 
  paths. No one person can claim to 
  have knowledge of the millions of inter-
  stices and nodes which make up the 
  street network of The City. However, 
  few need to make such a claim, as only 
  a small percentage of the population 
  ever travels more than a mile or so from 
  the place of their birth. 
  In most areas of The City, traffic on the 
  streets is primarily on foot. Porters sell 
  their backs for the carriage of heavy 
  burdens, entire families draw small wag-
  ons of goods, ground vehicles are rare 
  and treated with a semi-mystical awe. 
  The occasional clanking, stuttering elec-
  tric wagon owned by a haulage com-
  pany can be seen making its unsteady 
  way down the wider streets. Only in the 
  more prosperous area, mainly those 
  controlled by the macrocorps, does 
  ground traffic become increasingly 
  vehicular. Vehicles that cost more than 
  the average citizen could hope to earn 
  in their lifetime are used for short trips, 
  for promenading or for terrorising those 
  of a lesser social status. Armed gangs 
  of well-to-do youngsters stream out of 
  their protected areas to cause chaos on 
  the streets. Many never return, ripped 
  apart by real gangs who have lived 
  their entire lives through violence and chaos, their expensive 
  powerbikes destroyed or sold for a fraction of their real 
  value. 
  Some areas offer alternative methods of transport, such 
  as cablecars, funiculars and trams. In the Three Canals 
  Metropolitan area, the Authority lays on a ramshackle, 
  irregular and somewhat dangerous tram service. These 
  rickety constructions, drawing their power from uninsulated 
  the precepts 21
  
  overhead lines, rattle down the streets according to a time-
  table which is never published. Other parts of The City, such 
  as Burningfell, are criss-crossed by funicular railways, carry-
  ing goods and people up and down the steep sides of the 
  fell. Some areas, in an effort to reduce the chances of their 
  citizens being preyed upon by criminal elements, have even 
  set up cable cars which swing above the streets, carrying 
  passengers between stations perched on top of tenements 
  and clinging to the sides of towerblocks.
  However, the most important thing to remember about the 
  streets is that the vast majority of people walk. And that 
  includes the vast majority of people who have designs on 
  the money, property or lives of their fellow citizens. Only a 
  few streets are well lit, wide and easy to stroll down, the vast 
  majority being small and cramped, with dwellings reaching 
  high above on either side. Stalls and ramshackle accommo-
  dations make them even more crowded, forcing walkers to 
  press past each other in a constant, flowing mass of bodies. 
  The streets are home to cutpurses, pickpockets, jackers and 
  thieves of all sorts. Wise people keep one hand on their 
  money and another hand on a stout cosh. 
  The best advice, if you have to travel, is to avoid areas 
  with which you are not familiar. There is a very real chance 
  that wandering through unknown alleys and lanes, you will 
  emerge into places with which you are desperately unfa-
  miliar. Many who, by accident or design, take a stroll into 
  Bankside, Mire End or Fogwarren are never seen again: lost, 
  murdered, eaten or taken into slavery. 
  Be warned: The streets take no prisoners. 
  OVERHEAD: AIR
  The air above The City is choked with pollution, a permanent 
  brown haze hanging over the buildings. Through this haze 
  comes the occasional thrumming cargo aerostat, screeching 
  mikefighter or wallowing dirigible. Air travel is almost exclu-
  sively the preserve of those organisations wealthy enough 
  and powerful enough to be able to afford the massive costs 
  involved in building, buying and maintaining aircraft. Outside 
  of the macrocorps, hardly anyone maintains substantial fleets 
  of aircraft, with most of those outside of macrocorp service 
  being ancient, decrepit, patched up and generally time-worn. 
  The most common form of aircraft in the skies over The City 
  is the aerostat. Flat, disc or oval shaped craft, they use mas-
  sive arrays of fans to lift their bulky bodies into the air and 
  further arrays of jets or fans to propel them forward. While 
  not particularly fast, they can carry heavy loads and have 
  the advantage of being able to land almost anywhere. 
  Huge circular cargo aerostats carry heavy loads of resource 
  materials from the outer edges of The City into the factories 
  nearer the centre. Most of the really big aerostats are manu-
  factured by Gorunna Logistics, who have something of a 
  monopoly in the design and building of such craft. Smaller 
  aerostats serve a wide variety of different functions, from gun-
  ships to one man personal transports. 
  Buzzing between tower blocks and flitting across the rooftops 
  are the mikefighters, tiny warplanes optimised for combat in 
  The City. Barely big enough to hold a pilot, an engine and 
  some weapons, they come in a staggering variety of designs, 
  from pure fighters to warcrawl-busters and bombers. 
  A few centuries ago when the mikefighters first started 
  appearing, they were much larger and heavier than they are 
  now. Then a bright spark working for one of the macrocorps 
  had the idea that by reducing the space needed for the pilot, 
  and the systems which support him or her, the overall size of 
  the craft could be reduced. Fast forward to the present era 
  and the current situation, with that single idea long ago taken 
  to its logical conclusion: mikefighters are piloted by children. 
  Kids as young as five are drafted into macrocorp training 
  academies and instructed to become pilots. Most start their 
  careers aged eight or nine, careers which are over by the 
  time they hit puberty. Very few now question the use of child 
  soldiers in this way, it has become just another part of life 
  in The City. The rate of attrition amongst rookie mikefighter 
  pilots is terrible, with crashes, equipment failures and death 
  in combat all being contributing factors. The majority of 
  mikefighters are either vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) 
  craft or short take-off and landing (STOL) craft. Some users, 
  however, do make use of some rather interesting methods 
  for the rapid launch of their aircraft. Trilhoeven are known 
  to maintain launch and landing areas on top of some of 
  their larger buildings, using magnetic catapults to accelerate 
  mikefighters up to speed before  launching them off the side 
  of the building. Others simply drop them from the sides of 
  the tallest buildings, sending them plummeting to the ground 
  before their engines take hold and curve them skyward.
  Compared to the mikefighters and aerostats, dirigibles (or air-
  ships) are slow, ponderous and unwieldy and a relative rarity 
  in The City. They are all homemade, patchwork constructions 
  of dubious reliability, floating under bags of explosive hydro-
  gen. Many areas will not allow dirigibles to pass overhead, 
  due to the risk of fire and explosion, and so they are mostly 
  confined to the outer areas of The City where aerostats 
  are rare. Powered by chugging, inefficient alcohol burning 
  engines, they plough through the skies, sometimes coming to 
  a virtual halt when the headwind becomes too great.
  the precepts 22
  
  A SENSE OF COMMON INDECENCY (PART 1)
  The forecast is for rain. Make yours a good one.
  Lockkstar was a paederast. Even in a city of millions, with all 
  the evil that surrounds us, there are still some who manage 
  to sink lower than The Shifted. Still, he always had the word 
  on the street.
  "Yah, man. Holed up in Vent 54, she is."
  "Very good, fuckhead. How so?"
  "Guy told me."
  "What guy?" Shit, this was hard going.
  "Ghostfighter, thin boy, Brigade tattoos on his arms. Thousand 
  yard stare."
  "Everyone in this place got the thousand yard stare. Vent 54, 
  eh? So what's your price"
  "Those photos? You said you get them."
  "Yeh, I got them." Even through the gloves, the ziploc in my 
  pocket felt dirty. I drew it out of the oilskin and threw it in the 
  puddle at Lockkstars feet. "There you go, enjoy." The fucker 
  grabbed at the packet, removing the slim cards inside. Even 
  as the rain dribbled off the squares, I could see his face light 
  up with a sickly glow.
  "Nice."
  This was too much. As a mikefighter stuttered overhead, I 
  loped across the grass to the park gates. One of the ragged 
  clumps along the path raised his bleeding head. Scrape 
  addict. Bum. "Hirplakker." he whispered.
  "How can you know, hotshot was gone too fast."
  "Heard 'im. Know the sounds. Heard the sounds."
  "Very good" I was out of there before he even started his 
  pitch. I'll testify I heard whispered swearing following me all 
  the way down the path to the gates. The gates were always a 
  thing of fascination to me, even as a kid. Massive, patinaed, 
  rust red edifices they were. Magnificently wrought and solidly 
  constructed. Totally at odds with the decrepit, soiled environ-
  ment of Mire End. My home. My life, in a way.
  Me, I'm Kripitsch. Lostfinder. Seeker after that which has been 
  mislaid, a service sorely required in this troubled parish. See, 
  Mire End doesn't get any help from the Three Canals. The 
  Metros don't want to know about the anthill on the other 
  side of the Green. They got their own problems looking after 
  Dreamingspires and Bankside. Provosts are run off their pre-
  cious little feet up there. Still, gives the opportunity for great-
  est freedom of business.
  Sideband came down here couple of years ago. At least, one 
  of their market research sub-contractors came down here. 
  Did some sort of survey, questioned folk. Only lost three of 
  their team, not bad considering. Anyhow, they come up with 
  the statistic that Mire End has more pornographers, peddlers 
  and perverts per square yard than any other bit of the city. 
  Well, at least we're famous for something.
  Your life is worth nothing. Why bother?
  Gneshel was worth a trip with, usually only once. A canal cab 
  driver, she used to race ekranoplans in the Limited class, now 
  she just meanders about the canals in a beaten up old tur-
  biner. The rain coursed down her face, collecting in the tight 
  hem of her slicker jacket and creating the tiniest of waterfalls. 
  Apparently, she didn't notice.
  "Ride, Gnesh?"
  "'k."
  She was a woman of few words, through choice or inability, 
  I didn't care to know. As we skimmed round Circular Three, 
  the architecture failed to change. Miserable plastic and metal 
  shacks clinging to the canalside or to ruined towers and some 
  squatting on barges. Further back from the canal, the build-
  ings were in better shape, even with jagged chunks of rock 
  and masonry missing. This end of the parish had been hit 
  bad during the Hundred Block War. Hirplakker built a fake 
  staging depot at the corner of H-Street and Powell. Arclight 
  knocked the shit out of it. Knocked the living shit out of a big 
  chunk of the parish as well. I saw them that day. Brigade 
  of Light Tentenel troops moving through the cooling rubble. 
  Silent, impassive: armoured angels.
  "Where?"
  "Eh?"
  "Where?"
  "Oh, right. Er..Y'know the Contested Grounds?"
  "Yes."
  "Drop me off the nearest you can get me to there"
  "'k."
  The boat droned and the barrios streaked by. The water 
  stinks.
  The docks at the Contested Grounds were always thronged, 
  twenty five hours a day. Brigade L-Core personnel offloading 
  barges full of weapons. Hirplakker transport troops doing the 
  same. Not to mention the guffers, ghostfighters and militant 
  firm soldiers getting ready to do battle or to pillage the spoils 
  of war. The presence of a Lostfinder from Mire End attracted 
  little comment. My passing went (relatively) unnoticed. Some 
  jezzes' tried to get my attention, thought I was a trooper with 
  cash to burn. A swedge broke out among the Brigade and 
  Hirplakker guys. Usual kind of thing.
  The docks was a town of crates, barges, pads and gang-
  ways, parts of it were, undoubtedly, off limits to your casual 
  passerby, but mostly you could wander around, undisturbed 
  and unthreatened. My problem was getting out to Vent 54. 
  Right in the middle of the Grounds. Inside The Silo. Bollocks.
  the precepts 23
  
  NERVOUS SYSTEM: computing and communication
  The Dataflow has often been likened to the nervous system 
  of The City, twisting through its gargantuan body, send-
  ing, receiving and processing information. However, The 
  Dataflow should not be thought of as one consistent, contigu-
  ous whole; like The City itself, it is a phenomenally complex 
  agglomeration which has built up over time into a frighten-
  ingly convoluted network. Every communications and com-
  puter system constitutes a part of The Dataflow. Telegraphs, 
  cablenets, microwave relays and laser comms provide the 
  transfer capacity, while datacores, dingins and electronic 
  computers provide the storage and processing capacity. An 
  important note is that radio systems are unused in The City. 
  Something prevents radio being used, nobody even bothers 
  trying any more, it's just an accepted part of life.
  COMPUTING
  By far the most common form of computer in The City is 
  the mechanical computer, or dingin as it’s more commonly 
  known. They range in size from the massive assemblies 
  of cogs, gears and rods of macroscale engines, down to 
  the tiny nanoscale dingin processor blocks produced by 
  macrocorporate manufacturers. Between these two ends of 
  the spectrum, there are the microscale engines, where the 
  mechanisms are too small to be seen with the naked eye 
  (sometimes only just) but can be easily viewed with a micro-
  scope. Some of these are produced on vast automated pro-
  duction facilities, while others are painstakingly constructed 
  by hand by the most skilled of artisans. No matter what scale 
  of dingin is used, there must be a means of programming 
  it so that it will carry out its functions. Macroscale engines 
  are most commonly programmed by sequences of punched 
  cards or slotted tapes which the dingin reads and translates 
  into machine code. Microscale engines use a variation on 
  the tape idea, using tiny spools of coded metallic tape run 
  at vast speed to program the engine. Nanoscale engines are 
  the most complex of all, using strings of individual molecules 
  as the ‘tape’.
  Dingins have become so prevalent in The City because of the 
  high level of background radiation and the constant threat of 
  viruses. The virus threat comes in many forms: so many have 
  been used over the centuries that many of the viruses have 
  evolved and changed, becoming predators in The Dataflow. 
  However, they cannot attack dingin systems without having 
  some means to physically insert their programming. Also, 
  dingins are far more resistant to radiation and extremes of 
  temperature, making them ideal for life in The City. Most 
  weapons systems with integrated computing modules use 
  dingins for this very reason.
  Other forms of computer system are found in The City, but 
  none are so widespread as the dingin. Optical computers 
  are utilised by macrocorporate and corporate organisations, 
  but they are most often separated from the main body of The 
  Dataflow by firewalls and banks of dingin safeguards. These 
  optical computers most often use DNA  cores for informa-
  tion storage purposes, giving massive amounts of storage 
  capacity. The DNA systems use crystalline vats containing 
  DNA material suspended in a storage medium. Variable fre-
  quency lasers read the information stored on the DNA chains 
  while information is added and removed through chemical 
  enzyme activity. Some of the macrocorps are known to use 
  such things as quantum gate computers on a limited basis 
  for ultra-high level encryption purposes. However, only one 
  of the macrocorps (Hirplakker) is known to have created 
  Artificial Intelligences.
  COMMUNICATION
  Like The City itself, The Dataflow is almost incomprehensibly 
  complex, multi layered and incredibly variable in its level 
  of technology. The Dataflow encompasses telegraph lines, 
  phone lines, cablenets, microwave relays, laser comms and 
  many other, esoteric, forms of communication. Something as 
  simple as telephoning one of your friends can be a nightmar-
  ish operation, depending on the kind of access you have, 
  where you are in The City and quite often, who you are. In 
  many of the poorer areas, communications are non-existent, 
  or extend only to a battered public telephone kiosk standing 
  on a street corner or by a canal. Wealthier areas usually 
  have contracts with telecomms companies or the macrocorps 
  to provide communications services. These can range from 
  simple telephone systems to full visual conferencing and 
  information access systems. As an example of the complex-
  ity, someone calling from Bankside to a friend in Burningfell 
  may have to wander down to a public kiosk and dial the 
  number that they think the individual might be on (these can 
  change with alarming frequency). This will then be routed to 
  the nearest exchange (if the exchange is still working). The 
  exchange will then have to see what systems it can access in 
  order to patch a call through to Burningfell. This might involve 
  linking into a macrocorporate comms network, routing the 
  call through a series of microwave relays to a main process-
  ing exchange. This bigger exchange would then prioritise 
  the call and route it through the most appropriate and avail-
  able network. The call could then be shunted onto a local 
  cablenet and fired towards Burningfell. Luckily, Burningfell 
  has stumped up for local cable access. Then, the call gets 
  routed to the local server system and finally, maybe, reaches 
  the intended destination. As can be seen, this is a ridiculously 
  complex system and it can often take an age to actually get 
  the precepts 24
  
  a call patched through to the person you want.
  The most comprehensive (indeed, the only) citywide inte-
  grated comms network is provided by Barrage Balloon 
  Communications, a subsidiary of Sideband Media. BBC main-
  tains a network of massive gas balloons floating at heights 
  between 4,000 and 8,000 feet above The City. Below these 
  balloons are clusters of microwave downlinks and relays. 
  Subscribers to the service can send a message, a phone call 
  or conduct video conferencing at reasonable speed and with 
  relative security. Messages are routed into the network through 
  an extensive series of uplink/downlink stations and sent to the 
  nearest downlink to the target point via the network of balloon 
  relays. This avoids the vast, complex body of The Dataflow 
  as whole. Users still need a means of access to the ground 
  stations and most use the hardwired cablenets provided by 
  BBC. Corporate users are most common, although private 
  individuals can buy into this expensive system. The largest non-
  corporate users are the TCMAA Provosts who use the network 
  to route most of their inter-unit comms traffic.
  Now, the above is just on the level of actually talking to some-
  one. When it comes 
  to exploring The 
  Dataflow or access-
  ing information, this 
  process 
  becomes 
  even trickier. If you 
  have the right system 
  and access, then 
  entering an infor-
  mation 
  database 
  is relatively simple. 
  Searching the entire 
  Dataflow for informa-
  tion is a much more 
  worrying task due to 
  the different technol-
  ogy levels, connec-
  tions and processing 
  speeds and means 
  of data transfer, it 
  can often take days 
  to track down the 
  particular bit of infor-
  mation you're looking for. Specialist software companies such 
  as Firefinger have established a reputation for building dingin 
  programs designed explicitly for information search and retriev-
  al. Even with these specialist programs, it's never easy. The bit 
  of info you might be looking for could be stored on a centuries 
  old macroscale dingin with a ridiculously low retrieval and 
  transfer speed. So, while finding the information might not be 
  so complex, actually retrieving and downloading it would be 
  the time consuming part of the process. Data retrieval special-
  ists (or flowghosts as they are more commonly known) have 
  developed unparalleled skills for getting information from 
  The Dataflow, cracking secure databases and sneaking off 
  with information that they really shouldn't have.
  SEDATE THE MASSES: entertainment
  With such a huge, factionalised, unstable population, The 
  City could easily explode into mass violence at any moment. 
  One of the few things that keeps the population stable is 
  (relatively) easy access to a vast range of entertainment. 
  From the ridiculously expensive night-clubs of Brightlights 
  to the parasite infested brothels surrounding the Contested 
  Grounds, entertainment comes in many forms.
  TELEVISION
  Easily the most widespread entertainment medium in The 
  City, low-grade television is supplied to hundreds of thou-
  sands of homes by 
  Sideband 
  Media 
  and other, smaller 
  companies. Many 
  years ago, it was 
  Sideband who took 
  the decision to pro-
  vide free television 
  to any part of The 
  City that requested 
  it. Hence, even the 
  most impoverished 
  homes will have a 
  television, albeit a 
  battered and scarred 
  one, sitting some-
  where in the room. 
  Sideband took this 
  decision (a decision 
  which was followed 
  by other corpora-
  tions) for three main 
  reasons. The first reason was, in agreement with the other 
  macrocorps, to effectively sedate the population and provide 
  them with an outlet for their fears, hatred and passions. The 
  second reason was to make money from a range of other 
  services. Although TV is provided free, only a limited range 
  of channels are offered, with more popular, diverse chan-
  nels costing an extra fee. In addition, users can also pay to 
  have their cablenet carry phone signals. Sideband makes a 
  healthy profit from this service, charging exorbitant rates for 
  the precepts 25
  
  telecommunications provision. 
  The third reason was that TV could penetrate the home more 
  effectively than any other advertising medium. A full 35% 
  of programming consists of adverts and infomercials. New 
  products are glamourised and glorified, encouraging the 
  huddled masses to purchase the latest consumer goods, even 
  if they can barely afford them. 
  Actual entertainment programming covers a wide spectrum. 
  The free channels mostly concentrate on cheap fiction 
  shows, often featuring sex or violence as their main themes. 
  Romances, war stories, police dramas and series purporting 
  to give an insight into the lives of the rich and famous are 
  all extremely popular whilst factual and news programming 
  is almost non-existent on the free channels. For anything 
  approximating documentary or serious news, a user must 
  pay for one or more of the additional channels. More popu-
  lar than these are the film channels, which show an endless 
  diet of the low-budget movies churned out by Sideband, its 
  subsidiaries and other smaller studios. They tend to follow 
  the same pattern as the free TV shows, only with bigger 
  budgets and better known actors. Sports channels are also 
  highly popular, with the Association of Ground Effect Racing 
  Leagues Wingship channel being by far the most heavily 
  subscribed. 
  Workers come home at night, shrug off their working clothes 
  and place themselves in front of the TV to while away 
  their evenings. TV sedates the population and allows the 
  macrocorps to create demand for their products. A more 
  effective method of keeping the population under control has 
  yet to be found.
  LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
  Musical trends in The City are very varied, not just from cul-
  ture to culture but from region to region. The most popular 
  musical style at the current moment is a discordant, almost 
  unlistenable, style named rust. There are many young bands 
  that seek to make it on to TV and the rust scene is a very vibrant, 
  constantly changing part of the music business. Popular new 
  bands in this vein are Deadly Lethargy, WaaWaaWaa and 
  SCB, all signed to small, non-macrocorporate, indepen-
  dent labels. Among the more wealthy, club orientated set 
  there is a fad for fast, highly syncopated string music, quite 
  hard on the ears but apparently great for dancing to. The 
  scene is virtually dominated by bands made up of young 
  macrocorporates. There have been a few good bands in 
  this vein that are not tied to the macrocorps in some way, yet 
  they seldom seem to have much success, possibly due to the 
  stranglehold of the macrocorporates on the music industry. 
  For the more cultured listener, opera and more sedate string 
  pieces are still big business. The Grand Opera House in 
  Brightlights and the Unsooth Hall in Luminosity Tower both 
  play host to many high profile, expensive events.
  Theatrical productions hold a strange place in The City, 
  seemingly being confined to the two extremes of society. 
  The massively rich attend live theatre events as a style state-
  ment, to show that they would not watch TV like the common 
  herd. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the most  poverty 
  stricken members of society, who live in places where even 
  Sideband refuses to provide TV access, rely on live acts for 
  their entertainment. Ironically, it is crudely satirical plays 
  which are most popular with both audiences. 
  SPORTS
  Newsline
  Subject : HSD Launch New Ekranoplan Racing Ship
  Stringer : Merryn Lysak
  "In a glittering ceremony at the Straits Raceway, HSD 
  launched their new ship for the upcoming Class-A season. 
  Based on last year's controversial fusion-powered design, the 
  new ship is claimed to be faster, more agile and more stable. 
  Regular readers may recall the tragic debut race of last 
  year's design when 2 racers were killed at the Rapid Ring."
  The most popular spectator sport in The City is, without a 
  doubt, ekranoplan racing. The sight of these massively pow-
  erful ground effect planes careering around the canals, a 
  few yards above the surface, is quite something. From the 
  Class A races down to the lowest of the Limited classes, 
  events draw huge crowds, all hoping for an exciting win 
  or spectacular crash. Racing is co-ordinated and controlled 
  by the all-powerful Association of Ground Effect Racing 
  Leagues (AGERL). The Association controls every aspect of 
  racing and lays down the rules for competition and vehicle 
  design, occasionally enforcing them by rather violent meth-
  ods. 
  RACING CLASSES
  Class A: Class A is the fastest and most popular of the three 
  racing classes. Using cutting edge design and having the 
  best pilots, only teams with massive corporate sponsorship 
  can afford to enter. 
  Class B: Less expensive than Class A, often using technol-
  ogy from Class A races of two or three seasons ago, Class 
  B offers a more affordable route into the higher echelons of 
  the precepts 26
  
  racing for less well off teams.
  Limited: Within the Limited class there are numerous strata, 
  from local clubman racing, up to semi-professional teams 
  striving to get the sponsorship needed to enter the big time.
  Aside from the three main classes, there are numerous 
  underground and illegal races which take place across The 
  City. These are frowned upon by burgh councils and militant 
  organisations, but they all seem unable to stop them. Home 
  built ekranoplans of widely varying design take to the waters 
  for little or no prize money and often only for the kudos of 
  winning.
  FAMOUS TEAMS
  Alekseyev EKR: 
  Started by three 
  times 
  Class 
  A 
  champion Gregor 
  Alekseyev, A-EKR 
  is one of the more 
  successful 
  non-
  macrocorp funded 
  teams. While they 
  have yet to win a 
  championship, the 
  three-ship team has 
  consistently placed 
  well and is vying 
  with the more pow-
  erful teams for top 
  spot.
  Darrat-Emvax: House team of the Arclight macrocorp, D-E 
  won last years championship by one point over HSD. With 
  massive funding and some excellent pilots, they are one of 
  the teams to beat.
  HSD: The Hirplakker Speed Division is possibly the best-
  funded team in the class and this season is no exception. 
  With each of their new craft costing in excess of 6.5 million 
  pounds, they are expected to make a stern challenge for the 
  title which they relinquished to Darrat-Emvax last season.
  Kraken: New to ekranoplan racing this season, Kraken is 
  primarily sponsored by Trilhoeven macrocorp. 
  WaveFront: The only private team in the last ten seasons to 
  win a championship, WaveFront have been on something of 
  a downturn for the last few years, but their poaching of hull 
  designer Vincent Giler from Darrat-Emvax may give them the 
  competitive edge that they need to start winning again.
  FAMOUS PILOTS
  Gill Willis: Winner of last season's championship for Darrat-
  Emvax, this year Willis has signed a new contract with HSD. 
  The most successful female pilot in the history of ekranoplan 
  racing, she first won the title three years ago.
  Ivan Vassar: Lead pilot for Darrat-Emvax for the last five 
  years, Vassar is reputed to be the highest paid sportsman in 
  The City (his paycheque for last season was reported to be 
  in excess of 30 million pounds). A fierce, aggressive racer, he 
  has an alarming tendency to push other racers into danger-
  ous situations, especially HSD craft. Some suggest that this 
  may be due to the fact that up to the age of fifteen he was 
  a mikefighter pilot for Hirplakker, before he grew too much 
  and he was pushed out on to the street. Vassar stoutly denies 
  such slanderous rumours. Indeed, several legal battles have 
  been fought over this very fact. Vassar was publicly furious 
  last year when injury caused him to lag far behind in the 
  championship standings, allowing his younger team-mate 
  Gill Willis to win the Class A crown.
  FAMOUS TRACKS AND RACES
  The Grand Canal 2000: Sponsored by Trilhoeven and 
  organised by the TCMAA, the GC:2000 is the biggest, rich-
  est and most spectacular sporting event in The City. Every 
  season, teams from all classes converge on the Grand Canal 
  as it runs through the TCMA. 200 times they race up and 
  down a ten mile stretch of the canal, the leading craft reach-
  ing speeds in excess of 450 miles per hour. 
  the precepts 27
  
  the precepts 28
  
  Fatalities are common, not only amongst pilots, but amongst 
  the throngs of spectators and those foolhardy enough to slip 
  past the Provosts and stray onto the canal in small craft. On 
  average, 5,000,000 pounds in bets changes hands running 
  up to and during the GC:2000.
  The Rapid Ring: A lethal, twisting watertrack, the Rapid 
  Ring was downgraded from Class A to Class B last season 
  after a series of horrific accidents on its numerous tight bends. 
  Hirplakker, its owners, are furious about this and have made 
  numerous threatening advances towards the AGREL.
  The Straits Raceway: From the pollution of the Black 
  Canal came something to cheer the population. Two subsid-
  iary canals, cut off by the blocking of the Black were linked 
  up to form the Straits Raceway, a highly competitive Limited 
  Class watertrack. Maintained by sponsorship from the 
  Firefinger corporation, the Straits are located in Fogwarren 
  and often provides the only outlet for the entertainment 
  starved population.
  OTHER SPORTS and pastimes
  Aside from ekranoplan racing, there are few sports in The 
  City which achieve anything other than limited or under-
  ground popularity. Combat sports are, by the very nature of 
  life in The City, rather popular and many variations abound. 
  One of the more widespread and popular underground 
  combat games is Cripplecut. A Cripplecut venue can be 
  almost anywhere: a cellar, a tunnel, a back alley or a fac-
  tory floor. Games range from backstreet brawling involving a 
  couple of local toughs to major underground events, perhaps 
  drawing as many as a thousand spectators. Cripplecut is, at 
  its most basic level, knife fighting. But the object is not to kill 
  your opponent but, as the name suggests, to cripple him or 
  her. Even in the lawless, violent world of cripplecut, actually 
  killing your opponent is considered rather bad form. Each 
  fighter uses the edged weapon of their choice (although 
  there are informal restrictions on what you can and cannot 
  use) and attempt to prevent the use of the arms and legs 
  of their opponent. Surrender is allowed and takes place 
  generally when one fighter has lost the use of two limbs. The 
  permission of surrender and the prohibition against killing 
  blows are the only two rules in cripplecut. Major cripplecut 
  events are often organised by the big criminal groups such 
  as the 3rd Syndicate. Betting is always keen at these events, 
  whether they are large or small and considerable amounts 
  of money change hands. Due to the huge sums wagered on 
  some events, some groups have taken to bringing in ‘ringers’ 
  from outside the normal cripplecut circles. These are often 
  ghostfighters (a class of stealthy knife-fighters) who have 
  been paid very well to take part. However, much to the 
  disappointment of their backers, the ghostfighters are often 
  at a severe disadvantage, as their first instinct in a fight is to 
  strike to kill.
  Card games are particularly popular across The City, mainly 
  because they provide a cheap, convenient form of entertain-
  ment. All games are based around the standard eighty card 
  deck, containing five suits (Black, Red, Grey, Green and 
  Blue) of 16 cards each. The numeral cards run from one to 
  ten, while the face cards are named (in ascending order) 
  Assassin, Priest, Temptress, Captain, Warlord and Daemon. 
  Widely played games include ‘Railwaymans Bluff’, ‘Dog’ 
  and ‘Height’. ‘Railwaymans Bluff’ originated with the drivers, 
  signalmen and engineers who work on the railways and can 
  have up to ten players. The object of the game is to bluff the 
  other players into getting rid of the face cards which you 
  need in order to complete a run of all the face cards and 
  the one card, of a specific suit. Assassin cards can be used 
  to force the other player to discard a specific face card. If, 
  for example, you suspect that one of your opponents holds 
  Black Warlord, and you are attempting to collect Grey 
  suit cards and have a Red Assassin which you don’t need, 
  you can throw the Assassin down a declare an assassina-
  tion’ on the other player's card. However, you need to be 
  careful, because if you’re wrong, the other player can ran-
  domly select a card from your hand and have it discarded. 
  ‘Railwaymans Bluff’ can take an excruciatingly long time to 
  play. Needless to say, it helped railway workers while away 
  the hours during strikes.
  YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAt: food and drink
  In a city of millions, isolated from the outside world, one 
  major question arises: how do the inhabitants survive? More 
  pointedly, where does the food come from to allow them to 
  survive? The are no farms, no herds of cattle, no rolling fields. 
  People require sustenance and that sustenance has to come 
  from somewhere. 
  The sustenance problem can essentially be divided into two 
  categories: the macrocorporate problem and the everyone 
  else problem. Dealing first with the macrocorporates, their 
  situation is somewhat easier due to their access to resources 
  and labour. Over the decades, the macrocorporate institutions 
  have built up vast supply networks, providing them with all 
  the food they require, and more. All of the eight maintain vast 
  underground hydroponics facilities producing fruit, vegetables, 
  and pharmaceutical plants. Usually located away from the 
  centre of The City, these enormous, multi-layered facilities con-
  sume extraordinary amounts of power and water. 
  the precepts 29
  
  Plants exist in these facilities which are grown nowhere else 
  in The City. Salvaged from the chaos of The Shift and The 
  Bombardment, the genetic codes for these plants are almost 
  all that remains of The City's pre-Bombardment flora. Outside 
  of the macrocorporate facilities, many companies, families and 
  individuals grow their own food, through various means. Some 
  small corporations have purchased equipment and seeds from 
  the macrocorps in order to start their own production facilities. 
  These vary in quality from sparkling clean underground grow-
  ing houses to dank, pestilence ridden warehouses which bare-
  ly manage to produce anything edible at all. On roofs and 
  in courts throughout The City, individuals and family groups 
  maintain small gardens to feed themselves and, occasion-
  ally, to make a little money. Fertilised by treated sewage (or 
  sometimes untreated sewage) these little gardens are fiercely 
  guarded against those who might steal valuable food. Most 
  law enforcement organisations will look the other way when a 
  garden owner beats or kills a miscreant who has attempted to 
  make off with a vegetable.
  The most commonly available foodstuff in The City is fish, in 
  all its varying forms. Bred in the turgid waters of the canals, 
  feeding on the plant life (and other fish) they are perhaps the 
  most valuable resource in The City. Commercial fish breed-
  ers use vast cages suspended in the canals to contain and 
  grow their stock. Most famous of the fish producing areas is 
  Bankside, which sells produce far and wide. Many people 
  who dwell beside the canals maintain fish cages on a smaller 
  scale, providing for themselves, their family or their local 
  community. Selective breeding and limited genetic engineer-
  ing have allowed the fish farmers to breed fish which are 
  hardier and better able to survive and grow in the polluted, 
  dark waters of the canals.
  In stark contrast to the fishermen of the canals, the macrocorps 
  maintain huge underground facilities (normally in the same 
  complexes which house the hydroponic facilities) devoted 
  to the production of edible fish. Using the water which has 
  been cycled through the hydroponic growth areas, the fish 
  not only provide food but also provide valuable fertiliser 
  for the hydroponic facilities. Bloated, lazy specimens swim 
  lethargically in the warm tanks, gobbling up food pellets as 
  fast as the tenders can throw them into the water. The fish are 
  a valuable source of food, oils and a wide range of other 
  useful stuff: bones are turned into glue, fish skin is turned into 
  clothing and oils are sold as lubricants. 
  Outside of the large-scale facilities, fish are still available if 
  you have a line, a hook and a lot of patience. Canal dwelling 
  fish are often ill, diseased and foul tasting, but for many they 
  are the only option available if they wish to survive. However, 
  fish stocks in the canals are sinking lower and lower and the 
  chances of catching anything worth eating are becoming 
  more and more slim as the years wear on. 
  Another popular food choice in The City, coming second 
  only in popularity to the ubiquitous fish, is dog. Man's best 
  friend has become man's favourite main course. Dogs, in a 
  wide variety of shapes an sizes were and are endemic, found 
  in every area of The City, adapting to different environments 
  and generally thriving. Wild dogs are hunted for their meat 
  and skin, whilst others are bred for the same purposes. Fat, 
  waddling ‘meat hounds’ are kept in pens and fed on fish 
  products that even the hungriest human would probably pass 
  up. Here they are fattened for the slaughter, their meat sold 
  for food, their skin made into clothing and shoes, their bones 
  reduced to glue and other useful products.
  Some people do keep dogs as pets, but a careful eye must 
  be kept on them, as a stray dog is most likely to be snapped 
  up and eaten. Dogskin is also tanned and made into shoes, 
  coats, trousers hats and bags, another valuable source of 
  raw materials for the imprisoned citizens of The City.
  All this having been said, The City does not simply survive on 
  a diet of fish, dogs and vegetables. More sinister sources of 
  food are available. Decades and decades ago, some bright 
  spark figured that there was a huge source of raw material 
  that was being burned to a cinder every day. A valuable 
  resource was simply going up in smoke. What was happen-
  ing? People were being cremated. Now, the thought of actu-
  ally eating human flesh was repugnant to the vast majority of 
  the population. Folklore recalled the horrific years after The 
  Bombardment, when vast numbers of people were reduced 
  to cannibalism in order to survive. But what if this resource 
  could be used to create a more palatable foodstuff, one that 
  the population would accept. Hence, the practice of selling 
  the dead to food companies began, slowly at first, but now 
  it has grown so much that it is a fully accepted part of City 
  life.
  Large numbers of the dead are bought by so-called 
  Deathdealers who reduce the bodies to a nutrient soup from 
  which tasty treats are grown. Using genetic engineering to 
  modify the growth, meat, vegetable type substances and all 
  manner of foods are churned out by the factories. Even the 
  macrocorps have got in on the act. Macrocorporate workers 
  often have to sign contracts which stipulate that they give up 
  all rights to their body when death finally comes to them. The 
  macrocorps can then use their loyal workers one last time to 
  feed the ravening hordes of The City. In return for this service, 
  the families of the dead are paid a small amount, usually in 
  foodstuffs. One chain of fast-food stalls has even adopted 
  the name 'Meat The People' as a blatant signifier of what it is 
  actually selling. As unpalatable as this may seem, it provides 
  another valuable source of nutrients for a city which is cut off, 
  isolated and in desperate need.
  the precepts 30
  
  BUT WHERE DOES IT ALL COME FROM?: resources
  An address by Fion Schleichner, Resource Management 
  Executive, Hirplakker Combine, given to new employees of 
  the Combine. Certain segments have been excised for secu-
  rity reasons.
  "Colleagues, friends, co-workers. You're all gathered here 
  today as new employees of Hirplakker Combine to find out 
  one thing. How does this sprawling, chaotic, filthy cesspool 
  in which we live survive? You've all suffered hardships to a 
  greater or lesser extent. Now, you're one of us. Hirplakker 
  shall provide everything you could need. However, I'm not a 
  marketing man, so, enough of the advertising shit.
  [laughs from audience]
  How do our factories keep producing? Where do we get the 
  raw materials for the steel, glass, fibreoptics, wood, plastics 
  and all the other vital items this company produces? Well, I'll 
  tell you. And this is something that 95% of the people in this 
  city don't know. From The Outlands.
  [gasps from some members of the audience, muted laughing 
  from others]
  Yes, I know, no one can go into The Outlands, Death waits 
  for us at the borders of The City, blah, blah, blah. Well, that 
  part is true. However, we've overcome that. Out there, under 
  the blistered, cracked sand and rock are billions of tons of 
  minerals, petrochemicals, a storehouse of natural resources. 
  Desiccated forests of ancient lumber just waiting to be hacked 
  down. Lights please.
  [lights dim.]
  [holo projection springs into life show a shaky view of a 
  seared desert]
  This is how we do it. Robots. Automatons. Drones. Whatever 
  you call them, they can go where we can't. We've been send-
  ing them out for hundreds of years now, setting up mining 
  installations, prospecting. And not one of them has been 
  touched by 'forces from above'. As long as they don't leave 
  the ground, that is.
  [camera pans to a view of a construction of pipeworks, tub-
  ing, massive cylinders set on end]
  My friends, this is Extractor 34. It mines for ferrous metals, 
  iron to you and me. The iron ore that we turn into steel, turn 
  into weapons, armour, boats, mikefighters. We've got anoth-
  er seven like it, all dragging iron from the ground. Similar 
  plants produce precious metals, light ores anything we need. 
  Now don't get me wrong, we're not the only ones doing it. 
  Gorunna, Trilhoeven, Arclight [sound of spitting] they're all at 
  it. There's an unspoken law: don't fuck with the mining facili-
  ties, without them, this place would grind to a halt. Lights.
  [lights come up]
  We bring the stuff in, along the canals and on automated 
  train lines, right into our factories, smelters and furnaces. 
  That's how we keep going. That's how this city survives. We 
  hold the keys. Only us and the other macrocorps can do this. 
  Only we have the power. The will. The resolve. That's what 
  puts us at the top of the food chain.
  Never forget: we rule this city. Not the people. Not the 
  Council. Us.
  Thank you for your attention."
  A SENSE OF COMMON INDECENCY (PART 2)
  Darkness encroaches. Buy a torch.
  Hiring Simils always struck me as a funny business. They never 
  wanted money (what the hell would they do with it, anyway?) 
  or consumables, always something strange, unexpected. This 
  time it was a potted plant, a picture of a pretty girl and a 
  doll.
  "Seriously?" It doesn't pay to be too sarcastic with a seven 
  foot tall mechanical freak.
  "Yes." Their voices really set me on edge, like two sheets of 
  pitted steel being scraped together.
  "All right, wait here for an hour, I'll see what I can rustle up"
  "Yes."
  The pretty girl was easy to get, plenty of pictures like that 
  around the Grounds. I nicked a doll that had been tied to the 
  gun barrel of a Hirplakker assault gun (the crew were coma-
  tose with drink at the time) and bought, at an outrageous 
  price, a small potted flower from a Brigade artillery officer 
  relaxing in his tent. He thought I was mad as well.
  "Right, here you go. Doll for you, picture for you, plant for 
  you." With remarkable delicacy, the three Simils took their 
  the precepts 31
  
  payment and gazed at it, motionless for quite some time. This 
  was beginning to get on my nerves. Secreting their prizes 
  in massive steel backpacks, they hefted their weapons and 
  turned to me.
  "Silo." 
  "Yes, The Silo. Vent 54. You ready?"
  "Yes."
  Everyone takes the Simils for idiots, mechanical children with 
  precious little intelligence. Well, let me tell you, if it wasn't for 
  them, I'd have died within five minutes. The Grounds are, quite 
  literally, hell. Ruins of factories and chimneys, houses and 
  cellars, railtracks and canals. Twisted metal and pulverised 
  brick. A wasteland of craters, walls and ditches. The infantry 
  of both sides skitter about, all clad in the same uniform grey 
  dust. Armour rumbles about, pulverising the landscape even 
  more, whilst the mikefighters and aerostats wheel overhead, 
  bombing, strafing, adding to the destruction. The Grounds 
  are never silent, the war seems to be unending.
  Things went bad when we rounded a corner and ran bang 
  into a bunch of rippers. They were scavenging a knocked out 
  tank, stripping it clean before the rightful owners could get 
  to it. Apparently they took exception to our presence and 
  opened up. These weren't like the local idiots from Mire End, 
  these guys had been about and had amassed a fair arsenal. 
  I cowered behind a burnt up half-track while the Simils waded 
  in. One of them was carrying a massive electric gatling, tore 
  the rippers apart. Didn't prevent one of the others being 
  trashed by an RPG. After the fight, my Simils didn't seem to 
  care about their dead (do Simils die, or do they just break?) 
  comrade. 
  "Hey, the other one, what about him."
  "Gone."
  "That it, you're just leaving him here?"
  "Yes."
  Guess it just goes to show, you can't apply human values to 
  something you really don't understand.
  Don't be scared. We won't hurt you.
  I sometimes wonder if the Third Church of God types are 
  right. That this place is a testing ground, built by some mad 
  Architect-God to test us poor, stupid mortals. Then I think of 
  how depressed and downtrodden the Thirders are and get 
  on with things. We rounded a corner into what must have 
  been a vast railyard: rusted rails stood up at all angles and 
  the shells of engines and wagons lay about like discarded 
  drinks cans. 
  "Danger."
  "Beg your pardon? Danger? I thought we were already in 
  fucking danger?"
  "Silo. Danger."
  Above us loomed The Silo. Black against the dull red sky, 
  it stood higher than any building I'd seen before. Jagged 
  round the edges, pounded by artillery and airstrikes, it 
  stood like a massive grave marker, mourning the loss of 
  thousands of soldiers. The Silo represented what this war was 
  all about. Resources, prestige, influence. Hirplakker realised 
  they couldn't protect their precious resources from Arclight, so 
  they tried to destroy them. Turns out they built The Silo a little 
  too well, even better than the Flak Towers. What with the stric-
  tures against atom weapons, there's no way they could bring 
  that beast down. Now infantry infested it like rats, scurrying 
  through the maze of corridors and passages, flitting across 
  the dank spaces of the massive silos themselves. In there, 
  you're more likely to be killed by your own side than by the 
  enemy. So it goes. Now we just need to get to Vent 54, right 
  under the guns of hundreds of paranoid psychotics, armed to 
  the teeth, deprived of sleep and high on a cocktail of drugs. 
  It really does make me wonder why, in the name of all that's 
  decent , I'm doing this.
  War is hell. But it's better than nothing.
  That was the worst experience of my entire life.
  Who knew a flechette through the shoulder could be so 
  bloody painful? I'm really hoping it doesn't get infected or 
  go gangrenous before I get out of here. This sure had better 
  be worth it.
  The noise in the place is the strangest I've ever heard. A com-
  bination of gunfire, screams, scraping and rattling echoes 
  through the passageways like a never-ending wind. The simils 
  were in a worse state than me. They just walked through the 
  fire, projectiles ringing off their rusty carapaces, punching 
  holes in their armour. They didn't seem to care. Vent 54 
  leads down, deep into the bowels of The Silo, where ancient 
  machinery rusts and rots away to nothingness. Only the brav-
  est of the scavs come here. Rumour has it that platoons of 
  soldiers, driven mad by the fighting, lurk in the depths, sneak-
  ing out to steal food from their erstwhile comrades. Only a 
  rumour, though.
  Well, onwards and downwards.
  the precepts 32
  
  The Infernal Game: Politics
  "If elected to represent the ward of Folly Hills South, I promise 
  to campaign for better public services, better policing and 
  better conditions for workers"
  "Yes Ms Yelland, but aren't these same empty old promises 
  made by every candidate?"
  "Not at all, not at all! We in the Onwards With Confidence 
  party are committed to making these promises become real-
  ity!"
  "Uh huh. But aren't these, I put it to you, the same promises 
  made by every other party or independent candidate?"
  "No. Next question."
  "Very well. How do you respond to the accusation that activ-
  ists for your party have been bribing some of the poorest 
  members of Folly Hills society to vote for your party?"
  "I absolutely refute such allegations, they are baseless and 
  totally without any reasonable foundation. Furthermore, I 
  would regard them as scurrilous lies, tantamount to a per-
  sonal attack on myself."
  "So these photographs of Onwards With Confidence party 
  members handing mysterious packets to families living in slum 
  tenements, they're false then?"
  "Err...ummm...of course. Absolutely. Fake, without a shadow 
  of a doubt."
  "And this set of photos, showing your good self accepting a 
  bundle of what appears to be ten pound notes from someone 
  we have identified as an executive of  Trilhoeven macrocorp, 
  that's fake as well?"
  "This interview is over, do you hear. Finished. I will not be 
  treated like this, d'you hear?"
  "So is that a denial, or an admission of the truth?"
  "Bah! Parasite! Gutter journalist!"
  The infernal game of politics in The City. The scrabble for 
  power and influence. From the lowliest burgh councillor to 
  the most powerful macrocorporate head, all those in the 
  political game strive and struggle for every last scrap of 
  power and prestige.  
  Like almost all other aspects of life in The City, the political 
  landscape is a fraught, complex thing. Most areas which 
  have some form of nominal control have representatives who 
  decide laws, policy and expenditure (if, indeed, there is any 
  money to spend). Whether they are tyrants who impose their 
  will on a single tenement or lawfully elected representatives, 
  in office by the will of the people, all fulfil the same function. 
  These local politicians go by many different names: burgess-
  es, councillors, peoples representatives, leiters, deputies, their 
  nomenclature being almost as varied as the individuals them-
  selves.  In areas where there is some form of central political 
  control, semi-regular elections are a feature of the political 
  landscape, giving the common masses an opportunity to 
  express their view. However, graft and corruption are rife 
  through all aspects of city life and politics is, unsurprisingly, 
  no exception. Ballot rigging, intimidation, bribery and assas-
  sination are tools used to affect the outcome of elections, the 
  desire to have power over others being so great amongst 
  some people that they will use any means necessary to gain 
  that power. 
  The two most notable ‘democratic’ areas in The City are 
  the Three Canals Metropolitan Area (TCMA) and the Red 
  Canal Collectivist Republic (RCCR). Both differ radically in 
  their political make-up but both are very similar in that they 
  have regular elections with strictly laid down principles and 
  a clear system of voting.  The Three Canal Metropolitan Area 
  Authority (TCMAA) holds elections every two years, with 
  each burgh within the TCMA electing two representatives 
  to the Authority. The system, despite its laudable democratic 
  aims, is open to widespread corruption. Many areas within 
  the TCMA are extremely poor and take little interest in the 
  political manoeuvring of the Authority. Power-hungry politi-
  cians will often buy a seat on the Authority  by paying the 
  poor denizens of the slums for the votes, normally for pitifully 
  small sums. All of the larger parties use this tactic, utilising 
  the dreadful situation of the people in these so-called ‘rotten 
  burghs' to gain a greater majority on the Authority.  Electoral 
  fraud is not of great concern to the Provosts, the police force 
  of the TCMA. They have far more pressing things to deal 
  with than a few cases of vote rigging. The RCCR, on the 
  other hand, has an almost fanatical dedication to wiping 
  out electoral fraud in all its forms. Voters must provide many 
  different forms in order to register, their every move in the 
  ballot stations is watched by electoral observers from the 
  Special Department. The fact that there is only one party to 
  vote for is totally beside the point.  Peoples Representatives 
  are elected by and from the people, elected in a komradely 
  fashion to best serve the will of the collective.  The entire sys-
  tem, however, is essentially a sham. Large numbers of citizens 
  are prevented from voting by reason of criminal record,  past 
  mental illness, Special Department reports or any one of a 
  number of spurious reasons.
  Some organisations seek to impose political will over the 
  entire city. The Council is one such organisation, a body 
  which takes representatives from all burghs who can muster 
  some sort of political system, from the major religions and 
  from the macrocorps. Self-styled head of The Council is the 
  enigmatic Councillor Rhilfele, a singularly mysterious individ-
  ual. To most citizens of the city, The Council is nothing more 
  than a glorified talking shop which never achieves anything. 
  the precepts 33
  
  For the most part, this bears a close resemblance to the truth, in 
  that The Council has never actually achieved any form of unity 
  or direction. The only successes it has had have been imposing 
  a series of Pan-urban Strictures, mainly designed at curbing 
  the most violent excesses of the macrocorps.  This has forced 
  (to a certain extent) the macrocorps to take responsibility for 
  their violent actions, especially relating to the use of weapons 
  of mass destruction.
  The macrocorps themselves have a byzantine network of politi-
  cal allegiances and relationships. Gorunna is on relatively good 
  terms with everyone, as is GRID. Trilhoeven, on the other hand, 
  are universally despised by the other seven. Most of the other 
  macrocorps find something secretly sinister about Trilhoeven, 
  something which they have never been able to put their finger 
  on.  Arclight are seen as rude young upstarts, causing Sideband 
  and Nakamura-Yebisu to side with Hirplakker on this issue.
  I-LOK are pretty 
  much the wild 
  card, as nobody 
  truly 
  under-
  stands 
  where 
  their power base 
  comes from or 
  how they actually 
  manage to wield 
  so much power. 
  Allegiances and 
  trade agreements 
  come and go, 
  the macrocorps 
  swing back and 
  forth, siding with 
  each other for 
  economic, politi-
  cal or military gain. No one of them every truly gains an 
  advantage, well aware that an overt display of premier status 
  could lead to them being crushed utterly by their fellows.
  THE SYMBOL OF THE CITY: the gun
  From a lecture delivered by Professor Georg Humbolt, 
  Longshore University, TCMAA.
  "The City exhibits a persistent and profligate weapons culture, 
  a culture which law enforcement and legislation seem unable 
  to stamp out. Why is this so? What is it in our society that 
  causes such a reliance on the gun? Where does this attitude 
  spring from? I cannot claim to have the answers to these ques-
  tions but, hopefully, I can in some small way make the situation 
  clearer.
  Our isolation, our lack of knowledge and our lack of aware-
  ness of self are all contributory factors in our violent culture. 
  When The Shift occurred, a change so vast was wrought that 
  we are still living within its consequences. The Bombardment, 
  now an event of legend and folk story caused even greater 
  disruption and dislocation. These two events were the defining, 
  shaping points of history for The City. In fact, it is with these 
  two events that our history begins as the devastation of The 
  Shift and The Bombardment stole the knowledge that was 
  once ours. You history lecturers will have gone over in detail 
  the immense loss of knowledge that occurred as a result. We 
  have only fragmentary records of that time, mainly transcrip-
  tion of oral testimonies given by survivors. They are incomplete 
  and at times incoherent.  The violent birth of our society filters 
  down today, through the centuries. We are the inheritors of a 
  whirlwind of chaos.
  This leads me to 
  our current situ-
  ation, the isola-
  tion which we 
  face every day. 
  An aeon ago, 
  we may have 
  been able to 
  leave The City, 
  to roam far and 
  wide, perhaps 
  even to the stars. 
  Yet now we are 
  trapped within 
  this urban maze, 
  victims of events 
  we can barely 
  comprehend, let 
  alone understand. All who attempt to leave this place are 
  destroyed by the fire from above, from the legendary 'Iron 
  Ring' which surrounds us. Trapped, isolated, breeding and 
  expanding on top of one another, our frustrations as a soci-
  ety must be given vent. Violence rears its ugly head on every 
  canal corner, in every building, in every room. Our hatred of 
  The Shift, of what it has caused to happen to us is given form 
  by violence. We have a collective anxiety about our situation. 
  We fear the unknown, we fear the power of the macrocorps, 
  we fear our neighbours and our colleagues.  
  As a people, we have no heritage, other than that which has 
  been created since The Shift. We have no true sense of self, 
  who are we, where do we come from, who were our ances-
  tors before the shift? Even though we have been trapped 
  here, evolving for a thousand years, we still crave the knowl-
  edge which can never be ours. The Shifted walk amongst us, 
  the precepts 34
  
  yet they refuse to provide any useful information. Scientists in 
  this very building probe the secrets of The Shift, at risk to their 
  own lives, and yet we still remain ignorant of the basic facts 
  of our existence.
  So why is the gun the symbol of our home? For all the reasons 
  given above, we live in fear. Some feel it to a greater extent 
  than others, some only feel it in the depths of sleep, but we 
  all feel it at some time in our lives. Hence, weapons are seen 
  as devices through which we can protect ourselves from the 
  fear. Unarmed, we are defenceless against fear. Armed, we 
  have something to strike back against the fear. This fear takes 
  many forms: The Shifted, criminals, employers, neighbours. 
  All can be objects of fear and all must, by our own standards, 
  be warded against.
  Yet, the gun remains symbolic of other factors. The most com-
  mon weapon you will see on the streets is the sparklock, a 
  weapon easily manufactured, easily maintained and diaboli-
  cally dangerous, the perfect symbol of our city. The common 
  criminals carry these weapons as tools of their trade. Status 
  is achieved through better weapons. Gang leaders, powerful 
  underworld figures and crime lords will all strive to have the 
  most expensive, high technology gun they can find. Purloined 
  macrocorporate weapons are immensely popular for their 
  level of advancement and sheer technical artistry when 
  compared to the common sparklock. Men and women will 
  openly display these firearms (in the more lawless areas, at 
  least) as badges of honour, wealth and importance. Like the 
  citizens of Lucent Heights use their property to display their 
  wealth and power, like the macrocorps use their domains as 
  displays of influence, so these people use their weapons as 
  their own display.
  It is now easy to see why weapons are so endemic in our 
  home. My findings can be summarised thus:
  1) Our lack of self-knowledge and our ignorance of the 
  events of the past contributes to a climate of fear.
  2) We feel that we must strike out at the sources of that fear, 
  and hence must have a weapon to achieve this.
  3) The gun is a symbol of wealth and status. As the vast 
  majority of the population lives on a low technology baseline, 
  a hitech firearm is a symbol of wealth and power.
  From these three simple points we can see how the violent, 
  gun-obsessed culture which surrounds us has developed over 
  the decades. Unless the basic causes of this obsession are 
  acted upon, the situation can only continue to get worse. 
  Despite the bolstering factors which give some limited sense 
  of order to our society, we can only slide further into chaos 
  and dissolution if we do not make checks on the spiral of 
  violence which threatens to engulf us.
  Think on how you can effect change, even on the smallest 
  scale. I know that many of you carry arms to classes every 
  day, if only to protect yourselves from the predations of the 
  criminal underclass. I would urge you to cease this practice, 
  to walk the streets with a confident air. We, as an intellectual 
  elite must make the first moves. We are the leaders of society, 
  its opinion formers, its motivators. If we attempt to change 
  things for the good, to make life that little bit better, then 
  society as a whole can benefit. I urge you to think on this, to 
  draw conclusions and to act. Thank you."
  COUNTER/CULTURe: Gangs and criminals
  The City has its fair share (some would say more than fair 
  share) of gangs and the problems associated with them. 
  There have been gangs in The City since The Bombardment 
  (and possibly before that) but the problem has become 
  steadily worse over the centuries. Gangs can be divided into 
  differing classes according to their motivations and patterns 
  of operation. Here follows the classifications as used by the 
  TCMA Provosts Gang Control Unit.
  The most commonly encountered type of gang is the turf 
  gang, one which lays claim to an area of the city and 
  defends it with violence or subterfuge. The Provosts alone 
  have seventy six such gangs registered on their files but 
  there are far many more who are too small or too clever to 
  be noticed by the cops. The more exclusive areas are no-go 
  areas for gangs as the militant organisations and corpora-
  tions fiercely protect their interests, and those of the citizenry 
  at large. Fighting between neighbouring gangs can become 
  extremely violent, especially if one is trying to muscle in on 
  another's territory. A large number of the turf gangs are also 
  involved in small time crime, mostly drugs, protection rackets 
  and muggings. However, some gangs actively protect the 
  people who live in their territory without resorting to extorting 
  money from them. This sense of community pride is unusual 
  but nevertheless exists in some areas of the city. Most notable 
  of these 'protectionist' gangs are the Nightjackers from Shore 
  Ditch Warrens who regularly fight with the extremely violent 
  Drot from Burningfell to stop them from increasing their territo-
  ry into the 'Warrens. Violent crime in the 'Warrens is rare due 
  to the Nightjackers' habit of beating up or maiming muggers, 
  rapists and robbers who decide (unwisely) to ply their trade 
  in the area. The gang makes its money from drug dealing 
  (soft drugs only, most of the time) and by selling information 
  collected through its network of members and informants. 
  Supremacist gangs are a phenomenon grown from The Shift 
  and The Bombardment that has refused to go away and the
  the precepts 35
  
  supremacist gangs can be liable to commit violence against 
  anyone for no apparent reason. They stay well away from 
  the big syndicates and live in mortal fear of the 3rds. Most of 
  these gangs are merely a disorganised rabble with no name 
  or proper territory, but there are a few large, well-organised 
  supremacist gangs based in and around Fogwarren and 
  south of Basin.
  In the poorer 
  areas, brightly 
  attired troops 
  of 
  youths 
  race 
  downs 
  the canals on 
  skiffs, 
  bran-
  dishing clubs 
  and 
  knives 
  and 
  gener-
  ally causing 
  mayhem. This 
  'chaseganger' 
  culture 
  has 
  spread across 
  The 
  City 
  with the rise 
  in 
  popular-
  ity of home-
  made 
  films 
  popularising 
  their antics, often portray the chasegangers as glamorous 
  and heroic. For most of the chasegangs in The City, it is 
  organised ekranoplan racing which provides their inspiration 
  and many try to imitate popular racers and customise their 
  boats to resemble vehicles from their favourite team. Most of 
  these gangs dress in bright colours, often with AGERL team 
  logos on the back of their jackets or on their (rare) helmets. 
  Each gang appropriates a different logo (some gangs 
  inventing their own) for itself, this becoming the mark of the 
  gang, rather than having any official gang colours. Gangs 
  symbols are also displayed from pennants mounted on masts 
  attached to their boats, a distinctive symbol appropriated 
  from the racing leagues. 
  Chasegangs tend to cause mayhem on the canals but very 
  rarely indulge in deadly acts unless it is between two gangs. 
  They tend to favour hand weapons which can be used to 
  smash vehicles and people while travelling at speed, utilising 
  anything from hammers to home-made swords and morning 
  stars are used.
  Some gangs defy classification, usually stemming from some 
  form of subculture or alternative groups. Some have links to 
  a variety of religious or quasi-religious groups, whilst oth-
  ers have connections to business interests. It is a source of 
  much speculation regarding the use of street gangs by the 
  macrocorps. Some say that this is simply another bit of folk-
  lore, others claim that the macrocorps make extensive use of 
  streetgangs to subjugate and control populations in certain 
  areas. Indeed, there may be some truth in this, as gangs in 
  areas such as the Gorunna controlled Merryhell do seem to 
  be unusually well-equipped and well-informed.
  In the Three Canals area the Provosts answer to the gang 
  problem is increasing use of CATCH teams in anti-gang opera-
  tions, particularly against the more violent turf gangs. It seems 
  though, that the gangs and law enforcers are stalemated, with 
  the situation set to continue for a long time to come.
  THE SHIFTED
  Mysterious? Misunderstood? Monstrous? The Shifted who 
  inhabit The City are all of these, and more. Where they came 
  from, none can truly say. What they want, no one has the 
  answers for. Suffice to say, there is no group in The City more 
  hated, reviled and mistrusted than The Shifted. 
  Shortly after The Shift and The Bombardment, the shell-
  shocked, terror-crazed inhabitants of The City began to 
  notice strange new shadows and hear incomprehensible 
  new voices. Ghastly figures stalked the alleys and prowled 
  the streets. No one could pin down exactly what was wrong 
  or what was causing these manifestations. In the chaos 
  which abounded, most of the reports were discounted as 
  the ravings of starving lunatics. Yet, as time wore on and The 
  City began to haul itself into some semblance of normality, 
  people began to take the tales and stories more seriously. 
  Efforts were made to investigate sightings and discover the 
  truth behind these horrific folk stories. Then the truth dawned. 
  Humanity was no longer the sole inhabitant of The City.
  Since the dawning of realisation, The Shifted have been iden-
  tified and classified into numerous groups. While only a small 
  percentage of the population can say with any confidence 
  that they have encountered a Shifted being (apart from the 
  ubiquitous Simils), they are a real fact of life. From reports, 
  sightings, and horrific evidence, mankind has pieced togeth-
  er fragmentary knowledge of these beings and learned 
  something about their behaviour and existence.
  the precepts 36
  
  Dealing with The Shifted
  To all intents and purposes, the motivations and goals of 
  The Shifted are totally incomprehensible to humankind. If a 
  Shifted being is heard to speak, it is, to the casual listener, a 
  relentless babble of noise. Some of the creatures have been 
  heard to speak in human tongues, yet even then their speech 
  is beyond the realms of understanding. Jumbled words and 
  fractured sentences pour from between their lips (if, indeed, 
  they have lips). Some have, to a greater or lesser extent, 
  attempted to deal with The Shifted, to make pacts and alli-
  ances. In some cases, these appear to have been moderately 
  successful. In other cases, they have resulted in violence and 
  death. 
  Theories on The Shifted
  Different groups across The City have widely varying views 
  on The Shifted. Those who believe in the tenets of the Third 
  Church of God The Architect view The Shifted as the minions 
  of the Great Demolisher, out to destroy the work which God 
  in His wisdom has wrought. Various sects of the Church 
  actively attempt to fight the Shifted, tracking them down and 
  destroying them. Admittedly, their schemes have met with 
  little success, yet they continue to pursue their efforts with 
  unabated vigour. The most easily dispatched are, surpris-
  ingly, the Simils. Captured Simils are fed into furnaces and 
  melted down; their component parts reduced to iron ingots 
  that the Church buries in crypts and catacombs. Efforts to 
  destroy other Shifted beings have met with less success. 
  Church Lay Reserves Martial units have often been torn apart 
  trying to capture or destroy an Ubel, a fact which seems to 
  little hinder their enthusiasm for the chase.
  Perhaps the most sensible views on Shifted beings come 
  from the Shift Studies Faculty (SSF) of Longshore University. 
  Endowed with massive funds and utilising some of the best 
  scientific brains in The City, they probe the very nature of The 
  Shift and the beings which it threw up. The best guess of the 
  SSF is that the Shifted were brought here from somewhere else, 
  although where that somewhere else is (or  was), they seem 
  unwilling or unable to say. Of all organisations attempting 
  to enter some sort of meaningful dialogue with The Shifted, 
  they have met with the most success. According to University 
  rumour, members of the SSF have actually entered into con-
  versation with Lugner and Ubel. What these 'conversations' 
  revealed, the Faculty has not yet said. However, it seems that if 
  any one group of people is going to penetrate the true nature 
  of The Shifted, the Shift Studies Faculty will be that group.
  A third source of speculation on these beings is the folklore 
  and rumour which permeates The City like a fog. Pervasive 
  rumours state that The Shifted are in fact the spirits of all 
  those who died during The Shift and The Bombardment. The 
  story goes that they have been brought back to life, to haunt 
  The City and take vengeance for lives cut dramatically short. 
  Other folk tales insist that The Shifted are the product of 
  horrific experiments carried out by the macrocorps in years 
  gone by. All of the macrocorps stoutly deny any involvement 
  in either The Shift or the beings which arose after it. Those 
  who shout too loudly about this theory are quietly disposed 
  of, adding even more grist to the rumour mill. The last of the 
  more common folklore theories is one of the oddest and least 
  well regarded. Some say that The Shifted are in fact beings 
  from beyond The City, maybe from even further beyond. 
  This particular theory states that they were not created by 
  The Shift but they themselves created The Shift for their own 
  ends. 
  Suffice to say, until things are proven one way or the other, 
  the competing theories and beliefs will continually war 
  against each other for dominance. 
  The Shifted Races
  Below you will find the extent of common knowledge on the 
  five most frequently encountered Shifted beings.
  Drache
  Insubstantial, seemingly nothing more than a vague, shimmer-
  ing haze in the air, Drache are the least understood of The 
  Shifted, mainly because they have no physical aspect which 
  humankind can relate to. Gazing upon a Drache causes the 
  eyes to twist, vision to blur and pain to explode inside the 
  head of the viewer. They seem to be a species which was 
  never designed to be gazed upon by human eyes. Careful 
  research has discovered that Drache can control small 
  electrical currents and manipulate electrical fields. Hence, 
  the Drache are viewed as the cause of most of the cases of 
  'possession' in The City. There have been documented cases 
  of criminals being shot dead in the act of committing a foul 
  crime, only for those who stand witness to see a faint shimmer 
  depart from the body at the time of death. Reliable individu-
  als will swear to have seen some people surrounded by a 
  faint haze which is painful to look at. While undoubtedly 
  some of the incidences are acts of imaginative fancy, it is cer-
  tain that Drache are responsible for some of these events.
  hager
  Tall, powerful, appearing from the dark and fog to kidnap 
  and assassinate. Even in the rarefied circles of studying The 
  Shifted, precious little is known about the Hager. Tales circu-
  late of their immunity to bullets, their massive strength and 
  the precepts 37
  
  utter ruthlessness. Many disappearances are attributed to 
  the predations of Hager, but few can be proven. Physically, 
  they are tremendously imposing, standing seven feet tall with 
  a sculpted musculature beneath their all enveloping black 
  garments. Their heads are featureless ovoids of pale, almost 
  white, flesh. Their exposed hands are similarly featureless, six 
  fingered, long and slender, without the knuckles and joints 
  which characterise human hands. Hager never seem to travel 
  alone, unlike other Shifted entities. They are always seen in 
  groups of three or four. Reliable witnesses are, however, rare, 
  for a visitation by Hager is seldom a time of joy.
  Lugner
  Lugner are seldom seen, but often heard. Of all The Shifted, 
  they appear most adept at utilising human language for their 
  own mysterious ends. Rumours and whispers appear from 
  nowhere. Citizens lying in their beds hear strange voices 
  in their ears, whispering terrible things. Those who claim to 
  have seen the physical manifestation of the Lugner describe 
  them as squat beings, almost obese, with pallid skin and 
  puffy pink lips. Scientists working at Longshore University 
  have theorised that the sole purpose of the Lugner is to 
  spread dissent and misinformation. Why they do this, no one 
  can truly say.
  Simils
  By far and away the most common of Shifted beings, Simils 
  present an aspect to the world which seems radically at odds 
  with the other Shifted races. Walking juggernauts of iron, 
  brass, glass and stone, they tramp about The City, emitting 
  sparks and gouts of steam. The most disturbing aspect of a 
  Simil is its head: a human head. Seemingly impaled upon 
  the mechanical construction which is the rest of the Simil, 
  the head is that of a dead man or woman. Some have run 
  screaming from certain Simils, fearing that they recognise 
  certain features in the twisted face which looks out upon the 
  world. The face of many Simils are horrific to look upon, rav-
  aged by pain and frustration. Others present an altogether 
  more calm outlook, a calm so unnatural is highly disturbing. 
  However, such is the strength of the Simils, they are common-
  ly found labouring in hazardous environments, working for 
  bizarre payments such as dolls, plants or photographs. Why 
  they choose to do this, it is, again, one of the mysteries of The 
  Shift. Suffice to say, they 
  seem to be the only Shifted 
  beings who will actually 
  work for humankind, sell-
  ing their services to who-
  ever will pay them. Some 
  gangs have taken to using 
  these metal giants as hired 
  muscle, relying on their 
  strength and the fear that 
  they inspire to defeat their 
  opponents. In some cases, 
  they have been hired as 
  soldiers. In the Hundred 
  Block War, Hirplakker 
  hired many hundreds of 
  Simils as 'suicide' troops in 
  their fight against Arclight. 
  Their lack of regard for 
  their own physical bodies 
  allowed them to wade through fields of fire which would dec-
  imate even the toughest and best equipped human troops. 
  Ubel
  Of all The Shifted, it is perhaps the Ubel who are most 
  feared by the common populace. Many of the most horrific 
  killings and brutal murders have been attributed to Ubel and 
  it is because of the frequency of these acts that Ubel are 
  amongst the best documented of The Shifted. Sightings are 
  relatively commonplace, the unlucky viewers always giving 
  the same description: horrible, creaking beings, apparently 
  with skeletons of rotting wood, strung with sinew and muscle, 
  cloaked with tattered black rags. They are always reported 
  as carrying rusted black iron blades, with which they slice 
  and chop at their victims, all the while gibbering in their own 
  language. On very rare occasions, Ubel have been captured 
  and place in the most secure of detention cells. Here, they 
  slam themselves against the walls, raving and screaming. 
  After a period of incarceration, despite constant watches, 
  they always simply disappear into nothingness. 
  the precepts 38
  
  THE LOST PLACES
  A lone man walks down a darkened alley, never to emerge 
  on the other side.
  An emaciated dog runs from nowhere into the middle of a 
  crowded street.
  Children scrabbling in cellars and basements, playing to 
  blank out the misery of existence, find one of their friends 
  gone. Forever.
  Squads of heavily armed troops disappear while on patrol, 
  their screams faintly floating on the breeze.
  Half heard voices from nowhere, partial glimpses from the 
  corner of an eye.
  These are the Lost Places.
  Even those who are wise in the ways of The City fear some 
  places. Most feared are the Lost Places. Only whispered 
  about on the streets or glimpsed in nightmares, the Lost 
  Places are one of the mysteries of The Shift, places that are 
  difficult to find and impossible to leave.
  Some alleys, courtyards, cellars and even whole buildings 
  appear on no map and reside in no memory. They are only 
  stumbled upon by the unfortunate, the desperate or the mad. 
  These are the parts of The City worst affected by The Shift, 
  parts that were twisted and torn by the changes which The 
  Shift wrought. No scientist can explain the nature of the Lost 
  Places, they merely shrug their shoulders and turn away, 
  afraid of what they may find if they look deeper.
  Finding a Lost Place is a formidable task, you may only stum-
  ble upon one. For a moment, things seem familiar, but then 
  you realise you must have taken a wrong turning, be on the 
  wrong street. Then truth closes in. Buildings in these places 
  seem to loom closer in, they appear to be more threatening. 
  Alleys are tighter and more twisted, cellars more dank and 
  dingy. It is here where The Shifted are at their most powerful. 
  Overhead, the sky is pure black without a hint of colour. 
  Even aerial photography will not reveal the location of a Lost 
  Place, they remain hidden from sight. Once the casual visitor 
  is within, there is only one way out: the exact way you came 
  in. Any other routes will simply bring you right back to where 
  you started. Entering a Lost Place can be as simple as step-
  ping slightly to the side when entering a courtyard, it can be 
  as complex as winding through a maze of dark tunnels. 
  Some of these places are recollected in myth and legend. 
  Torture Lane, supposedly a place of unimaginable pain and 
  suffering. Corner Alley, a twisting nightmare which can drive 
  even the sanest, most rational man to the brink of madness. 
  These are only two of the legends. Two out of a myriad of folk 
  tales. Those who claim to have visited a Lost Place are usually 
  discounted as insane, not an unreasonable viewpoint given 
  the state in which these alleged victims are found. 
  Some have gone so far as to question The Shifted about the 
  Lost Places, seeking arcane knowledge which may give them 
  power over others. Allegedly, no answers have ever been 
  forthcoming. Even the more 'talkative', of The Shifted remain 
  tight-lipped (in those occasions where they are seen to have 
  lips).
  A Sense Of Common Indecency (Part 3)
  The worst place in the world? It's where you are 
  now.
  It's never pleasant to stagger down a stairwell scabbed with 
  blood and gore. The desiccated remnants of past battles, 
  battles fought nose to nose with knives and sharpened 
  spades. It's easy to sense the despair and confusion of these 
  skirmishes in the gloom. I really don't know how some of the 
  lights in here still work! Must be a generator buried some-
  where. Every so often gunfire echoes from far away, usually 
  accompanied by running feet and plaintive screaming. This 
  must be the worst place in the world. 
  Things were getting tight for the Simils. At some of the corners, 
  they could barely squeeze their metallic bulks round, scrap-
  ing and scratching on the pitted concrete. It's the disturbing 
  sense of calm which they radiate. It's really beginning to put 
  the frights up me. Through the twisting, bronchial maze we 
  trekked, never out of range of the sounds. Sometimes they 
  were closer, at other times they were almost inaudible. But 
  they were always there. These weren't sounds created by 
  men, but by animals masquerading as men. After the first 
  few minutes in this place, my sense of smell had, thankfully, 
  ceased to function, yet it came back like a punch between the 
  eyes when we crawled into the next chamber.
  It loomed far overhead, a massive cylindrical space lit by 
  two flickering, faltering lamps nailed into the scabbed walls. 
  The floor gently dropped away, forming a great bowl into 
  the precepts 39
  
  which all sorts of putrid ordure had gathered, channelled by 
  conduits and dripping from the walls. But it was the collec-
  tion of wretches clustered around the fetid pool that almost 
  caused me to flee right back to the safety of Mire End. They 
  had probably been soldiers at one point; maybe even some 
  of the first troops sent to defend this place. What they were 
  now was a joke. How they remained alive was a mystery. 
  Severed limbs had been replaced with crude simulacra 
  fashioned from wood, string and scrap metal. Their skins 
  were uniformly rotted and decayed, black in some places, 
  grey and pallid in others. Most were eyeless, all were clad in 
  scraps of cloth and sheeting. They drank from the putrid pool 
  in the centre of the room, sometimes vomiting the contents of 
  their stomachs back into the liquid, to mix with the already 
  diseased vileness.
  The surface of the pool shimmered with a deeply unhealthy 
  blackness. Like a scar in the reality, liquid flesh over an other-
  world of awfulness. High, high above me was a tiny point of 
  light, barely visible. God, this must go all the way to the roof 
  of The Silo. How deep are we? A croaking wail emitted from 
  the nearest of the figures. He (she?) pushed upright on arms 
  knotted with pustules and boils, questing with pits long bereft 
  of eyes. "Ghoo zag agonn?" Bloody hell, the damn thing 
  could still speak. "Ummm. I'm, aaaa, looking for..." Words 
  quite honestly failed me. What could I say that could make 
  any sense to something that must be destroyed by madness? 
  "Hooarch kor ummmin?" I guessed this was some kind of 
  interrogative remark, or possibly just deranged ramblings. 
  The figure crawled towards me. The Simils crowded the 
  entranceway behind me, leaving me nowhere to go. Blast! Its 
  hands grasped at my boots, feeling for my breeches, claw-
  ing towards my waist. For the first time in years I was rooted 
  to the ground with a horrid sense of loathing and fear. Pity 
  did not even enter the equation. It found what it was looking 
  for. My gun. Cooing like a baby, a strange, almost calming 
  sound, it caressed the barrel, lightly tracing the metallic out-
  lines, as if committing the shape to memory. Looking down 
  into the pits that once held eyes, into the grotesquely changed 
  face of what had once been a fellow man (or woman?), I 
  realised what it wanted. Like all of us in the place, it wanted 
  release. My life as a Lostfinder has been spent looking for 
  things which have gone. This wretch wanted the peace which 
  it had been denied. To do any less would have been failing 
  in the oath I swore to myself all those years past. 
  The detonation echoed round and round the chamber, spiral-
  ling upwards like sonic smoke. Other figures stirred, crawled, 
  wailed and scrabbled. 
  "Kill them. Now. All of them."
  Maybe the Simils understood the pain and suffering, maybe 
  they were just following the orders of their employer. Who 
  knows? They did their job, quickly and efficiently. When it 
  was over, I'm sure none of us felt any better.
  The sword of truth is blunted by time. Lies are a 
  razor.
  We found her at last, following the instructions Lockkstar had 
  given me. Huddled in the corner of a pump room, behind 
  shattered pipework, lying in a puddle of urine and filth. In 
  all honesty, I should have felt some satisfaction. Suffice to 
  say, I didn't. Seldom have I taken on jobs to pay off a debt 
  and I'll be damned if I do it again. A dull concussive thump 
  came down through the concrete, dust trickled down from 
  the ceiling.
  "Artillery." Intoned one of the Simils.
  "Really? Must have been a fucking big shell to be felt down 
  here."
  "Mortar."
  "Brilliant. That's what I need right now, a discussion on siege 
  artillery." For the first time, I realised exactly how menacing 
  the Simils looked in the dim, wan light. How they fitted in here. 
  As if they were a part of the place.
  "Anyway, lets get her bundled up and get out of here, shall 
  we?"
  Entropy is now declared obsolete. We no longer 
  need rules.
  Sitting in Wittens Emporium ("Serving Folly Hills For Over Fifty 
  Years. And No Deaths Yet!"), sipping some java and brows-
  ing the Mire End Tribune ("Local News For Local People") , 
  the events of recent days seem strangely distant, like a tale 
  related by someone you don't really like and would rather 
  not be with. The wound is healing nicely and Shroden the 
  radical herbalist stopped the alarming spread of some rather 
  nasty infections. It would be all to easy to slip back into the 
  semi-comfortable way of life, unchanged by experience. 
  Somehow, I do not feel that will be easy. Or desirable. What 
  we witness changes us. If it changes us for the better, making 
  us stronger, more human or more thoughtful, then that can 
  only be a good thing. On reflection, though, was it worth it?
  All that to rescue a stolen pet dog.
  the precepts 40
  
  the place
  "Nah, don't care me. Got me boat, got me gun, 
  got me shivs. Fine, I am. Nothing scares me, not 
  a thing. I see one of those Ubel, I spit in his eye. 
  Shifted? It's all just madness. Me, I got me own 
  thinking on that. S'all just a big things those macros 
  got goin'. All this Shift stuff, just a big gag, keep the 
  locals frighted. Blokes in suits wi' knives is all. None 
  of it's real. All a con, if you ask me. Which you did. 
  Now, about that  shilling…."
  'Mudjack', Nomad/Boatperson, Least Canal South.
  
  the place 42
  Burghs
  1. 
  Bankside
  2. 
  Brightlights
  3. 
  Calculus Tor
  4. 
  Clearwater Break
  5. 
  Colsetter Parish 
  6. 
  Dog Junction
  7. 
  Dreamingspires
  8. 
  Fogwarren
  9. 
  Folly Hills 
  10. 
  Hangside
  11. 
  Long Pond
  12. 
  Lucent Heights
  13. 
  Merryhell
  14. 
  Mire End 
  15. 
  Project 97 
  16. 
  Shore Ditch Warrens
  Industrial Areas
  17. 
  Burningfell
  18. 
  Deepdown
  19. 
  The Train
  Macrocorporate Domains
  20. 
  The Cathedral
  21. 
  The Forbidden City
  22. 
  The Iron Bastion
  23. 
  Konkret
  24. 
  Luminosity Tower
  25. 
  The Powerhouse
  26. 
  Trenevier
  Notable Buildings
  27. 
  CrossBar Terminus
  28. 
  Inferno
  29. 
  Longshore University
  Other Areas
  30. 
  The Brackens
  31. 
  The Contested Grounds
  32. 
  The Forest
  33. 
  Smokey Mountain
  
  Within this chapter, you will find details on thirty-three different 
  areas of The City. Each description provides an overview of 
  what the place is like, any security or military presence that the 
  area may have, a highlighted location within the area and a 
  highlighted personality for the area. 
  The chapter is sub-divided into the following parts:
  The Passing Of Time: How the minutes, days, months and 
  years pass in The City.
  The Bliss Of Ignorance: Give details on some of the more 
  common drugs that the citizens of The City use. 
  Sound & Fury: A short essay on language in The City, cover-
  ing the three main forms as well as a selection of dialects.
  Flora & Fauna: Not only does The City teem with human 
  life, it also teems with plant and animal life. Yet, only the hardi-
  est can survive in this harsh landscape, giving rise to strange, 
  sometimes incomprehensible plants and animals.
  Burghs: These are areas which are primarily used for dwell-
  ing, shopping, working and all the other activities associated 
  with everyday life. They can vary in size from a few blocks to 
  many square miles. 
  Industrial Areas: These are areas dominated by manufactur-
  ing, mining, engineering and other industrial processes. While 
  many people do live within industrial areas (in Burningfell, for 
  example), they are mainly given over to industry.
  Macrocorporate Domains: Headquarters of the 
  macrocorps, these areas are imposing, even threatening 
  places. They reflect the ethos and personality of the company 
  that dwells within. You will notice that while there are eight 
  macrocorps, there are only seven domains. This is due to the 
  fact that I-LOK does not have anything which could reasonably 
  recognised as a domain.
  Notable Buildings: Particularly large, impressive, ancient or 
  interesting buildings that deserve highlighting and description. 
  Other Areas: This section covers any areas which do not 
  easily fall into any of the above categories.
  The Passing of time
  A year in The City is composed of ten months, each month 
  consisting of thirty three days and each day consists of 25 
  hours of sixty minutes each. Months, days and hours are 
  simply referred to by their numbers, nobody has gone to the 
  trouble of devising specific names for them. However, the 
  year is also divided into five two month seasons named Cold 
  (1st and 2nd months of the year), Mist (3rd and 4th months 
  of the year), Burn (5th and 6th months of the year), Damp  
  (7th and 8th and months of the year) and Freeze (9th and 
  10th months of the year). The most common system of count-
  ing the years is to take the alleged time of The Shift as a base-
  line and numbering from then on. Consequently, the current 
  year is 997, with the time of The Shift being Year Zero.
  For the vast majority of the inhabitants of  The City, time is not 
  a massively important feature in their lives. They live accord-
  ing to when they have to go to work, when they have a day 
  off, when it’s time to eat. Actually taking note of what day it 
  is seems rather pointless, especially when most days drag by 
  in a dull repetition of those which have gone before. Those 
  who feel the need keep track of the day of the month and 
  what year it is through various means. Holographic displays 
  (if you are that wealthy), water clocks, steam timepieces 
  and mechanical watches all have their part to play in keep-
  ing those who need to know in the know. For example, if 
  you had to meet someone in front of Luminosity Tower at a 
  given time, you would arrange to meet them at, for example, 
  18.35/15/5/997. 18.35 represents the time of day (in this 
  case thirty five minutes past the eighteenth hour of the day), 
  15 represents the fifteenth day of the month, 5 represents the 
  month itself and 997 tells you what year it is.
  The Bliss Of Ignorance: Drugs In The City
  Writer's Note: This section is about drugs in the context of a 
  fictional game world. These are not real drugs, this is only a 
  game. Drug use within the context of the game is up to indi-
  vidual GMs and players. It is a common part of life in The 
  City, an avenue of escape for those living with untold horror. 
  We do not condone or condemn the use of drugs in the real 
  world and do not attempt to make any judgements on those 
  who choose to take any form of drug.
  Escape from the horror of life in The City is foremost in the minds 
  of many citizens. Some choose the solace of religion, some turn 
  in upon themselves and vast armies choose the blissful comforts 
  of drugs. The scale of drug taking in The City is completely 
  unknown, suffice to say that is extremely widespread, common 
  in all levels of society. From the casual nebelweed smoker to 
  the pitiful scrape addict dying from his infections, drug users 
  can be seen on almost every street corner. This dependence on 
  chemical dreams has led to the conspicuous wealth of certain 
  criminal organisations, who tap into a rich vein of profit by 
  manufacturing, buying and selling drugs. 
  the place 43
  
  Most of the more commonly available drugs are manufac-
  tured from the indigenous plant or animal life of The City, 
  grown in greenhouses or harvested from the streets, a whole 
  spectrum of narcotic satisfaction is available. Other, normally 
  more powerful or obscure, drugs require greater ingenuity to 
  synthesize, ingenuity which is beyond the reach of the aver-
  age peddler. In the shadowy recesses of commercial labs, 
  chemists and pharmacologists turn a blind eye to the produc-
  tion of addictive substances, preferring to live a quiet life and 
  avoid rocking the boat.
  Edge
  Popular with those who seek greater clarity, Edge has the 
  effect of temporarily improving perception and, some say, 
  increasing creative ability. This may help to explain its wide 
  use amongst artists, writers, poets and the like as well as 
  with macrocorporate managers seeking to focus on given 
  tasks.
  Method of Consumption: Pill
  Effects: Heightens sensory awareness, improves clarity of 
  surroundings, possibly increases creative ability.
  Addictive Potential: Mild potential for physical addiction, 
  moderate potential for psychological addiction.
  Escape
  A powerful hallucinogenic, escape is the drug of choice for 
  those who really want to forget about the awfulness of their 
  lives. Moments after consumption, the user begins to descend 
  into an alternative world, a world under the control of their 
  subconscious. If the user is relaxed, then the journey into their 
  own personal fantasy land is most likely to be pleasurable, if 
  somewhat strange. If they are tense, nervous or worried, then 
  the journey can become a nightmare of horrific proportions.
  Method of Consumption: Pill
  Effects: As described above, an intense hallucinatory expe-
  rience.
  Addictive Potential: Moderate potential for physical 
  addiction and a mild potential for psychological addiction.
  Nebelweed
  The single most commonly consumed drug (if you discount 
  alcohol) in The City, nebelweed grows in pavement cracks, 
  up walls and along canals. Anywhere moist and dull (which 
  means almost everywhere in The City) will support the 
  growth of this hardy, tenacious plant. It grows at an alarming 
  rate and it seems that only the speedy harvesting of the plant 
  for smoking purposes prevents The City being swamped in 
  greenery. Nebelweed is cheap, as you can go out and col-
  lect it yourself. Only specially grown, more powerful variants 
  command any kind of price in the retail market.
  Method of Consumption: Normally dried then smoked 
  in a pipe or rolled in paper.
  Effects: An overall sensation of calm, with a slight unsteadi-
  ness on the feet if too much is smoked.
  Addictive Potential: Very, very mild potential for physical 
  addiction with a mild potential for psychological addiction.
  Scrape
  Horrifying in its ultimate effects, scrape is nevertheless a popu-
  lar, powerful narcotic which always seems to have a market for 
  new users. Nobody is very sure who first developed scrape, 
  yet it is easily manufactured with the right equipment. The 
  major side effect of the drug is a progressive thinning of the 
  skin which causes the user to scratch almost uncontrollably. As 
  the addict uses more and more of the drug, the skin becomes 
  thinner and thinner and the scratching more intense.
  This leads to open sores, infections, blood poisoning and, ulti-
  mately, a painful death. Scrape addicts often bind themselves 
  tightly with strips of cloth to stop the scratching. However, 
  makes no difference. As the compulsion soon becomes too 
  strong, culminating in a slow, agonising death.
  Method of Consumption: Can be consumed in a variety 
  of forms, injected in solution, taken orally in tablet form or, in 
  some forms, smoked.
  Effects: Intense feelings of euphoria coupled with a percep-
  tion of physical invulnerability. This lasts about ten minutes 
  before a crashing comedown which reduces the user to a 
  quivering, twitching, scratching wreck.
  Addictive Potential: Extremely high potential for physical 
  addiction. Most users become addicted after their second 
  or third hit.
  the place 44
  
  Sound & Fury: Language
  Language in The City is a many splendoured thing. From 
  three broad language groups have sprouted numerous 
  dialects, patois and tongues. From the stuttering, staccato 
  sentences of Broken, to the whispered nuances of Menace, 
  there are as many vernacular language forms in The City as 
  there are burghs.
  All language comes from three basic groups, called Common, 
  Culture and Commerce. Most citizens can speak at least two 
  of these forms fluently, or they at least can speak one flu-
  ently and have a passing knowledge of another. Common 
  is a straight forward, language, ideally suited to everyday 
  interaction, the expression of technical ideas and the process 
  of teaching. Culture, on the other hand, is a very tonal lan-
  guage, with many subtle variations but a somewhat limited 
  vocabulary. It finds use in the arts, the writing of poetry, 
  songs and plays. Lastly, there comes Commerce, a gutteral 
  language, harsh and didactic, mainly used by traders, sales-
  men and those engaged in any form of commercial activity. 
  Between the three main language groups, there are some 
  points of similarity and over the decades, some words have 
  been transposed between the languages. The vast, vast 
  majority of people can speak Common with a fair level of 
  fluency, followed by Commerce, with Culture bringing up the 
  rear, as it is most frequently used by the upper and middle 
  classes.
  Each of the language groups can be further broken down 
  into the various dialects and tongues which have sprung up 
  around The City. Many burghs will have expressions and 
  forms which are unique to them, whilst some professions 
  have their own dialects, which, while spread across The City, 
  are almost exclusively used by members of a profession, 
  organisation or society. Some of the more common dialects 
  are as follows:
  Broken: Seemingly designed to get the maximum amount 
  of meaning into the shortest possible sentences, Broken is 
  a difficult tongue to speak, as it requires many of the tonal 
  skills associated with Culture, even though it is descended 
  from Common. Broken is not encountered very frequently 
  and is most often used by Nomads and boatpeople living 
  on the canals. Common speakers will find it very difficult to 
  understand what is being said.
  Cant: An offshoot of Culture, Cant is the high language of 
  the Third Church of God The Architect. While most sermons 
  to the laity are delivered in Common, discussions amongst 
  ordained members are carried out in Cant. It is a flowing, 
  smooth dialect and one which fluent Culture speakers can fol-
  low to a certain extent, although they may miss out on many 
  of its subtleties and specific meanings.
  Electrospeak: The internal language of the Ancient and 
  Honourable Guild of Fulgurators, Electrospeak is full of 
  technical details, scientific expressions and particular slang 
  which has developed over a period of centuries. Only ever 
  encountered within the Guild, it requires not only the learn-
  ing of another language but also the learning of a complex 
  lexicon of technical expressions linked to the business of the 
  Guild.
  Fighting Talk: Favoured by ghostfighters, soldiers, scops 
  and other combat professionals, Fighting Talk is a clipped, 
  sharp dialect based on Commerce. It is spoken in very fast, 
  short sentences, with the minimum of wasted breath. Those 
  not familiar with Fighting Talk will hear it as a series of sharp 
  bursts.
  Menace: Full of low, hissing sibilants, Menace appears to 
  have grown up amongst the criminal elements in and around 
  Long Pond. It has now spread out and is generally accepted 
  as the language of criminals in the TCMAA. A variation on 
  Common, most speakers of the root language will take on 
  board about half of what is being said, the other half being 
  incomprehensible gibberish. Menace has taken some of the 
  tonal elements of Culture and a few of the more utilitarian 
  phrases and words from Commerce. 
  Flora & Fauna in The City
  Even in the harsh, polluted environment of The City, life still 
  manages to exist in all the varying ecological nooks and 
  crannies. From the mineshafts of Deepdown to the towers of 
  Dreamingspires, life thrives and survives in all its variety and 
  splendour.
  Fauna
  Bleeders: Appearing in a stunning variety of forms, bleed-
  ers appear to be descended from one root creature. All 
  bleeders are six legged, with a chitinous exoskeleton and 
  most are capable of flight. Ranging in size from tiny creatures 
  less than half an inch long, right up to beasts measuring up to 
  seven inches in length, they are a plague on the inhabitants 
  of The City. They have adapted to life in The City by utilising 
  the most plentiful food available: human blood. All bleeders, 
  large and small, have splendidly developed mouth parts, 
  the place 45
  
  designed to efficiently and quickly extract as much blood 
  as possible from their host. While the amounts of blood con-
  sumed by bleeders are small, it is the fact that they carry dis-
  ease which most terrifies the populace. Bag rot, sewer fever, 
  twitching ague and all manner of unpleasant infections are 
  carried by these parasitic creatures. Perhaps even more ter-
  rifying is the habit which bleeders have of injecting the target 
  area with fluids to prevent coagulation of the blood. These 
  fluids often play host to all manner of sickening, destructive 
  parasites, none of which are easy to remove without hitech 
  medical support. All in all, bleeders are deeply unpopular, 
  feared and endemic throughout The City.
  Dogs: Popular foodstuff, sometime pets and occasional 
  terrifying menace, dogs are to be found in every area of 
  The City, from the scrawny, diseased, feral specimens of the 
  Contested Grounds to the pampered pets of Lucent Heights, 
  dogs are the largest of the common city animals (obviously 
  discounting humans and furies). Over the generations, selec-
  tive breeding and natural evolution has turned some species 
  into fat, waddling creatures barely able to support their own 
  weight. They loll in pens and warehouses, chomping on fish 
  guts and other unsavoury foodstuffs. When their time comes, 
  they are slaughtered, their meat turned into food, their bones 
  into glue and their hair and hides into clothing. Some dogs 
  have been bred to fight or as guard dogs; squat, bull-headed 
  horrors, all massive jaws and razor claws. 
  Fish: In cages floating the canals, in massive tanks held in 
  warehouses and cellars, in vats on roofs, fish are everywhere, 
  in every size, consumed by everyone. In the polluted, turgid 
  waters of the canals, fat, bulbous, lethargic fish have been 
  bred over the centuries to feed on the pollutants, sewage 
  and rubbish which floats through the waters. They will eat 
  almost anything which is thrown to them, blinking blindly in 
  the opaque waters, swallowing anything which might serve 
  as sustenance. Famous canal breeds include the Bankside 
  Bulb, Thorsens Leaper (something of a misnomer, as it can 
  barely move, let alone leap) and Quag Eels. All of these 
  are pretty foul tasting but provide a lot of nutrition for many 
  people in The City. 
  In the more refined environments of macrocorporate tanks 
  and rooftop vats, fish of a slightly better flavour are bred. 
  Immense specimens with tiny heads and massively swollen 
  bodies loll in grubby tanks, ready to be hauled out, gutted, 
  filleted and sold to the hungry masses. Wild fish tend to be 
  bottom dwellers, all the better to avoid the millions of nets 
  and lines of city dwellers desperate for a nutritious meal. Flat, 
  skulking, dun coloured fish root amongst the silt and garbage 
  at the bottom of the canals, feeding of the detritus which drifts 
  down from above.
  Furies: Deep in old foundations, through sewers and train 
  tunnels, splashing through forgotten reservoirs, the furies 
  shamble, run and creep  the bowels of The City. The results 
  of torture, experimentation, toxins, pollution, radiation and 
  biological contamination, furies are the mutant offspring of 
  every strand of DNA in The City. No two furies are alike and 
  it is generally reckoned that they are incapable of breeding. 
  Still, they appear, ravaging slums, slaying workmen in the tun-
  nels, screaming their deformed lungs out. With some furies, 
  it’s easy to identify what they started life out as. With others, 
  it’s doubtful that even the most detailed scientific analysis 
  could determine what they once were. Some furies become 
  famous across wide areas of The City. People in Shore Ditch 
  Warrens still talk of the fury which rampaged through their 
  burgh twenty five years ago. Most observers reckoned it had 
  once been a dog, warped by the experimentation’s of some 
  demented madman, bent on creating a biological terror 
  weapon. 
  Scurts: A plague on the inhabitants of The City, scurts are 
  endemic vermin, infesting every nook, cranny and recess. 
  They are six legged creatures with a hard exoskeleton 
  covered in a rough, bristling ‘fur’. Two large and two small 
  multi-faceted eyes glare out balefully above a protruding, 
  segmented jaw lined with tiny rasping teeth. Ranging in size 
  from four to twelve inches in length, scurts destroy stocks of 
  food, carry plague and pestilence and even attempt to eat 
  the extremities of sleeping individuals. Much to the annoy-
  ance of most people, scurts aren’t even good to eat. Even 
  when pulped and turned into meal, fish refuse to eat their foul 
  smelling, bitter bodies.
  Tyrants: Wandering troubadours cluster round gas flames 
  and tell tales of the tyrants. Rumours and legends twist through 
  the minds of the people, feeding the darkest desires of men. 
  The tyrants are ghosts in The City, mere wisps of superstition 
  and fear. Many theories exist about the tyrants, some say 
  they were once men, driven underground by The Shift, never 
  to emerge into the light. Others say they are horrific creatures 
  of darkness, the most tortured and insane of the furies. Some 
  say they are noting but legend. But, sometimes, in the darkest 
  recesses of The City, down in the ancient depths where few 
  dare to tread, gigantic black shapes are seen to flit through 
  the air and skip across the vaulted roofs. 
  the place 46
  
  Flora In The City
  Worming into every crevice, climbing walls or being culti-
  vated in courtyard plots, plant life is everywhere. That having 
  been said, most of the plants which are not cultivated for 
  food are totally inedible. Indeed many of the food plants 
  taste as if they should be inedible, the result of being fertil-
  ized with raw sewage and sucking in the pollution laden air 
  of The City.
  Nebelweed: Of unknown origin, nebelweed is a tough, 
  fibrous creeper that seems to thrive in the wet cracks of wall 
  and pavements. It’s not known who discovered the narcotic 
  properties of this plant, but wild nebelweed provides a modi-
  cum of escape from reality for many citizen of The City (see 
  ‘The Bliss of Ignorance, also in this chapter, for more details 
  of the effects of nebelweed).
  Trees: Only really common in protected areas such as The 
  Forest or Central Park, majestic trees are something that 
  the average citizen can go their entire life without seeing. 
  Ranging in size from the Spreading Hurtlenut (only three 
  of which are actually known to exist, all of which are in 
  The Forest) to the miniature Retiring Oak (a popular acces-
  sory for the houses of the wealthy nomenklatura), trees are 
  always valued as a connection with the natural world. Some 
  religious groups, such as the Greenkeepers, have taken this 
  veneration to its logical extreme and made trees the central 
  part of their belief system.
  Troot: Tasty, nutritious and full of goodness. The troot is none 
  of these. It is, however, easy to grow and quite filling. Grown 
  in miniature gardens everywhere or in massive cultivation 
  factories, troot is a pale yellow, rough ovoid about the size 
  of a clenched fist. It can be fried, baked, mashed or (in par-
  ticularly desperate circumstances) eaten raw. Fried troot and 
  fish is a popular meal, served in the traditional wrapping of 
  greasy huyzel vine paper. 
  Apffel Plants: Prized sources of fresh fruit, apffel plants 
  range from tiny varieties providing shrunken, bitter fruit, 
  to twenty foot high monsters grown in jealously guarded 
  courtyards which provide shiny, heavy, sweet fruits. Owners 
  of apffel plants guard their property with vigour and enthusi-
  asm, as prime fruit can sell for enormously inflated prices. 
  Fungus: Everywhere there is a damp surface to grow on, 
  you’ll find fungus, in a huge variety of forms, colours and 
  shapes. From the deepest sewer to the tallest building, all will 
  be decorated with varicoloured fungal splashes. It is these 
  very funguses which provide the herbalists and apothecaries 
  of The City with much of their raw material, as they refine 
  various parts of the wide number of funguses to make serums, 
  potions, curatives and medicines. Some growths, such as 
  Boatmans Finger, can give rather unpleasant infections to 
  those who touch them, while others, such as Bricktunnel 
  Shroom, are highly sought after delicacies. Particularly 
  despised is Chisel Fungus. The bane of many a homeowner 
  and businessman, chisel fungus has the unhappy knack of 
  being able to eat through concrete (especially the poor 
  quality concrete found in The City). Luckily, it doesn’t attack 
  the concrete with anything approaching rapidity. It can, 
  however, spread rather rapidly. This has lead to a thriving 
  service industry of sprayer-toting fungicide merchants, only 
  too happy to take large sums of cash in exchange for ridding 
  poor unfortunates of the pest.
  Huyzel Vine: Crawling over, through and around the 
  buildings of The City, huyzel vine endemic in some areas 
  and totally absent in others. Some buildings can be cloaked 
  in the thick, rough vines, while their next door neighbours are 
  clear of any kind of plant life. One endearing attribute of the 
  vine is the tough fibres at its core. These can be stripped out 
  and used for a variety of purposes, including making a rough 
  cloth and sturdy rope. Thanks to the quick growing nature of 
  the vine, it can be harvested on a fairly regular basis.
  the place 47
  
  Burghs
  From the teeming, stinking horror of Dreamingspires to the 
  antiseptic cleanliness of Clearwater Break, the burghs of The 
  City are as varied as the people who live in them. Some are 
  controlled by lumberingly bureaucratic local governments, 
  others by religions, some by cartels of wealthy businessmen 
  and still more by their own small burgh councils. Each burgh 
  has its own flavour (sometimes literally) and character, with 
  unique sights, sounds, smells and experiences. 
  BANKSIDE
  Region: Lat 8, Ring 4
  Status: Residential, light industrial
  Law: Self-policed
  Wealth: Low
  OVERVIEW
  An almost palpable odour of fish, sweat and sewage rose 
  over Bankside. As the sun came up, the residents were 
  already going about their business, legal or otherwise. 
  Stories circulated that One Eye Frank had jacked another 
  Provost patrol on the edge of the burgh. Down by the canal, 
  massive cages full of bulbous, lethargic fish were scrutinised 
  by expert eyes. The fish were the lifeblood of Bankside and 
  anyone that fucked with them would have a whole heap of 
  trouble on his hands. Hardly any buildings here were over 
  three stories tall and all were interconnected by walkways, 
  gangplanks, ropes and pipes. This was a place of scum 
  and treachery, but also a place of invention and commerce. 
  The genetically engineered fish were sold all across The 
  City, making Bankside one of the most prosperous slums 
  anywhere. Boats, barges and skiffs began to congregate 
  around the wharves, off loading buyers, keen to get the best 
  fish for the best price. They were met with the steely glares of 
  the fish farmers, who knew a good deal when they saw one. 
  Back from the wharves, more secretive dealers laid out their 
  wares and filthy mod clinics opened their doors for business. 
  Commerce. That was the key. Something which hellholes like 
  Mire End could never hope to achieve. Bankside began to 
  throng and the day wore on.
  Running for three miles alongside the hundred metre wide 
  Grand Canal, Bankside is really numerous smaller districts 
  that have become tangled together. The smells of sewage 
  and rotting fish are predominant in this area. Many residents 
  run microcorps specialising in breeding bio-modified fish that 
  can live and reproduce in the stinking, polluted waters of the 
  canals. While not especially tasty, these fish are a valuable 
  source of food. Bankside is also home to numerous back 
  street biosci clinics which, rather strangely, have grown out 
  of the genetic engineering programs used to breed the fish. 
  So twisted and tangled are the streets and so numerous and 
  aggressive the denizens, the Provosts seldom venture into 
  Bankside and as such, it is considered to exist separately 
  from the TCMA.
  However, despite the lack of interference from the forces of law 
  and order, there is one conspicuous absence from Bankside: 
  organised crime. For some unexplained reason, even the 3rd 
  Syndicate and the Hohler Gang refuse to have anything to do 
  with Bankside. Perhaps it is the clannishness of the denizens, 
  or that the complexity of the area is too much even for the 
  hardened criminals and then maybe it was because the 3rds 
  and Hohlers found out that the people of Bankside were even 
  more violent and nasty than themselves.
  Few buildings in the area rise over two stories and only one 
  could be described as high-rise: Block 54. This is the only 
  remnant of Bankside as it was hundreds of years ago, some 
  say that Block 54 even predates The Shift. Whatever its 
  origins, it is an imposing, looming concrete tower, stretching 
  two hundred metres into the sky. Scabbed with fungus and 
  blackened with centuries of smoke and soot, '54 is uninhab-
  ited and feared. Many rumours surround the block: some say 
  it is home to families of cannibals who snatch babies from 
  their beds, others will tell you with authority that it is the lair 
  of a cadre of Ubel who stalk the streets, creaking and rasp-
  ing in their search for victims. The more hard-headed will tell 
  you that this is all a load of old nonsense and that the block 
  should be used for living space. Regardless of opinions, 
  nobody ventures into Block 54.
  Street level in Bankside resembles a cross between and open 
  sewer and full-scale riot. If you want to get anywhere fast, use 
  the walkways, gangplanks and bridges that arc across the 
  streets and between the buildings. Such is the complexity of 
  this overground highway system, that you can often find your-
  self walking through someone's dwelling without realising it. 
  Most take this as a part of everyday life.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Despite the fact that Bankside forms part of the TCMAA, 
  the Provosts still refuse to go in. "Too dangerous" they say, 
  "Cannibals" say some. Whatever the reason, you'll only ever 
  find Provosts on the very edges of Bankside, never daring to 
  venture more than a few tens of yards inside its boundaries. 
  The only law in Bankside is that dished out by the citizens 
  the place 48
  
  themselves. The most heinous crime in the area is interfer-
  ing with the fish cages. Anyone found damaging cages, 
  poisoning fish or stealing farming equipment is drowned in 
  the Grand Canal without so much as a trial. Nobody asks 
  questions. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Underground Market
  Description: Black market trade site, below Black Row, 
  Bankside, TCMA
  Located under Black Row in Bankside, the Underground 
  Market (known simply as 'The Market') is an extensive series 
  of underground tunnels, rooms and disused cellars. Within 
  this cramped maze, hundreds of people come to deal in vari-
  ous illegal or stolen goods. The Provosts are well aware of 
  its existence but as it lies deep within Bankside, they prefer to 
  leave it alone. Current thinking goes that a campaign to clear 
  it out would prove extremely costly due to the defensive, not 
  say psychotically violent, nature of the inhabitants. Almost 
  anything, from a sewing machine to a machine-gun can be 
  purchased here, from individuals or small groups of dealers. 
  The large criminal organisations such as the Hohler Gang 
  and the 3rd Syndicate have no presence here, only occa-
  sionally sending someone in to purchase a particular item.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Wilbur Renton
  Age: Unknown, looks in his mid 30's
  Height/Build: Short/Plump
  Eye/Hair Colour: Hazel/Mousy brown
  Occupation: Drug Dealer
  Affiliations: None
  If the price is right, Wilbur Renton can obtain almost any 
  pharmaceutical substance you care to mention. Rumour has 
  it that he has major league connections in one of the big 
  chemical corps, other rumours say that he makes most of the 
  drugs in a secret lab of his own. Whatever the case, it seems 
  he has a never-ending supply of most drugs on the market. 
  Circumspect and cautious, he never seems to be troubled by 
  the police and maintains two tough bodyguards for that little 
  bit of personal protection. If you met him in the street, you’d 
  probably pass him by, being ordinary and unremarkable is 
  his stock in trade, standing out would only be a hazard.
  bRIGHTLIGHTS
  Region: Lat 1, Ring 1
  Status: Commercial
  Law:  Strict
  Wealth:  Very high
  OVERVIEW
  The club thumped and the band played harder. Sweating in 
  their suits, they plucked strings, blew horns and rattled drums 
  as the dancers twirled and spun faster. The violinists arm 
  was a blur and the double bass players fingers bled with the 
  effort. A thick haze of nebelweed smoke obscured most of the 
  room. In the curtained booths which lined the walls, couples 
  copulated, argued, whispered or lapsed into drug-induced 
  unconsciousness. Exquisite dishes of canapes lay half eaten 
  on tables on trampled into the floor. Through it all swerved 
  waiters and waitresses, balancing trays containing impossibly 
  huge orders. Perspiring, inebriated patrons barked at the 
  staff, fists were raised and sackings threatened. 
  In the midst of it all, a solitary figure stood, clad in a shim-
  mering purple suit. The stark white collar embraced his neck, 
  providing a plinth for his sculpted, streamlined head. The 
  band wound up the number and announced a short break. 
  The band members were all drenched, dizzy and dehydrat-
  ed. The purple suited man strolled towards the band leader, 
  now placing his baton back in a carved wooden case. The 
  man whispered to the band leader, who shook his head 
  and pointed at his watch. The man struck the band leader 
  across the face, leaving a scarlet trail down one cheek. Blood 
  flowed freely from the wound, a neat line from a razor sharp 
  blade. The band leader staggered to his feet clutching his 
  face, blood cascading onto the floor. The other band mem-
  bers gathered, unsure of what to do. 
  The man in the purple suit grabbed a waitress, forcing her 
  to drop her tray piled with glasses. Dragging her into the 
  middle of the dance-floor, he gestured at the band and their 
  now semi-conscious leader. They took up their instruments 
  and began to play: faster, faster, faster. The man whirled the 
  girl about the floor, clearing a space. He spun and flipped 
  the girl, her red hair spilling out from its tight bun and flail-
  ing about her face. Above the sound of the band, there was 
  a sharp crack as the girl landed heavily on her ankle. Her 
  scream was drowned as the man urged the band to play fast-
  er. The girl was now a limp rag in his arms, being dragged 
  around the dance-floor in a daze.
  No onlookers intervened. Security remained impassive. The 
  waiters and waitresses averted their eyes. The rich operated 
  the place 49
  
  by different rules, with standards that were all their own. To 
  step in would be folly. Other people were simply objects, 
  possessions to be used and discarded. The girl knew that and 
  the man in the purple suit knew that. Being forced to dance 
  on a broken ankle was a minor indignity compared to what 
  many in The City suffered. 
  Here in Brightlights, despite 
  the wealth, the opulence and 
  the grandeur, people were 
  just as cruel and vicious as 
  anywhere else.
  Bounded on all sides by afflu-
  ent districts, Brightlights is the 
  most famous shopping area 
  in The City: Three square 
  miles of high-class boutiques, 
  restaurants, theatres, night-
  clubs and department stores. 
  Only the well-to-do can gain 
  access to this exclusive area 
  unless you happen to occupy 
  one of the many low-paid 
  service industry jobs which 
  Brightlights has generated.
  Initially started two centu-
  ries ago by the macrocorps 
  as a place of pleasure and 
  relaxation for wealthy corpo-
  rates, Brightlights has grown 
  beyond the wildest imagin-
  ings of its creators. Citizens 
  from Coldbath Fell and 
  Lucent Heights travel here to 
  spend their hard-earned cash. Due to its location within the 
  bounds of the TCMA, it has become something of a money 
  spinner for the Authority, which continually hikes taxes and 
  business rates in order to have an ever increasing flow of 
  money from the business which choose to locate here. In 
  truth, most of the shops and other facilities are still owned by 
  the macrocorporate of their subsidiaries. Such is the cost of 
  buying land and setting up a business in Brightlights, very few 
  independent retailers can afford to start trading. 
  Due to its status and reputation, the streets and canals of 
  Brightlights are immaculately clean, with huge squads of 
  sanitation workers tasked with keeping the area looking its 
  best. Micro-trams and cablecars are provided free of charge, 
  funded by the massive amounts of cash which flow through 
  the shops and leisure facilities. This comes as a shock to many 
  nouveau riche, who are used to paying through the nose for 
  public transport. Rather than use automated systems to run 
  the transport network, uniformed staff are at the beck and call 
  of shoppers, sometimes having to put up with arrogant and 
  unreasonable demands. The cost of products in Brightlights 
  is truly stunning: clothes can be bought here which cost in 
  excess of five hundred times the 
  average weekly wage. Entrance to 
  an average club amounts to one 
  hundred pounds, and that's before 
  any drink or additional services have 
  been paid for. Many clubs offer the 
  services of 'escorts' (they wouldn't 
  lower themselves to using such a 
  common terms as prostitutes) who 
  will (for a price) attend to the every 
  need of a wealthy patron. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Security in and around the area is 
  very tight. In order to get in, you 
  must demonstrate a credit balance 
  of at least £5000. Wealthy shoppers 
  will travel many miles to shop in the 
  arcades and boutiques of Brightlights. 
  As Brightlights is very close to the 
  residence of large numbers of The 
  City's elite, security in the surrounding 
  areas is also very good. The main 
  security force is provided directly from 
  Trilhoeven's armed forces. This has led 
  to some unfortunate incidents, as the 
  guards are line troopers rather than 
  trained security operatives, which can 
  lead to a somewhat gung-ho attitude. 
  On a more positive note, it is Trilhoeven's proud boast that they 
  have never killed or injured any person who had actual reason 
  to be in or near Brightlights.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Sparkly Blue Top
  Description: Nightclub, 24 - 36 Trinity Boulevard
  The 'Top is one of the most popular night-clubs in Brightlights 
  and combines dining and drinking facilities as well as danc-
  ing and floor shows. It is decorated in an extremely extrava-
  gant, 'old world' style, with many unique and expensive items 
  of art and furniture. Heavy fines are dealt out for damaging 
  fixtures and fittings. Prices in the club are very high due to 
  its popularity and desire for a better class of client, a night 
  the place 50
  
  leaving very little change out of £250. Average prices are 
  £10 for an alcoholic beverage, £60 per person for a meal 
  and £25 per person for a floor show. The entrance fee is a 
  rather steep £40.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Rembrandt Sanger
  Age: 36
  Height/Build: 5' 8"/Slim
  Eye/Hair Colour: Variable
  Occupation: Cabaret Artist 
  Affiliations: None
  Famed throughout the TCMA for his musical comedy rou-
  tines, Rembrandt Sanger is very much in demand amongst 
  the clubs and bars of Brightlights. A man of seemingly unlim-
  ited charm and wit, he can hold an audience spellbound 
  for hours at a time. However, he is also a manipulator and 
  confidence artist of the highest order. He is never seen with 
  the same woman twice and is reputed to have seduced many 
  hundreds into his bed. His sparkling eyes, amusing quips and 
  obvious wealth take in many an admirer, admirers who find 
  themselves used, abused and cast aside without a second 
  thought. Yet these very same people who have been cast 
  aside still clamour for Rembrandt's attention, desperately 
  trying to regain their place in his inner circle of friends and 
  confidantes. Many believe that Sanger wields considerable 
  power within the TCMAA due to his contacts and access to 
  an unending stream of gossip, rumour and innuendo.
  CALCULUS TOR
  Region: Lat 6, Ring 8
  Status: Residential/industrial area
  Law: Variable
  Wealth: Variable
  OVERVIEW
  Lollygaggers and gawpers crowded around the scene of the 
  accident. A drunken warehouseman had driven his wagon 
  into the parapet of Basal Bridge and now the heavy vehicle 
  was balancing precariously on the edge of the span. Below, 
  skiffers and gondoliers on the Lyre Canal halted their craft 
  and stared in amusement at the impotent bulk of the lorry. 
  Vendors and costers, ever with an eye for a quick sale, crowd-
  ed around the scene of the disaster, crying their wares:
  "Smoked fish! Nice and hot! Smoked fish! Thrupence a quar-
  ter!"
  "Lithos! Get your lithographs here! Preserve this day for the 
  ages! Come along now."
  "Stolen dingin parts! All kinds, stolen dingin parts, get them 
  while they're hot!"
  The cries intermingled into an unrecognisable cacophony as 
  the sellers bawled their offers.
  The warehouseman slumped against the partially destroyed 
  parapet, a broken bottle of booze clutched in his hands. 
  Black dust from the demolished stones coated his overalls 
  with a fine powder. Rhythmically moving his head from side 
  to side, he moaned softly, taking desultory swigs from the 
  bottle.
  As the crowd grew, rumours began flying.
  "I heard he's just been sacked from Coleridge's."
  "Really, that gadgie just told me he was trying to top himself, 
  got debts with one of the tongs."
  "Nah, just spoke to his foreman, got the real deal. Just lost his 
  boy. Went up wiv' some uvvers lads to the Tor. Naught's been 
  seen of him since twenty days. Least, that's what I was told."
  "Bollocks! He's pissed, is all. Stupid old soak."
  Another wagon arrived, its steel driving wheels striking 
  sparks from the stone way. Whines and crackles emitted from 
  its innards, causing the fishwives and gossips to draw back. 
  A stout chain was hitched to the rear of the balancing wagon 
  and it was gradually pulled back from the brink. The ware-
  houseman was hoisted roughly on to the shoulders of rough 
  passers by, spew dribbling from the corner of his mouth. 
  Neigle put down the telescope and removed the headphones 
  from his ears. Turning to his wife, he smiled.
  "Voyeur." she snapped.
  "But my dear, how else would I spend my time?"  
  the place 51
  
  One of the most arresting physical manifestations of The Shift, 
  Calculus Tor has come to mean both the sinister massif itself 
  and the area of The City surrounding it. Calculus Tor itself is a 
  huge bastion of black rock, thrust from the very earth during 
  the upheavals of The Shift. Towering above the surrounding 
  urban landscape, it casts a huge, brooding shadow over the 
  buildings which cluster like tiny boats around its base. However, 
  the Tor is not the only feature risen from the ground during The 
  Shift. Another upthrust, lower but far longer (and imaginatively 
  named The Ridge) rises to the north of the main tor. To the south 
  are five narrow, 
  jagged 
  spires, 
  equal in height to 
  Calculus Tor, but 
  far more slender. 
  While none live 
  on the Tor or The 
  Ridge, the spires 
  have 
  become 
  riddled 
  with 
  passages, 
  tun-
  nels and shafts, 
  turning 
  them 
  into remarkable 
  natural skyscrap-
  ers. Named The 
  Steeple, 
  The 
  Tower, The Edge, 
  The Crag and 
  The Summit, The 
  five spires are 
  home to thou-
  sands of individuals and each has a character all its own. Rock 
  quarried from inside these trees of stone has been used in the 
  surrounding area to build houses, factories and all manner of 
  building, lending a very natural feeling to the clogged, misty 
  streets. Unlike the canals and streets of the inner city, the smog is 
  not so thick here and on a good day, the sun can be glimpsed, 
  shining through the haze. As previously mentioned, each of the 
  spires has a different character, characters which have devel-
  oped over hundreds of years of habitation. The Steeple is a 
  dense warren of passageways and cells, home to the workers 
  who toil in the manufactories located nearer the surface of the 
  edifice.  The Tower is home to the wealthier citizens of Calculus 
  Tor. They have nothing but the best, with power purchased 
  direct from GRID and fresh water provided by a well guarded 
  purification plant located deep within the bowels of the spire. 
  The Edge is little more than a ghetto, a haven for criminals of 
  all classes and types. They are drawn there by the lack of any 
  reasonable security presence and the labyrinthine complexity 
  of the place. The Crag is dominated by members of the Shining 
  Sky religion. While not controlled by them in any official way, 
  members of the sect are encouraged to make their homes here, 
  even if means turfing out existing residents who are not cult 
  members. For members, basic power and sanitary facilities are 
  laid on, non-members have to make their own arrangements. 
  The Summit has become home to a thriving class of middle-
  class businessmen and women. Galleries, malls and atria are 
  crowded with shops, workshops and service industries, making 
  The Summit is the most popular spire with visitors from the sur-
  rounding areas.
  The two brooding mountains of Calculus Tor and The Ridge 
  are mysterious, unexplored regions. Adventurers and glory 
  seekers, alone or in groups, have ventured up the sides and into 
  the many fissures and cracks which split the surface of these two 
  giants. None have 
  returned, 
  giving 
  the mountains a 
  fearsome, black 
  reputation. Many 
  organisations have 
  telescopes, sensors 
  and scanners per-
  manently trained 
  on the mountains, 
  hoping to probe 
  (from a safe dis-
  tance) the inner 
  mysteries of the 
  rocks. Some of the 
  wealthier observ-
  ers have gone 
  so far as to send 
  automaton probes 
  into the crevasses. 
  Without exception, 
  they have ceased 
  all forms of transmission within minutes of entering the gaps. 
  Reputable scientists agree that all of the above must be the result 
  of some Shift effect, an extraordinarily powerful effect.
  Surrounding the Tor, The Ridge and the Spires are thousands 
  of houses and factories. By common consent, the entire area 
  around the seven main rock features, lying between the seventh 
  and eighth concentric canals and bounded to the north by the 
  Black Canal, is referred to as Calculus Tor. The region is made 
  up of numerous small burghs and parishes, each attending to 
  its own activities. Lotech industry is widespread here, buying 
  in power from the Fulgurators Guild and (occasionally) GRID. 
  Most of the housing either receives power diverted from the 
  industries, from gas siphoned off from nearby dumps and 
  middens or through the numerous windmills which sprout from 
  rooftops.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Each of the spires, burghs and parishes of Calculus Tor must make 
  their own arrangements as regards security and policing. Some 
  burghs, such as Barren Street, have organised their own police 
  forces. Barren Street operates a system of Special Constables, 
  drawn from the general populace. Other areas hire the services of 
  the place 52
  
  militant organisations, both large and small. The spires all operate 
  their own systems for security: from the hired guards (provided by 
  Kinetic Energy Incorporated) of The Tower to the thuggish factory 
  security guards of The Steeple. Any infraction which may result 
  in a slap on the wrist in one area, may lead to a brutal beating 
  or imprisonment in another. It is best to have your wits about you 
  when venturing through the burghs of Calculus Tor and avoid 
  doing anything which may offend the locals.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Shadow Street
  Description: Main thoroughfare
  Running between The Steeple and The Crag, Shadow Street is 
  a crowded, bustling thoroughfare, alive with the sounds of com-
  merce and industry. Numerous bridges cross the small canals 
  which intersect the street, yards open onto the road, emitting 
  sounds of hammering and swearing. The stone buildings are 
  home to all manner of purveyor, from costers selling exotic, 
  macrocorporate produced fruits, to ironmongers stocking metal 
  goods at exorbitant prices. Just above the gutters, vendors 
  pitch their stalls, offering fast foods and trinkets to the passing 
  crowds. Pickpockets are legion here, plying their dishonest 
  trade amongst the shoppers and stallholders. Shuddering elec-
  tric wagons make their unsteady, arcing way down the street, 
  carrying raw materials and finished goods. If you stand on 
  Shadow Street long enough, all life will pass you by.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Luther Coleridge
  Age: 48
  Height/Build: 5' 11"/Muscular
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Steel grey
  Occupation: Haulier
  Affiliations: Calculus Tor Chambers of Commerce, Brotherhood 
  of Cargo Carriers
  One of the pre-eminent private businessmen in the Calculus Tor 
  area, Luther Coleridge is a powerful and well-respected indi-
  vidual. Owner and operator of Coleridge Transport & Storage 
  (a firm started by his Grandfather), his wagons and boats travel 
  far from Calculus Tor, taking out and bringing in a staggering 
  array of goods. Despite being a tough-talking, hard-nosed 
  businessman, Coleridge is, at heart, a family man. The extended 
  Coleridge family, covering four generations, live in the rambling 
  upper floors of the haulage yards on Shadow Street. His power, 
  however, is far from secure. Factions within the Chambers of 
  Commerce and the Brotherhood of Cargo Carriers resent his 
  wealth and influence. Moves are afoot (moves which Coleridge 
  is only too aware of) to ruin him, destroy his business and black-
  en his name. It is doubtful, though, whether they realise what a 
  fight they will have on their hands.
  CLEARWATER BREAK
  Region: Lat 8, Ring 5
  Status: TCMAA Burgh
  Law: Strict
  Wealth: Very high
  OVERVIEW
  "Easy, easy. Wind it back gentle now. Not that hard you 
  arse! Gently. That's it."
  Bearnice Micwhat crossed her arms and prayed that the 
  rope would hold. Her colleagues strained and sweated 
  as the pressed back on the levers attached to the winding 
  mechanism of the bastard assemblage which stood in the 
  centre of the roof. Creaks emanated from the spars and 
  lines, iron bars groaned as the pressure increased. Micwhat 
  watched the ropes.
  "Easy now lads, just a couple more turns."
  "Bearnice, why are we doing this?" The questioner was a 
  small, scrawny figure clad from head to foot in a bulky, matt 
  black suit which looked as if it had been made from lengths 
  of electrical insulation.
  "Because, young Hegger, we are striking a blow against the 
  bloody posh nobs what live in that stuck up, dandified, over-
  blown rats nest over there. See?"
  "Yeah, I get that, but why?"
  "You bloody just stop asking questions and get on with wind-
  ing that damn thing, right!"
  "Right Bearnice, sorry."
  Standing out at right angles to the rest of the contraption, two 
  laminated beams of iron were gradually being bent back, the 
  tension increased.
  "Whoa, whoa! That's it! Put the lock in place and get back."
  Bearnice ambled around the contraption, fiddling with lines, 
  checking nuts, applying oil here and there.
  "Here's the plan. First off, we fire that bag of iron there at 
  the nets. Then, we crank her up as quick as we can and start 
  slinging those bags of shit through the hole. That should give 
  them a little surprise. Now, Hegger, you sure you got the 
  range right?"
  "No worries, checked it again this morning, we should be 
  dead on."
  "Right. Load! Stand back! Ready? FIRE!"
  There was a thump and an immensely loud TWANG as the 
  catapult arm was slammed forward by the massive cross-
  bow construction. Half way through its trajectory, the bag 
  of iron split open and a rain of scrap fell on the filternets of 
  Clearwater Break, tear gaping holes in the opaque sheets.
  "YES!" Bearnice danced about the roof. "Yes, yes, yes!" She 
  danced over to a shocked and confused Hegger and kissed 
  him full on the lips. "Get the crap loaded and wind that 
  the place 53
  
  thing back." She grinned broadly and made a rude gesture 
  towards Clearwater Break.
  "Great plan Bearnice. So where did you get the idea for an 
  excrement catapult?"
  Clearwater Break claims to be "The Cleanest Place You'll 
  Ever See" and, on the surface, that would seem to be a 
  pretty viable claim. Walled off from the rest of the TCMA, 
  shrouded in fliternets, its canals cleansed and purified, 
  Clearwater Break sparkles with perfection. From a distance, 
  the burgh looks like a low fortress which has been draped 
  with gossamer fine tents. In reality, this is not far from the truth. 
  The gossamer fine nets are filters which purify and strain the 
  rain which falls almost every day, removing pollutants and 
  particulates, turning it into a clear drizzle free from harmful 
  contaminants. The nets themselves are products of Trilhoeven 
  biosci, living creatures which trap pollution and send it to cen-
  tralised collection sacs, from which it is taken and dumped 
  elsewhere. The canals which riddle the burgh are also clear 
  and sparkling. Complex filtration systems, using some of the 
  technology developed for the filternets, strain the water flow-
  ing in from the Grand Canal and elsewhere. However, this 
  has given rise to the bit of a security problem for the burgh. 
  So clean is the water which flows out from Clearwater Break 
  that hordes of the poorer citizens of the TCMA gather round 
  the outflowing canals, filling buckets with water before it can 
  mingle with the polluted filth of the Grand Canal.
  It is unsurprising that Clearwater Break is not the cheapest 
  place in the TCMA to live. Many wealthy citizens choose to 
  make their homes here, amongst the clean canals and ele-
  gant glazed brick buildings. Some of the macrocorps have 
  also purchased property in this area, gifting it to favoured 
  executives or using the area for rest and relaxation purposes. 
  For those not wealthy enough to live in Clearwater Break but 
  who still have to work in the various service industries which 
  keep the burgh running, cleanliness and hygiene measures 
  are extremely strict. Workers coming into the burgh are 
  thoroughly showered and periodically cleansed of parasites 
  and other noxious evidence of life in The City. Their working 
  clothes are not permitted to leave Clearwater Break and must 
  be scrupulously cleaned at the end of each working day. 
  Actual amenities with the burgh are lavish but not extensive. 
  There are many bars and restaurants, but few nightclubs, 
  limited shopping and no theatres or music halls. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The very nature of the area and the wealth of those who 
  live in it makes Clearwater Break a target for the spite and 
  vitriol of the lower orders. This leads to a rather substantial 
  and intimidating Provost presence. All entrances are guarded 
  with extreme vigilance by Assault Division Tacticals, clad in 
  their best dress uniforms. On the streets, subtle but effective 
  plain clothed officers patrol night and day, keeping watch for 
  any disturbances or breaches of security. The all-important 
  filternets and canal filters are constantly monitored and any 
  attempts at sabotage are dealt with in the harshest possible 
  manner. At any one time, there will be upwards of two hun-
  dred Provosts in and around Clearwater Break.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Peak
  Description: Restaurant, 1-5 Trium Crescent
  The only building extending above the all encompassing 
  filternets, The Peak juts into the sky on a slim blue concrete 
  needle, allowing dinners to look down on the shimmering sea 
  of the 'nets. The cost of a meal in its glass walled and glass 
  floored dining room can be far in excess of what the average 
  city dweller earns in a whole year, yet The Peak is always 
  fully booked. Discriminating guests come from as far afield 
  as Lucent Heights and Coldbath Fell to sample the creations 
  of the renowned chef, Filip Horten. Horten is known to scour 
  The City for the best fish to serve his well-heeled diners.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Claudine Loftus
  Age: 26
  Height/Build: 5' 4"/Slender
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Black
  Occupation: Barmaid
  Affiliations: None
  Claudine Loftus is a young woman with a long standing 
  grudge. Ordered by her rich parents to do, of all things, work 
  for a living, she spends her days seething about her situation 
  and longing for her thirtieth birthday when she can finally 
  get her hands on some of her parent's money. She feels that 
  working as a barmaid in the 'Yellow Strand Brasserie' is way, 
  way beneath her and that she really deserves something 
  better. In truth, Claudine is not that bright and not that highly 
  motivated, with a self-opinion that far exceeds her intelli-
  gence. What got her in to trouble with her parents in the first 
  place was her unwholesome habit of wandering out into The 
  City and picking up boys. Many a time her parents had to 
  call upon a private security firm to pick her up from some sor-
  did drinking den in Folly Hills or elsewhere. Now she either 
  works full time or suffers the consequences.
  the place 54
  
  COLSETTER PARISH
  Region: Lat 5/Ring 5
  Status: Religiously controlled burgh
  Law: Harsh, religious
  Wealth: Low
  OVERVIEW
  Dear Brother Kieron,
  May the Blessings of our Mighty Lord, Creator of All, 
  Architect of The City be with you upon this day. 
  After a journey of days, I have finally arrived in Colsetter 
  Parish, most Sacred of Parishes devoted to Our Lord. I hope 
  that you are keeping the Divine candles lit and are preach-
  ing His Word with all possible vigour. This evening, I shall 
  be inducted into the Chosen Path, a most signal honour for 
  this humble Servant of Our Lord. I shall meet His Holiness the 
  High Cardinal Himself. Oh, to be in the presence of that most 
  Pious and Holy man!
  I have been given apartments which are way beyond the 
  needs of a humble Priest such as myself. Although, I would 
  not argue with the decisions of my Superiors. I have two 
  whole rooms to myself. One of them measures a whole ten 
  feet wide by eleven feet long! I am also very close to the 
  private Chapel of the Chosen Path, a Testament to the Power 
  and Glory of Our Most Divine Lord and Creator.
  I have also been introduced to Cardinal Ducreux, a most sub-
  stantial and important personage, for he is the Commander 
  of the True Path. He presented me with my sidearm, an item of 
  great value and importance. Inscribed upon its flank was the 
  inscription 'Trilhoeven'. I asked, was this not one of the great 
  non-believing organisations devoted to the work of the Great 
  Demolisher. The Cardinal reassured me that it was Right in 
  The Lords Eyes to use items from such groups against the 
  Great Demolisher, thereby using His Own Instruments against 
  Him. The Cardinal is indeed a most Wise and Perspicacious 
  man!
  Anyway Brother, I must now conclude this letter, as I must 
  set about the Lord's Work. May He continue to Bless you in 
  all ways. May our Church continue to stand firm against the 
  unbelievers. 
  Yours,
  Brother Andrew
  PS There is a box of shotgun ammunition stored in the Knave. 
  You may need it.
  One of the parishes controlled by the Third Church of God 
  the Architect (TCGA), Colsetter contains the headquarters 
  of the TCGA, as well as numerous monasteries, convents 
  and retreats. Surrounded by a high, forbidding metal wall 
  and defended by the Lay Reserves Martial, Colsetter is an 
  austere, indeed dull, place to live. Outsiders are allowed in 
  only under extreme sufferance and are expected to pay a 
  substantial sum to the Church coffers for the privilege of walk-
  ing on hallowed ground. 
  To the outsider, the parish represents all that is worst about the 
  TCGA: unending prayer and self-sacrifice, dull austerity and 
  boring routine. For the true believers, it is the spiritual centre 
  of their world, home to the High Cardinal and his priests, the 
  ordained ministers of God Himself. Outsiders admitted into 
  the parish are marked by coloured badges, the colour denot-
  ing their moral status as reckoned by members of the Church. 
  Blue badges denote those who are morally safe and it is 
  permissible for ordinary members of the laity to speak with 
  and conduct business with them. Grey badges indicate those 
  who are morally ambiguous and only ordained members of 
  the Church or appointed Deacons may speak with them. Red 
  badges denote those of suspect morals, who have only been 
  given permission to enter the Parish under extreme sufferance 
  and for a particular reason.
  the place 55
  
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Within the grim byways of Colsetter Parish, all matters of 
  security are handled by the Lay Reserves Martial (refer to 
  'The Power'  for further details). All entrances to the parish are 
  guarded and armed patrols are a regular sight on the streets. 
  Not only are they there to preserve the peace and ensure 
  good behaviour, they also take action against any religious 
  infractions. Visitors to the parish must be aware that they too 
  can be punished for any transgression of the religious law. 
  The Lay Reserves Martial can be very strict in their applica-
  tion of the law to outsiders, but quite a lot of it depends on 
  who you are and what allegiances you hold. Those employed 
  by the macrocorps are unlikely to be hassled, as the church 
  has no desire to provoke a major diplomatic incident. On 
  the other hand, an average person from the Three Canals 
  Metropolitan Area doesn’t really carry much weight and will 
  find themselves, and their actions, closely scrutinised. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Southern Port
  Description: Gate leading to and from Colsetter Parish.
  One of the four main gateways leading into Colsettter Parish, 
  the Southern Port is an ominous, dark tunnel, constantly 
  manned by hundreds of Lay Reserves Martial. Non-believers 
  wishing to enter the Parish are subjected to lengthy question-
  ing in order to ascertain the nature of their business, as well as 
  their moral status. On the city side of the gate, the entrance is 
  hemmed in by stalls, carts and assorted merchants, all eager 
  to sell their wares to any members of the faithful who should 
  happen to emerge from the port. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Deacon Joseph Vespasian
  Age: 51
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Average
  Eye/Hair Colour: Light brown/Grey
  Occupation: Lay Reserves Martial officer
  Affiliations: Third Church of God The Architect
  Military commander of the security forces guarding the 
  Southern Port leading into Colsetter, Deacon Vespasian takes 
  his orders from Archbishop Mohaim, commander of the Lay 
  Reserves Martial. Secretly, he is composing reports to the 
  Cardinals about the lax attitude of his superior in the hope of 
  removing him from office. At a mere five foot three, Vespasian 
  is a diminutive figure but he has a mind like a cold razor.
  Dog Junction
  Region: Lat 1, Ring 8
  Status: Independent burgh
  Law: Very little
  Wealth:  Low
  Overview
  The soldier stepped off the train as dust devils whipped across 
  the platform. The air was filled with the susurrus of dust whis-
  pering against wood, the staccato yapping of dogs being 
  fattened for the kill. Few people had heard of this place, 
  right here on the edge of The City, a last outpost before the 
  wastelands beyond. A few listless old men watched from 
  benches, blinking slowly at the figure in grey. They scratched 
  and smoked their pipes. The soldier hoisted his pack onto his 
  shoulder and marched out of the station.
  "Never heard of the place."
  "Honestly? The Contested Grounds? Never?"
  "Nope."
  "Oh, right. Anyway, I've heard about some bloke, lives here-
  abouts, watches people as they go into The Outlands. You 
  know him?"
  "Oh, yes. Everyone in the Junction knows about The Observer. 
  Stays out by, down near the edge. Old bunker, can't miss 
  it."
  "A bunker? How ironic."
  "Eh?"
  "Never mind."
  The soldier wandered through Dog Junction. It was all so 
  different from the interior of The City. Here people had never 
  heard of the Contested Grounds, of Luminosity Tower, Inferno 
  and the rest. Amazing. Here they bred dogs and stared out 
  into the emptiness. Curious pre-occupations. He transferred 
  the weight of his rifle onto the other shoulder. It was the last 
  thing he owned from the 'Grounds, his last connection to 
  another life.
  "Are you the observer?
  "Yes. I am that."
  "Why? Why do you do it? What makes you?"
  "Curiosity. The undying human quest for knowledge. Or per-
  haps it's just sick voyeurism? Who knows?"
  "I see. So, when I go out. Out there. You'll be watching?"
  "Yes. I watch everyone. You'll live on. As a mark on the line. 
  I'll remember."
  "Perhaps you'd better have this, maybe you can trade it for 
  something useful."
  "No, you take it with you. Better that way. Keeps things neat."
  the place 56
  
  The soldier stood looking down at the wavering white line 
  on the ground a few tens of yards away. He could feel the 
  observer watching him, could sense him grasping his long 
  paintbrush pole and pot of gluey paint. Why did it come to 
  this, in this place? Death could have come so easily in the 
  'Grounds. Yet, he chose to come here. Out to the very edge 
  of existence. In order to do what? To find out about himself? 
  To see if it was true? He marched forward, clutching his rifle. 
  A couple of yards from the line, there was a golden glow and 
  a thunderous crack. The ground blackened and the soldier 
  was gone.
  Holding on to a precarious existence at the very end of 
  the Northern Line, Dog Junction is a lonely, haunted place, 
  peopled by some of the most marginalised (literally) citizens 
  of The City. Dog Junction sits on the very edge of the city 
  limits, wander too many yards to the north and you disap-
  pear in a cloud of dust. The inhabitants live with this constant 
  fear, and as such, sleepwalkers are rare in Dog Junction. In 
  drier weather, dust from The Outlands cakes the buildings 
  and chokes the streets. When rains come, the dust turns to 
  mud, caking clothes, boots, faces and dwellings. Most build-
  ings here are low and ancient, fading remnants of the past. 
  Moving through the area towards the edge, the buildings 
  cease to be inhabited, becoming hollow shells, devoid of life 
  and laughter for centuries. 
  Dog Junction survives from the foodstuff which gives the 
  place its name. Rank warehouses and yards are home to 
  hundred of fat, waddling dogs reared for food. The trains 
  bring in tons of fish by-products to feed the dogs and take 
  out butchered carcasses to feed the hungry masses in The 
  City. Day and night the air boils with the barking, howling 
  and yapping of the dogs. Men and women stagger home 
  from a days work in the stockyards and butcheries, caked in 
  blood and dung, accompanied by the eternal howling of the 
  dogs. The occasional visitor from the inner recesses of The 
  City sometimes appears in Dog Junction. Most come simply 
  to stand on the tallest buildings and stare out at the limitless 
  emptiness of The Outlands. Some come as the final act in 
  their lives, passing through on their way to walk into The 
  Outlands, to disappear forever. 
  The buildings of Dog Junction are a ramshackle collection 
  of the ancient, the recent, the sturdy and the flimsy. With 
  the relatively sparse population, people can choose to have 
  fairly spacious accommodations. However, most choose to 
  live packed together like most other city dwellers, preferring 
  the close company of the fellow men. The limitless expanse 
  of The Outlands seems to exert a strange influence over the 
  people. Large numbers spend long hours just staring out into 
  the wastes, gazing at nothing in particular. The barren lands 
  seem to have a strange attraction for the citizens of Dog 
  Junction, a curiously mesmerising quality. Some liken it to the 
  horrid fascination that people have for mutilated corpses, 
  a sick fascination with something utterly repellent and yet 
  absurdly attractive.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Dog Junction has nothing in the way of policing and precious 
  little in terms of security. Some of the dog farms retain a few 
  lackadaisical, shiftless thugs to serves as security guards, but 
  even these are merely local bravos armed with crude billy 
  clubs.
  Highlighted Location
  The Longest Line
  Description: Deathslide
  For those who require one last adrenaline rush before they 
  consign themselves to oblivion, there is The Longest Line. A 
  tall, rickety tower built on the very edge of Dog Junction, 
  it sways gently in the wind, creaking and groaning as it’s 
  ancient timbers and iron spars flex and strain. The tower is 
  capped by a small, time worn shed which holds a massive 
  harpoon gun. When a visitor intent on suicide arrives at the 
  tower, the attendants will climb the tower, load the harpoon 
  gun with a heavy steel bolt, attach a length of rope or cable 
  to the bolt and launch it into The Outlands. When the bolt 
  drives itself into the ground, the line is hauled tight and the 
  ‘customer’ invited to ascend the tower. Here, they make a 
  nominal payment in kind, grip a strap of thick dogskin and 
  launch themselves at speed down the line. Generally, about 
  halfway down, just as they reach exhilarating speeds, the 
  person, strap, and line disappear in a cloud of vapour. For 
  many, The Longest Line has been the ultimate thrill, the final 
  death ride to oblivion.
  Highlighted Personality
  The Observer
  Age: Unknown, looks old
  Height/Build: 5' 7"/Wizened
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dull blue/Bald
  Occupation: Observer
  Affiliations: None
  The observer's true name is not known. Where he came from 
  is a mystery. How long he will stay is unknown. The Observer 
  has taken it upon himself to watch all those who make the trek 
  the place 57
  
  out from the interior of The City for that final walk out into The 
  Outlands. As they go, The Observer watches them, carrying 
  his paintbrush strapped to a long wooden pole. When they 
  disappear, he marks the spot with a blob of white paint. Over 
  the years, he has watched hundreds of suicides and marked 
  the spots where all of them disappeared. The blobs of paint 
  delineate a ragged line, a marked limit that children dare 
  each other to creep up to. As for The Observer, he mostly 
  keeps himself to himself. Occupying the dusty, decrepit con-
  fines of an old blockhouse, cooking food brought to him by 
  the people of Dog Junction. For the people, he is something 
  of a holy relic, lucky charm and bogeyman all rolled into 
  one.
  DREAMINGSPIRES
  Region: Lat 8, Ring 5
  Status: Slum
  Law: Vigilantism only
  Wealth: Extremely poor
  OVERVIEW
  The aerial gun platform wheeled over the rotting towers, turn-
  ing a lazy circle in the hazy brown sky. Below, the inhabitants 
  of Dreamingspires barely glanced up at the airborne inter-
  loper. In the cockpit of the gun platform, dingin processors 
  clicked and whirred softly, calculating vectors and ballistic 
  trajectories. The upper turret swivelled, the two gaping gauss 
  cannons tracking across the scene like hungry mouths.
  Rubbish was blown into the sky and mud rippled in the hurri-
  cane as the gun platform landed by the Gross Burn. This was 
  something new. Macrocorps never came to Dreamingspires. 
  Why would they? Lift fans whirred down to idling speed 
  as both gun turrets tracked the crowds converging on the 
  aerostat. Within the armoured cockpit, the pilot and gunner 
  glanced nervously at each other, fearful of this place and its 
  reputation. 
  A throng had gathered around the aircraft now, a pitiful, 
  seething mass of people. Emaciated, scarred and diseased, 
  they jostled for position, wanting to get a good look at this 
  wonder from the skies. A small hatch opened under the craft 
  and two legs briefly dangled, then a man dropped to the 
  ground. He spun nervously, clutching a stubby, menacing 
  weapon in his right hand and a cylindrical object in his left. 
  The crowd pressed forward. The gunners' clean green uni-
  form contrasted vividly with the filth that surrounded him.
  "Stay back! Back!" he barked.
  "What you want, fucker?" came a hoarse voice from the 
  crowd.
  "Looking for a man. Small man. Name of Murayama. 
  Flowghost. Told he came this way."
  Members of the crowd looked at each other in puzzlement, 
  exchanged shrugs, shook heads.
  "You seen him? Come on, you must have heard something. 
  Speak up, or there'll be trouble!"
  In the cockpit, the pilot could see the crowd become agitated. 
  He made a swift decision and loaded canister rounds into the 
  gauss cannons. Then he shrank back in his seat as the gunner 
  grabbed a small child from the front row of the crowd and 
  pressed his carbine to her head, still clutching the grenade in 
  his left hand. Shouting increased and members of the throng 
  began to pick up lumps of concrete, handfuls of mud, rusting 
  masses of iron. 
  The girl squirmed out of the gunner's grasp and made a 
  break for freedom. Then the rain of concrete began. Jagged 
  lumps tore into the gunner, sending his weapon arcing away, 
  to land with a fat splash in the Gross Burn. He crawled to 
  the hatch, pummelled by the rain of stones. Then his grenade 
  went off. Within the aerostat, the flash was compensated, 
  outside, people were blinded, torn by incendiary fragments 
  and hammered by the blast wave. The pilot tripped a switch 
  and the gauss cannons opened up.
  Fifteen seconds later the gun platform lifted off, turbines and 
  lift fans howling like madmen, leaving behind the decimated 
  crowd and the incinerated, broken body of its gunner. They 
  had failed.
  Christened a failure at its very birth, Dreamingspires was 
  never destined to fulfil the dreams of its creators. Built three 
  hundred years ago on reclaimed lands, the burgh was envis-
  aged a place of safety and security for the employees of the 
  Fulgurators Guild. The cost overruns, corruption scandals 
  and stuttering construction process broke the original guild 
  and in doing so, doomed Dreamingspires to life as a slum.
  Only half of the fifty concrete towers were completed, the 
  rest were left partially finished or standing as steel skeletons 
  against the cityscape. Now, the towers rot and crumble, 
  the place 58
  
  patched and shorn with wood, brick and iron, they are home 
  to the dispossessed, the criminal and the insane. For those 
  deemed too poor or too mad even to live in Mire End or 
  Fogwarren, Dreamingspires is the place of last resort. 
  Thirty-seven towers are inhabited to a greater or lesser extent. 
  The most complete towers are seething fifty storey concrete 
  warrens. Sewage cascades down cracked pipes and rubbish 
  decomposes in vast heaps at their bases. Many inhabitants 
  live by gathering what they can from the piles of refuse, fights 
  and deaths over a broken child's toy or a scrap of bread are 
  commonplace. Ragged, crippled children play by the stink-
  ing burns and dart through the middens.
  The constant flow of filth and ordure has created the Gross 
  Burn, which flows sullenly and thickly through the centre of 
  Dreamingspires. It eventually filters into the Red Canal where 
  it makes a polluted waterway even more toxic. Slimy, treach-
  erous bridges of scrap criss-cross the burn. Those who fall in 
  are unlikely to clamber back out and even more unlikely to 
  be rescued.
  Atop the towers live the Risers, sheltering under their tarpau-
  lins and sheets, venturing down from the rooftops at night to 
  prey upon the inhabitants of the towers. The Risers represent 
  the worst of Dreamingspires, the most criminally insane and 
  brutally psychotic. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The only security in Dreamingspires is that which the inhabit-
  ants provide for themselves. Each must look after their own. 
  Caring for your neighbour can be a dangerous occupation.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The scurt's Nest
  Description: Gang headquarters
  Headquarters of the Tunnel Scurts gang, The Scurt's Nest is 
  located deep in the basement of Tower 23. The tower itself is 
  no more than a shell but within its crumbling walls the 'Scurts 
  have built gantries, rooms and storage spaces. The overall 
  effect is one of maddening complexity, deliberately designed 
  to confuse the visitor. Some corridors lead to deep holes cov-
  ered with a thin layer of plastic, traps for the unwary. 
  Although the entire set-up has a very ad-hoc, mismatched 
  appearance it is, in fact, well built and quite secure. The 
  gangs' weapons are stored in an old underground rubbish 
  bin that has concrete walls one meter thick and several 
  booby traps to deter the casual browser. At all times there 
  is at least one gang member on the roof of the tower with 
  a telescope and a rifle (older gang members will get to use 
  one of the big sparklocks, younger ones use small, old, rusted 
  versions). 
  The 'Scurts are a singularly unpleasant gang who make 
  life for the residents of Dreamingspires even worse than it 
  already is. Emerging at night from their home, they prey on 
  the weak and defenceless, stealing what meagre possessions 
  they have, extorting pitiful sums of money and brutalising 
  those who have nothing. Currently, the gang numbers 
  approximately forty individuals (attrition being what it is, 
  exact numbers vary), both male and female.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Mocking Dave
  Age: Approximately mid twenties
  Height/Build: 5' 8"/Gangling, in need of a good feed
  Eye/Hair Colour: Mid blue/Black, long and greasy
  Occupation: Gang leader of The Tunnel Scurts
  Affiliations: The Tunnel Scurts, minor connections with the 
  Hohler Gang
  Brutal, sarcastic leader of The Tunnel Scurts, Mocking Dave 
  is a feared figure within Dreamingspires. His propensity for 
  random acts of violence have earned him the enmity of most 
  residents and the devotion of his gang. Habitually dressing 
  in a long, greasy coat and dirty ruffled shirt filched from 
  another part of The City, he likes to think he cuts something 
  of a dashing figure. In actuality, he resembles nothing more 
  than the cheap, nasty thug that he really is. He dispenses 'jus-
  tice' to the gang through the two enormous sparklocks which 
  he carries in shoulder holsters under his coat. He is also never 
  without a compliment of knives, from small throwing weapons 
  to huge machetes. 
  Most residents of Dreamingspires would like to see Mocking 
  Dave drowned in the Gross Burn, choking on the filth that he 
  and his gang do nothing to alleviate.
  the place 59
  
  FOGWARREN
  Region: Lat 5, Ring 1
  Status: Independently governed burgh
  Law: Moderate-high
  Wealth: Moderate low
  OVERVIEW
  'Oh, shit!' she thought.
  The cracked and filthy flooring was damp under her shoulder 
  blades and thighs. Straight above was the pitted and flaking 
  plaster ceiling.
  'Hee, it's just like my brother's infection'.
  A lone, long legged insect danced across its inverted world. 
  Blackness returned.
  'Aaaaaaa.' Consciousness again.
  'Why does it 
  have to be so 
  sore?'.
  She raised an 
  arm and brought 
  it into her field 
  of view. Blood, 
  dried and flak-
  ing, 
  like 
  the 
  plaster on the 
  ceiling, 
  was 
  streaked down 
  the thin arm. 
  Clenched in the 
  fragile fist was 
  a grey mass, a 
  Brigade survival 
  knife, grey steel 
  merging 
  with  
  grey polycarb.
  'Why did I ever 
  listen to Rafter? He got me involved in this, got this damn 
  thing in my head now.' She turned her head and the pain 
  kicked her back in to the dark.
  A side on view of the world, dotted with scarlet.
  'That must be Jim. Shit, he really did have a lot of guts. He, 
  he, he.'
  The floor was littered with drug capsules, rounds of ammuni-
  tion and foam containers; the dead body was merely an 
  incidental feature in the chaos.
  'Someone, please get this thing out of my head, please, 
  please, please.'
  Crying in the night, as the rain continued to pour. 
  A massive tangle of streets, alleys, high rise and low rise 
  buildings, Fogwarren is one of the most densely populated 
  regions of The City. Home to the imposing CrossBar Terminus, 
  the area gets its name from the persistent dense smog that 
  writhes through the streets and underground lanes. The smog 
  issues from the many workshops and generating facilities of 
  the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Fulgurators who have 
  their headquarters here. This veil gives Fogwarren a sinister, 
  otherworldly aspect, an aspect only enhanced the deeper 
  you go into the underground layers. 
  Despite the twisted nature of the place, it is governed very 
  effectively by the elected local council. The local council is 
  elected from residents of Fogwarren and deals with all aspects 
  of civil government. Transport, sewerage, power and water 
  are all handled by the council, mainly through special deals 
  struck with various other interest groups active in Fogwarren. 
  The Fulgurators 
  provide power 
  for the region, 
  making it one 
  of the few non-
  macrocorpo-
  rate controlled 
  areas to have 
  widespread, 
  efficient electric 
  lighting. 
  Fogwarren 
  is 
  not, however, 
  without its prob-
  lems. The lower 
  reaches of the 
  underground 
  dwellings have 
  become a nightmare for the local law enforcement forces, a 
  virtual no go zone for anyone with a badge. Shifted beings 
  make their home here, moving into the upper reaches to prey 
  upon the inhabitants or to live out their strange, incomprehen-
  sible lifestyles. Certain sectors of the region are controlled by 
  militant turf gangs, violently defending what they see as their 
  ground. Around CrossBar Terminus, the Transit Militia act 
  with supreme arrogance, ignoring council edicts and hand-
  ing out their own brand of justice. While their jurisdiction 
  does not extend outwith the bounds of the terminus and the 
  rail network, they seem to regard criminals operating in the 
  street immediately surrounding the big station as fair game. 
  the place 60
  
  They have even been known to chase alleged criminals right 
  across Fogwarren, coming into tense and sometimes violent 
  contact with the local law enforcement officials.
  Architecturally, above-ground Fogwarren consists mainly of 
  three and four storey brick-built tenements, nearly all of which 
  have additional stories piled onto their roofs. Below ground, 
  brick and concrete lanes dominate, stairwells and passages 
  jut off at odd angles, forgotten tunnels lead to nowhere in 
  particular. Near to canals, the underground reaches drip 
  with water and moisture, some corridors having veritable 
  streams running down their centres. Canal wall collapses 
  occasionally flood entire blocks, killing hundreds. 
  By the strange nature of the place, property values in 
  Fogwarren are determined not by the quality of the hous-
  ing or by its location, but by how much light the dwelling 
  receives. Apartments in the upper stories of tenements, above 
  the enveloping mist command a premium, while the lower 
  you go, the less valuable your property becomes.
  In the underground regions, properties nearest stairwells, 
  tunnel entrances and grids in the road are most valuable. 
  Conversely, you can live in the lowest areas for practically 
  nothing. Not that you'd want to.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Set up by the local council to provide policing services for 
  Fogwarren, the Burgh Constabulary consists of a little over a 
  thousand uniformed and two hundred plain-clothes officers. 
  For a population as large as Fogwarren, the police force 
  is extraordinarily under-manned and over-stretched. Unlike 
  larger police organisations such as the TCMA Provosts, the 
  funds available to the Burgh Constabulary are very limited, 
  hence the equipment they use and level of training they 
  receive are not of the best quality. However, the officers are 
  all dedicated and hard working, often putting in horrendous-
  ly long shifts to make up for the lack of manpower. Armed 
  with hand-me-down pistols and carbines purchased decades 
  ago as a job lot from the Iron Hand militant organisation, 
  they patrol the mean streets in units of three, always on the 
  lookout for potential trouble. 
  There is a long running vendetta between the Burgh
  Constabulary and the Transit Militia operating out of 
  CrossBar Terminus. The Burgh Police believe (quite rightly) 
  that the militia overstep the boundaries of their jurisdiction in 
  their fanatical pursuit of offenders against railway law. This 
  has more than once led to firefights and fistfights between 
  the two groups.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The broken arms
  Description: Pub/gambling den, 278 Unter Strasse.
  A first glance the 'Arms is your typical, lower class pub. The 
  beer is warm and the welcome less than friendly if you are 
  not a local. But like many things in The City, there is some-
  thing beneath the surface. Accessed by a secret entrance 
  under the bar, there is a level below the cellar which houses 
  a very large illegal gambling complex. Backed by a local 
  3rd Syndicate assembly, the sub-basement is spartan but 
  offers Railwayman's Bluff, Up And Out and a variety of 
  other gambling activities. Membership is on a recommenda-
  tion basis, a member must vouch for you and you must be 
  approved by the 'committee' which runs the illegal casino.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Mikey Babbage
  Age: 20
  Height/Build: 5'10"
  Eye/Hair Colour: Yellow/Dyed red
  Occupation: Gang leader
  Affiliations: Red Death turfgang
  Current leader of the Red Death gang, Mikey is a self con-
  fident, assured young man, well aware of the power he can 
  exert over others. Coming from a middle-class upbringing 
  in Fogwarren, Babbage quickly grew tired of the so-so sur-
  roundings of his life and started to hang out with the rougher 
  elements in the local area. He was shortly accepted into 
  the Red Death and became leader one year ago. Like most 
  gangers he is cocky and arrogant, but has the skill and back-
  ing to go through with any action he commits himself to.
  the place 61
  
  FOLLY HILLS
  Region: Lat 1, Ring 3
  Status: TCMA Burgh
  Law: Moderate
  Wealth: Low-moderate
  OVERVIEW
  The view from the soldiers' head was incredible. Below, all 
  of Folly Hills, Coldbath Fell, Mire End and father afield were 
  spread out. It was as if the soldier would reach down and 
  scoop The City 
  up in the palm of 
  his mighty hand. 
  Ahead 
  stood 
  the great arch 
  and beyond, the 
  splendid angel, 
  shrouded in a 
  thin mist, reflect-
  ing the flares, gas 
  lamps and sodi-
  um slights below. 
  Cordwainer drew 
  breath. Even two 
  hundred feet up, 
  the air was still 
  stale. He looked 
  down. Far, far 
  below the deni-
  zens of Folly Hills went about their business, scurrying like ver-
  min, serving their masters, serving themselves. A fight broke 
  out at the base of the giant statue. Some drunk appeared to 
  be having an argument with a Simil. An argument he was 
  going to lose, if Cordwainer was any judge of things.
  This was the place to be. Far above the streets, far above the 
  crime, the filth, the despair. One day, he thought, all people 
  would feel like this. The City can't go on forever. Staring up 
  through the brown clouds, there was a sudden break and 
  for moment, a gap. A black space filled with twinkling lights. 
  Then it was gone.
  Time to go. Cordwainer balanced on the eyelid of the soldier 
  and gazed around for one last time. Closing his eyes, he 
  smiled and launched himself into space, falling away from the 
  soldier and his mighty hand.
  A study in contrasts, Folly Hills combines areas which only 
  just raise themselves above the level of a slum in its eastern 
  end, with expanding areas of middle-class housing in the 
  West End. The eastern half is deemed too near to Mire End 
  for any renovation or area assistance, while the East End 
  abuts Coldbath Fell, one of the more salubrious residential 
  areas in the TCMA. Hence the extensive monetary assistance 
  that the west end has received. The good people of Coldbath 
  Fell do not want to see a slum on their front doorsteps. 
  The area gets its name from the three hills on which it is 
  built. Sloping up from the Green Canal, the hills rise to a 
  little over five hundred feet. These are the hills. The follies 
  surmount these minor rises, increasing their height to over 
  seven hundred feet. Each hill is topped with a different folly. 
  The southernmost is capped with a concrete angel, wings 
  outstretched, right 
  hand clasping a 
  sword of justice. 
  The middle hill 
  displays a fine 
  stone arch, badly 
  corroded by cen-
  turies of acid rain 
  and vandalism. 
  The northernmost 
  of the three hills 
  is surmounted by 
  the most massive 
  of the three fol-
  lies, a statue of a 
  soldier, clutching 
  a rifle and point-
  ing to the south. 
  Nobody knows 
  why they were 
  built but all are sure that they predate The Shift. Folly Hills 
  has grown up around these gigantic monuments, crowding 
  into their bases. Rumour has it that Folly Hills was once open 
  parkland, where families could stroll and admire the fantas-
  tic architecture. Sadly, if this was ever true, it is not now the 
  case.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Being one of the lower priority areas within the TCMA, Folly 
  Hills has only one Provost bunker, and a small one at that. If 
  additional forces are needed, the Provosts are happy to fly 
  in manpower from Bankside Air Station a few short minutes 
  away. The Folly Hills Bunker can accommodate up to 90 
  Provosts, which is deemed more than enough. A couple of 
  aerostats are always at the ready on the rooftop pad, but 
  these are always older, less reliable models, with the newer 
  aircraft being used over the wealthier areas. Most of the 
  Provosts consider Folly Hills only one step up from Mire End 
  just across the Green Canal, despite the expanding middle-
  class population in the renovated buildings of the east end.
   
  the place 62
  
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Boundary Street
  Description: Street of food stalls, Boundary Street, Folly 
  Hills, TCMA
  Lying parallel with Folly Hills High Street, Boundary Street is 
  one of many thoroughfares in The City devoted to fast food. 
  The street is lined with tiny cafes and open-air stalls serving 
  all manner of food and drink. All kinds of cuisine are avail-
  able here at reasonably cheap prices. Most stalls and cafes 
  are family or individually run, there are no chain outlets in 
  these locations. The street is thronged 25 hours a day, and 
  making your way down the street carrying a full plate of food 
  can be a tricky proposition.
  The air is humid from the heat being given off by hundreds 
  of cookers and grease hangs like a fog. Your senses are 
  assaulted by a myriad of scents, some pleasant, some down-
  right disgusting. The clientele of the area are as varied as the 
  foods on offer, from Mire End types trying to bum a hot meal, 
  to well-to-do businessmen from Coldbath Fell (trying to avoid 
  getting mugged).
  The most common fare by far is fish, freshly brought in from 
  the tanks and cages of Bankside. Poached, fried, grilled, 
  baked, barbecued, you name it, it's available on Boundary 
  Street. As Bankside fish are not the most pleasant tasting 
  items in the world, the Boundary Street chefs have become 
  adept at whisking up pungent and spicy sauces to coat 
  their wares. It's really better that you don't ask what's in the 
  sauces. Honestly.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Robert Baker
  Age: 34
  Height/Build: 6' 2"/Toned and well-muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: Brown/Black, short
  Occupation: Flowghost and Security Consultant
  Affiliations: None
  Robert Baker is something of an outsider in the Dataflow com-
  munity. Not only is he a capable and intelligent flowghost, but 
  his training in combat techniques and security make him a for-
  midable physical opponent also. It is this physical aspect that 
  other ghosts dislike, they feel that using violence to solve prob-
  lems is for the ignorant and unworthy. However, his skill earns 
  him a nice living and his third floor flat in a Folly Hills block is 
  one of the most secure places in the area. Physically imposing, 
  he is not the average pale, underfed flowghost of popular 
  folklore. He works out every day and practices martial arts. In 
  addition to this, he has a natural way with technology and 
  wears his clothes in a manner which impresses clients. Baker 
  also makes money from repairing and selling firearms as well 
  as computers and security equipment, a large cache of which 
  he has at his flat.
  HANGSIDE
  Region: Lat 6/7, Ring 2
  Status: Residential
  Law: Gang policed
  Wealth: Low
   OVERVIEW
  "Internal monologue? Pah! It's the only thing that keeps you 
  sane in this place. Personally, I'm sick, tired and fed up of 
  Hangside. It's a carbuncle, should be burnt away. Lazy, shift-
  less bunch of good-for-nothings. What? Oh, right. Heron's 
  the name, Sergeant Heron. Iron Hand militant group. We do 
  protection for the good people of Sleeping Vale. And the first 
  thing we should do is get rid of Hangside! Right, I had to go 
  through there the other day, meeting up with a professional 
  colleague in Burningfell. The entrance to that place is like a 
  black pit, wreathed in smoke from cooking and hell knows 
  what else. There's barely enough room to walk two abreast, 
  pushing, crowding, greasy, noisy, nasty. Slum dwelling scum. 
  Any road up, I gets half way through when these cheeky 
  young bastards from the Hangsiders stop me. "What you 
  doin' here?" they say. "Fuck off", I says. It's amazing how a 
  crowd can melt away so quickly, all through these little doors 
  and into the backs of shops, behind food stalls. Cowards. 
  So I do what I'm trained for, I draw my gun. Then this kid 
  points the biggest bloody sparklock I've ever seen in my life 
  straight at my stomach. So I take him out, square in the face. 
  His cannon goes off and plants a round into my thigh, cheeky 
  bastard. The rest of them mugs start pulling knives and guns 
  and shit, so I just sprays away. Few screams from through the 
  walls, sounds like most of the folks were just hiding behind the 
  doors, getting a sneaky view. Serves them right. Managed 
  to take out about five of those Hangsiders, though. Scrawny 
  kids, Hobbled out of that place quicksmart and got back to 
  the patrol house. Yeah, that's the way it happened. So, you 
  from Iron Hand? Nice to meet you. What? What depart-
  ment? 'Repairs'? Oh shit! I'm a dead man."
  Looming over the polluted waters of the Black Canal, 
  Hangside is the largest and most notorious of the ‘bridge 
  communities' in The City. At Hangsides’ core lies the old, 
  forgotten Birdhouse Bridge, once the main thoroughfare over 
  the Black Canal between Sleeping Vale and Burningfell. As 
  the population grew and grew, quality housing became ever 
  rarer and shopkeepers on the bridge, ever with an eye for 
  the place 63
  
  fast profit, threw up new stories on their properties, renting 
  them out for exorbitant rates. As time wore on, platforms were 
  built out from the bridge and connected to the canal banks 
  by ropes, walkways and pipes. Soon, the bridge was com-
  pletely enclosed by buildings, turning what had once been a 
  wide thoroughfare into a narrow, gloomy tunnel. Hangside 
  itself became a mind-boggling accretion of levels, platforms, 
  walkways and rooms, all interconnected. East of the bridge, 
  the buildings stretch for 500 metres down the canal, while 
  west of the bridge, they run for a slightly lesser 400 metres.
  Underneath the layers of construction, the Black Canal truly 
  lives up to its name, stinking with pollution from the industrial 
  zones further west, reeking with rotting garbage and human 
  waste falling from above. It takes a very brave or foolhardy 
  individual to pilot a craft through the canal under Hangside.
  In the current era, Birdhouse Bridge still remains the accepted 
  centre of the district, thronged with tiny shops, food vendors 
  and beggars. Doors and passageways lead off at all angles 
  from the main walk. Private dwellings in Hangside are in the 
  main, tiny. The largest dwellings are on the very edges of 
  constructions, but these are always pushed in as new build-
  ing work goes on to increase the size of Hangside.
  One good thing is that the area is relatively free of violent 
  crime. This is mainly due to the local streetgang, the imagi-
  natively named Hangsiders. They are fiercely protective of 
  the area and of its citizens. Indeed, they seem almost half-
  way to becoming something of an organised militia. Most 
  families in Hangside have at least one member who is part 
  of the Hangsiders. Local businesses pay a not unreasonable 
  amount of protection to the gang, in return for which they are 
  defended against the predations of outsiders. Anyone, wheth-
  er they be from the area or an outsider, found committing a 
  violent crime, dealing drugs or stealing from fellow citizens 
  is subject to summary and brutal justice (this usually involves 
  some bricks, a length of rope and the Black Canal).
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  As previously discussed, the Hangsiders provide all the security 
  that the area needs. They are fiercely loyal to Hangside and will 
  not hesitate to mete out justice to outsiders. They are relatively 
  well equipped and well led, having a large stock of firearms and 
  melee weapons. Their leader is one Lawrence Gavidge, who 
  has been with the gang for most of his adult life.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  SuperPsykikWar
  Description: Games arcade and nightclub
  Virtual reality games arcade and sometime disco, SPW is a 
  popular hangout for local gangs and other elements of dis-
  affected youth. This concentration of delinquency and petty 
  criminal tendencies makes it a worthwhile place to visit in order 
  to obtain local information, word on the street etc. Most of the 
  games units are of the 'trode set VR type, with no direct Dataflow 
  linkages. There are a few ancient flat screen video games and 
  slightly less aged holographic screen games. Currently popular 
  games include EkranoStrike War-IV and Tunnel Threat.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Florentina Venkatseramany
  Age: Unknown, possibly late fifties
  Height/Build: 5' 3"/Very slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Sparkling blue/Grey
  Occupation: Street healer
  Affiliations: None
  A tiny, spare woman who makes her home in Hangside, 
  shuffling from place to place with her head bowed and 
  arms clasped in front of her. She has all the hallmarks of 
  one bowed by sad, bitter experience and weighed down 
  by the pressures of life. Only when you look in Florentina 
  Venkatseramany's eyes down you see the real spark of life 
  which dwells deep within. For Florentina is a streethealer of 
  unparalleled skill and ability. When a child is sick in Hangside, 
  it is she who the citizens call for. When a Hangsider has been 
  wounded defending the area, it is she who the citizens call 
  for. Her quick hands make short work of cleaning, suturing 
  and bandaging. It is the proud claim of Hangside that only 
  those who are beyond help have not lived thanks to the atten-
  tions of this woman. Some in Burningfell and Sleeping Vale 
  call her a witch, or one of The Shifted. She seems to care 
  little for such slurs, continuing to make her slow, shuffling way 
  about Hangside.
  the place 64
  
  LONG POND
  Region: Lat 8/1, Ring 4
  Status: TCMAA controlled area
  Law: Minimal
  Wealth: Moderate
  OVERVIEW
  A constant dull banging echoed throughout the lowest levels 
  of The Barque as dozens of small craft rode the slight swell. 
  Shifting in his narrow bunk, Evlin craned to see out of the port-
  hole. Fogged with condensation and layered with a patina of 
  grime and age, the porthole allowed only the weakest form 
  of light through, grudgingly admitting it into the cramped 
  squalor of the cabin. Wedged between the workshop of a 
  cobbler who sang hymns to God whilst hammering hobnails 
  and the laboratory of a quietly insane chemist, the cabin was 
  barely three feet wide and seven feet long.
  Casually picking some wandering lice from his armpit, Evlin 
  gave up trying to discern any activity outside and shrugged 
  on his voluminous grey rubber leggings and rotting dogskin 
  coat. Rummaging through the accumulated detritus on the 
  floor, he finally pulled out a pair of heavy black boots and 
  a set of scratched, blackened goggles. Placing them on the 
  appropriate bodily parts, he shuffled sideways to the door 
  and emerged into the early morning fug of the corridor.
  The cobbler was singing again, warbling on in a cracked 
  tenor, extolling the seventeen virtues and chastising the 
  impure. There were precious few punters about at this time of 
  day as Evlin tramped towards the bows, hoping to avoid scur-
  rying scurts. The generators beckoned once more, needful of 
  his loving care and delicate touch.
  Strine wandered over as he emerged into the generator 
  bilge's, pulling a set of heavy insulated gloves from her 
  hands and fishing in her pockets for a nebelweed smoke. She 
  smiled, displaying a half set of brown, cracked teeth. 
  "Late again, Ev. Might decide to clock off on time one of 
  these days. Leave you right in it."
  "Cut it, Strine. Had a bad night, Deckster was having another 
  one of his mad fits.
  "That old freak? Should punch his lights and stop him once 
  and..."
  "Ach, he's harmless. Just loud, is all."
  "Yeah, but keeps you from the good work."
  Strine finished the sentence by stamping up the companion-
  way and slamming the hatch shut behind her.
  "Minger." thought Evlin.
  Generator Three was throwing its usual tantrum, barking and 
  spitting coolant all over the floor. Evlin grasped the corroded 
  iron lever, heaved on a couple of switches and declutched the 
  drive. The generator started revving maniacally until he kicked 
  the all stop, cracking the metal with the force of the blow. The 
  core was just about shot, fried wires black with soot. The big 
  stationary magnets were caked with fine metallic dust, blown 
  through The Barque from the workshops above. 
  "Crap."
  Evlin would earn his keep today. This and every other day, 
  as far as he could see. 
  Largest of turning circles along the Grand Canal, Long Pond 
  is fiercely contested territory, disputed by the 3rd Syndicate, 
  the TCMAA Provosts and the Hohler Gang. The floating mar-
  kets are the scene of almost daily gunfights, robberies, assas-
  sinations and random acts of terrorism. Despite this, Long 
  Pond supports a thriving business community, selling any kind 
  of ware imaginable from shops floating on the surface of the 
  pond or clinging to its edge. Business located on and around 
  the 'Pond must pay various kinds of protection to the 3rds, the 
  Hohlers or even to corrupt Provosts. Most stall owners and 
  shopkeepers accept this as an inevitable part of life, just like 
  the rain. Paying protection does not necessarily guarantee 
  any level of protection from other factions. Indeed, the gangs 
  and the Provosts seldom seem to bother about attacks on 
  businesses nominally under their protection. 
  To the curious shopper, Long Pond seems to operate on laws 
  of physics as yet undiscovered by scientists. Carefully drawn 
  maps are out of date in an hour due to the randomly shifting 
  clumps of boats, barges and hulks. Fires, violence and the 
  sluggish movement of the canal itself serves to constantly twist 
  and change the waterborne topography of the Long Pond 
  markets. Cargo captains, teamsters and taxi drivers have 
  become adept at an intuitive form of navigation, equipping 
  their vessels with tall masts mounted with telescopes, mirrors 
  or small children to spy out landmarks around the edge of the 
  'Pond. Orienteering in this manner is the only realistic way of 
  navigating about the swirling, watery lanes. In a remarkable 
  display of level headedness and common sense, waterborne 
  Provost patrols make strenuous efforts to keep a central water-
  way open to allow craft heading up and down the canal to 
  move freely. They also attempt (with slightly less success) to 
  keep a number of channels leading to the banks open. 
  Visitors to Long Pond will be instantly captivated (according 
  to a local poet) by the gaily-coloured flags which the stall-
  holders use to identify their position. They will be enthralled 
  by the sights, sounds and smells of this vibrant, energetic 
  location. The truth is somewhat more prosaic. While Long 
  Pond does indeed look colourful, a sea of waving banners, 
  its energy is more directed towards fleecing as much money 
  from buyers as is humanly possible. Encounters with 3rd 
  Syndicate Assemblies and Hohler Crews are always pos-
  sible, normally with violent (or possibly deadly) results. 
  the place 65
  
  SECURITY/MILITARY  PRESENCE?
  As has been previously mentioned, the TCMAA Provosts are 
  nominally in charge of Long Pond, providing the same level 
  of law enforcement that any area of the TCMA can expect. 
  In truth, the Provosts stationed at Long Pond are, if anything, 
  more corrupt and violent than most of their colleagues else-
  where. Robbery, embezzlement and savage beatings are 
  their stock in trade. In attempting to beat down the gangs 
  through use of force, they have become like the gangs them-
  selves, feared by the populace and despised as much as any 
  criminal. In turn, they have made many citizens look towards 
  the gangs for protection from the police. The 3rd Syndicate 
  is especially fond of tracking down and eliminating Provost 
  patrols. In fact, it has become something of an initiation rite 
  for young gang members.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Barque
  Description: Barge containing numerous small businesses.
  One of the few unmoving parts of Long Pond, The Barque 
  is a huge, derelict barge, taken over by scores of traders, 
  tinkers and artificers. The pitted, rotting hull is encrusted with 
  ramshackle buildings and disused boats capsized on the 
  deck to form workshops and stores. There is one industry 
  which The Barque has an enviable reputation for: the produc-
  tion of dingins. There are always at least thirty tiny factories, 
  labouriously handcrafting miniature mechanical comput-
  ers. Bathed in harsh light, complex arrangements of lenses 
  strapped to their heads, the artificers cut, shape and place 
  thousands of minuscule components. Encased in flat steel, 
  burnished copper or soft dogskin, the little boxes give the 
  power of computing to those who can afford such craftsman-
  ship. Whole subsidiary industries have grown up to support 
  the artificers: miniature metalworks run smelters and presses, 
  opticians grind lenses and shape frames and toolmakers craft 
  the tiny implements needed by the dingin artificers. 
  However, The Barque is not only home to skilled artisans. 
  Here you can find clothes shops, fishmongers, shoemakers 
  and herbalists. All of these services thrive and survive in the 
  midst of the chaos that is Long Pond. Within the moisture 
  ridden bilges of the vessel, ancient, wheezing generators 
  provide power for the lights and machines required to sus-
  tain the community. Here, within the dark confines of the 
  lowest holds live disgraced Fulgurators and excommunicated 
  macrocorporate technicians, surviving by selling their hard-
  earned skills to the community of The Barque.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Evlin Pireque
  Age: 34
  Height/Build: 5' 4"/Emaciated
  Eye/Hair Colour: Black/Greasy, black, greying at temples
  Occupation: Generator technician
  Affiliations: None
  A disgraced former Fulgurator, banished from the order for a 
  series of unspecified but presumably dire crimes, Pireque has 
  carved himself a life as one of the technicians who service 
  the generators of The Barque. Never the most forthcoming 
  of individuals, he jealously guards the details of his past 
  misdemeanours, something which goes pretty much unre-
  marked in technician circles, as all of those who toil in the 
  bilges have their own secrets which they wish to hide. Small 
  and thin, his face and arms are covered with numerous burn 
  marks, the legacy of working with dangerous, unpredictable 
  machinery. His face is especially scared, being pocked with 
  the leftover marks of childhood disease and malnutrition.
  LUCENT HEIGHTS
  Region: Lat 1, Ring 4
  Status: TCMA secure residential burgh
  Law: Very high, militant organisation policed
  Wealth: Very high, upper class 
  OVERVIEW
  Morgan Kusei hated his life. Living in luxury, with no worries 
  about money was all very well, but he felt that his life lacked 
  certain experiences. The world outside of Lucent Heights was 
  unknown. The massive city was an unexplored wilderness. 
  From the great windows of his parents' mansion, he could see 
  places he could only dream about visiting. Mire End, Folly 
  Hills and Dreamingspires. Places of excitement and adven-
  ture. His parents even refused to let him join the Brigade of 
  Light as an officer. Instead, he sits in this ivory tower, unable 
  to touch the world. Tonight that would change.
  The stupid, hidebound guards at the Boulevard Gate were 
  under strict orders not to let him pass. Judicious application 
  of makeup and an ID purchased at ruinous cost from a more 
  bohemian acquaintance allowed him egress. Free at last. 
  The ferry to Mire End was a revelation. Here were people 
  unsullied by wealth and prosperity. The smells, sounds and 
  sights danced on his nerve endings, he was alive with joy. 
  the place 66
  
  Rotting tenements and crumbling walls appeared as works 
  of art. Until some locals decided that here was someone who 
  could do with guidance.
  Morgan Kusei hated his life. He knew there was something 
  wrong, some past that he was failing to remember. Still, he 
  gripped another rough pallet with his bleeding hands and 
  put his back into it. The overseers lash fell on his back despite 
  his efforts. He hated his life.
  Built upon a hill directly overlooking the Brightlights shopping 
  zone on the north side of the Central Park area of the TCMA, 
  Lucent Heights is one of the most prestigious residential 
  areas in the entire city. The most sought after are the houses 
  located on top of the hill, sprawling mansions of unbelievable 
  plushness and luxury. Many high ranking macrocorp execs 
  maintain houses and apartments in here, hence the excellent 
  security services provided. Kinetic Energy Incorporated pro-
  vide a round the clock armed presence and have constructed 
  a mikefighter base at the foot of the hill with pilots on thirty 
  second standby, should anything occur.
  The architecture in Lucent Heights varies from street to street 
  and from dwelling to dwelling. Some live in ornate mansions 
  and garish villas, while others choose to live in more minimal-
  istic apartments and houses. What amazes the visitor most 
  is the quietness and cleanliness of the place. There is not a 
  single piece of litter to be seen, no collapsed figures lie in the 
  road and above all, there is a lack of constant background 
  sound. All dwellings, large or small, are exceptionally well 
  soundproofed, the residents valuing their seclusion from the 
  rest of The City. Every dwelling is also protected by a state 
  of the art security system, connected into the main datacore 
  of Kinetic Energy Inc.
  When one enters the area on foot, the visitor is first con-
  fronted by three rows of walls and fences, set up by KEI as 
  the first line of defence. Once past these, you come upon the 
  'cheapest' houses and apartments, modest one and two bed-
  room abodes. Proceeding up the hill, the buildings gradually 
  become even more expensive and large. At the summit are 
  the most expensive pieces of property in The City. Owned 
  by the elite, they are huge, fabulously constructed affairs, 
  guaranteed to strike awe into any city dweller.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  As has been previously mentioned, security for the entire 
  Lucent Heights area is provided by the militant organisation 
  of Kinetic Energy Incorporated. Their troopers patrol the area 
  with a fervour that borders on fanaticism. Nobody gets in with-
  out the appropriate identification. Lucent Heights is probably 
  the best protected area in The City, after the macrocorporate 
  domains. The TCMA Provosts have no jurisdiction within the 
  area, a point which irks the Provosts no end. Mikefighters stand 
  ready to intercept any airborne intruders which attempt to pass 
  through the airspace above the enclave.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  THE LUCENT HEIGHTS SPORTSPERSONS CLUB
  Description: Private sporting club and dining establishment
  Opulent, richly decorated and heavy with the smells of fine 
  wines and rare foods, The Lucent heights Sportspersons  Club 
  is the club to be a member of in this status-obsessed society. 
  Founded many, many years ago, the 'Club is stringent in the 
  application of both it's membership criteria and house rules. 
  To join, one must be recommended by at least four other club 
  members in good standing, be a resident of Lucent Heights 
  and pass an un-nervingly lengthy series of interviews and 
  examinations. Most members use the club simply to socialise, 
  yet a few do actively participate in a variety of 'sporting' 
  activities. From illegal ekranoplan racing to hunting convicted 
  criminals, they obtain their kicks mostly at the expense of the 
  rest of the population. The Provosts tend to turn a blind eye 
  to their activities, realising the power and influence that some 
  of these wealthy adrenaline junkies wield. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Keiko Harland-Weiss
  Age: 31
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Very slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Violet/Blue
  Occupation: None
  Affiliations: None
  A ghost amongst the outrageously wealthy citizens of Lucent 
  Heights, Keiko lives in her vast mansion, attended only by 
  her automaton servants, interacting with other people only 
  through telephone, never leaving the confines of her home. 
  For, in a city of millions, she has the most unfortunate of afflic-
  tions: agoraphobia. She lives in fear of crowds, the press of 
  bodies, the smells of sweat and rain. Isolated for ten years, 
  she lives off of the money which her father, a successful and 
  astute businessman, built up. Keiko is considered something 
  of a joke among the people of Lucent Heights, her name is 
  mentioned with derision in the trendy bars, her house is point-
  ed at in passing, the pointer laughing and joking with their 
  fellows. Yet, she remains sealed within, fearful of the urban 
  chaos which surrounds her, dreading the day when it all 
  comes crashing down and the unwashed hordes batter down 
  her door and take her out into the streets, into the crowds.
  the place 67
  
  MERRYHELL
  Region: Lat 6, Ring 5
  Status: Macrocorporate housing area
  Law: Moderate
  Wealth: Low
  OVERVIEW
  "Good morning, faithful employees of Gorunna Logistics, 
  your caring, considerate employer.
  This morning's top story is a great one for all workers in the 
  steel mills. Production rose last week by fifteen percent, a 
  testament to the forward planning of Gorunna and to your 
  hard work. Operations Controller Stephane Almovar stated 
  'I am overjoyed at this latest production increase. However, I 
  believe we can strive for more. I would encourage all employ-
  ees to contribute to our great efforts and ensure continued 
  increases in the future.'
  In other news, Hirplakker continued to show poor perfor-
  mance figures, continuing the trend of the last three years. 
  Heavily damaged by the insurrectionist Arclight Corporation, 
  Hirplakker no longer represents any kind of competition to 
  the might of Gorunna.
  Here is a public service announcement: In sectors four, seven 
  and eleven of Merryhell, there will be a power shortage 
  during the hours of darkness. This is due to a new smelting 
  furnace being brought on-line in the Deepdown mining zone. 
  We are sure our employees will understand the vital necces-
  sity of this operation.
  On the tube tonight, there will be a special report on the tire-
  less labours of your colleagues in the railheads. These vital 
  workers assist in the important flow of resources for Gorunna. 
  All employees are urged to view this thrilling presentation, as 
  questions may be asked by your shift supervisors.
  Now, step out and enjoy your working day. Gorunna: we're 
  there for you, you will be there for us."
  Home to workers for Gorunna Logistics Ltd, Merryhell is a 
  giant, sprawling zone of low class housing. 60% of the popu-
  lation actively work for Gorunna, the rest exist as workers 
  families and illegal transients. Almost all of these workers toil 
  in the neighbouring Radstrip or Deepdown (see 'Industrial 
  Areas' in this chapter for details on Deepdown) industrial 
  zones. Security on the edge of the industrial zones is moder-
  ate to good but the further into Merryhell you go, the worse 
  it becomes. The majority of housing is crumbling old high-rise 
  and underground deep-rise tenements, infested with rats and 
  even less pleasant creatures.
  The above having been said, the residents of Merryhell are 
  considerably better off than the people of slum areas such 
  as Mire End and Dreamingspires. They, at least, have the 
  luxuries of electricity, running water (sometimes) and relative 
  security. Gorunna knows full well that spending too little on 
  the needs of its employees would result in a workforce that 
  would be, frankly, unable to work. Hence, the corporation 
  spends the absolute minimum it can get away with and 
  not incur a workers revolution. Gorunna corporate security 
  patrols most of the area, only leaving out the worst, central 
  areas occupied by the lowest paid workers. The peripheral 
  regions of Merryhell, despite their proximity to the industrial 
  zones, offer the best quality housing (relatively speaking) and 
  the most reliable facilities. Here you can find shops (some 
  operated privately, with permission from Gorunna), public 
  baths, cinemas and other civic attractions. Every change of 
  shift, the streets are thronged with people going to and from 
  work, doing their shopping or bringing their children home 
  from the corporate schools. 
  Residents of Merryhell like to moan that their lot in life is 
  hard, that it's tough working under the heel of one of the 
  mighty macrocorporations. In actuality, they have a far better 
  standard of living and of health (excepting the high level of 
  industrial illness and injury which is prevalent amongst work-
  ers) than many other denizens of The City. Crime is kept to 
  an acceptable minimum by the corporate forces and justice 
  handed out in a swift, uncompromising manner. The people 
  are lucky; the prevailing winds generated by The City's many 
  microclimates flow over Merryhell from the centre of The City. 
  Were it the other way, the entire area would be bathed in 
  fumes, soot, dust and radiation from the industrial zones.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  As previously mentioned, security within Merryhell can be 
  variable. The regions bordering the industrial zones are the 
  best protected, while the interior zones and underground 
  housing are the least frequently patrolled by the corporate 
  forces.
  Employees of Gorunna are treated with a fair amount of 
  respect by the security forces; non-residents come in for fairly 
  harsh treatment if caught without a permit or valid reason for 
  being in Merryhell.
  the place 68
  
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The kicked inn
  Description: Public house, 19 Needleman Street
  The Kicked Inn is a small public house located on Needleman 
  Street, alongside the Black Canal on the extreme northern 
  edge of Merryhell, its main notable function is being a front 
  for Gorunna corporate security surveillance operations. 
  Rather than being based out of an official facility, surveil-
  lance and investigating officers for the surrounding area are 
  often based out of the pub's extensive underground network 
  of rooms. This provides a secure, trouble free environment in 
  which to carry out important undercover operations.
  The landlord, Mr Felix Laughton, is your average, cheery 
  barkeep. This conceals the fact that he is an experienced 
  undercover officer with fifteen years service behind him.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Hideki Murayama
  Age: 24
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Slim, fine featured 
  Eye/Hair Colour: Brown/Dyed blond, spiky
  Occupation: Flowghost
  Affiliations: None (that he is willing to tell anyone about)
  Skilled in his art, Murayama is the bane of many a datacore. 
  Slipping through the dingin and computer defences like a 
  wraith, he spirits away data and sells it to the highest bidder. 
  These activities have not gone unnoticed. Both Gorunna and 
  Hirplakker are seriously interested in this man and would 
  love to have a short, private conversation with him. Hence, 
  he decided to hide right under the very nose of one of his 
  biggest enemies.
  His one room apartment in a deep low-rise is lined with gad-
  getry, from microscale to macroscale dingins, rare electronic 
  computer parts, communications gear and scavenged parts. 
  He is highly intelligent (one of the reasons he has managed 
  to stay one step ahead of the macrcorps) and possesses a 
  keen sense of humour. However, time is running short. The 
  macrocorps have immense resources that are slowly being 
  marshalled against him. The time will come to move again, 
  always jumping that fraction ahead.
  MIRE END
  Region: Lat 2, Ring 3
  Status: Uncontrolled slum
  Law: None
  Wealth: Poverty stricken
  OVERVIEW
  Slap. Slap. Slap. The sound of boots hitting concrete through 
  an inch or so of water. Water was everywhere here. A perva-
  sive dampness, a state of decay. Across the canal was Folly 
  Hills, even that had been taken in by the TCMAA. But, they 
  wanted nothing to do with Mire End, too deprived, run down 
  and plain hellish for the Burghers and the Provosts to deal 
  with. Three men came round the corner, ducking the jagged 
  ended pipes jutting from the rotting brick wall. Sparklocks 
  in their hands, heavy, ugly weapons. Not guaranteed to kill 
  you straight away, but kill you they will in the infected waters 
  of Mire End. A single gas lamp above the alley caught their 
  pale, waxy faces, almost the same sheen as their slick oilskin 
  coats.
  "Cardyouthere?" It was almost like hearing a machinecan-
  non speak. The man's comrades shifted uneasily and hefted 
  their guns. One was a bit too nervous and held the trigger 
  that little bit tight. The sparklock boomed and emitted a huge 
  gout of smoke. There was splintering sound as the heavy ball 
  embedded itself in the brick.
  "Youutterprick!" said the leader and stabbed the shooter 
  in the throat with a long stiletto. He fell backwards into the 
  scummy water, gurgling and moaning. But only for a while. I 
  lowered myself from the rusting fire escape and stepped out 
  into the middle of the alley.
  "Brady, you should really be more tolerant."
  "Hefuckin'! Miss Card, how nice to see you." He spoke slowly, 
  stilted, like a man unused to enunciating individual words.
  "Likewise Brady, likewise. So, what you want?"
  "Needafighterfor... I need a 'fighter to take out Frontier, he's 
  stepping in on my territory."
  "Expensive, what you got?"
  "This." He grinned, exposing a row of broken, brown teeth. 
  In his hand he held out a small, matt grey object. An Arclight 
  computer. An exceptionally rare sight in these parts.
  "You could sell it for a pretty sum, Miss Card."
  "Deal." It's not a nice way to make a living, but in Mire End, 
  your choices are few and far between. I took the comp.
  the place 69
  
  Mire End is a forgotten, forlorn place. Denied help by the 
  powerful TCMA sitting just across the Green Canal and 
  despised by its citizens, it is a place of crime, indolence and 
  apathy.
  A few square miles of brick and concrete tenements, Mire End 
  is slowly rotting into the ground. Drainage systems destroyed 
  years ago have given rise to a permanent layer of water to 
  cover the streets. The ground floors of most buildings are left 
  empty, the 
  inhabitants 
  moving to 
  the higher 
  levels 
  in 
  order 
  to 
  escape the 
  dampness 
  and 
  rot. 
  With little 
  indigenous 
  i n d u s t r y 
  or employ-
  ment, Mire 
  End 
  has 
  had to turn 
  to 
  crime 
  in 
  order 
  to survive. 
  Most of the 
  citizens are engaged in some form of illegal activity, whether 
  it be shopkeepers selling blatantly stolen goods or young 
  toughs soldiering for the Hohler Gang, criminality is endemic. 
  Out of this, Mire End has become something of a trading 
  ground for those dealing in items that the Provosts across the 
  canal may take a dim view of. 
  If any one group can be said to control Mire End, then it 
  would be the Hohler Gang. They moved in countless years 
  ago and began swallowing up the smaller outfits and local 
  gangs. More than half of the population of Mire End is now 
  connected in some way to the Gang. The gang ruthlessly 
  runs all the prostitution along the bank of the Green Canal 
  facing Folly Hills, with any freelancers being dealt with in the 
  most ruthless of fashions. The pitted, worn concrete bank with 
  its jagged stumps of rebar ready to slice the unwary is a 25 
  hour a day flesh market, with girls in their flouncing skirts and 
  young men in their frock coats selling themselves to punters 
  from across the water. Scattered amongst the flesh peddlers 
  are sellers of trinkets and assorted wares. The Hohler Gang 
  tolerates these individual enterprises, as long as they don't 
  get too big for their boots. Here you can find ammunition 
  being sold from rolled up blankets, drugs from trays and 
  pornography from coat pockets.
  Most activity is concentrated around the ferry, the ancient, 
  creaking, highly dangerous means of getting from Folly Hills 
  to Mire End. There are few sizeable bridges connecting the 
  two areas and the ferry provides the main link for those travel-
  ling between the two areas. A decrepit, flat-bottomed wooden 
  construction, 
  the ferry is 
  guided by two 
  huge chains 
  strung across 
  the 
  canal. 
  S p a r k i n g , 
  arcing, 
  dia-
  bolical electri-
  cal 
  engines 
  b e n e a t h 
  the 
  decking 
  power 
  the 
  gearwheels 
  which 
  grip 
  the 
  chains 
  and drag the 
  ferry across 
  the carpet of 
  green. Sparks 
  shower down from the pantograph which runs along the 
  electrical cables suspended above the canal, powering the 
  ancient vehicle. At both landing stages, there are always 
  crowds of passengers, prostitutes, pickpockets and assorted 
  gawpers. A one way trip on the ferry will cost you a shilling, 
  handed over to the bent and bewhiskered ferrymaster, a man 
  of venerable age and spiteful temper.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The only thing that could be described as a 'security service' 
  in Mire End are the internal strictures of the Hohler Gang. 
  They police themselves brutally and efficiently, weeding out 
  the weak, the traitorous and the incompetent. Unlike many 
  other organised crime groups, the Hohler Gang does not 
  extort protection from the citizens. On one level, this is to 
  make the citizens more amenable to their activities and on 
  another level, and certainly in Mire End, the people are just 
  too poor to pay protection money. 
  the place 70
  
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Corner of H Street & Powell
  Description: Ruined, semi-inhabited area
  Devastated during the Hundred Block War, this was already 
  one of the worst bits of Mire End. Hirplakker, in their wisdom, 
  decided to build a fake staging area here, on the other 
  side of The City from the main fighting in what are now the 
  Contested Grounds. The residents of Mire End were in no 
  position to argue, while the TCMA turned it's back and pre-
  tended nothing was happening. Nobody expected Arclight 
  to strike as massively as they did.
  Eleven days after the fake staging area was built and 
  manned, the Brigade of Light attacked. Two armoured 
  Tentenel companies, backed up by aerostat gunships and 
  swarms of mikefighters descended from the skies. On the 
  canals, Brigade gunboats pounded the supposed Hirplakker 
  positions, caring little for the poor, forgotten inhabitants of 
  Mire End. When the dust settled, the only corpses were those 
  of the unlucky residents. The Brigade quietly withdrew. Now, 
  H Street & Powell is home to the most wretched of Mire End's 
  residents, living in hovels constructed from scrap brick and 
  iron sheeting. Disease is rampant here, even more so than 
  in the main body of Mire End. Cripples, orphans and the 
  insane all cluster together through sheer lack of somewhere 
  else to go.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITIES
  Janus Kripitsch
  Age: 28
  Height/Build: 5' 11"/Thin, slope shouldered
  Eye/Hair Colour: Deep green/Black, cropped
  Occupation: Lostfinder
  Affiliations: The people of Mire End
  One of the few Lostfinders in Mire End and the only one 
  not to be completely under the thrall of the Hohler Gang, 
  Kripitsch is a man of moral principle and utter practicality. 
  Born in Folly Hills, he moved to Mire End because of a girl. 
  The girl went a long time ago, but Kripitsch remains. Standing 
  a little above average height, he has a slightly lopsided 
  appearance due to a head injury sustained as a child. His 
  cropped black hair, sallow complexion and deep green eyes 
  combine to give him an appearance which is not immediately 
  trustworthy.
  However, his appearance belies his manner, which is kind, 
  caring and compassionate. He believes deeply in helping 
  the people of Mire End and, unbeknown to all, he is con-
  ducting a long letter writing campaign to Markus Heilige in 
  the TCMAA, begging that the TCMA give Mire End some 
  assistance. Letters scrawled in his scratchy handwriting arrive 
  on Heilige's desk every few weeks, beseeching that notable 
  man to offer succour of some kind.
  Jane Card
  Age: 25
  Height/Build: 6' 0"/Muscular
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Light brown
  Occupation: Ghostfighter
  Affiliations: None
  Card is a hard woman, and one that it is best not to cross. 
  Even the Hohlers leave her alone, pretending to themselves 
  that she is not worth the trouble. Her skills are in great 
  demand and she travels far across the City, wherever a job 
  may take her. She grew up in the Third Church of God the 
  Architect orphanage in the eastern half of Mire End, enduring 
  an upbringing of toil, prayer and abstinence. Aged thirteen, 
  she left the orphanage and set out to make her own way in 
  the world. The hard life of the streets quickly taught her that 
  she had a natural talent for fighting and she soon saw that 
  there was money to be made from this talent. Now twenty-
  five, she has been fighting on the streets for over a decade, 
  honing her skills and establishing a fearsome reputation. At 
  six feet in height, she is tall and also very broad. She is also 
  exceptionally light on her feet, almost a prerequisite for being 
  a ghostfighter. Always the professional, she has made many 
  enemies in her life. Yet nothing seems to perturb her dour, 
  humourless exterior. She always maintains the same blank 
  expression of total disinterest. It is only when fighting that a 
  faint spark of life comes into her eyes.
  Project 97
  Region: Lat 2, Ring 6
  Status: Independent burgh
  Law: Very little
  Wealth: Minimal
  OVERVIEW
  The Outside. A place called The City. Beyond the walls 
  of the Project, streets stretching into infinity. Fallenbeck's 
  Grandfather had told him tales of Outside, clustered around 
  the communal lamp, numbed fingers reaching out for the 
  meagre heat or slumped in the draft cooled corridors during 
  one of the interminable heatwaves. Now the decision had 
  been made. The Outside beckoned. The death of Nemeth 
  the place 71
  
  decided that. A death deep in the cores, amongst the fog and 
  fungus, had made that a necessity. Most people in the Project 
  did not care for the Outside, the Project was mother and 
  father to them, the only place they had ever known. Those who 
  left were seldom welcomed back, only the Skinners had real 
  dealings with anywhere else, and they were hated because of 
  their privileged position, a position in the light and air.
  But the Project was cruel mother and uncaring father. Little 
  did it care for the tiny, fragile creatures who swarmed 
  through it. Travel all you want within the corridors, but going 
  to the Outside carries the stigma, of being a traitor to the 
  motherland. Still, it was a  journey which would have to be 
  made. Nemeth had known the sacrifices which were needed, 
  known in those last suffocating moments that Outside held 
  truths which must be uncovered. Tales told by old men had 
  a grain of essential truth to them, Fallenbeck knew that. He 
  had gazed from the vast expanse of roof, squatting amongst 
  the cisterns and windmills, quaking at the immensity of open 
  space around him. Beyond the limits of the roof were other 
  places, whispered in dreams and tales. The Luminous Tower, 
  the Infernal Asylum, the Dreaming Spires of the Three Canals. 
  Places of glory and wonder
  "He'll go, you know. Outside. He'll die."
  "Of course, it's a certainty."
  The first speaker coughed, a hollow rasping noise, a staccato 
  burst in the darkness.
  "Yes, he will. But slowly, a seeker after such knowledge does 
  not deserve a quick or easy death."
  "Yes. Let him quest for a while, let him dream and ponder. After 
  all, who are we to take dreams away from the people."
  "Indeed. Who are we."
  Probably the largest single building in The City, a vast, sprawl-
  ing hive reaching up into the smog and delving down into the 
  ground. No one knows how many people live in Project 97, 
  such is the shifting, ever changing nature of its demographics. 
  Whole sections and levels operate by different rules, differ-
  ent laws and different morals. Parts of the building lie rotting 
  and abandoned, ignored, avoided or feared. In the gloom 
  of the cores and sub-levels, gangs prowl for prey, devouring 
  the weak and helpless. In the lightwells and shafts, stinking 
  masses of rubbish give off toxic fumes, spoiling the already 
  foetid air. Dwellings on the outer skin of Project 97 are held 
  on to with violent force, handed down through generations, 
  protected with a fanatical zeal.
  Project 97 is truly a huge building, covering many acres of 
  ground and towering high into the smog of The City. A public 
  works project of unparalleled size, expense and extent, even 
  at its current scale, it remains incomplete and unfinished. 
  Its poor concrete splits off in lumps, occasionally crashing 
  down onto a poor unfortunate below. In these troubled days, 
  no one cares to remember who built Project 97 or why, it 
  just remains home to tens of thousands of citizens, citizens 
  who rarely leave the confines of the concrete warren. Many 
  individual levels and sections are communities in themselves, 
  with markets, gardens, hydroponics and a rough, riotous 
  semblance of public law and order. Others are lawless corri-
  dors and basements, ruled by fear and violence, dark realms 
  where combat is carried out in gloom and silence. 
  Within this mind boggling concrete tangle, there are some 
  remarkable examples of  innovation and invention. Some 
  communities tap the stinking refuse mounds which gather in 
  the lightwells and shafts and use the gases they produce to 
  power lights and generators. Others make use of the winds 
  which blow constantly up and down ventilation shafts and 
  through some of the winding corridors, using them to power 
  dynamos giving light, heat and power for tiny industries. The 
  roof levels of Project 97 are festooned with tanks, cisterns 
  and ducting to collect water, siphoning it down through 
  rusting pipes and jerry-built aqueducts to the levels below. 
  Water theft is rife, with pipes constantly being diverted, 
  reconnected, broken open and generally fiddled with. In the 
  very lowest levels, the inhabitants have to rely on the streams 
  which pour down the lightwells, thick with filth and dirt.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Within Project 97, there is no official security presence. 
  However, this does not mean that some areas are not guard-
  ed with a certain amount of zeal. Many corridors have band-
  ed together to protect themselves against the depredations 
  of roving gangs and water thieves, most arming themselves 
  with staves, clubs, spears and the occasional sparklock. 
  Some artisans within the Project have become very adept at 
  manufacturing compact, powerful crossbows for use within 
  the tight confines of the snaking corridors. Most enthusiastic 
  in the defence of their homes are those who have dwellings 
  which form part of the outer skin of Project 97. These are 
  highly prized, with their access to 'clean' air and the weak, 
  sickly sunlight. Large numbers of outer skin dwellers have set 
  up primitive communications systems involving flags or primi-
  tive speaking tubes in order to warn of an imminent attack. 
  To attack one is to attack many. And the many will fight back 
  with the ferocity of cornered dogs.
  Highlighted Location
  The Funhouse
  Description: Makeshift pit-fighting arena
  One of the few outlets for the citizens of Project 97 are the 
  many poorly organised, brutal bloodsports carried out at var-
  ious locations within the ramshackle, meandering structure. 
  the place 72
  
  Makeshift arenas have sprung up over the centuries, catering 
  for a variety of bloodthirsty entertainments, largest of these 
  being the inappropriately named Funhouse. In times past, 
  three floors in one of the many wings of Project 97 collapsed, 
  leaving an immense space floored with rubble and twisted 
  metal. Over time, it was used as a dumping ground, storage 
  space and eventually reached its current status as an arena for 
  fighting games. Piles of rubble have been stacked up around 
  the edges of the space, forming impromptu seating galleries. 
  The most prized positions are in the gantries which have been 
  hung from the vacant ends of old corridors and rooms left over 
  from the original collapse. The remains of ancient lightwells 
  allow two shafts of dim luminance down into the arena, cast-
  ing a deathly glow over whatever grisly combats are being 
  staged. Games of cripplecut, fights to the death, fights against 
  furies dragged up from the sewers and tunnels, fights between 
  madmen found wandering the corridors, any kind of fight is 
  staged here. Betting is often rapid and furious, with food and 
  water being the most common currencies. 
  Highlighted Personality
  Derwent Gavidge
  Age: Unknown
  Height/Build: 6' 5"/Lean and muscular
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Red, shaven
  Occupation: Pit-fighter
  Affiliations: None (that anyone is aware of)
  Current king of the Funhouse, undefeated in 57 fights, 
  Derwent Gavidge is reckoned to be one of the most formida-
  ble fighters in Project 97. As to where he came from, nobody 
  tells the same tale. Some say he used to serve with Hirplakker 
  in the Contested Grounds, others maintain that he’s a former 
  Provost from the TCMA, whilst yet more will place their 
  hand on their heart and affirm that he’s in league with the 
  dark powers of The Shifted. Whatever his background, he 
  appeared in the Funhouse one day and asked for a fight. 
  He’s never stopped winning since.
  A tall, rangy man, his body seems to be made solely of knot-
  ted muscle and scar tissue. Yet, he moves with unmatched 
  grace, elegance and speed. Seasoned observers of the 
  carnage in the Funhouse confidently say that he’s one of the 
  best fighters they've ever seen. Such is his skill and mounting 
  fame, rumour has it that various powerful outside interests are 
  seeking to tempt him away to the big money of the profes-
  sional cripplecut circuit. Whenever he is questioned about 
  this, Gavidge simply shakes his head and blinks his watery 
  grey eyes. For him, there seems to be no place better than the 
  gore caked floor of the Funhouse.
  SHORE DITCH WARRENS
  Region:  Lat 3, Ring 2
  Status: Independent burgh
  Law: Moderate, local Police force
  Wealth: Low
  OVERVIEW
  Deer jurnal,
  Wurked many long ours in the faktori this day. However!, this 
  leeves mee not without profit! I kan say now that it may bee 
  onli just mor than a yeer hense I will have thee muny I need 
  to attend thee faybeled Longshor Universiti.
  Myster Maybell was exceeding kind this day in that hee gift-
  ed to mee a Fish on my brake from wurk. Myster Maybell sed 
  to mee: "U make shure u eat enuff lad. Ur a good wurkr and 
  I will bee mighty sorry to see u go when u have enuff muny 
  to go to Longshore. Maybee one day when  ur al edukated 
  and suchlik, u will come bak and help mee run this place in 
  my old age?" I thot this most generus of Myster Maybell. He 
  even yet called mee "Sun", which I thot most decent of him as 
  hee lost his own Sun many yeers ago.
  I have just this eve begun reeding a Book of which the name 
  is 'One Hundred Storis For Children'. I find the language difi-
  kult, as it wos write many yeers ago that it was made. I buyed 
  it from a Vendor who told mee in confidens that it dated from 
  befor The Shift!
  Must finish now, as I hav wurk to attend to in the morning.
  A dense tangle of industry and housing, the fortunes of Shore 
  Ditch Warrens have fluctuated wildly over the years, leaving 
  the region dotted with disused factories, crumbling housing 
  projects or deeply incongruous areas of gaudily upper-class 
  accommodation. Like many other parts of The City, the 
  highways and byways of Shore Ditch extend deep under-
  ground, housing the masses of a literal and metaphorical 
  ‘underclass’. Centuries old concrete tower blocks back on to 
  decaying, dusty red brick factories, with chimneys belching 
  noxious vapours and clinging, carcinogenic dust.
  The industry of The Warrens is concentrated primarily on 
  lotech manufacturing, producing tools, consumer goods and 
  processed food products for the hungry masses. The factories 
  are dirty, dangerous places to work; safety being one of the 
  lowest on the list of priorities for profit obsessed owners. The 
  Burgh Council exercises nominal control over the area, but in 
  reality, it is riddled with corruption and has little in the way 
  of real power. The local police force has been whittled away 
  the place 73
  
  until it barely amounts to fifty ill-equipped officers. Bribes from 
  militant companies increased the speed of downgrading and 
  now most business owners use hired thugs for protection, 
  rather than relying on the local constables. The Burgesses 
  of Shore Ditch Warrens have become fat with graft and cor-
  ruption, a fact which they do little to disguise from the vast 
  majority of the population.
  As far as housing goes, most of the population live in crum-
  bling, ill-lit, badly ventilated, damp one or two room flats. 
  Flats above ground level are considered choice properties, 
  even those in the crumbling, teetering tower blocks. Below 
  ground level, the accommodation becomes even less salubri-
  ous and the deeper you go and the farther from the sparse 
  lightwells you move, the more rotten the rooms become. In 
  contrast, because of its varied past, there are many impres-
  sive, substantial residences in The Warrens. Most of these 
  are occupied by the Burgesses or factory owners, who live 
  in warmth, comfort and security.
  However, one startling feature of Shore Ditch is the level 
  of unemployment. In comparison with other areas similarly 
  afflicted with poor housing, bad services and corrupt gov-
  ernment, unemployment runs at a remarkably low level. So 
  labour intensive are the factories and mills that they often 
  run short of employees, especially when injuries are running 
  high. Some owners even go so far as to employ Simils in their 
  factories, using their massive strength and apparent fearless-
  ness in dangerous (and deadly) occupations.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The security of Shore Ditch Warrens is nominally the responsi-
  bility of the Burgh Constabulary, an underpaid, undermanned, 
  under-resourced force which seems to have little enthusiasm 
  for catching criminals. In truth, nobody really blames the 
  Burgh Constabulary for this. With only fifty men and little in 
  the way of the resources, they have absolutely no chance 
  against the ravening mobs of gangers, thieves, muggers and 
  other assorted criminal lowlifes. The best officers from the 
  Burgh Constabulary were tempted away to militant compa-
  nies by the promise of fat pay packets and hitech weaponry. 
  All that is left now are alcoholics, psychotics, slackers and the 
  occasional hopelessly dedicated constable.
  Far outnumbering the beleaguered officers of the 
  Constabulary are the thugs, mercenaries and militant troop-
  ers employed by the factory owners and other businessmen 
  to keep their premises and businesses secure. The vast, vast 
  majority of these are swaggering bravoes, intent on impress-
  ing people with their weapons and armour. To a man they 
  despise the Burgh Constabulary and will go out of their way 
  to make life difficult for them at every turn. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Renniks Museum of Interesting Things
  Description: Private museum and art collection, Gall Alley
  Turn the corner at the end of Stras Kreps, turn down Gall 
  Alley and knock on the blue door on your right. Step 
  inside and find a treasure trove of art, culture and history. 
  Run, seemingly forever, by Marla Rennick, The Museum of 
  Interesting Things is a place of wonder and amazement. 
  Ancient books line the walls of some rooms, drawings, paint-
  ings and print festoon the corridors, shelves hold innumerable 
  curious objects, all carefully labelled and tagged for refer-
  ence. Marla Rennick squeaks through it all on her rickety 
  wheelchair, gliding up and down the ramps which allow her 
  access to all four levels of her museum. From the outside, 
  it looks just like any other anonymous tenement, from the 
  inside it is a storehouse of wonder. The strange thing is, the 
  museum has never been robbed. Ever. The occasional person 
  attempts to steal something from the shelves and they rather 
  curiously find themselves unconscious and minus the stolen 
  object, dumped on the far side of Shore Ditch Warrens. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Chief Constable Bridgitte Leflur
  Age: 30
  Height/Build: 5' 9"/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Yellow/White
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: Shore Ditch Warrens Burgh Constabulary
  Being in charge of the Shore Ditch Warrens Burgh 
  Constabulary is probably not high on anyone's list of best 
  jobs in The City, a fact that Chief Constable Leflur knows this 
  only too well. She tries, oh she tries, but the pressures are just 
  too much to bear. Working twenty hours a day drains the 
  body and Leflur is on a constant diet of illegal stimulants just 
  to keep going. Her office is piled high with ages-old reports, 
  her constables either drunk, mad or dead, she cries for hours 
  on end, wishing that it would all stop.
  Once a handsome woman, her features are now ravaged by 
  stress, marked by burst capillaries caused by the stimulants, 
  her eyes sunk into black pits, her fingers twitching and writh-
  ing in constant motion. She sometimes thinks about ending it 
  all, taking her gun and blowing her own brains out. Then she 
  remembers her ammunition ran out months ago.
  Then she cries.
  the place 74
  
  Industrial Areas
  Alive with thrashing machinery, pounding sound, oppressive 
  heat and strange odours, industrial areas are the beating 
  heart of The City, providing food, manufactured goods, 
  vehicles, clothes, weapons and all the other necessities of 
  life. Hundreds of thousands of individuals work, live and die 
  in the industrial areas, places often more horrific and danger-
  ous than the worst slum or warzone.
  BURNINGFELL
  Region: Lat 7, Ring 2
  Status: Independent industrial burgh
  Law: Industrial police
  Wealth: Low
  OVERVIEW
  Gears 
  crunched 
  and 
  metal rubbed against 
  metal as the funicular 
  hesitantly slid to a halt in 
  the station. A faint slap-
  ping sound issued from 
  the rusting water tanks 
  slung beneath the pas-
  senger deck of the car. In 
  the wan light illuminating 
  the interior of the vehicle, 
  a single figure could be 
  glimpsed, staring back 
  up the hill, following the 
  black lines of the tracks 
  as they narrowed through 
  the maze of black brick 
  and grey concrete.
  Everywhere furnaces roared and chimneys belched huge 
  gouts of thick, toxic smoke. The door of the funicular rattled as 
  the filth covered, grimy attendant ostentatiously tried to catch 
  the figures attention. Behind the bowed figure of the atten-
  dant, a small crowd of workers jostled and coughed. Bright 
  spots could be seen here and there amongst the uniform grey 
  and brown. The workers had been shopping in Sleeping 
  Vale and were laden down with bags and brightly wrapped 
  packages. The figure turned towards the door and tipped his 
  hat to the attendant. With a flourish, he produced a sheaf 
  of notes and pressed several into the breast pocket of the 
  attendants jacket. Replacing the money in an inner pocket, he 
  casually strode down the wrought iron staircase, an ornate 
  black fence separating him from the crowd of pushing, sweat-
  ing  workers. Rain began to patter down on the mans hat. It 
  deposited its cargo of soot, ash and dust in clinging globules, 
  staining the fine fabric with the dirt of Burningfell.
  The funicular slowly filled with bodies. Moisture from the now 
  dampened workers' clothing caused the windows to quickly 
  mist up with condensation, attenuating the light spilling from 
  the cabin even further. Slamming the door home, the atten-
  dant shuffled back to his bothy. Once within, he grasped the 
  massive brass lever which dropped the indicator in the top 
  station, telling his counterpart up the hill to release the upper 
  car. Gradually, the car creaked and rattled its way up the 
  hill, the remnants of water splashing from the ballast tanks. 
  Halfway up the hill, the two cars came level, workers hanging 
  from the windows to shout hoarse greetings to friends and 
  colleagues. Just then, there was a massive concussive thump 
  from under the ascending car. A fraction of a second later, 
  the car exploded in a gout of brilliant light, flinging iron and 
  glass high into the air. Knocked from its rails, its retaining 
  cables sheared by the explosion, the descending car began 
  to plummet down the track, weaving from side to side, the 
  faces of its passengers pressed to the glass, only able to stare 
  at the station with which they were about to collide.
  At the canal's edge, a figure momentarily glanced back 
  towards the sound of the explosion. Then, he stepped care-
  fully into the water taxi and continued on his way.
  the place 75
  
  Sitting on an eminence above the Black Canal, Burningfell 
  lights the surrounding burghs with the fires of its furnaces and 
  the glare of its retorts. The area is home to numerous small 
  heavy engineering concerns, churning out barges, engines and 
  all manner of industrial goods. In between the factories, works 
  and yards housing projects have grown, designed to accom-
  modate the workers who toil in the smoke and heat. The largest 
  employer in the area is the smelting works owned by Gorunna 
  Logistics. Located in a prime position on the southern slope of 
  the fell, facing the canal, the smelting works gobble up ore from 
  transit barges coming down the canal and spew out processed 
  metals for the Gorunna manufactories or for sale to the smaller 
  works within Burningfell. The Ancient and Honourable Guild of 
  Fulgurators also maintains a sizeable presence in Burningfell, 
  operating a substantial power station located on the north slope 
  of the fell. The Guild also maintains a stormy ongoing relation-
  ship with the many small companies who operate the funiculars 
  and cable cars. Around half of these companies are tied to the 
  Fulgurators and the Transit Militia, the rest staunchly maintaining 
  their independence. The Guild and the Militia have, however, 
  held back from taking any action against what they describe 
  as ‘wayward’ elements, for fear of angering some of the more 
  powerful business interests in Burningfell and beyond.
  While not a slum, Burningfell is not exactly the most pleasant 
  place to live. Rain mixes with the heavy soot and dust from 
  the chimneys, coating the streets and houses in a sticky, heavy 
  mud. Most of the housing is constructed from something very 
  similar to this mud. The slag and waste from the furnaces is 
  mixed with a variety of bonding substances to produce bricks 
  for the construction of buildings. Most of the buildings here are 
  built of these rough, black bricks, which, combined with the 
  ever present smoke and dust, conspires to give the steep streets 
  of Burningfell a singularly dark and oppressive feel. Funicular 
  railways grind up the hill between the houses and factories, 
  carrying ore, finished goods and exhausted workers. Indeed, 
  the funicular railway and the cable car are the most common 
  forms of transport in Burningfell, running from the very edge of 
  the canals to the very summit of the fell. They range in size from 
  tiny, one man cable cars to the massive Grimhole Line funicular, 
  which can carry two hundred people and a hundred tons of 
  cargo up and down the fell. Railway lines branching off from 
  the main network terminate at several locations around the bot-
  tom of the fell, connecting with the cable cars and funiculars 
  and allowing easy transport of items to other regions of The 
  City. The canals, as would be expected, skirt Burningfell. Only 
  a few travel any distance up the fell, using complex systems of 
  locks and barge lifts to reach about one third of the way to the 
  summit.  Civic amenities in Burningfell are somewhat sparse. 
  The occasional cinema or pub can be found wedged into any 
  available space, but most of the citizens prefer to take their 
  leisure in neighbouring Hangside or Sleeping Vale. However, 
  a proportion of the factory owners maintain small clubs for the 
  exclusive use of their employees. These clubs are usually dank, 
  dingy and exist mostly to provide cheap alcohol and the occa-
  sional lacklustre cabaret act. Basic necessities such as water, 
  power and policing are controlled by the Civic Syndicate, an 
  organisation made up of the wealthiest factory owners, busi-
  nessmen, macrocorporate and Guild representatives. They act 
  as a ruling council for the burgh, organising a basic structure 
  for living as best they can. However, the Syndicate is made 
  up of the controlling business interests in Burningfell and they 
  therefore have a vested interest in running things as cheaply 
  and efficiently as possible.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Security personnel are very common in Burningfell, with each 
  factory, mill or works retaining at least a couple of guards. 
  Some of these are just local toughs employed for their build 
  and tendency towards violence. Others are professional 
  operatives hired from militant companies or sometimes from 
  the macrocorps themselves. Regardless of their origin, guards 
  are endemic within Burningfell. However, a local police force 
  is not. The burgesses who nominally run the burgh have many 
  times tried to set up some form of constabulary, with a singular 
  lack of success. They have reached a stage where they no lon-
  ger even bother trying to pass motions to have committees set 
  up to look into the possibility of establishing a board of review 
  to investigate the economic viability of maintaining a police 
  force (or something like that). Instead, most citizens rely on the 
  security provided by the company that they work for, ensuring 
  even closer ties between company and employee.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Happy Dog Packaging Factory
  Description: Packaging works
  Half way up the Fell, facing south towards the Black Canal 
  stands the slimy, fungus encrusted edifice of the Happy Dog 
  Packaging Factory. The Massive black gates hold up the symbol 
  of the company, a huge dog's head, fashioned from steel, grin-
  ning down at the workers at the start the day's toil. Beneath the 
  grinning head is suspended the company motto: 'Happy Dog 
  = Happy Work'. Most workers would wholeheartedly disagree 
  with this. Happy Dog has one of the worst safety records of any 
  factory in Burningfell. Within its dripping brick walls, labourers 
  sweat for many hours a day in cramped, hot foetid conditions, 
  tending the gigantic steel packaging machines which rend flesh 
  and tear limbs with alarming regularity. Happy dog will pack-
  age almost anything, food, toys, clothes: if it can be packaged, 
  Happy Dog will do it, for a price. Labour organisations have 
  long petitioned the burgesses to have Happy Dog investigated, 
  but as the owner is one of those self-same burgesses, nothing 
  ever comes of it. The factory is a meat grinder which happily 
  swallows up all who step into its maw.
  the place 76
  
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Mr Yau
  Age: Unknown, looks very old
  Height/Build: 5' 4"/Slender
  Eye/Hair Colour: Brown/Grey
  Occupation: Food stall owner
  Affiliations: None
  Mr Yau sells fried delicacies at the corner of Fog Boulevard 
  and Bank Way, his tiny stall wreathed in steam and delicate 
  aromas. Customers are never too sure what exactly goes into 
  the dumplings and parcels which Mr Yau pulls from his pots 
  of bubbling oil. Suffice to say, no one has ever complained 
  of illness and the food is always tasty. Especially favoured 
  are the pungent 'No.5 Dumpling in Hot Sauce' and the 
  'No.12 Mystery Parcel with Greens'. Nobody in Burningfell 
  is entirely sure how long Mr Yau has been a feature on the 
  corner. Grandparents tell their grandchildren that Mr Yau 
  was there when they were but kids, although, they say, that 
  was probably his father. Whatever the story, this wizened, 
  hunched old man does a brisk trade in fast food and pithy 
  aphorisms, with queues stretching far down the street when 
  the factories change shifts.
  DEEPDOWN
  Region: Lat 6, Ring 6
  Status: Macrocorporate industrial zone
  Law: High
  Wealth:  High
  OVERVIEW
  Ignoring the screaming, be-winged, rifle wielding babies that 
  assailed him from all sides, Sephori put down his sandwich 
  and turned again to the crumpled sheets of his newspaper. In 
  the dim electric light, the large typeface was scarcely visible 
  against the dun-coloured, rough paper. A giant insect walked 
  by smoking a pipe. Sephori ignored this as well. It was better 
  to ignore them. If he concentrated too hard on the strange 
  beasts, he would start wailing and singing again. Then the 
  big men with clubs would come and knock him down, beat 
  him, stick needles in his buttocks. 
  He had started seeing things as they really were after the 
  cave in. Six days trapped in the blackness. After four days, 
  he began to see things as they really were. After six, the 
  beasts were with him constantly. A rather stand-offish man in 
  a grey coat had intimated to him that he, Sephori, may well 
  be insane. He had laughed at that and beat the man with a 
  crutch. After that, they put him down here. Him! In the Mad 
  Shafts! He was as sane as the next man. Well, maybe not. 
  Given that the next man was currently trying to beat his own 
  brains out (with some success) on the rough rock walls of the 
  tunnel.
  A train trundled past, spitting sparks as it went. Corpses were 
  liberally scattered on the narrow, flat wagons. Men and 
  women screamed, clutched parts of themselves or simply sat, 
  shaking uncontrollably. Poor fools. All of them quite mad. A 
  man with a dog's head and a sword of fire sat down next to 
  Sephori, nodded and produced a cup of tea, seemingly from 
  nowhere. Hmmm. Strange.
  Ah well, time to get back to the shaft. He folded his paper 
  and jammed it back into the slot in the wall that contained 
  his worldly possessions. More of the chittering, be-winged 
  babies had attached themselves to his shoulders, so he 
  brushed them off. Mad? Ha! Not likely.
  Surrounded by massive fences and constantly bathed in 
  powerful halogen lights, Deepdown is Gorunna’s primary 
  in-City mining site. Extending over 10 square miles, the mines 
  of Deepdown extend thousands of yards below the planet's 
  surface. Deepdown is a hellish region of massive vertical 
  shafts, ponderous slag heaps and roaring machinery. Those 
  who work in Deepdown, whether in the mines or on the 
  surface, are the most desperate and unlucky of Gorunna's 
  workforce, driven to work in the appalling conditions due to 
  a sheer lack of any other opportunities. Safety is of very little 
  concern to the executives who run the mining zone, the death 
  and injury rate is truly awful. Even worse is the incidence of 
  mental illness amongst workers. The constant danger, the 
  sheer pressure of being driven for twelve hours a day and 
  the never-ending sensory overload can drive even the sanest 
  person stark raving mad. Those who finally crack are still put 
  to work in the mines, digging in the so-called 'Mad Shafts', 
  galleries and tunnels so dangerous that even the callous 
  management wouldn't put valuable, sane workers into them. 
  The death rates in the Mad Shafts are ridiculous, even by 
  Deepdown standards. Injury is rare. You either die or you 
  carry on mining.
  The most obvious physical features of Deepdown are its 
  mine-head towers and gigantic slag heaps. The mine-head 
  towers carry the lift cages for the workers, while the raw 
  ore is brought to the surface by clacking, rusting, continuous 
  belt bucket lifts. The slag-heaps contain the leftovers from the 
  smelting and crushing of the ores. Even they find their uses, 
  with the slag being taken to brickworks to be made into 
  cheap building blocks for housing around The City.
  the place 77
  
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Because of its place at the heart of Gorunna resource opera-
  tions, Deepdown is extremely well guarded. The Internal 
  Order Cadre (IOC) maintains a substantial presence, not so 
  much to repel incursions but to suppress unrest amongst the 
  workers. Over 2000 IOC troops are stationed in and around 
  deepdown, controlled from a network of command bunkers 
  built into disused mine-shafts. High speed transit tunnels dedi-
  cated to the IOC allow platoons to quickly travel to almost any 
  area of the site, giving a rapid reaction time second to none.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Brickworks Y-10
  Description: Disused brickworks
  Now disused after a disastrous strike a few years ago, 
  Brickworks Y-10 lies as a mute reminder of the futility of resis-
  tance in the face of macrocorporate power. When manual 
  workers in Y-10 organised a sit-in to protest against working 
  conditions, they found themselves quickly surrounded by IOC 
  troops, hemmed into the building with little food or water. 
  Attempts at negotiation were met with gunfire from the troops, 
  requests for food were denied. Gorunna decided to make 
  an example of the strikers and bricked up the entrances and 
  windows of the factory and left the strikers to starve.
  Y-10 has been left as a silent testament to the utter pointless-
  ness of resisting macrocorp power. It’s chimmney crumble 
  and chinks gradually appear in the bricked up entrances. It 
  lies desolate and alone, the wind whistling through its work-
  shops and machine halls. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  hannah drake
  Age: 32
  Height/Build: 5' 11"/Lanky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Green/Dirty blonde
  Occupation: Miner/Union activist
  Affiliations: Various minor movements advocating workers rights
  Hannah Drake is woman under surveillance. This she knows, 
  as does almost everybody else in Deepdown. As one of the 
  most fervent campaigners for workers' rights, the Internal 
  Order Cadre keep a close, and not very subtle, eye on her 
  activities. Her phone is tapped, her conversations monitored 
  and every movement tracked. Very little of what she says or 
  does is not picked up by the ever watchful lenses of the IOC. 
  That having been said, Gorunna have so far done nothing to 
  stop her. She is still free to evangelise to gatherings of work-
  ers, to sing protest songs in the taverns of Merryhell and meet 
  with known troublemakers from as far afield as Burningfell 
  and Folly Hills. 
  A lanky woman with a strident, nasal voice and a curiously 
  penetrating stare, Hannah Drake does have the best interests 
  of the workers at heart. Even while encouraging non-violent 
  protests and mass meetings, she still turns up for her shift in 
  the mines every day on the dot, putting in as hard a day's 
  work as any other faithful servant of Gorunna Logistics.
  THE TRAIN
  Region: Trans-urban
  Status: Independent mercantile lands
  Law: Extremely strict
  Wealth: High
  OVERVIEW
  Like the plunger in a massive syringe, the train accelerated 
  down the tunnel, pushing a vast column of air, dust and 
  debris ahead of it. In loading bays and stations ahead of 
  the onrushing mass of metal, klaxons screamed a warning. 
  Workers scurried from the platforms and docks as the jug-
  gernaut hammered towards them.
  In the cabin, all was calm. Driver Third Grade Guy Jaenecke 
  watched the bouncing dials with a calm satisfaction. Behind 
  him, insulated by a full yard of soundproofing, the gigantic 
  electric engines spun furiously, driving the megaton mass 
  of the train along. Ripples intersected in the steaming mug 
  in front of him, interference patterns in a tiny pool. Another 
  lighted loading bay flashed by, a fleeting oasis of light and 
  humanity in the bowels of the earth.
  Up to their waists in water, four figures determinedly worked 
  away, disregarding the increasing violence of the gale 
  around them. Splashing in the filth and ordure which had 
  accumulated between the gigantic tracks, they fastened matte 
  grey boxes to the rails, making them fast with reels of wire. 
  In the cab, a phone rang. Jaenecke picked up the handset.
  "Driver 243 speaking."
  "Jaenecke, this is Floris. We may have a problem in the tun-
  nel."
  "What sort of problem?"
  "We apprehended a Fulgurators Guild lookout at one of the 
  emergency vent shafts. He squealed eventually."
  As the engine of the train rounded a shallow bend, Jaenecke 
  saw, outlined far ahead, four figures.
  the place 78
  
  "Shit!"
  He yanked the massive red emergency braking lever as hard 
  as he could and was flung towards the glass of the canopy 
  as immense plates of steel forced themselves against the spin-
  ning wheels. Fountains of sparks flew from the wheels, illumi-
  nating the tunnels with a crazy fireworks display. Through a 
  haze of concussion, Jaenecke pressed a small green button 
  embedded in the centre of the dial board. Relays snapped 
  closed. Firing pins dropped and the foot-wide tubes mounted 
  on the front of the train belched their load of ball bearings, 
  nails and assorted scrap. 
  The last thing the four saboteurs saw was a sparkling dragon, 
  screaming from its lair to belch fire and fury at them. All the 
  cleanup crews could find were a few particles of flesh and 
  torn clothes. The Train was secure again. 
  Built during the brief reign of the Water Trade Federation 
  (between one  hundred & ninety one  and two hundred 
  years ago), The Train was designed to carry cargo and pas-
  sengers from one side of the City to the other. It was initially 
  conceived that the Train would have eight lines, following a 
  similar pattern to the canals. With the collapse of the Water 
  Trade Federation, only one line was completed, running 
  North to South across the City. The two tunnels each carry 
  the massive trains which comprise the system. At ten metres 
  high and four hundred metres long, the trains are the largest 
  vehicles in the City. The Train was never intended to compete 
  with the existing network of passenger only trains, but to 
  challenge the heavy cargo carrying capability of the canal 
  barges.
  The two main termini of The Train system lie at opposite ends 
  of The City. The northern terminus lies just beyond the junc-
  tion of the Grand Canal and the seventh concentric canal, 
  while the southern terminus lies just before the junction of 
  the Nothing and the sixth concentric canal. The original 
  construction of the tunnel system took advantage of long for-
  gotten sewers and storm drains. The construction engineers 
  struggled to widen and strengthen the passages, coming up 
  against all manner of hazards, from long forgotten reservoirs 
  to hidden narcotics labs. Eventually, after fours years of work, 
  the tunnels were completed and the trains were finally able 
  to run.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  To preserve the impeccable reputation of the train system, 
  security is almost watertight (a fact which the operating com-
  pany constantly points out to the canal cargo companies). 
  Each train carries fifty heavily armed militant personnel and 
  all stations and hoists are guarded by upwards of one hun-
  dred troops. Linewerks, a subsidiary company of the opera-
  tors provide security, although it has been noted that a large 
  percentage of their personnel are ex-Hirplakker or Trilhoeven 
  troopers. It should be noted that the two main termini of The 
  Train have a round the clock picket of Transit Militia at their 
  gates, the Militia being somewhat aggrieved that it is not they 
  who provide security for The Train.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Cafeteria 11
  Description: Cafeteria and rest area
  Thronged at almost every time of the day, Cafeteria 11 
  serves the vast hordes of maintenance workers operating in 
  central section of the tunnel. Seating up to 500 individuals, 
  it is a vast, low ceilinged open area, cluttered with crude 
  benches and tables. Workers are served by a small army 
  of catering staff who toil over gas fired pots and pans, fry-
  ers and ovens. The atmosphere stinks of grease, sweat and 
  refuse. Rubbish is only removed from the cafeteria stores 
  once per week and by the end of that week, the stench filters 
  into the kitchen and dining area. All life can be found here, 
  from tracklayers mulling over a cup of tea to electricians 
  discussing union politics.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Guy Jaenecke
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/Stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Blackish grey
  Occupation: Train driver
  Affiliations: Independent Workers Co-operative for Mutual 
  Defence and Assistance (IWCFMDAA)
  Guy Jaenecke loves the tunnels. So great is his love for 
  underground life that he even requested assignment to an 
  apartment as close as possible to the train-lines. Most drivers 
  are glad to get away from the confines of the tunnels at the 
  end of the day, not Jaenecke. He always leaves with a faint 
  sense of sadness and always turns up for work early the next 
  day. A few of his colleagues consider him slightly mad, yet 
  none can dispute his efficiency or punctuality. More insidi-
  ous are the mutterings surrounding his membership of the 
  Independent Workers Co-operative for Mutual Defence and 
  Assistance (IWCFMDAA). This trade union, backed to some 
  extent by the Red Canal Collectivist Republic, is disliked by 
  the management of the train line and by many of the workers. 
  Yet, this does not seem to bother Guy Jaenecke as he turns up 
  for work, early as ever, keen to get back into the tunnels.
  the place 79
  
  Macrocorporate Domains
  Bastions of ultimate power within The City, the domains of 
  the macrocorps are at times sinister, threatening, welcom-
  ing, fascinating, inspiring or deadly. Some ordinary citizens 
  view them with quasi-religious awe, others with unconcealed 
  hatred. For those who live and work within their walls, they 
  are sanctuaries from the dirty masses of The City. Yet, even 
  for those within the domains, there are dangers to be faced.
  THE CATHEDRAL
  Region: Lat 4, Ring 2
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: High
  Wealth: Extremely high
  OVERVIEW
  07.37: 
  Fired 
  s u b - e d i t o r 
  B r e s k i n e . 
  The man was 
  a 
  weakling 
  anyway, 
  too 
  attached to his 
  subjects. Took 
  a couple of 
  tabs of edge 
  and some nice 
  strong tea Mrs 
  Gurtiev brought 
  in. Good old 
  Mrs Gurtiev.
  07.59: Re-hired sub-editor Breskine after finding out we 
  couldn't get anyone else on short notice. News of protests 
  outside Luminosity Tower. Ha, ha, ha. Arclight getting it in the 
  neck again. Run that as second item. In fact, must get Shape 
  to send down a few people to stir some trouble.
  08.45: Had to bawl out Breskine over the Matta story. Load 
  of old bollocks. Little twit wouldn't know a story if it came up 
  and jumped on his toes. Had to take some pills for raging 
  headache. Mrs Gurtiev brought me a pastry and some more 
  tea. Lovely woman.
  10.27: Gorunna aerostat crashes into tenement in Merryhell, 
  suspected terrorist activity. Slot that to front news item. Many 
  killed, bodies everywhere, grieving families. Great copy.
  12.18: Good old Shape! Riot in progress at Luminosity 
  Tower. Brigade troops firing on unarmed civilians. Fantastic. 
  At least thirty dead, many wounded. More tea. More edge. 
  Headache getting worse.
  14.50: Fired Breskine again, this time for good. Had some 
  sort of 'thing' about the Luminosity Tower riot. Fool. Damn 
  headache.
  15.26: Ha! Arclight claiming that 'outside elements' insti-
  gated the riots at the tower! Morons! Brigade apologising to 
  survivors. Footage being brought in of horribly burned victims 
  of Gorunna aerostat crash. Great copy!
  16.08: Breskine found dead in toilets, slashed wrists. Weak, 
  very weak. Took the easy way out. Must try and fight this 
  headache.
  The heart of 
  Sideband's 
  media web, 
  The Cathedral 
  is a vast, ram-
  bling, 
  but-
  tressed edifice 
  which domi-
  nates the sur-
  rounding area 
  a b s o l u t e l y 
  and complete-
  ly. 
  Thought 
  to date from 
  before 
  The 
  Shift, details 
  on the his-
  tory of The 
  Cathedral are 
  sketchy at best. It is assumed that it was, prior to The Shift, an 
  actual place of worship, possibly the prime religious building 
  in The City. However, all of this is mere conjecture and no his-
  torians can say with any certainty that they have confirmed 
  the twisted history of The Cathedral.
  Through its echoing halls, the thousands of employees of 
  Sideband Media scurry, each intent on their own business. 
  The four wings and the great central hall make up the main 
  body of The Cathedral. These vast vaulted spaces are among 
  the largest enclosed areas in The City, with striated columns 
  thrusting towards the ceilings high above. However, the 
  main work of Sideband goes on in the upper stories, within 
  the immense walls and in the buried cellars. Here are kept 
  the place 80
  
  the newsrooms, recording studios, sound stages and trans-
  mission systems. Visitors to The Cathedral seldom see this 
  frenetic warren which lurks behind the gloriously buttressed 
  and vaulted façade. Such is the diversity of the Sideband 
  operation, almost every type of media imaginable is handled 
  within the walls of The Cathedral. TV, films, telecommunica-
  tions, Dataflow, news and every other means of communica-
  tion available in The City.
  The Cathedral also serves another purpose, as one of 
  the major communications nodes in The City. Tight-beam 
  transmitters, balloon uplinks, telegraphs and landlines all 
  converge on The Cathedral from all parts of The City. This 
  serves two purposes for Sideband. Firstly, it allows them to 
  keep a tight rein on data transmission over a wide area and 
  secondly, it also allows them to tap and monitor a vast range 
  of communications activity. Not that Sideband admits this or 
  would it use any information gathered for its own political 
  or fiscal advantage, oh no. However, in deep crypts and 
  high galleries, armies of technicians sift through the streams 
  of data, extracting morsels which can be banked for future 
  use. All this activity makes The Cathedral one of the greatest 
  repositories of knowledge on activity within The City.
  All this knowledge is filtered through the complexity of The 
  Feed, Sideband's own internal equivalent of The Dataflow. 
  Nobody outside of Sideband is entirely sure how The feed 
  operates. Even those within the company have only the 
  sketchiest knowledge of its workings. Suffice to say, it seems 
  to have something to do with pipes and liquids, although how 
  this serves to communicate information and operate comput-
  ers, nobody is entirely sure.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Security, both internal and external, is provided by Media 
  Break, Sideband's paramilitary arm. While fairly benign 
  and moderate when compared to many of the other 
  macrocorporate security forces around The City, Media 
  Break do carry out their work with a certain amount of dis-
  tasteful relish. Their main task is breaking up the fights and 
  squabbles which are always occurring between the various 
  other Sideband departments, resulting in the cracking of a 
  few heads and the twisting of a few arms in an attempt to 
  impose order. Clad in smart black business suits and gar-
  ishly coloured ties or bow-ties, Media Break personnel are 
  almost all affable and approachable, a fact which seems to 
  make people even more worried about them. It is only when 
  trouble is brewing that the mask of civility slips and the hard 
  professionalism beneath begins to show.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Archive
  Description: Media storage facility
  Deep in the bowels of the Cathedral, in vaulted chambers 
  running as far as the eye can see, lies the Archive. Miles 
  of corridors loop and twist, feed lines glow gently as they 
  run across ceilings and floors, stacks of cabinets rear 
  up into the darkness. Within the Archive lies the summa-
  tion of Sideband's knowledge, hundred of years of films, 
  programmes, reports, analysis and books. Hardcopies of 
  almost everything Sideband has ever produced lie in the 
  silence of these vaults. Some items are stored in formats so 
  old, nobody knows how to access them. Rare books are 
  held in hermetically sealed lockers, their contents guarded 
  from decay by inert gases. Other books are left to rot in vast 
  shelves, creaking under the weight of accumulated knowl-
  edge. Whole sections of the Archive have been abandoned 
  for years, as researchers and stringers rely on the feed for 
  their information. Only a few dedicated employees main-
  tain the Archive, attempting vainly to preserve the stored 
  knowledge for future generations. As always, rumours twist 
  about the corridors of the Archive, whispers about ancient 
  films and books, sources of horrible, terrible knowledge.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Veridiana van Eyck, Media Personality
  Age: 27
  Height/Build: 5' 10"/Voluptuous
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Blond
  Occupation: Media personality
  Affiliations: Sideband
  Bubbly, lively, irritating host of ‘The Sideband Family Fun 
  Hour’, van Eyck is darling to thousands, a shiny, clean, 
  sparkling icon in a world of dirt and degradation. Families 
  cluster round their hazy black and white TV sets as she 
  prances in front of the camera, introducing cheap, titillat-
  ing acts and promoting the latest Sideband entertainment 
  products. Viridiana is recognised by almost everyone in 
  The City with a TV and consequently finds it rather difficult 
  to lead a normal life. Gossip shows and papers are full of 
  innuendo and rumour about her private life, linking her with 
  all manner of people, from ekranoplan pilot Ivan Vassar, to 
  Matt Kenzie, one of the leading figures of Arclight. On the 
  whole, she is a somewhat abrasive, antagonistic character, 
  mostly as a result of being closeted in the Cathedral from 
  much of the time.
  the place 81
  
  The Forbidden City
  Region: Lat 3, Ring 5
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: Very high
  Wealth: Very high
  OVERVIEW
  Snow collected gently on the bridges and pipes which criss-
  crossed The Trench. Dirty flakes spiralled down from a grey 
  sky, softening and blurring the outlines of walls, turrets and 
  cupolas. The walkways along the walls of The Forbidden City 
  were free of snow, melted off by concealed heating ducts. 
  Armoured figures tramped through the gloom, keeping their 
  lonely vigils on the walls.
  From a tiny door set into the wall emerged a fragile, lithe 
  figure clad in deep red furs. The figure strolled along the wall 
  top to meet with another figure coming in the opposite direc-
  tion. They met at a lumpen projection which emerged from the 
  surface of the wall, a corroded mass of iron, perhaps once 
  part of some weapon system.
  "My Lady."
  "Ah, Ruse. Fairing well?"
  "Very well, my Lady. Yourself?"
  "Ah, moderately well. Thank you. So, how goes it with your 
  plans?" The man shifted his stance and let his eyes flick out 
  over The Trench, something of a worried expression passing 
  briefly over his face.
  "Mmm, they are progressing slowly. Achieving, ah, penetra-
  tion is proving harder than we anticipated. Our assets are 
  being compromised at an alarming rate." He looked down at 
  his feet, at the pools of gently steaming water which covered 
  the walkway.
  "They are more wily than we imagined, then?"
  "Very much so. This is not some silly little manufacturing 
  concern that we can compromise, this is far more, um, sub-
  stantial."
  "I see."
  "Yes. Your uncle, how is his health these days?"
  "He survives, in a fashion. However, perhaps not for much 
  longer."
  The snow continued to drift down as the two figures stood in 
  silence, both gazing down into the depths of The Trench. A 
  light flickered below, flashing on and off in rapid sequence.
  "One of your men?"
  "I think not, my Lady."
  "I see. So, how do you propose to expedite our problem?"
  "Covert tactics have met with singular failure, my Lady. I 
  would propose a more direct approach, using proxy forces 
  of course."
  "Of course. And then?"
  "Then? Well, something of a probe against their defence 
  would be in order, perhaps leaving sleepers behind. We still 
  need to get the others onside though."
  "Yes. Leave that to me Ruse. I believe I can handle that."
  "Very well, my Lady. Is there anything else?"
  "Yes. Would you care to join me for tea?"
  A secretive and sinister place, the Forbidden City is the heart-
  land of Nakamura-Yebisu Group, a grim construction of brick 
  and concrete. Outsiders are seldom permitted to enter the 
  complex, a sprawling collections of buildings occupying a 
  couple of square miles near the southern edge of The Trench. 
  High defensive walls surround the entire area, topped with 
  watchtowers, searchlights and gun emplacements. Troopers 
  in sculpted armour patrol the walls and droning aerostats 
  hover overhead.
  Within the Forbidden City, the elite of Nakamura-Yebisu live 
  out their lives, seldom leaving the protection of its high walls. 
  Despite the fact the Forbidden City is surrounded on all 
  sides by lands owned by the macrocorp and occupied by its 
  employees, the company still retains a paranoid fascination 
  with defending its headquarters against any possible form 
  of attack.
  Unlike many other macrocorp domains, the Forbidden City 
  contain no manufacturing facilities, storage depots or facto-
  ries of any kind. It exists purely to service the needs of the 
  top personnel within the company. Luxurious apartments, 
  restaurants, sporting facilities, health suites and conference 
  rooms are all contained within its heavy defensive walls. Very 
  few people within the company ever actually get to set foot 
  inside the fortress, even those who guard it are chosen from 
  the best of the Weapons Division.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  As previously mentioned, elite units of the Weapons Division 
  guard the Forbidden City from any form of attack. Numerous 
  armoured guards patrol the crenellated walls and many the 
  searchlights and sensory facilities. As you would expect from 
  NYG, many mikefighters are on stand-by, ready to intercept 
  any perceived threat. Those living in the areas around the 
  domain have become used to the mikefighters zooming 
  and wheeling overhead at odd hours of the day or night. 
  Upwards of one thousand troops guard the Forbidden City 
  at any one time, with many more ready to be mobilised from 
  widespread company facilities.
  the place 82
  
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Barracks 205
  Description: Living area for NYG military personnel
  When not on duty, the soldiers of the Weapons Division 
  who are assigned to protect the Forbidden City are almost 
  exclusively confined to one of the barracks within the walls. 
  Largest of these is Barracks 205, which serves as the dor-
  mitories and recreation areas for the troops which guard 
  the eastern walls. Low-ceilinged and smoky, Barracks 205 
  is a series of large, open rooms on several levels within the 
  eastern wall itself. Most of these are given over to bunks 
  and hammocks where the off-duty troopers while away their 
  hours. Alongside these hot, crowded sleeping spaces, there 
  are also canteens, fitness facilities and a number of tightly 
  controlled armouries. Troopers are prevented from entering 
  the main body of the Forbidden City except when they are 
  on duty. Seldom do they have the chance to glimpse the 
  luxury and opulence in which their masters and mistresses 
  live.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Ernst Ruse
  Age: 36
  Height/Build: 6' 2"/Sturdy
  Eye/Hair Colour: Green/Sandy
  Occupation: Intelligence operative
  Affiliations: Nakamura-Yebisu
  For a highly placed member of the NYG structure, Ernst 
  Ruse spends very little time actually within the Forbidden 
  City itself. His manifold missions and interests take him far 
  afield, making him one of the better travelled and more 
  streetwise of the ruling elite. His position as intelligence 
  adviser to Lady Karen Nakamura has gained him no small 
  amount of power but has also gained him a fair number 
  of enemies within the company. All this, however, he takes 
  in his stride. Whilst respectful to the controllers of the com-
  pany, he does not adopt the craven , cowering attitude 
  that many of the lower ranks do, preferring to maintain a 
  certain air of independence. In Lady Karen’s service, this 
  has actually served to increase her respect for him and 
  she now relies on his services for all matters relating to 
  external policy. In truth, Ruse could, if he wished, have a 
  very substantial effect on the policy of Nakamura Yebisu, 
  a level of influence which he has so far declined to use.
  The Iron Bastion
  Region: Lat 5, Ring 5
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: High
  Wealth: Extremely high
  Overview
  Ochre slime lay across everything. Even with the windows 
  tightly nailed shut, the slime still managed to find it's way in. 
  Across the street, down towards the junction, she could see 
  the black face of the Bastion, it's surface stained with orange, 
  gouged with pits and crevices. Sighing, she twisted the spokes 
  of her wheelchair and turned away from the window. Below, 
  her father moved about in the tiny kitchen. The clanging of 
  cheap pots and pans announced his attempts at cooking. 
  The hissing  gas lamp lit the room with a faint yellowish glow. 
  It's iron bracket was spotted with rust and festooned with the 
  trails of  long deceased insects. The smell of pungent yellow 
  tea drifted up from the floor below, overlaying the odours of 
  rot and decay. It used to be the case that she cared for her 
  father in his advancing years. A lifetime slaving for Hirplakker 
  in the manufactories had aged him prematurely, giving him 
  the shuffling gait of an old, old man. Now, he cared for her, 
  trapped as she was in this upper floor. He went about the 
  daily routine in a daze, carrying her to the toilet on the land-
  ing, dressing her, preparing her food.
  Ever since the interrogators came for her it had been this way. 
  They carted her off, yelling false accusations of spying, of 
  espionage and sabotage and treachery. They broke her knee-
  caps, tore the tendons of her legs, smashed her pelvis. She 
  screamed that they had the wrong girl, that she was no spy, 
  that her entire family were loyal to Hirplakker. Only when she 
  had almost breathed her last, did they relent and conclude 
  that she was telling the truth. By then it was too late. Crippled 
  and broken, they pensioned her off, paying a small stipend 
  each week, far from enough to support her father and sister.
  Her sister brought in a little money. Sometimes. She didn't 
  want to think about the abuses her beautiful little sister suf-
  fered at the hands of faceless strangers. Her father blankly 
  ignored everything, shuffling around with a fixed gaze, 
  brewing tea and cooking watery fish soup. She had never 
  done anything to harm the company. What could one girl do 
  against the might of a macrocorp. Yet, they had chosen to 
  cripple her and condemn her family to a life of squalor.
  The door opened and her father struggled in with the tea 
  tray, staring blankly at the wall of iron outside the window.
  the place 83
  
  Like a series of shrapnel splinters thrown from the sky, the 
  Iron Bastion looms above the surrounding dwellings with an 
  ill-concealed air of menace. The iron-clad surface is rusted 
  and pitted from centuries of exposure to the corrosive atmo-
  sphere of The City. The metallic gargoyles and waterspouts 
  have become fused orange lumps projecting from the sides 
  of the building at disconcerting angles. Upper surfaces are 
  studded with disused communications dishes, tight-beam 
  transmitters and signalling towers. Lazily creaking wind 
  turbines cluster at various points, groaning and wailing in 
  the stiff breezes. At street level, people walk round the Iron 
  Bastion with a hunched aspect, fearful of falling scabs of iron 
  oxide and gigantic flakes of corroded iron slamming into the 
  pavements. All the buildings near  this grim construction are 
  coated in orange-brown layers of rust dust,  the substance of 
  the Bastion mingling with the rain and particulates to produce 
  a gluey smear over everything.
  The Iron Bastion is the one true home of Hirplakker Combine, 
  a place of faded glory and rusting ambition. Not one inch 
  of the walls are not rusting and decayed, everywhere there 
  is a feeling of a gradual slide into irreversible decrepitude. 
  For a macrocorp as powerful as Hirplakker, the Iron Bastion 
  is a singularly uncared for, gloomy place. Inside, all is stone 
  and iron, giant vaulted rooms, low, winding corridors and 
  steep, slippery staircases. In the core of the building, four 
  giant black iron elevators, massive cages of wrought metal 
  shuddering their way between floors. The lift core is pierced 
  by beams of wan light which filter down from the only large 
  expanse of glass in the building, the shit-streaked, soot 
  encrusted dome which caps the lift core. The dome arches 
  over the gantries and girders which support the mechanisms 
  of the lifts, its own walkways and stairs connecting with those 
  of the lifting mechanisms. In this cyclopean, echoing space, 
  Hirplakker employees come to bask in the light, enjoying a 
  brief glimpse of the outside world while on a break from their 
  working day. 
  Hirplakker carries out no manufacturing in the Iron Bastion, 
  it is purely administrative and organisational centre. In the 
  depths of the building are located the seven Intellects, the 
  artificial minds who control the affairs of Hirplakker. In these 
  guarded crypts, technicians maintain the Intellects, tending 
  the systems as they would care for a child. Some technicians 
  can even be said to love the Intellects, spending hours in 
  conversation with tiny fragments of their personalities. Such 
  behaviours are overlooked by higher management, as they 
  realise how valuable the cabal of wide-eyed scientists is to 
  the continuing good running of the company. Throughout the 
  rest of the building, secretaries, analysts, clerks and execu-
  tives sit at dingins wired into the Intellects, organising the 
  work of the massive creature which is Hirplakker.
  Security/Military Presence?
  Since the debacle of the Hundred Block War and their humiliat-
  ing climbdown in the face of the rampant Arclight macrocorp, 
  Hirplakker have become increasingly paranoid about security 
  in their headquarters. Every minor incident is viewed as sabo-
  tage, with the Intellects formulating increasingly unlikely plans 
  that Hirplakker might use to finally smash Arclight. Workers 
  are randomly carted off for interrogation, fuelling the rumours 
  of torture chambers maintained in the hidden places of the 
  Bastion. Heavily armed guards are stationed at all entrances, 
  with stringent security checks to make sure only authorised 
  personnel manage to gain entrance. Stuttering cameras allow 
  the Intellects to watch the security guards, tabulating and pro-
  cessing their movements, projecting possibilities, occasionally 
  suggesting changes in policy. The Intellects, as with all things 
  within the company, have absolute control. Their word is to be 
  obeyed as the word of God.
  Highlighted Location
  The Crush
  Description: Entrance/exit into the Iron Bastion
  The main entrance for shift workers entering and exiting the 
  Iron Bastion, the Crush feeds out onto Defiance Crescent, a 
  boulevard lined with spattered statues of great figures from 
  the company's past. A tight corridor, lined with observation 
  portals and gunslits, The Crush extends a hundred yards into 
  the building and can be blocked at either end by hydrauli-
  cally operated gates constructed from three foot thick slabs 
  of steel. The impassive eyes of cameras watch workers as 
  they enter and exit. Tight-faced guards peer out from the slits 
  in the walls. Barriers route those coming in and out, allowing 
  the guard to open doors and snatch workers for random 
  searches. The Crush is not a place for the claustrophobic or 
  easily panicked.
  Highlighted Personality
  Ansell Cole
  Age: Indeterminate middle-age
  Height/Build: 6' 0"/Slender
  Eye/Hair Colour: Pale brown/Dusty red
  Occupation: Scurt catcher
  Affiliations: Hirplakker
  Occupying a curious position within Hirplakker, Cole is Scurt 
  Catcher In Chief for the Iron Bastion. The age and extent 
  of the building means that it has a terrible problem with 
  the place 84
  
  infestations, hence the need for team of individuals whose 
  sole purpose is to root out scurts and other vermin from the 
  interstices of the building. Physically, he is a saturnine man 
  of indeterminate age, with long, thin fingers and a quizzi-
  cal, faintly amused countenance. He has a cutting sense of 
  humour, sharp wit and displays an intellectual ability which 
  few expect in a man of his station. Deep in the basements of 
  the Iron Bastion, he and his troop of scurt catchers construct 
  intricate traps, brew noxious poisons and hone the various 
  weapons in their arsenal. Cole runs his squad with military 
  precision but with a fair and even hand. With permission to 
  travel almost anywhere within the Bastion, he instills in his 
  underlings a sense of responsibility, duty and not poking their 
  noses in where they are most certainly not welcome.
  Konkret
  Region: Lat 4, Ring 5
  Status: Macrocorporate dominion
  Law: Very high
  Wealth:  Very high
  OVERVIEW
  Internal Memo
  MaxEncrypt  
  6702438589464/fiend45
  CodeCrak:  
  Archer-K
  From:  
   
  Feuer, Agneta 
   
   
  (WepSysDevTek 'Lancer')
  To:  
   
  Fegelein, Brooke 
   
   
  (Gruppenkommandant, Grauschjager)
  Subject:   
  Project 'Spiker'
  Fegelein,
  Thanks for your help with Operation 'Ivy', the entire thing  
  proved to be a great success. If there's anything I can do to 
  help you out in the future, just ask.
  That aside, we appear to have further developments on Project 
  'Spiker'. Intelligence has been passed my way by one of our 
  assets within the target which disturbs me greatly and I feel 
  that you should know in order to take any appropriate action. 
  The source was not particularly clear about the exact nature 
  of the information or how it would affect Project 'Spiker', but it 
  does seem to be of a particularly sensitive nature. Apparently, 
  it relates to a fragment of conversation overheard by our 
  source, referring to the 'device workings'. It would seem that 
  the 'device workings' refers to a place rather than a project 
  or item. The fragment was overheard during a conversation 
  between Kenzie and another unknown individual (assumed to 
  be a high-ranking individual within the target).
  I would appreciate it if you could do all you can in order 
  to facilitate the retrieval of further information regarding the 
  'device workings'.
  Respectfully yours,
  Feuer.
  Internal Memo
  MaxEncrypt  
  6702539589565/fiend48
  CodeCrak:  
  Sling-D
  From:  
   
  Fegelein, Brooke 
   
   
  (Gruppenkommandant, Grauschjager)
  To:  
   
  Feuer, Agneta 
   
   
  (WepSysDevTek 'Lancer')
  Subject:   
  Re: Project 'Spiker'
  Feuer,
  Information retrieved and acted upon.
  Have abstracted several assets from target and utilised 
  information extraction techniques (see attached programme 
  reel for footage). No useful information retrieved. Have dis-
  patched asset 'Eugen' to target for further search. Apparent 
  information security level v.high, no access to those under 
  board level, it would appear. Suggest abstracting higher 
  level target. Have team standing by to conduct abstraction. 
  Suggest Kenzie to be appropriate target. 
  Please advise.
  Fegelein, Gruppenkommandant Grauschjager.
  Forbidding. Dominating. Massive. Konkret echoes the very 
  ethos of the macrocorporation which it houses, a three dimen-
  sional image of a corporate mentality. No other structure in 
  The City looks quite like Konkret, a gigantic angular arch strad-
  dling the fifth ring canal. It utterly dominates the surrounding 
  cityscape, seemingly sucking the tenements and tower-blocks 
  in through sheer architectural gravity. Built out of stained, 
  weathered concrete, the building has a ponderous, immovable 
  solidity and a sinister implied threat. Of all the macrocorporate 
  dominions, none presents such a visible image of violence as 
  Konkret. Gunslits and sensor turrets sprout like fungus all over 
  the surface. Ack-ack defences lie in wait in concealed bunkers 
  on the roof, ready to demolish any and all intruders. Hordes of 
  soldiers and knots of sinister Grauschjager are omnipresent.
  Internally, once you have passed through the fifteen foot thick 
  walls), the guts of Konkret twist and writhe, with miles of cor-
  ridors and ducts connecting the myriad internal spaces. The 
  structure extends deep below ground, whole labs, manufac-
  tories, testing grounds and barracks are situated deep below 
  the surface. 
  the place 85
  
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Trilhoeven, being Trilhoeven, have vast numbers of troops 
  both in and around Konkret. For a two block radius around 
  the building, soldiers patrol the streets, operating with no 
  legal authority, yet with the power of life and death over 'sus-
  pects'. Less visible, but feared to a far greater degree of mag-
  nitude are the small groups of Graushjager (see Trilhoeven's 
  entry in 'The Power' for further details on the Grauschjager), 
  emerging from the squat portals on missions of dire intent. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Viewing Gallery
  Description: Intelligence gathering centre
  Heart of Trilhoeven's intelligence network, the Viewing Gallery 
  nestles in the ground deep under Konkret. Hundreds of infor-
  mation feeds converge on this relatively small space to be 
  poured over by highly trained analysts who extract every last 
  useful scrap of information. The walls of the 'Gallery are lined 
  with viewscreens and projectors, with employees hunched 
  below them, tapping commands into their computers, 
  examining photographs and ordering surveillance. The air 
  is filled with a wash of noise from tens of tapping fingers, 
  clicking dingins and murmuring speakers. The Grauschjager 
  control the entrances and exits to the Viewing Gallery, assid-
  uously monitoring the employees, watching for treachery or 
  subterfuge of any kind. Analysts are often dragged from their 
  chairs and taken off into the bowels of Konkret, never to be 
  seen again. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Susanna Devore
  Age: 19
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Athletic
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dark brown/Dyed red
  Occupation: Message runner
  Affiliations: Trilhoeven
  Devore is a runner, a message carrier scurrying through the 
  twisting corridors of Konkret. Runners are entrusted to carry 
  messages deemed too important to send via the normal 
  channels. Their bright red uniforms with flashing red strips 
  and blaring klaxons alert other employees to their approach, 
  warning them to move aside as the runners streaks by.
  Susanna has been a runner for three years now and 
  is extremely happy in her work. Like all runners, she is 
  extremely fit, a consequence of running everywhere at top 
  speed for hours on end. She prides herself on always being 
  ahead of schedule, getting messages to their destination in 
  the quickest possible time. Within her head she carries a 
  mental map of Konkret so accurate that she can determine 
  the quickest route from 
  any point in the complex 
  to any other point in an 
  instant. She has custom-
  ised her uniform with a 
  flashing readout which 
  gives a countdown of 
  how long she has to get 
  to her assigned desti-
  nation. Many view this 
  as unnecessarily flash, 
  but Devore is proud of 
  her abilities and thinks 
  nothing of telling every-
  one and anyone about 
  them.
  In her off duty hours, 
  she spends a lot of 
  time training in the company gyms or indulging in her 
  hobby of building scale models of famous buildings from 
  tiny bricks. When questioned about this rather unusual 
  and somewhat uncharacteristic pastime, she states that it 
  helps her to calm down after a long day speeding around 
  the twists and turns of Konkret.
  the place 86
  
  LUMINOSITY TOWER
  Region: Lat 7, Ring 3
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: Extremely high
  Wealth: Extremely high
  OVERVIEW
  "It is a work of the deities. Man cannot have built so wonder-
  ful a structure. Man alone has not the strength or the genius 
  to draw such a splendid thing from the earth. I come here 
  every day to gaze in wonder. I petition the guardians at the 
  portal to grant me access, to see the wonders kept sealed 
  within. Yet, they continually deny me. They are harsh men 
  and women, the light of suffering and torture is in their eyes. 
  Although, behind it all is pride, pride to stand guard of the 
  greatest wonder man has ever gazed upon.
  I have contacted those who serve the builder-deity. I beseech 
  them to allow me to serve, even in the most humble fashion. 
  Continually, they reject me. What can I do to make them think me 
  worthy. I know that there are those who would seek to destroy 
  the tower, to 
  smash its won-
  der into dust. 
  Perhaps if I 
  strike against 
  the 
  defilers, 
  then I will be 
  granted access, 
  even if it is in 
  the next life.
  So here I stand, 
  gazing at the 
  holiest of holies 
  for perhaps the 
  last time. I stand 
  with this device, 
  this assembly 
  of wires and 
  c l o c k w o r k 
  parts, ready to 
  strike with all the power of my faith. This corporeal body may 
  be struck down in the process, but my spirit will live on. I will be 
  granted access. Some day."
  A gigantic building, dwarfing all those around it, Luminosity 
  Tower is home to Arclight. A slender, glass pyramid, the tower 
  reaches 700 yards into the air, making it easily the tallest 
  building in The City. How Arclight mustered the resources to 
  construct such a magnificent building in only three years is 
  unknown, speculation is rife. That having been said, Luminosity 
  Tower succeeds in putting all other macrocorporate domains 
  in the shade by quite a margin.
  In the weak sunlight, the glass plates shine gold, bathing 
  the area surrounding the tower in heavenly light. The main 
  entrance is ablaze with light. When the main doors open, 
  brilliant white light shines out, turning night into day. Arclight 
  knows the value of impressing the public and people will trav-
  el over large distances to see the wonder that is Luminosity 
  Tower. The structure itself is divided into 110 floors. The 
  vast majority of levels are taken over by administration and 
  research facilities. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Security is provided by elite companies from the Brigade of 
  Light. It is considered a great honour to be chosen to guard 
  the tower and competition is fierce to be chosen for this most 
  prestigious of duties. It is often given as a reward to units which 
  have performed particularly successfully in the Contested 
  Grounds. On average, there will be eight companies (each 
  containing 110 men and officers) guarding the tower, including 
  at least two Tentenel companies. The main entrance is always 
  watched over 
  by 
  Tentenel 
  troops, ready 
  to crush any-
  one 
  who 
  attempts 
  to 
  enter 
  the 
  building.
  Dotted 
  in 
  a half mile 
  radius around 
  the tower are 
  n u m e r o u s 
  mikefighter 
  and aerostat 
  bases, provid-
  ing round the 
  clock combat 
  air patrols. 
  There is a three quarter mile diameter no fly zone around 
  the tower; any and all aircraft breaching this zone without 
  permission are automatically attacked. Concealed within the 
  tower is an impressive array of anti-missile weapons. A mix 
  of laser and gauss weapons are used to provide defence 
  against anything from an RPG to a cargo aerostat. 
  the place 87
  
  Within the tower, the Brigade guards are vigilant but unob-
  trusive. Tentenel troops guard the most high-security areas, 
  while regular Brigade of Light infantry are posted about the 
  rest of the building.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Atrium
  Description: Ground floor of Luminosity Tower
  Designed to awe those who enter the tower, the Atrium is a 
  massive space, a giant gap running up through ten stories of 
  Luminosity tower.
  Massive glass cases hold items which Arclight is proud of, 
  including a Hirplakker powersuit captured during the initial 
  phases of the Hundred Block War. The sole purpose of the 
  Atrium is to give an impression of power, wealth and strength. 
  This it manages with singular aplomb. Cunningly fashioned 
  into the massive support struts, gauss lifts run to all levels of 
  the tower, although some require higher clearance to enter 
  than others. Lush greenery, tended by an army of low paid 
  workers manages to introduce an organic feel to the place, 
  offsetting the prominence of technological sophistication. No 
  inhabitant can fail to be struck dumb with wonder at this most 
  magnificent of sights.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Shigunda Bundabbie
  Age: 57
  Height/Build: 6'/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Watery blue/Grey
  Occupation: Head Gardener, the Atrium, Luminosity Tower
  Affiliations: Arclight
  A man of fierce devotion to his duty, Bundabbie cares for the 
  plants within the Atrium of Luminosity Tower with a fervour 
  that approaches fanaticism. Ten hours a day, his knurled 
  hands prune, water and landscape, driving his minions to 
  greater exertions in the name of the macrocorporate. His 
  loyalty surpasses even that of Brigade troopers, he will brook 
  no dissension and will absolutely not tolerate any form of 
  criticism of Arclight. Orders from above are to be obeyed 
  without question and without delay. Those who tamper with 
  the plants, walk on the grass or pollute the soil will rue the 
  day they ever met Shigunda Bundabbie. A spade to the head 
  is the most likely consequence, and rumours circulate that he 
  has used certain 'fertilisers' to make the blooms in the Atrium 
  grow with even greater vigour. 
  The powerhouse
  Region: Lat 3, Ring 4
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: Very strict
  Wealth: Very high
  OVERVIEW
  "It's the heat exchangers, you see." Yelled the thin man above 
  the clamour of machinery and the hiss of steam.
  "Yes, I see. Very impressive." The younger, fairer man almost 
  shouted back. 
  "Never been down here before, have you? Down to the 
  reactors?"
  "No sir, never had the need to. That's why I was surprised 
  when you offered to show me around. Grateful, but still 
  surprised."
  "No need to be, young man. No need to be. Just wanted to 
  show you the heart of what makes us great, raises us above the 
  common mass." The thin man leaned out over the edge of the 
  gantry and gazed down at the heat exchangers below. Water 
  dripped from the curving concrete ceiling far above, vapouris-
  ing as it hit the blisteringly hot metal of the exchangers.
  "Excuse me sir, but should the exposed surfaces be like that? 
  That hot? Is that not a bit inefficient?"
  "Well spotted, we're running a pressure test with some of the 
  exchanger jackets removed. Normally you wouldn't see that."
  "Oh. You can really feel the heat, even from here."
  "Yes, you can, can't you?" the thin man put a lanky arm around 
  the other's shoulders, twisted, and flung him over the edge of 
  the gantry. The figure hit the heat exchanger surface with bone 
  breaking force, the sound of impact deadened by the fear-
  some noise from all around. The figure's mouth was wrenched 
  wide in a spasm of pain as his clothes began to smoulder. 
  Where his bare hands touched the searing metal, flesh came 
  away in blackened gobbets. With tremendous effort he hauled 
  himself upright, his knees seared down to the bone, shoes melt-
  ing, staggering towards the edge of the heat exchanger. His 
  face red and blistering, he stumbled towards the edge, flinging 
  himself the last few yards towards the edge. 
  The body tumbled down the curving surface , tumbling head 
  over heels, shedding fragments of scorched clothing, disap-
  pearing from view in the darkness. The thin man turned and 
  walked back along the gantry, ambling towards a cluster of 
  men in thick black overalls.
  "You can put the shields back on now, get things working 
  properly again."
  The men nodded, gulping nervously, and edged past the thin 
  man. As for the thin man, he left.
  the place 88
  
  Standing firm since time immemorial, the central tower of The 
  Powerhouse rears above The City, solid, impassive, menac-
  ing. Closer to hand, it quickly becomes apparent that the 
  tower has been patched and repaired numerous times during 
  its long history. Scabs of concrete flake from its surface, but-
  tressing girders hold up sections of wall. Beneath the tower 
  lie the eight great hangers, 
  the vast spaces which house 
  the main reactors which give 
  GRID its power. Sheathed 
  in metal and concrete, the 
  reactors have been run-
  ning for as long as anyone 
  can remember, kept alive 
  by the tender ministrations 
  of an army of technicians. 
  Festooning the hangers, 
  spreading out over the land 
  like an encroaching cancer 
  are the numerous newer 
  buildings  which house GRID 
  personnel. From the air, 
  The Powerhouse resembles 
  a vast, eight pointed star 
  overgrown with brown, red, 
  black and green growths. 
  At the very summit of the 
  tower, where it spreads out 
  to six times the width of the 
  slender supporting column, 
  is the Control Room. From 
  here, platoons of analysts 
  control and direct power 
  across The City, connecting, 
  disconnecting and re-routing. This is the epicentre of GRID 
  operations, decisions made here affect the lives of citizens 
  many miles away across The City. From the Control Room 
  on down, The Powerhouse is a tangle of interconnecting 
  passageways, yards wide pipes, maintenance runs and tens 
  of levels. The corridors echo with a hollow bass thrum, while 
  the air in the lower levels is hot and damp, as coolant pipes 
  leak steam from worn and cracking joints. Most of the mas-
  sive cooling pipes connect to one of the eight great cooling 
  towers, conical structures of black brick, clinging to the roofs 
  of the hangars like fungi. Steam billows from their gaping 
  mouths and on still days, the entire area can be wrapped in 
  a thick, cloying blanket of fog.
  Through the fog, in between the cooling towers, hangars 
  and encrusting buildings run hundred of cable-cars, ranging 
  from tiny one man affairs to large constructions, capable of 
  carrying two hundred workers. They transport equipment, raw 
  materials and personnel about Powerhouse, swinging along 
  above the crazy topography of the building. Deep below the 
  hangars, GRID maintains a secondary transport system, a 
  double ring of train tunnels designed to assist those technicians 
  who work on the reactors.
  The air in the tunnels is 
  almost unbreathable, thick 
  and humid. Leaking coolant 
  from the reactors above drips 
  into the tunnels, creating toxic 
  pools along the tracks. Most 
  of the technicians do not rel-
  ish travelling through the tun-
  nels, fearful of the folklore 
  which surrounds them. Stories 
  abound of furies coming into 
  the tunnels through ancient 
  passages and sewers, of 
  swarms of diseased scurts 
  bigger than a man's arm as 
  well as of other less iden-
  tifiable creatures. Executives 
  discount such talk as supersti-
  tious tosh, but every now and 
  then a work party disappears, 
  leaving only a few traces of 
  their presence. Occasionally 
  sounds are heard, not the 
  mechanical sounds of the reac-
  tors and pipes, but animalistic, 
  feral sounds, welling up from 
  deep underground. The stories 
  proliferate and the fear grows 
  stronger.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Like any other macrocorporate domain, The Powerhouse is 
  well guarded by the best troops that GRID can muster. The 
  reactors are a tempting prize for a rival and an almost magi-
  cal target for terrorists, so GRID keeps a close eye on move-
  ments in and around the sprawling structure. The ongoing 
  mistrust between GRID and the Ancient & Honourable Guild 
  of Fulgurators only makes the situation worse. The occasional 
  guild-sponsored terrorists give the guards targets to practice 
  their aim on: few of them get near the hangars. Troops are 
  drawn from GRID's small but effective EyEwiRE Corps and are 
  equipped to the very highest level . Most weapons are bought 
  in from Trilhoeven and Gorunna, as GRID lacks the large scale 
  facilities to produce hitech weapons. The troops also have 
  a dedicated network of fast cable-cars which allow them to 
  move about the facility with all possible speed.
  the place 89
  
  Highlighted Location
  The Shield Works
  Description: Manufacturing plant
  A small but vital part of the GRID operation, the Shield Works 
  produce and maintain the vital radiation shielding which sur-
  rounds the all-important reactors. Cramped into a concrete 
  bay at the rear of Hangar 3, the Works are alive with the 
  roar of machinery, the pounding of great hammers and the 
  hiss of cooling vats. Labourers and technicians toil round the 
  clock, producing new sections of shield, repairing old, worn 
  out segments and generally making sure that there’s always 
  enough shielding for any conceivable emergency. Workers 
  have developed their own particular sign language, allow-
  ing them to communicate in the deafening clamour. Their 
  gesticulations are unintelligible to outsiders, a blur of waving 
  hands and twisting fingers. The most hazardous job in the 
  Works is disposing of old shielding, breaking it down into 
  manageable chunks before dropping it down the dark, limit-
  lessly deep disposal shafts.
  Highlighted Personality
  Letitia Rarity
  Age: 27
  Height/Build: 5' 3" (due to hunched posture)/Slim, slumped
  Eye/Hair Colour: Light blue/White
  Occupation: Janitor/Cleaner
  Affiliations: GRID
  Letitia Rarity used to be a trusted reactor technician, one of 
  the elite corps who tend to the needs of the ancient power 
  sources. Sadly, her fall from grace was both rapid and 
  alarming. She speaks only in monosyllables, hunched over 
  her broom as she sweeps out the cable-cars. Prior to this, she 
  was a vivacious young woman, popular with her peers and 
  superiors. Then there was The Incident In The Train Tunnel 
  (as it is referred to in guarded conversations). She has never 
  spoken about it, and few have pried. All that is known is that, 
  out of a seven person team sent into the  tunnels under the 
  reactors to carry out routine maintenance, she was the only 
  one to emerge. Three days after the team disappeared, she 
  emerged, covered in dried blood, almost dead from dehy-
  dration. 
  Of the team, there was no sign. Whatever happened in the 
  tunnels, she is either unable or unwilling to talk about. Yet she 
  pushes her broom, casting the occasional glance at ducts 
  and hatches. 
  Trenevier
  Region: Lat 6, Ring 6
  Status: Macrocorporate domain
  Law: Very high
  Wealth: Very high
  Overview
  Always the wind. It's a thermal island effect, they say. Caused 
  by the mass of flat concrete. I say it's just a pain in the arse. 
  Twelve hours on, thirteen hours off. Then thirteen hours on, 
  twelve hours off. Boring. Dull. We maintain our gun, an 
  antique thing, manually loaded, single shot. Still, we oil it 
  and maintain it as best we can. Sometimes, the Captain lets 
  us take some practice shots against the old fence stanchions, 
  scares the life out of anyone who happens to be wandering 
  by. We call her Ursula, after a girl the Captain once knew. 
  Captain doesn't say what happened to the real Ursula, but 
  we look after our one like she was our first love. We get 
  Internal Order Cadre troopers coming by sometimes, mostly 
  off duty and drunk. They push us around, piss on Ursula 
  and slag us off. Captain says not to react, not to get pro-
  voked. Just clean Ursula up and make sure she's OK. Once, 
  Jannssen got really wound up and brained an IOC guy with 
  a spanner. She got sent away, never seen her since. Captain 
  got very sad over that. IOC guys came back a few days later, 
  lots of them. Kicked the shit out of us.
  The company doesn't care for us. A few hundred forgotten 
  souls, not good enough for the IOC they say. We  keep a 
  lonely watch out here, with the wind howling through the gun-
  slits. We train, we drink tea, we keep Ursula ready. An IOC 
  trooper came by on her own, showed us pictures. Pictures of 
  what they'd done to Jannssen. We all just stayed very quiet. 
  Sergeant Vath went really white, started twitching. I thought 
  he was going to shoot the trooper there and then. He didn't, 
  just kept quiet. It was the Captain who reacted. Punched that 
  IOC woman in the face until you couldn't recognise her. Got 
  us to drag her out to one of the fence stanchions, tie her there 
  with wire and tape. We loaded Ursula up with an armour 
  piercing round, aimed right for that woman's chest. Fired. 
  Made a hole as big as your head. Had to clean up pretty 
  quickly, dropped the body down an old inspection hatch.
  Nobody really speaks about that day, least of all the 
  Captain. He's started talking to Ursula, just now and 
  again, when he thinks we're not listening. We stand watch, 
  because we're the only ones who don't believe that the 
  company is invulnerable. We're the only line of defence. So 
  we polish and oil Ursula and wait for the day when we're 
  proved right.
  the place 90
  
  A flat concrete wasteland  stippled with pools of stagnant 
  water, the occasional cooling tower and entrance bunker 
  poking above the dull monotony of the level surface. 
  Centuries of defences ring the area, rusting chainlink 
  fences, abandoned pillboxes and collapsed gun emplace-
  ments. An air of decrepitude hangs over this place, like a 
  factory long abandoned of workers, bereft of the clanging 
  of machines and the sounds of toil. Yet, this is Trenevier, 
  home to Gorunna Logistics, if not the most powerful, then 
  certainly the biggest of the macrocorps. The corroded sur-
  face conceals the hive beneath, an underground fortress, 
  factory and community. 
  A few square miles of centuries old concrete, Trenevier is not 
  the greatest advert for the might of Gorunna. Its defences 
  have long since been left to rot, its surface become pitted 
  with age, scarred by rain, fungus and fire. It is below the sur-
  face that Gorunna spends valuable resources. From below 
  the surface lies the true enormity of Trenevier, a spiralling, 
  twisting, convoluted labyrinth of passages, rooms, work-
  shops, factories, bunkers, armouries, lifts and  ducting.  Here, 
  Gorunna maintains its most vital manufacturing and adminis-
  trative functions, closeted away from the light and air. Tens of 
  thousands of souls work here, maintaining the vital position of 
  the macrocorp. Many citizens see the light but once or twice 
  a year, emerging from the ramps and lifts onto the surface 
  to take in the scenic views which surround them. They return 
  below, satisfied that they are missing nothing. 
  On the surface, Trenevier is a rough rectangle of grey-black 
  concrete, two miles long on its longest side. The only hints as 
  to the activity beneath are the dozens or so cooling towers 
  and entrance bunkers which cling to the surface. Near to the 
  bunkers are hardened landing pads for the massive aerostats 
  employed by Gorunna and a single spur canal slices across 
  the surface at an angle, connecting to a massive basin hold 
  many large barges. The ruined defences are testament to 
  the position in which Gorunna finds itself. Relied upon by 
  many of the other macrocorps, too massive to be brought 
  down, the company has become fat, lazy and complacent, 
  letting its defences crumble, sure that its very size is protec-
  tion enough.
  The first sight that most visitors will have of the interior of 
  Trenevier are the colossal lifts which descend from the 
  entrance bunkers down into the depths of the structure. 
  Grinding slowly down into the interior, these cyclopean 
  machines disgorge their contents into the receiving cham-
  bers: vast spaces filled with running figures, noise, speeding 
  vehicles, crates and the smell of hot oil. These spaces serve 
  as collecting grounds for products heading to the surface 
  or resources heading down into the factories. From here, 
  corridors and passages of various sizes branch out in a 
  bewildering network. Lifts descend to even deeper levels, 
  conveyor belts creak off into darkness and squat cargo 
  vehicles grumble down spiralling ramps. Entire sectors of 
  Trenevier are devoted to single activities: manufacturing, 
  administration, dwelling, education.
  Security/Military Presence?
  Confident in its position within The City, Gorunna spends 
  very little on external defences. Instead, most of it’s security 
  budget is ploughed into the Internal Order Cadre (IOC), a 
  force designed to keep peace and order within the company 
  itself. The External Order Cadre (EOC) is a tiny, pathetic, often 
  ridiculed force made up of a few hundred demoralised and 
  ill-equipped troops. The EOC maintains a few of the crippled 
  defence stations around Trenevier, and attempts to impose 
  some sort of border control. Their weapons are outdated and 
  failing, with most troops resorting to buying weapons from 
  other manufacturers. It surprises many visitors to see Gorunna 
  troops hefting second-hand Trilhoeven rifles and wearing cast-
  off Hirplakker armour. Some EOC officers and NCOs attempt 
  to maintain some form of reasonable military discipline, parad-
  ing their troops on the pitted surface of Trenevier, their parade-
  ground chants echoing across the lonely spaces.
  Almost anyone can wander onto the surface of Trenevier and 
  only be challenged once they actually get into the complex. 
  Here, they have to deal with the better equipped, far larger 
  and better trained IOC. The IOC consider themselves an 
  elite, issued with the latest in Gorunna weapons and afford-
  ed immense prestige by the company. They take every pos-
  sible opportunity to go down the EOC, mocking its members 
  and going so far as to sabotage their activities. 
  Highlighted Location
  The Neutral Ground
  Description: Entrance bunker leading into Trenevier
  The only one of the entrance bunkers which is accessible to 
  non-Gorunna personal, Bunker 3A has become known as 
  the Neutral Ground. Here, traders and wholesalers come to 
  purchase Gorunna items for selling on to the larger popu-
  lace. Centred around the gigantic main lift shaft, the Neutral 
  Ground is divided into a series of bays, each dedicated 
  to a particular commodity. There are bays dedicated to 
  food, clothing, weapons, vehicles and everything else that 
  Gorunna produces.
  the place 91
  
  The area is open for six hours each day, from the 10th hour 
  of the morning to the 16th hour in the afternoon. During this 
  window of opportunity, hundreds of traders scramble to get 
  what they or their masters desire, often fighting to get through 
  the crowds to the bay they require. Fights are commonplace, 
  with armed squads of IOC troopers keeping some form of 
  order in the middle of the melee. Most traders bring their own 
  security to protect their purchases on the way back home, 
  leaving the entire area awash with suspicion, guns, paranoia 
  and envy.
  Highlighted Personality
  Captain Sylas Pangborn
  Age: 39
  Height/Build: 6' 2"/Lean
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dark brown/Grey, flecked with black
  Occupation: Gorunna EOC Officer
  Affiliations: Gorunna
  Downtrodden commander of the 3rd EOC Gunnery Platoon, 
  Pangborn's task of monitoring and defending Trenevier is a 
  thankless one. Yet, despite the insults, abuse and sabotage 
  from within, he still manages to instill a certain sense of esprit 
  de corps in his troops, encouraging them to maintain their 
  failing equipment to the highest standards, to place them-
  selves above taunts and petty threats. He is the prototypical 
  firm-but-fair officer, respected by his men but regarded with 
  amused contempt by his superiors in the company.
  Tall and lean, with a stiff shock of greyish-black hair, he 
  has the demeanour and bearing of a down-at-heel actor 
  or lounging aesthete. Beneath the peak of his decades old 
  cap, his lined, tired face peers out with seeming disinterest, 
  making him appear far older than his thirty nine years. His 
  shabby, hand-me-down uniform is always in as good a state 
  as he can muster, buttons shined and boots polished to a 
  high shine. Even serving in the despised EOC, his reputa-
  tion as a leader of men has not gone unnoticed. Several 
  attempts have been made to transfer him into the ranks of 
  the IOC. All have met with abject failure. Pangborn would 
  rather stay with his troops, carrying out his duty, than serve 
  with those who have spent their lives tormenting him.
  Notable Buildings
  Some buildings have stood the test of time and become 
  legends in their own right. Others are mysterious places sur-
  rounded by rumour, folklore and legend. Others inspire awe 
  and deep feelings within the observer. These places are high-
  lighted here, from the bizarre warrens of CrossBar Terminus 
  to the academic splendour of Longshore University.
  CROSSBAR TERMINUS
  Region: Lat 5, Ring 1
  Status: Independent mercantile area
  Law: High
  Wealth: High
  OVERVIEW
  Nells' blood pounded in her ears as she sprinted down the 
  platform. Perhaps it hadn't been such a good idea to dodge 
  the fare. Behind her, a whole posse of Transit Militia pursued 
  with single-minded determination, barrels of their sparklocks 
  weaving unsteady arcs in the air as they ran. She faced a stark 
  choice: jump onto the tracks to one side and try and climb down 
  the elevated track which extended over The City, or jump to the 
  other side and attempt an escape down the intestinal tangle of 
  service passages.
  She was buffeted by hot air, her hair began to stand on end 
  as a train careered into the station, its brakes showering sparks 
  and its massive electrical engine arcing with power. A corona 
  of blue flickered across the overhead wires, making them shine 
  with unworldly fire. It would have to be the passages then. 
  Above the noise of the train, a shot rang out and everything 
  slowed down. Nell stumbled forward, a hot wetness on her 
  lips, staggering towards the passages and the hope of escape. 
  It was not to be. She collapsed to the wet, oily floor, yards from 
  her goal.
  "She'll come round, they always do." A voice from above. A 
  dark place. Tight. Unable to move. She opened her eyes to see 
  a small, low room, lit by a single flickering electric light. Before 
  her stood a plump, avuncular man in a shabby, pinstriped three-
  piece suit, a silver pocket watch in his hand.
  "Aaaaah, the young lady awakes." He spoke gently, turning to 
  smile at the gaunt, narrow figure standing behind him. The fig-
  ure craned to see and Nell caught sight of a young, pale man, 
  handsome in the dark blue uniform of the Transit Militia.
  "Wh..whe whe"
  "Where? Where, you ask? Well, young miss, you're in the 
  Guardhouse." The man smiled.
  the place 92
  
  "I'm sor sorr" The pain was returning, the taste of blood in her 
  mouth, the difficulty breathing, the chair felt sticky.
  "Sorry? Yes, they're always sorry. Even the pretty ones like you. 
  Still, young girl, you committed a crime and that can't go unpun-
  ished, now can it?"
  "P pay." she blurted.
  "Pay? Oh yes, you'll most certainly pay" The pinstriped man 
  smiled in a fatherly fashion and reached to the small wooden 
  table beside him. In the dim light, the object he held was dull, 
  almost black, she could see the spots of rust on its surface. 
  "Now. Time to pay the fare."
  Central point of the traumatically torturous network of train 
  tunnels and elevated lines that run through the city, CrossBar 
  Terminus is a massive, ponderous topographically twisted set of 
  interconnected buildings squatting in the middle of Fogwarren. 
  Stretching below the ground further than it looms above it, the 
  gigantic station was rumoured to have once been a museum, 
  a storehouse of treasures from far afield. How it came to be 
  used as a train terminus and whether or not the rumour is true 
  are questions that will probably never be answered. Many of 
  the lower levels of the station are now disused, blocked off or 
  abandoned. Vast numbers of the homeless live out their lives 
  in the deep shadows, emerging during the rush hours to beg, 
  peddle and steal.
  The higher levels of the structure are home to diverse 
  organisations, from the headquarters of the Transit Militia 
  to the Guildhouse of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of 
  Fulgurators. Businesses jostle for space on the main concourse, 
  selling every possible item that the traveller could wish for. The 
  air is heavy with the odours of cooking, damp, ozone from the 
  arcing electrical engines, oil and of the press of thousands of 
  transient bodies. Most notorious among the warren of rooms 
  in the station is The Guardhouse, the headquarters and prime 
  interrogation centre for the Transit Militia. Here, the Conductors 
  practice their painful art, extracting confessions from ticket 
  dodgers, cutpurses and vandals. The worst fear of someone 
  caught committing a crime on the railways is to be taken back 
  to The Guardhouse. 
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  As with all other train stations, large and small, CrossBar is 
  guarded by the Transit Militia. However, those who guard 
  the CrossBar are even more fanatical than their brethren 
  elsewhere in The City. Within the precincts of the station, the 
  Militia live in fear of terrorism and riot, the most dangerous 
  threats to the good running order of the network.
  As the income from running the train system is not great, 
  the militia are poorly equipped and badly trained. Many 
  of them are simply brutal thugs, hell bent on causing pain 
  for others. Although the carrying of firearms is mandated by 
  militia statute, officers must purchase their own weapons out 
  of their own pockets. Consequently, there are wide variations 
  in the type and quality of firearms carried. The vast majority 
  of militiamen own sparklocks, with some owning semi-auto-
  matics and a few high-ranking officers even having hitech 
  weapons purchased at ruinous cost. Any transgression within 
  the precincts of the Terminus is dealt with in harsh fashion, 
  as the militia answers to no one but the Transit Company. 
  Sentencing is swift and punishment brutal.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  the Guardhouse
  Description: Transit Militia headquarters
  A warren within a warren, the Guardhouse occupies an 
  entire wing of CrossBar Terminus and is comprised of a 
  vast number of interconnecting rooms, passages, halls and 
  landings seemingly designed to confuse and disorient the 
  visitor. Transit militia officers scurry about the Guardhouse, 
  dragging prisoners, carrying stacks of files or pounding to 
  an urgent call. The low ceilings and smoky atmosphere only 
  serve to heighten the sense of unease that the Guardhouse 
  provokes in most people. The air is alive with muffled shout-
  ing and clangings from the antiquated speaking tube system, 
  allowing communication between different parts of the 
  wing. Accompanying these sounds are the hollow rattles 
  which issue from overhead as message capsules slide and 
  bump their way through the p-mail system. Deep within this 
  dark maze are the interrogation cells. Within these cells, 
  the Conductors practise their ancient, painful art. Often, a 
  perpetrator will confess without torture, yet the conductors 
  proceed for the sheer satisfaction of hearing their victims beg 
  for mercy. Some organisations claim that the Guardhouse 
  holds even deeper secrets, that within the bowels of CrossBar 
  Terminus there lie secrets lost for centuries, secrets which 
  could hold the key to ending The Shift and freeing humanity 
  from The City. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Ticket Collector Hyman Ferenz
  Age: Late 60's
  Height/Build: 5' 8"/Thin, stooped
  Eye/Hair Colour: Watery grey/Bald
  Occupation: Ticket Collector, CrossBar Terminus
  Affiliations: Honourary membership of the Ancient & 
  Honourable Guild of Fulgurators
  Ancient, bent and almost as worn as the station which he 
  serves so well, Ferenz is venerated by the staff of CrossBar 
  Terminus. Able to spot a fake ticket in a split second, adept 
  the place 93
  
  at spotting fare dodgers, rigid in his adherence to regula-
  tions, he would like to think that he alone keeps the Terminus 
  running smoothly. His connections with the Transit Militia 
  and his membership of the Ancient & Honourable Guild of 
  Fulgurators make him effectively immune from any form of 
  criticism. He is a man who can do no wrong. Time, however, 
  is wearing on, and Ferenz is not getting any younger. His 
  eyesight is failing, his joints are stiffening and spending eight 
  hours a day on his feet is not getting any easier. There will 
  come a day when CrossBar Terminus will have to do without 
  Hyman Ferenz, but for now he remains a stalwart figure, a 
  buffer against change, guardian of what is right and good.
  INFERNO
  Region: Lat 4, Ring 5
  Status: Independent hospital grounds
  Law: Prison regime
  Wealth: Not applicable
  OVERVIEW
  Down the corridors, through cells, around corners, the wail of 
  the klaxon filled the floor. 
  Booted feet crushed scuttling insects as they passed, leaving 
  only damp marks, barely visible in the flickering light. Hapless 
  inmates were kicked or thrown from the path of the onrush-
  ing guards. Screams issued from those dealt a blow by a 
  truncheon or caught by a steel toecap.
  The squadron of guards rounded the corner and slid to a halt 
  in an enormous, steam filled room. The space was faced with 
  dirty white tiles, cracked, worn and broken with age. Beige 
  steam filled the air and through the steam were visible hun-
  dreds of naked inmates, scurrying to and fro, trying to batter 
  down doors. A harassed, damp, scruffy man in what had 
  once been a white coat popped up from behind a bath.
  "Guard! Guard! Over here!"
  "Doctor? What the fuckin' hell is going on here?"
  "I'll be damned if I know. I was just checking on a cell down 
  the way there and I heard this screaming. Think something's 
  gone a bit wrong."
  "A bit wrong, doctor? A bit wrong? There's a bloody riot hap-
  pening. A bit wrong!"
  The guard officer lashed out with his foot and caught the hap-
  less doctor on the side of the head. As he fell, he bounced off 
  the enamel iron bath, sending fragments of tooth skittering 
  towards the plughole.
  "Right, boys. Lets get this over with."
  The guards moved into the steam, firing as they went. The 
  screaming reached a new pitch of intensity, creating a coun-
  terpoint to the bass thumping of the guards' carbines. The mist 
  went from beige to dirty red as the guards advanced into the 
  bathroom, putting down the riot the only way they knew how.
  A huge mental asylum and maximum-security prison. Inferno 
  is co-operatively sponsored by five macrocorps (Nakamura, 
  Hirplakker, GRID, Gorunna and Sideband) who contribute 
  funds and resources in order to keep it running. This massive 
  concrete cube is one of the most feared places in the entire 
  city, renowned for the brutality of its regime and the harsh-
  ness of its treatment.
  Yet, despite the massive solidity of Inferno, something has 
  happened in the past which has caused the building to be 
  canted over to one side. Gigantic rents are apparent in the 
  concrete, showing the rusting rebar which forms the internal 
  skeleton of this looming monster. 
  Within, Inferno is split into numerous levels and sections, each 
  housing patients, prisoners, wardens, nurses and doctors. The 
  lower you go into the asylum, the darker and more danger-
  ous it becomes. As you descend into the sub levels, you find 
  the truly psychotic, psychopathic and evil. Some of the worst 
  madmen and women in The City are incarcerated here, in 
  concrete cells ten feet square. Suicides, murders and starva-
  tion are common. Inmates often become too violent to feed 
  and are simply deprived of food until they lack the strength 
  to fight or, as is most often the case, they die. 
  However, the worst is yet to come. Below sub-level 14, there is 
  bare concrete blocking all the stairwells, all the lift shafts, all 
  the service tunnels. For the staff, nothing exists below sub-level 
  14. Only the collective memory of an event so horrific that 
  none dare speak about it. In the wards where the inmates are 
  more lucid, they say that if you place your ear against the con-
  crete, you can hear a faint tapping, as if from far away. Such 
  talk must be kept quiet, as any inmates or prisoners mentioning 
  sub-level 14 will be thrown into solitary confinement.
  Physically, Inferno stinks. The sewerage system is unable 
  to handle the thousands of inmates and staff. The power 
  system is failing badly and contractors refuse to work in the 
  place. Infestations are rife, insects and other far less pleasant 
  creatures crawl over every surface, getting into food, beds, 
  clothing and hair. The vast majority of inmates are allowed to 
  wash, briefly, once every ten days. This is carried out in huge 
  communal steam baths, spluttering brown water out of rusted, 
  clogged nozzles. At all times, the guards and wardens will 
  open fire at the least provocation; the walls of many corridors 
  are stained red with blood as a reminder.
  the place 94
  
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Inferno swarms with guards, well paid to work in this monstrous 
  place. The macrocorps provide training for the guards but refuse 
  to provide any personnel from their own security arms. The asy-
  lum buys in weapons from the macrocorps at cheap rates, arm-
  ing the guards and wardens to the hilt. Most of the doctors and 
  nurses also carry weapons: night-sticks, knives, truncheons and 
  pistols are common. Externally, Inferno is well defended against 
  any possible jailbreak attempts. pillboxes, gun turrets and slit 
  trenches surround 
  the 
  madhouse, 
  ready to defend or 
  to turn one hundred 
  and eighty degrees 
  and use their fire-
  power against the 
  inmates themselves. 
  Escape attempts 
  are actually few 
  and far between, 
  the inmates being 
  too diseased and 
  addled to come 
  up with anything 
  approaching 
  a 
  coherent plan.
  Gangs from the slums surrounding Inferno sometimes use the 
  external defences in their initiation rituals, daring new members 
  to approach as close as they can to the flaring muzzles of the 
  guns. So far, no group has been foolish enough to attempt a 
  frontal attack on Inferno, but the troops remain vigilant, watch-
  ful, fearful. Some guards swear you can hear the screams and 
  insane laughing of the inmates floating through the air over the 
  trenches, others say that those propagating such tales are mad 
  themselves.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Medical Wing 3
  Description: Hospital facility
  Within the horror that is Inferno, some places are worse than 
  others. Inmates dread the inevitable sickness and injuries, for it 
  means transfer to one of the medical wings. Lack of resources, 
  staff apathy and years of neglect have turned these places of 
  health into virulent pits of disease and infection. A full forty three 
  percent of inmates transferred to a medical wing succumb to 
  some form of infection or virus which is unrelated to their original 
  condition. Even those who survive usually have some form of 
  illness or affliction.
  By far the worst of these wings is number 3, serving the needs of 
  life prisoners. With only one full time doctor and two nurses, the 
  beds in the wing overflow with the ill and dying. Prisoners are 
  crammed two or three to a bunk, those who die are often left 
  beside their living compatriots for days on end. The toilets and 
  washing facilities are continually blocked, overflowing into the 
  corridors and wards, mingling with the smells of putrefaction and 
  decay to create an almost unimaginable stench. Forced to crawl 
  or hobble to these stinking cesspools, the inmates become even 
  more 
  infected 
  and coated with 
  ordure. Insects 
  and 
  parasites 
  clamber over the 
  bodies and the 
  filth, burrowing 
  their way into 
  hapless, still living 
  victims. The most 
  recent 
  evalua-
  tion of the wing 
  discovered that 
  ninety two per-
  cent of inmates 
  in Medical Wing 
  3 died before 
  being transferred 
  back out.  
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Susan Jaeks
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 3"/Emaciated
  Eye/Hair Colour: V.dark brown
  Occupation: Inmate
  Affiliations: None
  An inmate on Sub-level 9, Jaeks is the semi-legendary Folly Hills 
  Flayer. Incarcerated six years ago after a killing spree which 
  lasted two years, she is quite genuinely mad, even more so after 
  six years in Inferno. Psychologists have not yet got to the root of 
  her problems or the reasons why she embarked on a rampage 
  which cost the lives of twenty seven people, a rampage still 
  talked about in hushed tones by the oppressed people of Folly 
  Hills. Physically, she is small and unassuming, formerly a pretty 
  woman before the rigours of life inside took their toll. Other 
  inmates in Inferno speak guardedly about the method she used 
  to dispatch her victims. Slowly flaying skin from their bodies and 
  letting them die of shock and infection. These days, she speaks 
  to no one, even the psychologists have admitted that she is now 
  totally beyond help. She squats in her cell, silently staring at the 
  door, her thoughts unknown and unknowable.
  the place 95
  
  LONGSHORE UNIVERSITY
  Region: Lat 1, Ring 2
  Status: Funded academic facility
  Law: Strict
  Wealth: High
  OVERVIEW
  Dull smog obscured the 
  towers of the University 
  as Owens ambled his 
  way to class. Wrapped 
  tightly in his long coat, 
  he whistled tunelessly 
  to himself, unconcerned 
  that he was already 
  half an hour late for 
  Doctor Laycocks' class. 
  Brushing through the 
  crowd of pamphleteers 
  who constantly gathered 
  around the main gates, 
  he 
  strolled 
  towards 
  the buildings of the 
  Biological and Chemical 
  Studies Faculty. Rushing 
  towards him across the 
  flagstones came a slight-
  ly portly figure, puffing 
  and panting as he came. Owens recognised him, Yaumer, 
  one of the Portreeves.
  "Mr Owens? A moment of your time!"
  "What is it? Yaumer, isn't it? I must get to class."
  "I bear a message for you. A message from Doctor Laycock." 
  The Portreeve touched his cap even at the mere mention of 
  the name.
  "Oh, really! This is just too much! Hand it over then!"
  His face clouding with anger, Yaumer passed across a scrap 
  of rough paper, floridly embellished by Laycocks' archaic 
  handwriting. The note was brief and to the point: "My rooms. 
  As soon as you arrive. Laycock."
  But surely the Doctor would be in class? Something must be 
  afoot!
  "You know Owens, this really has gone too far."
  "What's gone too far, sir?" enquired Owens with all the boy-
  ish innocence he could muster.
  "Dammit, lad! You know fine well what I mean! This constant 
  lateness, absence from classes, not handing in work on time. 
  It really won't do!"
  "I'm terribly sorry sir, but I HAVE been making an effort."
  "Effort? You call this an effort? You make me cancel a class, 
  just to take the time to berate you, and you have the gall to 
  say that you're making an effort? Outrageous!"
  "Well, I don't know what else I can do."
  "Well, then, perhaps I can ease the burden of decision for 
  you. This very morning I received permission from the Head 
  of the Faculty to make your life a little easier. 
  Owens, this lax attitude must be stopped and, if you wish to 
  continue to study at this university, then damn me, we'll stop 
  it. As of tomorrow, all your classes are cancelled."
  "But"
  "No buts, boy. For the next six months, you're a porter in the 
  faculty. Every morning, you shall report to the Head Porter and 
  you most certainly will not go home until she tells you to."
  "Well"
  "SILENCE! You shall work, you shall be prompt in your 
  arrival, you shall not slack off and you most certainly will 
  not take days off to visit your sick grandmother! Should you 
  be late once, just once, and you shall be expelled from this 
  University. For ever!"
  "I say"
  "ENOUGH! I take it you possess enough intelligence to 
  understand these orders?
  "Yes, but"
  "Now, GO!"
  Owens crept out of the University, his face hot with embar-
  rassment. He no longer ambled.
  the place 96
  
  Premier place of learning within The City, Longshore is funded 
  primarily by the TCMAA, with some funding coming from the 
  macrocorps and other large companies and organisations.
  Rambling over many acres of land, the university (like many 
  other structures in The City) is architecturally ponderous and 
  imposing. Every day, students flood in from lodgings in sur-
  rounding areas and from the student halls which lie on the 
  university grounds. At any one time, there can be up to twen-
  ty five thousand students enrolled for courses, ranging from 
  historical studies to analysis of The Shift. In fact, Longshore 
  represents the largest repository of knowledge on The Shifted 
  and Shifted beings. The heavily guarded wing housing the 
  Shift Studies Faculty (known amongst students as 'The Rubber 
  Room') emits a multitude of strange noises, smells and lights.
  Gaining entrance to the university is not easy. Examinations 
  and interviews are held on a regular basis to screen appli-
  cants (of which there are many) for their intellectual standing 
  and suitability. A large proportion of applicants merely wish 
  to become a student in order to have access to somewhere 
  relatively clean and secure to live. Entrance standards are 
  high and the Admissions Board is stringent in its application 
  of university by-laws. 
  The main departments of Longshore University are as fol-
  lows:
  Shift Studies Faculty
  Most guarded and mysterious of the five major faculties, 
  the SSF is also the smallest and most elite. Only the finest 
  researchers and students are even considered for positions 
  within the SSF, a department surrounded by rumour and 
  superstition. Within its halls, scientists probe the very fabric of 
  reality, attempting to discern the very nature of The Shift.
  Physical Sciences & Engineering Faculty
  Regarded by many as the most worthy and worthwhile of 
  all the faculties within the university, the PSEF receives the 
  vast majority of funding from external bodies such as the 
  macrocorporates. Quality graduates are almost always 
  snapped up by the big companies and thrust into research 
  positions, the nature of which varies from company to com-
  pany. Students will often tailor their studies with a view to 
  gaining employment with a particular corporation.
  Biological & Chemical Studies Faculty
  Despite the best scientific intentions, the BCSF is a cha-
  otic, disorganised department, both mentally and physically. 
  Plants crowd the corridors, homunculi chitter in their cages 
  and the air is heavy with the smell of organic life and death. 
  Chemists are continually poisoning, incinerating and explod-
  ing themselves as they carry out their nefarious experiments. 
  The biologists frequently die at the hands of their creations, 
  pass away through the effects of various venoms or succumb 
  to a mysterious ague.
  Faculty of Aesthetics
  Dedicated to the arts, languages and culture, the Faculty of 
  Aesthetics is primarily funded by donations from Sideband 
  Media. Sideband sees the Faculty as an ideal recruiting 
  ground for talented individuals. Faculty staff are pleased 
  to have substantial funding (which even exceeds that of the 
  Biological and Chemical Studies Faculty) which allows them 
  to maintain good standing within Longshore.
  Historical Research Faculty
  Devoted to the study of the history of The City, the social char-
  acter of it's society and the many subjects which link in to this 
  complex topic, the HRF is viewed with something bordering 
  on derision by the more scientifically inclined departments. 
  In truth, the HRF carries out a sterling job in attempting to 
  piece together the nature of The City, how it came to be and 
  what life was like prior to The Shift and The Bombardment. 
  Consequently, the HRF often works in close co-operation with 
  the Shift Studies Faculty.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The security of the university is attended to by the stern and 
  unbending Portreeves. Clad in their baggy brown uniforms, 
  they all carry extensive sets of huge iron keys which serve as 
  both a badge of office and as a weapon. Many a drunken 
  student, reeling back to his or her halls after an evening of 
  debauchery has received a stern lesson in discipline from the 
  bludgeoning keys of the Portreeves. 
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Shift Studies Faculty
  Description: Heavily guarded, secure wing of the University
  Housed in one of the oldest wings of the university and shut 
  off from the rest of the student body, the SSF probes the very 
  fabric of space and time itself. Outside the ivory towers of 
  academia, many of the researchers here would be consid-
  ered eccentric at best, hopelessly insane at worst.
  Entrance is only granted to a favoured few students, those 
  who show the most promise in a wide variety of disciplines. 
  Approaches are made to members of other departments who 
  display the right aptitudes; but these approaches are always 
  covert and subtle in nature.
  the place 97
  
  All windows in the faculty are shut off by thick iron sheets and 
  most of the doors welded and riveted shut. Strange noises and 
  fearsome lights can occasionally be seen creeping through 
  the cracks. Some say that the SSF holds Shifted beings cap-
  tive. Others say that they are actively gaining help from The 
  Shifted, for reasons known only to themselves. Suffice to say, 
  the Shift Studies Faculty of Longshore University is one of the 
  most secure places in The City.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Professor Elias Fairweather
  Age: 65
  Height/Build: 5'7"/Thin
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/White
  Occupation: 
  Faculty 
  Head, 
  Physical Sciences and Engineering 
  Faculty, Longshore University
  Affiliations: Longshore University
  Head of the Physical Sciences & 
  Engineering Faculty, Fairweather is a 
  most level headed and serious man. 
  Apart from one thing: ekranoplan 
  racing. Unknown to his staff and 
  peers at the University, he harbours 
  an intense interest in The City's big-
  gest sport. Not just watching it, oh 
  no, he builds ekranoplans as well. 
  Assisted by chosen students, sworn 
  to secrecy, he constructs racers in a long forgotten cellar at 
  Longshore, towing them out to the canal in the dead of night 
  to test their abilities. Several times he has come close to dis-
  covery, but thanks to the efforts of his loyal students, he has 
  so far remained undiscovered. At first glance, Elias appears 
  to be your typical academic. With a shock of white hair, thick 
  glasses and perennially clad in an oil stained cardigan, most 
  think of him as dedicated to his subject and to Longshore. 
  However, he only maintains his position in order to have the 
  funds and facilities to indulge his secret passion.
  other areas
  Some places in The City defy classification, being so differ-
  ent or outlandish that they are not easily defined. The wav-
  ing fronds of The Brackens, the humidly verdant Forrest and 
  the depressingly foetid Smokey Mountain all have strange, 
  unique properties which set them apart from other areas.
  thE BRACKENS
  Region: Lat 1/2, Ring 6/7
  Status: Uninhabited area
  Law: None
  Wealth: None
  OVERVIEW
  A cold wind stirred the foliage. The fronds seemed to whisper 
  to The City, challenging the might of its brick and concrete. 
  Shadows flickered across the surface of the plants, here one 
  second, gone the next. In a place where The Sound was ever 
  present, here was an oasis of calm and quiet. 
  Rain began to patter down onto the leaves. Thick, brown and 
  oily, it ran from their slick surface as if attempting to escape, 
  for here was a place where none dared venture. Those who 
  did, and survived, were rendered mindless by whatever 
  inhabited the rolling acres of green verdure. Nowadays, The 
  Brackens lay undisturbed, feared by all.
  The wind whipped through the plants, turning the droplets of rain 
  into a mist, causing the serried ranks of green to undulate as if 
  alive with vital force. In the buildings nearest to the edge of The 
  Brackens, residents pulled their curtains tighter, shutting out that 
  which they feared the most. Night was falling. Soon the green 
  would turn to black and parents would warn their children. Beg 
  them never to go playing in the inviting sea of lush growth.
  The Brackens hold a secret. And everyone wishes it would 
  remain that way. 
  One of the few places in The City where it can truly be said 
  that no one lives, The Brackens are a wide expanse of green 
  within the urban sprawl. 
  the place 98
  
  Folk legend has it that The Brackens are a remnant of life 
  before The Shift, an area that was somehow untouched by the 
  horrors of one thousand years ago. More educated citizens 
  see things with a different slant. Diligent researches by various 
  departments of Longshore University have uncovered the true 
  nature of The Brackens: they are a legacy of The Bombardment. 
  While precise facts about the area are still scant, what is known 
  is that the green splash of The Brackens sprang up after The 
  Bombardment, seemingly of its own accord. What had once 
  been housing, parks and factories became a rolling, verdant 
  wilderness. Samples taken from around the edge of the area, 
  analysed in the laboratories of Longshore University have 
  revealed that the flora which grows in The Brackens is totally 
  unlike anything else found in The City.
  The rolling, softly undulating landscape which The Brackens 
  present is the result of centuries of growth, plants cracking the 
  rubble which they live upon, making mounds of pulverised brick 
  appear as gentle knolls. The plants also seem to be remarkably 
  hardy, weathering the worst of the pollution, acid rain and toxic 
  waste which The City can throw at them. The plants even seem 
  resistant to fire, a fact which has not gone unnoticed amongst 
  those wishing to develop the area for living or factory space. It 
  seems as if the plants are invincible, that in their domain, they 
  are kings. Such is the fear and superstition which surrounds 
  the area, nobody save a scant handful of hermits and lunatics 
  live within half a mile of the tangled undergrowth. There is 
  something within the foliage which brings death to almost all 
  who enter. Heavily armed teams have been sent in by the 
  macrocorps; after days without contact, solitary individuals 
  would stagger out, raving incessantly, gibbering nonsense, their 
  minds destroyed by whatever lurks within the green.
  In recent decades, attempts to tame The Brackens have tailed 
  off. The macrocorporate now leave the area firmly alone and 
  those who live in the regions surrounding The Brackens sleep 
  uneasily at night, fearful of the waving sea of fronds.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  There is no security or military presence within The Brackens. 
  Some organisations occasionally send troops into The Brackens. 
  Few soldiers ever return.
  HIGHLIGHTED  LOCATION
  Who know what lies within The Brackens? Certainly, no one who 
  has ventured into the area and come out again has ever been in 
  any kind of fit state to relate details about anything they found. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  As no one lives within The Brackens, allegedly, there is no 
  personality to highlight.
  THE CONTESTED GROUNDS
  Region: Lat 7, Ring 4 
  Status: Warzone
  Law: None
  Wealth: High
  OVERVIEW
  "It was a terrible, exhausting battle above and below the 
  ground, in ruins, cellars and factory sewers. Our warcrawls 
  climbed heaps of rubble and tangles of iron, and crept 
  screeching through chaotically destroyed workshops and 
  fired at point-blank range in the narrow railyards.
  Many of the warcrawls were shaken apart or exploded from 
  the force of an exploding Hirplakker mine. Or, it could have 
  been one of our mines. Such is the nature of war in this place, 
  the battle swinging back and forth so quickly, that we are 
  constantly being strafed by our own mikefighters and wan-
  dering into our own minefields.
  I cannot understand how men can survive in such a hell as 
  this, yet the Hirplakkers sit tight in the ruins, and foxholes 
  and cellars, and a chaos of steel skeletons which used to be 
  factories.
  No one can tell me this war means anything any more. We 
  are all just meat for the cannon, pawns in a game none of 
  us understand."
  Force Commander Eric Danzig, 2nd Battalion, Brigade of 
  Light.
  Formerly a vast industrial and railhead area controlled by 
  Hirplakker, the Contested Grounds bore the brunt of the 
  Hundred Block War and still remain a festering sore on the 
  face of The City. While Hirplakker admitted defeat, no formal 
  surrender was ever organised between them and Arclight. 
  Hence, the war drags on in a low-level manner, each side 
  desperately wanting to pull out, yet unable to concede.
  The Contested Grounds lie alongside the Black Canal, on the 
  northern bank. Because of the ongoing conflict, their periph-
  ery has become a haven for smugglers, traders, scavengers 
  and thieves. Small settlements housing prostitutes, drug deal-
  ers and gambling dens have sprung up along the water's 
  edge, taking advantage of soldiers who have gained a few 
  hours respite from the constant pressure of the Grounds. 
  These settlements are interspersed with the camps of both 
  sides, areas of unspoken truce where supplies are offloaded 
  and the wounded taken out. 
  the place 99
  
  Noise is constant, with boats coming and going, mikefighters 
  and aerostats droning overhead and the intermittent thump 
  of artillery and heavy weapons fire. The heaviest fighting 
  takes place around the Flak Towers, massive concrete fortifi-
  cations constructed decades ago by Hirplakker for just such 
  an eventuality.
  The opportunities presented by the Contested Grounds are 
  many, hence the fact that large numbers of scavengers and 
  mercenaries come to probe the ruins for hitech military equip-
  ment. Discarded weapons are quietly removed and find 
  their way onto the black market. Stores are liberated and 
  sometime small units of fighting troops are attacked in order 
  to steal their gear.
  However, of all the inhabitants of the Grounds, most hated 
  are the snipers. Concealed in ruined towers and in camou-
  flaged trenches, they strike without warning. Snipers from 
  either side are shot if caught, an end usually accompanied 
  by brutal, inhuman tortures. The pain and suffering of the 
  'Grounds draws The Shifted in as well as the scavengers and 
  mercenaries. Simils sell their services to the highest bidder, 
  clanking through the ruins, hunting for their prey. Reports 
  abound of strange sightings within the Grounds; visions best-
  left unseen and sounds best left unheard.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  Large numbers of troops from both sides occupy the 
  Contested Grounds, making it the most heavily militarised 
  region in The City. Add this to the hundreds of mercenar-
  ies, scavengers, prostitutes, and peddlers which occupy the 
  Grounds and their borders, then you have a fairly sizeable 
  population. At any one time, it is estimated that there will be 
  ten thousand troops from both sides fighting in and around 
  the Contested Grounds.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Flak Towers
  Description: Weapons emplacements/fortifications
  Constructed decades ago by Hirplakker for just such an 
  eventuality, the Flak Towers have become the bastions of 
  the Contested Grounds. Concrete towers five stories tall, 
  with reinforced walls five metres thick, the eight towers are 
  virtually impregnable. Bad planning on Hirplakker's part 
  caused four of the towers to be captured during the Hundred 
  Block War. Never really expecting that such a conflict would 
  take place, the towers were kept poorly supplied and badly 
  equipment. When the war kicked off, the Hirplakker troopers 
  found themselves sealed inside with precious little food and 
  dwindling ammunition supplies. Unwilling to surrender, the 
  troops starved, some turning to cannibalism in a vain attempt 
  to survive. When the last, emaciated, half-mad soldiers finally 
  opened the portals, they were summarily shot by Brigade of 
  Light troops, disgusted at what they found within. Arclight 
  now controls three towers, Hirplakker four and one acts 
  as a base-cum-meeting ground for scavengers, guffers and 
  assorted camp followers. 
  Each tower can hold up to two thousand soldiers and 
  enough food and ammunition to keep them fighting for two 
  hundred days. The roofs are studded with anti-aircraft artil-
  lery which is in constant use, shooting down mikefighters 
  and aerostats from both sides. Hirplakker concentrates its 
  fight on the towers, preferring to occupy solid defensive 
  positions rather than adopt a more attacking style. Arclight 
  on the other hand uses the towers as supply bases for its 
  more fluid form of fighting, striking out at the enemy, then 
  retreating for re-supply. No weapon has yet been devel-
  oped that can breach the walls of the towers, although 
  the Brigade are known to have in place something known 
  as Unit 731 which, it is alleged, may give them a decisive 
  edge in the battle for the towers.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Sergeant Gerald Green
  Age: 30
  Height/Build: 5' 10"/Stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Grey
  Occupation: NCO commanding, 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 
  31st Infantry Regiment, Hirplakker Cadre
  Affiliations: Hirplakker
  Green has served in the Contested Grounds for two years and 
  doesn't want to leave. Every time he goes on leave he feels 
  dislocated, disjointed. The hell of the Grounds has become 
  normality for him, without them, nothing seems right. He can 
  no longer relate to civilians, preferring the company of sol-
  diers. Three times he has been assigned other duties within 
  Hirplakker's military forces, three times he has demanded reas-
  signment to the Contested Grounds. His commanders have 
  resigned themselves to the fact that Green will live out the rest 
  of his days there. Some discount him as a madman, others 
  see him as the harbinger of a new race, a new breed of man 
  evolved for fighting in this wasted landscape. Whatever their 
  opinions, he remains, crouching in the rubble, cradling his rifle, 
  praying that he will remain here forever.
  the place 100
  
  THE FOREST
  Region: Lat 8, Ring 3
  Status: Private gardens and food production area
  Law: Strictly enforced by-laws
  Wealth: High
  OVERVIEW
  Edrich Grosbart stood up from his toils, placed his filthy hands 
  in the small of his back and groaned. As the years progressed, 
  his bones ached even more and his muscles protested with 
  enhanced vigour. Behind him, gravel crunched softly.
  "Grandfather?"
  He tuned to see the girl who had addressed him. She was slim 
  and willowy with a radiant, open face and dancing eyes. His 
  pride and joy, his granddaughter Edrica.
  "Ah, my dear! How 
  are you keeping 
  today?"
  "Very well grandfa-
  ther. And you?"
  "Oh, you know, 
  the usual aches 
  and pains. Old 
  age does not come 
  alone, as they say."
  "Grandfather, 
  I 
  must speak with 
  you."
  "Hush for a moment, 
  child. Take tea with 
  me and let us talk of 
  simple things."
  "As you wish grand-
  father."
  Grosbart took his 
  granddaughter by the hand and led her down a winding grav-
  el path, though shrubs alive with the sound of insects and small 
  animals. Before them stood a mighty tree, its branches shining 
  like polished bronze, its limbs curving gently to form a secluded 
  bower. Within the bower, Grosbart went through the motions 
  of firing up the small charcoal burner and boiling water. Just as 
  the liquid came to the boil, he sprinkled in a selection of herbs 
  from sealed flasks resting on a flattened limb. Above the smell 
  of organic life, a sweet, aromatic odour arose.
  "Tea?"
  "Yes please grandfather."
  Taking two fine cups, he poured the steaming brew into their 
  white perfection, the yellow liquid splashing gently over their 
  rims. Clasping his cup in both hands, he eased himself into a 
  padded armchair and extended his long legs.
  "Now, my precious, what can I do for you?"
  "The gardeners have caught a man."
  Grosbart raised an eyebrow and looked quizzically at 
  Edrica.
  "Caught a man? Surely you don't come all this way to bring 
  me that simple news?"
  "He was a very bad man, a wicked man."
  Edrica gazed at the gravelled ground, unwilling to meet the 
  piercing gaze of the head of her family.
  "And what, perchance, did this wicked man do?"
  "He destroyed a shrub, grandfather."
  "Did he indeed? Well, that is bad news. And what, do you 
  think, should be his punishment?"
  "I don't know, that is why I came to you."
  "Ah. Very well then, I shall give you my judgement. Execute 
  him. Hang him from a limb of the tallest tree in the main public 
  dome. Let he who has destroyed beauty serve as a warning 
  to others."
  "Yes 
  grand-
  father, I shall 
  inform the gar-
  deners."
  The girl rose as 
  if to leave.
  "My child. I 
  would advise 
  you to watch 
  the proceed-
  ings. Let it serve 
  as an educa-
  tion to you."
  Silently, 
  the 
  girl turned a 
  walked swiftly 
  away down the 
  gravel path, 
  her footsteps 
  crunching into 
  the distance. A zephyr stirred the air. Edrich Grosbart pulled 
  his coat on tighter and gazed into the depths of his tea.
  A massive hydroponic garden, The Forest serves two purposes. 
  One, it provides a steady supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, 
  second, it provides employment to a great many citizens in 
  the Eastern area of the TCMA. Small sections are also main-
  tained as parks and botanic gardens for the pleasure of local 
  taxpayers.
  Owned and operated by the Grosbart family, The Forest is a 
  huge and rambling collection of domes and sheds. Some of 
  the domes are very old indeed, constructed of black iron and 
  glass, pale light filtering down upon a morass of plants. From 
  towering trees to fruit bearing bushes, all manner of flora is 
  collected here. 
  the place 101
  
  It is perhaps the largest repository of plant life in The City, a 
  great storehouse of pre-Shift life. Many plants have also been 
  bred and modified over the decades to be hardier, more 
  succulent or just more beautiful. The heavy, organic smell of 
  the garden is a marked change from the polluted stink of The 
  City. Complex systems of filters and airlocks prevent any hint 
  of taint from entering the fragile domes.
  To the majority of those who are aware of the existence of 
  The Forest, it is a place of wonderment. The sections open to 
  the public are far more wild and lush than anywhere else, 
  housing greenery which astounds the casual observer. The 
  gardeners who maintain The Forest are the subject of almost 
  religious awe and envy, being the guardians of rare skills and 
  arcane knowledge. Most of the gardeners live in the areas 
  surrounding The Forest, living in luxury when compared to 
  their neighbours and friends.
  Every year, a new intake of gardeners is taken on to replace 
  those who have retired or died in the line of duty. Competition 
  for the places is fierce; murder and sabotage are common in 
  desperate attempts to be granted the privilege of a job. Only 
  a select few are taken on.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The gardeners themselves ensure the security of The Forest, 
  defending their place of work with a devotion which borders 
  on fanaticism. Those who break the rules (such as walking on 
  the grass, picking the flowers or stealing fruit) are subject to 
  harsh punishments. Even the TCMAA seems unwilling to incur 
  the wrath of the gardeners and the Grosbart family. Perhaps 
  the most dreaded of punishments is being banned from The 
  Forest. Those who are banned are scrupulously denied 
  access to the area and can only gaze longingly through the 
  steamed up windows. 
  While the gardeners do not carry firearms, they are adept at 
  using the simple, innocent tools of their trade for violent purpos-
  es. However, some do carry small, easily concealed crossbows, 
  all the better for silently taking down fleeing transgressors.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  The Grosbart Residence
  Description: Hydroponic dome/family home
  Nestled at the centre of The Forest is a small, unassum-
  ing dome with a single entrance. Within this dome lives 
  the extended Grosbart family, owners and operators of 
  the wonder which is The Forest. They eschew the normal 
  accoutrements of life in The City, preferring to live amongst 
  the trees, flowers and shrubs of their amazing creation. Four 
  generations of the family make their home here, residing 
  within carefully manipulated and altered trees whose trunks 
  have been warped over the decades to created wondrous 
  organic living spaces.
  Senior member of the family is Edrich Grosbart; a haughty, 
  overly dignified man of advanced years. Never leaving the 
  family dome, he sends his children, grandchildren and great-
  grandchildren out to do his bidding. Edrich prefers to spend his 
  time tending his flower-beds and splicing hybrids in his small 
  but well equipped laboratory. Only the most senior and well 
  respected gardeners are granted an audience with the senior 
  Grosbart, and even then only in times of great urgency.
  Members of the public never see the interior of the Grosbart 
  residence; they can only stare at the misted walls as they 
  are shepherded to the public areas. They can only dream of 
  living in that wonderful place, surrounded by healthy, clean 
  plants, the air misted with unpolluted water and filled with the 
  sound of babbling streams.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Deaf Jim
  Age: 47
  Height/Build: 6'/wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/black
  Occupation: Gardener
  Affiliations: The Forest and the Grosbart family
  Well respected by his peers, Deaf Jim lost both of his ears in a 
  horrific gardening accident some years ago. Scarred lumps of 
  flesh protruding from his tangled hair show where his ears once 
  were. Despite his name, Deaf Jim is not in fact deaf. People just 
  assume that because he has no ears, he cannot hear.
  He tends the plants of Public Dome 4 with a quiet pride, 
  taking the utmost pleasure in the beauty which his callused 
  hands can create. Visitors to the dome can feel his eyes 
  watching them from the shrubs, monitoring their every move, 
  waiting for someone to disturb the tranquillity of the garden.
  At a little over six feet tall, he is not an exceptionally big man, 
  but years of back-breaking labour have endowed him with a 
  strong physique and powerful grip. In his modest flat next to 
  the southern edge of The Forest, he maintains his own private 
  gardens, carefully tending tiny trees and spectacular blooms. 
  The Grosbarts tolerate his freelance gardening, as they know 
  a devoted and hard-working employee when they see one.
  the place 102
  
  SMOKEY MOUNTAIN
  Region: Lat 7, Ring 7
  Status: Ungoverned, waste disposal area
  Law: None (see below)
  Wealth: None
  OVERVIEW
  KAAAAAFRAAAP.
  CRUNCH.
  TICK.
  TIS.
  A hail of rubbish settled on 
  the uneven surface of the 
  dump. The crater created 
  by the gas explosion was 
  hidden behind a thick pall 
  of smoke. Somewhere, a 
  child screamed in agony. 
  Shouts drifted through the 
  smoke: fathers and moth-
  ers howling for children.
  Holschweg 
  gradually 
  crawled out from the rust-
  ing steel tank in which he 
  made his home. "Well, 
  that's an exciting start to 
  the day" he mused. A massive dirty yellow circle drifted, dron-
  ing, overhead. Another cargo aerostat preparing to drop 
  it's weighty load, probably on some unfortunate individual 
  (or most likely, individuals, betting amongst the pilots being 
  what it was).
  This had to be the worst assignment ever. As a respected 
  reporter for Sideband Media, living in the most awful dump 
  in The City was not his idea of a good time. Just because 
  some twat in The Cathedral had paid a thousand quid to 
  an alleged contact to find out that, possibly, Hirplakker was, 
  allegedly, using (maybe) Smokey Mountain to recruit new 
  workers (why?) and then using them as experimental test 
  subjects. That had to be the craziest, most ludicrous rumour 
  that Holschweg has heard in his ten-year career with the 
  company. 
  "Only ten days to go, then Catkins takes over." he mumbled 
  to himself. Swearing softly, he turned back into the tank. 
  Some git had stolen his food supplied the day before; he was 
  reduced to eating what he could scavenge. "Ah, fishheads. 
  Mmmmm." Someone was going to pay for this.
  One of the many vast rubbish tips scattered across The City, 
  Smokey Mountain. Many thousands live within the heaps of 
  the Mountain and the entire dumpzone is ringed with barrios 
  and slum housing. The area gets its name from the smoke 
  which is continually given off due to combustion deep within 
  the rubbish piles. Methane gas explosions and toxic waste 
  contamination are not uncommon.
  The most wretched of the poor and homeless live within 
  the vast rotting pile that is the rubbish tip. They drift in 
  from other areas of The City, unable to find even the most 
  dilapidated housing or sheltered doorway. Riddled with 
  tunnels and chambers, hundreds die each day inside its 
  sweltering body, dying through starvation, poisoning or 
  being crushed under tons of waste. During the lighter hours, 
  countless numbers of people swarm across the dumps acres 
  of surface area, through artificial valleys and across man 
  made chasms. 
  Most populous are the huge concrete dumping ramps, 
  where barges and trains and the occasional truck unloads 
  its stinking cargo. Violent outbursts are common here, as 
  the destitute fight like rats for the choicest scraps, killing 
  with home-made weapons and their own blackened hands. 
  Most unfortunate are those killed by falling debris from the 
  hovering macrocorporate aerostats which drop their loads 
  anywhere over the site. Pilots care little for lives of the tip 
  dwellers; many run informal sweepstakes on who can hit the 
  greatest number of unfortunates.
  the place 103
  
  Smokey Mountain represents the lowest form of existence 
  in The City, there is no where else to go. Even the slum 
  dwellers of Dreamingspires and Mire End have a better life 
  (despite what they think). In a place populated by the poor, 
  the insane and the evil, this is the final depth of degradation 
  and despair. Rumour has it that corporations trawl the dump 
  for experimental subjects, as even in the slums, people have 
  friends. Here, nobody cares. Death is so commonplace that 
  the denizens have become inured to the carnage which sur-
  rounds them. Even the soldiers in the Contested Grounds are 
  less tolerant of casual death and grievous injury.
  SECURITY/MILITARY PRESENCE?
  The only security presence is that which surrounds the gates 
  to the dumping ramps. This is essentially to prevent hordes 
  spilling onto the streets and attacking the vehicles, demented 
  in their desire to get to the scraps first. The security troops (the 
  vast majority of whom are contracted from Trilhoeven) shoot 
  to kill, without question and without mercy. Each massive 
  gate will have upwards of one hundred troops on standby at 
  any one time, heavily armed and well prepared.
  HIGHLIGHTED LOCATION
  Dumping Ramp One
  Description: Canalside rubbish offloading point
  The main offloading point for rubbish being brought up or 
  down the Black Canal from the industrial and residential 
  zones, DR1 swarms with sanitation workers, security troopers 
  and scavengers. 
  Whatever the weather, a massive cloud of insects hangs over 
  the area, stinging, biting, spreading disease and infection. 
  The luckier transfer workers have sealed suits and gas masks 
  to protect them from the stinking chaos that surrounds them. 
  The more expendable, mass labour force has no such luxury. 
  They toil with rags round their mouths and noses, hauling 
  boxes, bags and bins full of ordure and filth. Cranes and lift-
  ers carry the larger items of refuse to the dump gate itself and 
  load them onto the massive tracked carriers which take the 
  trash out to be finally dumped. Scavengers and dump dwell-
  ers swarm thickly over these carriers as they emerge from the 
  gates, shots ring out to prevent them getting too close to the 
  gates themselves. Sealed in their armoured, air conditioned 
  cabins, the drivers only worry is that a foolish aerostat pilot 
  will drop a particularly heavy load right on to of the dirty, 
  mucky carrier. Pitted, moss encrusted, slimy concrete walls 
  enclose DR1, making it feel more like some hellish prison than 
  a place of work.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Erika Goreshiny
  Age: 22
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dull blue/Matted, dirty blond
  Occupation: Sanitation worker (unskilled)
  Affiliations: TRH Haulage (employer), Third Church of 
  God the Architect (member of)
  Every day, Erika travels many miles up the Black Canal from 
  her home in Hangside to work a twelve-hour shift at DR1. 
  Wracked with illness from the horrific conditions, limping 
  from infections in her right leg, she continues to work for two 
  reasons. Firstly, she needs the money to survive. Secondly, as 
  a faithful member of the Third Church of God the Architect, 
  she firmly believes that her unceasing and uncomplaining 
  toil will gain her entrance to His mighty Heavenly City. Her 
  eyes have the steely glint of a fanatic and she has few, if 
  any, friends at her place of work. On her breaks, she sits 
  and reads scriptures from the Holy Writ, finding passages to 
  comfort her in her suffering. She knows that her time cannot 
  be far off. A time when she will have passed the testing and 
  will be admitted into that most glorious of places.
  the place 104
  
  the power
  "Those people down there don't have a clue. You 
  think they matter, the scum, the plebs, the huddled 
  masses? All they want is violence, pornography, 
  booze and blissful ignorance. None of them mat-
  ter. Drones, nothing but a resource, Their blood 
  lubricating the machines of society. Why? Because 
  it's the cheapest thing there is. From here I can see 
  farther than any of them have been in their lives. 
  None of them can comprehend, none of them 
  understand. We built this company, we sit on top of 
  a timebomb, waiting for the final second to come. 
  They will not be the cause of our downfall. Not 
  while I still have one breath left in me."
  Matt Kenzie, Senior President, Arclight 
  Macrocorporation.
  
  the power 106
  
  Who Cares?
  The pen scratched across the rough surface of the ledger. In 
  a corner of the ill-lit room, a dingin clanked and whirred, tak-
  ing it's own lazy time to execute its program. Wind whistled 
  through cracks in the wall, stirring up miniature dust devils 
  on the bare concrete floor. Scrivener set down the pen and 
  pumped the reservoir of the fishoil lamp which cowered in a 
  corner of the desk not occupied by the massive ledger and 
  assorted documents. Outside the lonely window, the people 
  of Folly Hills bustled about on their evening-time business. 
  The wind rattled the thin iron sign hanging from the wall 
  "Scrivener & Daughter, Accountants & Documentarians. 
  Rates Negotiable". Few people round here needed such 
  services these days, most were concerned with where the 
  next pound was coming from, rather than keeping track of 
  the pounds which had gone before. Eastern Folly Hills was 
  deprived and downtrodden, yet it was a community fiercely 
  proud of its suffering, it’s very humbleness.
  �
  Sighing, Scrivener arched her back and tried to ease the 
  cramped, bunched muscles. Days, weeks and years spent 
  bent over a low desk were not a recipe for good health, 
  even if it was indoors out of the cold and rain. A bell rang 
  and the dingin lapsed into silence. A wafer thin sheet of 
  punched metal had been deposited into its output tray. The 
  sheet detailed the complex financial arrangements of one 
  of Scriveners more dubious clients, a lady with an alarming 
  number of wealthy male friends who visited at odd hours 
  of the day. Still, it wasn’t her place to comment on how 
  people made their money, merely to record, calculate and 
  tabulate. Unwrapping a foil package, she withdrew the last 
  few crumbs of the baked fish that had been her lunch and 
  nibbled absent-mindedly at them. Tea, that was what was 
  needed. A nice cup of tea would help things along.
  �
  As she stood up and ambled over to the corner table, 
  Scrivener glanced at the ceiling as the noises from the tene-
  ment above began to filter down. The labourers were com-
  ing home from work, coming back to their cramped rooms 
  and squealing families. Meals would be prepared and 
  clothes darned, the simple chores of family life. Reaching for 
  the spigot of the battered cistern, she drew a cup of water 
  and balanced it on top of the fishoil lamp. 
  Sprinkling in a few leaves from her tea pouch, she sat back 
  and waited for the water to boil. One of the few pleasures 
  of life, a nice cup of tea.
  �
  Tea. It was habit that had lead to her father’s unfortunate dis-
  appearance, that cold, windy night in Mire End. Attempting 
  to find a shop selling a particular specimen of leaf, he 
  ambled down the wrong alley and was never seen again. The 
  Provosts were sympathetic, but could do little. Mire End was 
  out of their jurisdiction. People from the Three Canals went 
  there at their own risk, they said. Unsavoury types, not the 
  sort of people you’d want to consort with at all.
  �
  With alarming force, the rickety door was flung aside, 
  admitting wind, rain and a young man who seemed to be 
  the inhabitant of an oversized dogskin coat in an alarming 
  shade of russet. He stared out from under a dark headscarf, 
  then slammed the door behind him and commenced an 
  agitated fumbling with the lock. 
  "Er, excuse me? Do you mind if I ask what you’re doing in 
  my office?"
  The man twisted his head and fixed Scrivener with a baleful 
  glare. He then turned back and recommenced his fumbling 
  with the key.
  Scrivener cleared her throat. "I don’t wish to appear rude, 
  but I’d really like to know what you’re doing."
  For the second time, the man with the baleful glare turned, 
  this time, he drew a long, pointed dagger from the recesses 
  of his alarming coat. At this, he found himself in the unex-
  pected position of having a cup of near-boiling tea flung 
  in to his face. Screaming wildly, he dropped the dagger, 
  clutched at his rapidly reddening visage and ripped his 
  headscarf off.
  "Bloody hellfire missus, there was no need for that!"
  "I think there was every need for that, you hooligan! Coming 
  in to my place and waving a knife about. And it’s not mis-
  sus, it’s Miss, for your information!"
  In between pained grimaces, the would-be assailant looked 
  up "Sorry miss, didn’t me to cause you any fright, just look-
  ing for somewhere to hide is all."
  �
  Removing her half moon spectacles, Scrivener took a longer 
  look at the man. Young, fairly handsome in a rough-hewn, 
  scruffy kind of way. 
  the power 107
  
  He had a roguish, raffish quality that must appeal to the tarts 
  and dollymops of Folly Hills.
  "Well, you can flipping well find somewhere else to hide! And 
  who you hiding from anyway?"
  "The Provosts, ‘int I? They been chasing me all the way from 
  Brookmyre Walk. Bloody nonces!"
  "Provosts, eh? Well, you’re in luck. They were the ones who 
  did nothing for my old dad, I’ve no love for them. Quick, get 
  yourself through this hatch."
  Scrivener began hauling the heavy dingin aside to reveal a 
  small trapdoor in the floor. It creaked open to reveal a foetid, 
  dank cellar echoing to the rumblings and clankings of sewage 
  pipes. "Down you go." The young man looked highly dubious 
  about the entire enterprise, but bundled himself through 
  the hatch anyway. No sooner had the dingin been shoved, 
  accompanied by a reasonable amount of rather un-ladylike 
  curses, back over the trapdoor, than there was a rattling from 
  the door and cries to open in the name of the law.
  �
  "Yes Constable, how may I be of assistance this rather 
  inclement evening?"
  The Provost on the doorstep seemed rather taken aback. 
  His colleagues shuffled their feet nervously and stared at 
  the damp pavement.
  "Well, you see madam, a miscreant has been seen in 
  this vicinity. In fact, we’ve been chasing him a right long 
  distance. A right bad’un he is, stolen some very valuable 
  property. Official documents, you see. We suspected he 
  might have entered one of these here buildings."
  "And as a lady on my own, do you not think I’d be some-
  what alarmed if a rogue of some sort tried to gain entrance 
  to my place of work?"
  "Well, you see, we have to make enquiries..."
  "Constable, you may have time to waste, but sadly I do not. 
  I have the accounts of several important clients to complete 
  and some documents to draft, perhaps you could return at 
  a more convenient time?"
  "Umm...ahhh...yes, no problem, of course. Sorry to have 
  disturbed your business madam, we’ll be proceeding on 
  our way."
  The Provost tipped his cap, glared at his quietly snigger-
  ing colleagues and marched off down the street, swatting 
  pedestrians out of the way in a disgruntled fashion.
  �
  Treacly rain spattered down on the gabled roofs and 
  tacked-on shanties of western Folly Hills. Two figures wan-
  dered nervously through the crowding darkness, occasion-
  ally lit by the cones of light from ineffectual and rare gas 
  lamps. To an outside observer, they seemed to follow a 
  deliberately random path, wandering and skittering down 
  alleys, ducking into closes and skirting round the edges of 
  courtyards and quadrangles. They eventually arrived at an 
  unprepossessing, slightly decayed, four storey tenement, it’s 
  exterior patched with fungus and the staining of decades of 
  rain.  The unlit close and stairwell echoed to the sound of 
  dripping water, the scratching of scurts and muffled noises 
  of numerous families going about their business. Despite 
  it all, the close was freshly swept and the rubbish was 
  arranged in neat piles, ready to be collected by neighbour-
  hood recyclers.
  �
  Scriveners’ rooms were arranged shotgun-style from the 
  front door, three shabby apartments, high ceilinged and 
  bare floored.  Blankets tacked to the filthy windows blocked 
  most of the light as Scrivener fumbled with a lamp, eventu-
  ally sparking it into smoky life with an audible grunt. The 
  room in which they stood was piled high with mouldering 
  documents and disintegrating ledgers. Waxy punched 
  cards for a dingin lay in card boxes or scattered randomly 
  about the floor.
  "Nice place you got here, Miss Scrivener."
  "Thanks, it does for me. Er, what was your name again?"
  "September, Jed September."
  "What an unusual name, September. Where does it come 
  from?"
  "Haven’t a clue, old name apparently. Me mam said it’s 
  been in the family for centuries. ‘Course, she talked a lot of 
  rot did me mam. Was the drink, you see?"
  "Right, I see. Tea?"
  "Yeah, cheers. That’d be grand."
  Wandering through to the next room, Scrivener absentmind-
  edly picked up a few scraps of clothing, patted piles of 
  papers and wondered what in the name of everything sane 
  she was doing inviting a young, albeit relatively handsome, 
  stranger into her home. And a potential criminal to boot! 
  Mad, quite mad. The gas ring sparked into life, its weak 
  flame eventually boiling the kettle, its shrill whistle echoing 
  forlornly through the rooms.
  �
  "So, if you don’t mind me asking, why are the Provosts 
  chasing you about the place?" She fixed him with a pointed 
  stare, looking out over the cracked rim of the teacup.
  the power 108
  
  "Well, I can’t say too much. They just don’t like people like 
  me. Like us. Just where I come from, is all."
  "And where would that be?"
  "Mire End."
  "Right, I see your point. So they were giving you grief just 
  ‘cos you come from Mire End?"
  "Not quite, more because of what I nicked. Kind of got my 
  hands on some stuff some folks would rather didn’t get out. 
  Kind of secret stuff, you know?"
  "No, I don’t know. Pray tell me more."
  "Well, I can’t like. Got an idea what it is, just can’t make 
  head nor tale of it. Trouble is, can’t read very well, can I. 
  Me mam didn’t believe in all that reading stuff, said we had 
  better things to do with our time."
  "Well, would you like me to take a look at whatever it is 
  you’ve got?"
  "Dunno. Dunno if I can trust you, you know how it is."
  Scrivener’s brow crumpled "Look, I let you hide in my 
  place, brought you home, gave you tea for Gods sake! 
  Now, unless you want me to march across the road, call 
  the Provosts and have you arrested, you better give me a 
  bloody good reason not to!"
  "Alright, alright! Fair’s fair. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you, 
  that’s all."
  He withdrew a small package wrapped in greasy brown 
  oilcloth from the noisome interior pockets of his coat and 
  laid it carefully on the table. As Scrivener unwrapped it, 
  she saw within a sheaf of folded yellow papers and a plain, 
  unadorned box. The box contained perfectly ordinary 
  punch cards for a dingin, thin plates of iron shot through 
  with tens of tiny rectangular gaps. The papers were covered 
  in a crabbed handwriting and columns of closely spaced 
  figures. Rubbing her temples, she examined the papers 
  under the sickly light of the lamp. As she read through the 
  notes, figures arranged themselves in her head, sums added 
  up and equations formed.
  "Shit! You know what this is?"
  "What?"
  "Well, looks like someone in the TCMAA has come to some 
  sort of deal with the Fulgurators. Seems like your burgh is 
  about to be sold out big time."
  "WHAT? The bastards! They can’t do that! What they up 
  to?"
  "Re-opening the old Mire End Branch Line of the railway 
  for one thing, building some sort of yard in the East End. 
  Hmmm...wonder what the dingin cards are for?"
  "Bugger the damned dingin cards, we’ve got to...did you 
  hear something?"
  "No, what? It’s just the scurts, this place is riddled with the 
  little bastards."
  Sideways, September moved across the room and twitched 
  a blanket aside. 
  "Don’t know nuthin’ about scurts, but there’s about ten 
  Provosts down there goin’ in and out of closes. And they 
  ain’t yer normal lookin’ Provosts, neither. These guys look 
  serious."
  "Great. Wonderful. Now I’m really in it. Thanks a lot 
  September, now I’m going to get arrested!"
  "No you’re not. Just need you to do one thing: keep the 
  stuff, hide it, get it to some people, get this out. You want 
  hundreds of people to lose what little they’ve got? You want 
  kiddies tipped out on to the streets? Do it for them."
  There was almost a note of pleading in his voice, despera-
  tion for his wishes to be carried out. As he stood there, he 
  drew two ugly black sparklock pistols from his coat. 
  Clockwork mechanisms whirred and clicked into life as he 
  flicked the safety catches off. "I’ll get them away from here, 
  no worries."
  "But, what? How? They’ll..."
  "Don’t you worry ‘bout me, I can take care of myself. Been 
  doin’ this a while now, me and my mates here’ll sort things 
  out. Just get the word out, let the people know."
  "Right. I’ll try my best."
  For a brief moment, in the pale light, he appeared almost 
  a dashing figure, clad in his voluminous coat, weapons at 
  the ready, ready to take on all-comers, to fight for what was 
  good. At the door, he turned: "Goodbye, Miss Scrivener."
  "Goodbye, Mr September. See you again."
  �
  In her rooms full of papers and books, Scrivener clamped 
  a cushion over her head and tried not to hear what was 
  going to happen. She heard nothing. It never happened. 
  September had gone, as if he’d never been at all. Only the 
  sheaf of papers and a box of cards were left. Donning her 
  warmest coat and stashing the papers and cards at the bot-
  tom of her satchel, she prepared to go out into the night. As 
  to where she was going, she'd work it out eventually.
   
  the power 109
  
  Criminal Organisations
  THE 3RD SYNDICATE
  Status: Criminal organisation
  Headquarters: Unknown
  Membership: Not quantified, but supposed to be at least 
  ten thousand
  Areas Of Operation: Narcotics, hitech weapons procure-
  ment, kidnapping, extortion
  OVERVIEW
  Most massive and widespread of the criminal groups in The 
  City, the 3rd Syndicate wields enormous power and exerts 
  influence over the lives of a vast number of inhabitants. 
  Notoriously violent, individual assemblies (as the sub-organi-
  sations are known) can control entire burghs and parishes 
  in the more lawless parts of  The City. They are particularly 
  active in the TCMA, where they are a continual thorn in the 
  side of the Provosts. 
  Persuasive rumours circulate that the leaders of the 3rds 
  have powerful, influential contacts within the Council and the 
  macrocorps. Although never proven, they do seem to have 
  access to large amounts of hitech weaponry and equipment. 
  Another persistent rumour is that back in the mists of history, the 
  3rds were allied to one or more of the macrocorps. However, 
  any media service even mentioning this rumour (indeed, any 
  rumour about the syndicate) suddenly find themselves the target 
  of threats, escalating into violence. Another feature of the 3rd 
  Syndicate is its almost pathological hatred of the Hohler Gang. 
  The most obvious expression of this is the continual gang war-
  fare around the Long Pond area of the TCMA. The Provosts are 
  at a loss to prevent the continual round of killings, bombings, 
  reprisals and kidnappings which this conflict has given rise to. 
  The citizens of Long Pond have become inured to this over the 
  years, seeing collateral casualties as just another hazard of 
  living in The City. 
  ORGANISATION
  The 3rd Syndicate is made up of many assemblies, individual 
  cells numbering from ten to two hundred gang members. Only 
  the most trusted of the assembly leaders are aware of the identi-
  ties of the Syndicate leaders, and even they do not know the 
  exact location of the groups headquarters. What is known is 
  that there are three people who exercise overall control, crimi-
  nal masterminds of unparalleled sophistication and brutality. 
  Each assembly has strict instructions to avoid treading on the 
  toes of others, transgressions of this rule being punished in the 
  most severe way.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Carpenter Halstead
  Age: 25
  Height/Build: 5' 8"/Stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Blond, shaven
  Occupation: Assembly leader (Long Pond)
  Affiliations: 3rd Syndicate.
  Weak willed is a description which could never be applied to 
  Carpenter Halstead. Exceptionally young to be in charge of a 
  major 3rd Syndicate assembly, he is extraordinarily young to 
  be in charge of one of the most important assemblies in The 
  City. Long Pond is the scene of constant fighting between the 
  3rds and the Hohler Gang, a war which has been carried on 
  over many years. Murder and deception come easily to this 
  young man, a fact which has only endeared him to his supe-
  riors. Hating the Hohlers with a passion which seems routed 
  in his very soul, he persecutes the 3rd Syndicate's aims with 
  unabashed vigour. It is an immense source of pride for both him 
  and his assembly that he ranks among the top ten most wanted 
  individuals in the TCMA.
  the power 110
  
  Daylight
  Status: Criminal organisation
  Headquarters: Unknown
  Membership: Unknown, rumoured to be at least two thou-
  sand individuals
  Areas Of Operation: Narcotics, prostitution, kidnapping, 
  extortion, assassination
  Overview
  Daylight are a continual thorn in the side of both the 3rd 
  Syndicate and the Hohler Gang. They operate with such 
  a level of ferocity that even hardened criminals are taken 
  aback by the sheer violence of their methods. Where some 
  gangs would, in conflict with another gang, start with some 
  small scale intimidation and a few beatings, Daylight starts 
  by firebombing or shooting their intended targets. They seem 
  to know no restraint, turning to violence as a first and only 
  resort for the resolution of problems. 
  Daylight seemingly grew out of a coalition of smaller street-
  gangs in the Fogwarren area, coming into being a couple 
  of decades ago. Since then, the group has grown in size, 
  strength and wealth, yet still keeps true to its roots on the 
  street. Internal disputes are settled not through assassination 
  or backstabbing, but through organised knife fights. Rules 
  are laid down and challenges are issued if it is felt that a 
  slight has been done or wrong has occurred. All in all, the 
  internal politics of the gang are extremely honourable, with 
  every member adhering to the rules or finding themselves 
  subject to the harshest possible discipline. This sense of 
  honour, however, does not extend to their dealings with the 
  outside world. While the 3rds and the Hohlers will (most of 
  the time) attempt to ensure that bystanders are not harmed 
  by their squabbles, streetfights and bombings, Daylight could 
  not care less about the lives of ‘civilians’. Innocents, including 
  women and children, are regularly caught up in their bitter, 
  twisted aggression against other gangs and syndicates. So, 
  while groups like the 3rds have attained a strange sort of 
  ‘hero’ status amongst many ordinary citizens, Daylight is 
  viewed as nothing but a force for evil and destruction.
  For some unknown reason, Daylight also seems to have a 
  big issue with the armed forces of the Red Canal Collectivist 
  Republic. Where this enmity came from, observers are at 
  a loss to explain, yet it demonstrably does exist. Daylight 
  members will go out of their way to antagonise the RCCR, 
  even going so far as to launch attacks against warcrawl 
  patrols. Needless to say, the RCCR is absolutely baffled by 
  the behaviour and has ordered it’s military forces to respond 
  in kind against such provocation. Rumours has it that Special 
  Department teams have been assigned to the task of hunting 
  down and eliminating the Daylight leadership.
  In terms of their criminal activities, Daylight are seriously into 
  drugs. This is their main source of revenue and power, filter-
  ing narcotics down to the streets through their distribution and 
  dealer networks. Their tendrils stretch into all areas of city life, 
  even extending into wealthy areas such as Lucent Heights 
  and Coldbath Fell. As something of a sideline to their drug 
  dealing activities, they are also in charge of large numbers of 
  prostitutes and brothels, dealing in sexual proclivities ranging 
  from the mundane to the bizarre and outlandish. 
  Organisation
  Daylight operations in a particular area come under the 
  control of senior gang leaders know as ‘walkers’. The walkers 
  can be in charge of up to one hundred individual gang mem-
  bers and have carte blanche to carry on their criminal activi-
  ties as they see fit. Unlike some other criminal organisations in 
  The City, the Daylighters have no particular mode of dress or 
  identifying features, tending to dress fairly inconspiuously. As 
  for the structure of Daylight above the walkers, nobody has 
  ever penetrated the organisation to this level. Daylight seem 
  particularly adept at sniffing out traitors, undercover agents 
  and sting operations, a factor which has caused extreme 
  annoyance to more than one security agency.
  Highlighted Personality
  Nathaly Shivers
  Age: 33
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Pale brown/black
  Occupation: Assassin
  Affiliations: Daylight
  A curious part of the Daylight organisation, Shivers stands 
  apart from the rest of the gang in Shore Ditch Warrens. The 
  reason for her status is her skill as an assassin. Formerly a 
  trooper with Trilhoeven, she honed her sharpshooting skills 
  during innumerable small conflicts, police actions and internal 
  disturbances. She left the employ of the macrocorp in dubious 
  circumstances, taking a sizeable amount of military hardware 
  with her. Within weeks of decamping from Trilhoeven, she had 
  been taken under the wing of Trudi Serov, the Daylight walker 
  in charge of operations in Shore Ditch Warrens. Recognising 
  that she had a useful, valuable asset on her hands, she imme-
  diately notified her superiors. Ever since then, Shivers has 
  worked for Daylight, eliminating rivals, disposing of traitors 
  and generally being ruthlessly efficient at her job. 
  the power 111
  
  She talks to the walkers as equals and rumour has it that she 
  is very much in favour with the mysterious, shadowy leaders 
  of the syndicate. Personality wise, she is a cheerful, outgo-
  ing, fun-loving woman who can quite often be seen living it 
  up in the bars and clubs of Shore Ditch. However, this does 
  not remove the fact that she is a ruthless, calculating killer. 
  When working, her stock in trade is being unobtrusive, quiet 
  and nondescript. Dressed in dull workers clothes, her only 
  distinguishing feature is the long dogskin bag, similar to those 
  carried by mechanics and toolmakers. Her bag, however, 
  contains a far more deadly implement: the sniper rifle she 
  took when she left Trilhoeven all those years ago.
  The Hohler Gang
  Status: Criminal organisation
  Headquarters: Unknown
  Membership: Unknown
  Areas Of Operation: Prostitution, drug dealing, extortion 
  and almost every other known form of criminal activity.
  Overview
  With a finger in almost every, metaphorical, pie, in a few 
  short decades, the Hohler Gang have gone from being a 
  rag-tag bunch of back alley muggers, peddlers and pimps 
  to become one of the pre-eminent criminal syndicates in 
  The City. Indeed, their only real competitors are the 3rd 
  Syndicate, with whom they have an ongoing, singularly 
  vicious conflict.
  The founder of the gang, Lorentz Hohler, still presides over 
  the activities of his criminal empire, although at ninety three 
  years of age, he is a wizened, twisted figure confined to 
  his baroque iron wheelchair. Despite his physical disability, 
  he maintains a grip of steel over his younger lieutenants, 
  working through a legion of absolutely loyal confidants who 
  obey his every word. Living in luxury in his Lucent Heights 
  mansion, Hohler receives visitors from a disparate collection 
  of organisations, from the Provosts to Trilhoeven executives, 
  from Bishops of the Third Church of God The Architect to 
  impoverished canal traders. 
  The gang itself is composed of an unknown number of mem-
  bers operating throughout The City. Arms dealing, extortion 
  and prostitution are the mainstays of Hohler Gang income, 
  with arms dealing being their single most profitable enter-
  prise. If you need a particular weapon, the Hohler gang 
  will be able to get it for you, at a price. Most higher level 
  gang members carry a dazzling array of hitech weaponry, 
  with magnetic repeaters being particularly favoured sym-
  bols of authority. In higher class burghs of The City, such as 
  Coldbath Fell and Lucent Heights, the gang runs a series of 
  brothels catering for the tastes of more ‘refined’ customers. 
  Through intimidation, bribery and assorted kickbacks, local 
  security and police organisations overlook these establish-
  ments, preferring to look the other way and ignore the 
  curious sexual proclivities of the wealthy patrons. These 
  brothels are identified by a simple white plate fixed to the 
  door of what often appears to be a regular apartment or 
  house.
  Organisation
  The gang is tightly controlled from the very top on down, 
  each level of ‘management’ making sure that their subor-
  dinates follow orders to the letter. The smallest unit of the 
  gang is the cell, which can be anything from ten to over one 
  hundred gang members strong. Cells are made up around 
  a core of one or two experienced gang members assigned 
  to an area by the higher levels of the organisation. These 
  individuals are responsible for the activities of the cells, even 
  down to the actions of individual members. Consequently, 
  discipline is tough and standards uncompromising. Failing to 
  follow orders, not bringing in enough profit or disrespecting 
  more senior gang members are all offences which are pun-
  ished severely. Above the cells are lieutenants responsible for 
  a particular burgh
  Highlighted Personality
  Ilya Sung
  Age: 34
  Height/Build: 5'11"/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Black
  Occupation: Hohler Gang cell leader
  Affiliations: Hohler Gang
  The vital thing to remember about Ilya Sung is that he 
  is a very dangerous psychopath. This man would kill his 
  own mother if he thought it would benefit his position. He 
  is currently head of the Hohler Gang cell operating in 
  Merryhell.
  His sparse, wiry build comes from practising often in the 
  gym, honing his skills knife fighting. He came to Merryhell 
  from Long Pond five years ago and has been in control of 
  the cell ever since, keeping his minions in a constant grip of 
  fear. His dapper style and elegant looks belie the fact that 
  he is a very dangerous individual, whose threats should not 
  be taken lightly.
  the power 112
  
  Local Governments
  The Red Canal Collectivist Republic (rccr)
  Wealth: Expenditure not disclosed
  Areas of Operation: RCCR controlled zone (see map)
  Military Capability?: Army of the RCCR, Special Department 
  of the RCCR (secret police)
  "Mornin', komrade." Ursen was always irritatingly cheery 
  at this time of the day, thought Ignatz, always smiling and 
  happy. Not right for a man getting up at this hour.
  "Good morning to you, komrade. Another day doing good 
  for the people, eh?" The false cheer made Ignatz wince, 
  going around with this mask of komradely friendship thirteen 
  hours a day was getting wearing. 
  "Indeed komrade, indeed." Ursen cracked the knuckles of his 
  chubby hands and pulled the tight fitting helmet down over 
  his head. He plugged the snaking wire of the commo system 
  into the jack on his control board and settled back into his 
  seat. Dingins rattled and clicked in their armoured casings 
  as the systems of the warcrawl came to life. Pixels on flat 
  screens rearranged themselves into meaningful symbols, lines 
  of data, streams of code. Ignatz settled his own helmet on a 
  tightly shaven head and squirmed into the gunners chair. The 
  dingins began running the gunnery programmes, bringing up 
  ammunition status readouts, air density, threat levels.
  "You think we'll see action today, komrade?"
  "Not sure, maybe. Insurgents might try to breach the factories 
  on the north edge again. Never can tell. Still, the will of the 
  people drives us on, eh komrade?" Ignatz could scarcely 
  believe what had just said, komradely platitudes direct from 
  the Collective. Fake. Liar. 
  "That's the spirit, well said komrade!" Ursen twisted in his seat 
  and grinned with broken teeth.
  The warcrawl trundled down the street, it's wide tracks crash-
  ing and thundering on the road surface. Komrades on the 
  streets cheered as the dull grey machine roared by, the blue 
  circle insignia of the RCCR emblazoned on it's flanks. Small 
  children ran alongside, attempting to touch the vibrating steel 
  surface of the ugly, battered fighting vehicle. Ignatz swung 
  the main turret and elevated the gun tube in mock salute to 
  the crowds. They swung ninety degrees onto a street sloping 
  down to the Red Canal, then ninety again to run alongside 
  the great waterway. On the opposite bank, people stared 
  and made rude gestures as the warcrawl accelerated.
  "Maybe you should fire off a couple, just to show them. Eh?"
  "No, komrade. I think not. Besides, it would be wasteful to 
  expend ammunition. They are not Insurgents."
  "Very well, Komrade. Very well." Ignatz could feel Ursens 
  desire radiating up from inside the warcrawl, his desire to 
  do damage. Maybe that's why he was a driver rather than 
  a gunner, too unstable to be put in charge of weapons. The 
  armoured hulk scuttled beneath giant murals painted on the 
  sides of buildings, murals designed to put the wind up the 
  TCMA. Cheap propaganda. The comm set whistled, incoming 
  tight beam from a booster on top of one of the buildings.
  "Komrade Ignatz? Komrade Ursen?"
  "Yes, Komrade Commander, how can we serve the will of 
  the people today?" Ignatx felt his gorge rise as he spoke the 
  words.
  "Insurgents, up the canal. Meet up with other units and take 
  action." The instructions were perfunctory and totally lacking 
  in detail. As usual.
  "Thank you, Komrade. Proceeding with all due speed."
  Ursen gunned the engine eagerly as Ignatz readied his 
  weapons. More chasing after phantoms. More pointless flit-
  ting about. Fake, all fake. Lies and smoke.
  Overview
  The only other independent authority even approaching the 
  size and power of the TCMAA, the Red Canal Collectivist 
  Republic covers a wide stretch of The City between the Red 
  and Black canals. All citizens of the RCCR are followers of 
  a political doctrine known as 'collectivism'. Broadly, collectiv-
  ism states that there are no individual possessions and that 
  everything is owned collectively by the mass off the citizenry. 
  Everyone is welcome to join the RCCR, provided they do 
  their utmost to contribute as much as they can to the collec-
  tive good of the Republic. In exchange for such services, the 
  Republic provides housing, food , transport, entertainment 
  and all the other need of the citizenry. 
  Some say that the basic tenets of collectivism are truly 
  ancient, going back far into the unknown mists of time. 
  However, most citizens of the Republic firmly believe that the 
  fundamental principles of collectivism were set down just over 
  two hundred years ago by a poet, philosopher and politician 
  named Konrad Earle. Earle, so folklore has it, worked hard as 
  a burgess on the council of a small burgh in between the Red 
  and Black canals. He grew tired of the corruption, backstab-
  bing and duplicity of his political colleagues and decided 
  to start a new political movement to give power back to the 
  people. In the beginning, the collectivist movement had few 
  adherents, yet as it's advantages became plain, more and 
  more flocked to join the movement. After five short years, 
  the collectivists were in control of two burghs, running them 
  according to strict political principals. Earle died shortly after, 
  but his political legacy lived on, with the collectivist influence 
  the power 113
  
  spreading further afield. Being pragmatic as well as political, 
  the collectivists struck deals with several macrocorps, promis-
  ing to subdue and take over certain troublesome areas if, in 
  return, the macrocorps would arm and quip their growing 
  paramilitary forces. It was then that the gaggle of collectivist 
  burghs formed the RCCR and declared that any follower who 
  wished to live in the true heartland of the collectivist cause 
  would be welcome to come and join them in their workers 
  paradise. The RCCR was born.
  The road to the RCCR's current powerful state has not been 
  an easy one. Some burghs objected to being collectivised 
  and fought back with savagery. Still, the macrocorp equipped 
  Republicans carried out their campaigns with skill and cun-
  ning, ruthlessly destroying areas, throwing men into combat 
  with little care for their lives. Many heroic stories come from 
  these times, stories of komrades single-handedly taking on 
  houses full of the enemy, of dying soldiers throwing themselves 
  into canals to provide bridges of bodies for their komrades to 
  cross. These tales permeate the consciousness of the Republic, 
  huge posters display the smiling visages of fallen heroes, lum-
  bering warcrawls bear the names of great soldiers. 
  Structure
  Overseeing the good order of the RCCR is the Peoples 
  Council, a hundred strong group which collectively decides 
  policy for the Republic. Representatives are elected by the 
  agreement of all komrades and serve for three years. The 
  Peoples Council makes decisions on behalf of the people on 
  all matters relating to internal and external policy. However, 
  the activities of the Peoples Council are not entirely without 
  oversight. Sections of the Special Department, the shadowy 
  paramilitary police force of the RCCR, maintain a watch over 
  the representatives, noting their every word, watching their 
  movements, looking for one solitary sign of treachery.
  Military Forces
  Due to the fact that many other organisations and whole 
  areas of the city hate the RCCR, the Republic spends a truly 
  vast amount of money on its military forces. The ties it once 
  had with the macrocorps are long gone and it is now pretty 
  much self sufficient in terms of arms production. All komrades 
  must serve at least a year in the armed forces at some time 
  in their lives, but they can also join up on a permanent basis, 
  becoming full time soldiers in the service of the people. At 
  any one time, the standing army is over twenty thousand 
  strong, organised into ten divisions of approximately similar 
  numbers. Of these divisions, the 1st Guards Infantry Division 
  is the most prestigious, tracing its ancestry right back to the 
  komrades who fought to establish the RCCR. All members 
  of the 1st are full time soldiers, fanatically dedicated to the 
  collectivist cause. 2nd and 7th Armoured Divisions are the 
  iron fist of the Republic, containing almost all the warcrawls 
  in the army. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 9th are infantry divisions while 
  6th and 8th provide the airpower of the army. 10th Support 
  Division is a mixed formation, combining specialist troops 
  such as sappers, combat engineers and waterborne units. All 
  in all, the army of the RCCR is an incredibly powerful force, 
  a fact which has not gone unnoticed by the macrocorps, the 
  TCMAA and various other vested interests. 
  In addition to the army, there is also the previously mentioned 
  Special Department, which serves as police force, intelligence 
  agency and espionage network all in one. Clad in their black 
  coats and wide-brimmed hats, Special Department officers 
  have wide-ranging powers of investigation and detention. No 
  komrade is above their suspicion, even decorated heroes have 
  been known to be dragged off to their chilly grey prisons and 
  asylums. Ordinary citizens both fear and respect the Special 
  Department, afraid of their intrusive investigations and seem-
  ingly limitless power and deeply impressed by the thorough-
  ness of their actions against internal and external threats.
  Highlighted Personality
  Oliver Telegin
  Age: 29
  Height/Build: 5' 8"/Average
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Light brown
  Occupation: Street sweeper/Special Department informer
  Affiliations: RCCR, Special Department of the RCCR
  On the surface, Oliver Telegin is your everyday, solid citizen 
  of the RCCR. He works hard in his job as a street sweeper, he 
  helps maintain the tenement in which he lives and attends as 
  many community sings as he can. A productive, worthwhile 
  member of society. Beneath this veneer of komradely devo-
  tion is a complex skein of lies, double-dealing and treachery. 
  Telegin is an informer for the Special Department, keeping 
  tabs on his neighbours and work colleagues, noting trans-
  gressions and divulging traitorous activity. That having been 
  said, Telegin is himself a traitor. Certain elements within the 
  TCMAA use him for information gathering purposes, utilising 
  his position of trust for their own ends. He now finds that his 
  involvement with the Special Department and the TCMAA 
  runs so deep that he has absolutely no hope of successfully 
  extricating himself from the grasp of either organisation.  He 
  nervously waits for the day when the Special Department 
  discovers his treachery or for when the TCMAA, no longer 
  needing his services, decide to tip the Department off them-
  selves.
  the power 114
  
  THREE CANALS METROPOLITAN AREA 
  AUTHORITY (TCMAA)
  Numerical Strength: 56,000 personnel directly employed 
  by the authority.
  Wealth: Expenditure of approx. £234,000,000.00 per 
  annum.
  Areas of Operation: Three Canals Metropolitan Area 
  and surrounding border areas (see map).
  Military Capability?: TCMAA Provosts (police service).
  OVERVIEW
  Seen by many as an oasis of order within the chaos that is 
  The City, the Three Canals Metropolitan Area (TCMA) is a 
  sprawling mass wedged between the Green and Red canals. 
  Running straight through the heart of the region is the Grand 
  Canal, mightiest of waterways within The City. Incorporating 
  diverse areas such as Folly Hills, Bankside, Lucent Heights 
  and Clearwater Break, the TCMA is a study in contrast. From 
  abysmal poverty to enormous wealth, it is a microcosm of 
  The City itself. 
  Exercising control over the teeming masses which inhabit 
  the area is a phenomenal task, a task overseen by the 
  Authority. Here, bureaucracy is taken to the highest level, 
  as civil servants strive to make sense out of the labyrinth 
  of streets and canals which surround them. Monitoring 
  this hydra is the Chief Burgess, Markus Heilige. Heilige 
  rules with an iron fist concealed within an iron glove. He 
  is not averse to making deals with the Shifted or criminal 
  organisations such as the 3rd Syndicate in order to ensure 
  the smooth running of his Authority. It is, for example, well 
  know that he let the Hohler Gang have Mire End, lying just 
  across the Green Canal from Folly Hills, if they guaranteed 
  not to encroach into Folly Hills, Fogwarren and Bankside. 
  It is this kind of manipulation and bargaining, which have 
  made Heilige such a force within the Authority.
  Heilige manipulates public opinion through the august office 
  of the Mayor. The current incumbent is Owin Hardgadley, an 
  easily lead dupe from the Authority who is little more than a 
  figurehead for Heilige's machinations.
  Ruling from the enormous, rambling pile that is Breaken 
  Hall, there are two forces within the Authority which vie for 
  supremacy: the Community Service Board and the Provosts. 
  the Community Service Board is in absolute charge of wel-
  fare, housing, healthcare and the provision of residency 
  permits, whilst the Provosts have ultimate control over law 
  enforcement within the TCMA. 
  THE COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD
  Dear Mr Jorgensen,
  It has come to our attention that you have been resident within 
  the TCMA for nineteen years, within which time you have been 
  employed for a total of seventeen days. The TCMA values 
  each and every one of its citizens, which is why your situation 
  concerns us. It would therefore be appreciated if you could 
  attend Community Service Board Office 26 (Lake Boulevard, 
  Folly Hills) for an informal interview. Please bring your resi-
  dency permit, birth certificate, Council Tax certificate, water 
  and sewerage tax certificate and a two thousand-word essay 
  on why you should continue to be a citizen of the TCMA.
  Yours sincerely,
  Rolf Garner
  pp Islera Koretz
  Both fearsomely complex and fearsomely harsh, the 
  Community Service board is the most powerful and influen-
  tial (outranking even the Provosts) part of the TCMAA. They 
  provide unemployment benefit, citizenship permits, business 
  permits, tax collection, health services and also (by some 
  long forgotten ancient ruling) water, power and sewerage.
  Every citizen lives in fear of the Board, dreading the day when 
  a message inviting them to attend an informal interview lands 
  in their lap. The working lower and middle classes are terrified 
  of losing their jobs, as this entails a huge round of interviews 
  and tests to see if they will be allowed to remain a resident. In 
  a stark contrast to this, the Board seems to take precious little 
  interest in the unfortunate slum dwellers of Dreamingspires and 
  other run-down regions. They prefer to husband their resources, 
  dolling them out to those who they deem most worthy.
  The CSB has one hundred and three sub-offices scattered 
  about the TCMA, each with their complement of assiduous, 
  tenacious CSB staff. Externally, the offices are surprisingly like 
  Provost bunkers, a fact which has not gone unnoticed among 
  the citizenry. Working for the Board is a guarantee of a job for 
  life and good treatment for ones immediate family. Competition 
  to join (especially amongst those in more tenuous employment) 
  is unsurprisingly fierce, despite the revulsion which the majority 
  of the population feels towards the Board. 
  the power 115
  
  THE PROVOSTS
  Sideband Newsline
   
  Subject: CATCH Team Kills 43 In Raid
   
  Stringer: Anon
  "Tonight, the neighbourhood of Crush Street bore witness 
  to one of the most bloody police actions in the history of the 
  TCMA. An eight man Provost CATCH team raided a tene-
  ment block in which it was suspected that members of the 3rd 
  Syndicate were operating a drugs factory. '
  'In the ensuing violence, 43 people, men, women and chil-
  dren are known to have been killed and many more injured. 
  The CATCH Team suffered no injuries.'
  'Local burgess Francois Hoysek stated: "Seldom have I seen 
  such brutality and casual disregard for the wellbeing of the 
  very citizens whom the Provosts are sworn to protect. I shall 
  be taking this matter to the highest level"
  'Commander of Provost Assault Division, Captain Adam 
  Micdevitt gave the following statement to the press: "Fuck 
  off."
  Maintaining law and order within any portion of the City is 
  an arduous task, a task that is no easier within the boundar-
  ies of the TCMAA. Since the TCMAAs' inception, one of the 
  prime concerns of the authority has been to provide safety 
  and security for its citizens. Consequently, one of the earliest 
  programs set up by the fledgling authority was to train and 
  equip a professional police force.
  In the one hundred and eighty years since then, the Provosts 
  have grown to a force of 9,000 men and women. Although 
  they nominally answer to the TCMAA Council, the Provosts 
  are commanded by Provost Marshal Graeme, an officer with 
  thirty-eight years of service behind him. Graeme oversees 
  the workings of the five Provost Divisions (Patrol, Support, 
  Assault, Investigation and Internal Affairs) and represents the 
  interests of the force on the council. 
  Broadly speaking, the Provosts are well respected by the 
  citizens of the Three Canals and the job brings with it no 
  small measure of pride, responsibility and remuneration. It is 
  well known that the Provosts receive a handsome paycheck 
  for carrying out what is an admittedly difficult job. In terms 
  of manpower, the largest of the five divisions is Patrol, which 
  carries out the role of general policing. Second to Patrol 
  is Support, which is home to pilots, mechanics and vehicle 
  crew as well as other ancillary staff. All vehicles used by 
  the Provosts are maintained by support and all vehicles 
  are piloted by Support officers. Compared with Patrol and 
  Support, the other three divisions are very small, scarcely 
  having one thousand officers between them. Least liked is 
  Internal Affairs (not surprisingly). Made up of dedicated offi-
  cers with no families or strong ties, IA watches not only the 
  activities of the provosts but also covertly spies on the goings 
  on within the TCMAA Council. Investigation Division carries 
  out the work of investigation into Category A crimes (murder, 
  rape, industrial espionage etc.) and is a strictly plain-clothes 
  division. Lastly, Assault carries responsibility for riot control, 
  hostage rescue and tactical response. For this purpose, it 
  has three sections to call on: the Rapids, the Tacticals and 
  CATCH. The Rapids are fast response SWAT units and are 
  often the first on the scene of a violent disturbance. They are 
  lightly armed and equipped. The Tacticals are the heavier 
  counterpart to the Rapids, carrying heavier weaponry and 
  wearing far more substantial armour. Last of the Provost units 
  are the CATCH Teams. When the toughest criminal hideouts 
  have to be raided, or a crazed serial killer is cornered, it's 
  CATCH who are called in. Other Provosts reckon that the 
  CATCH team members are borderline psychotic themselves 
  and tend to steer clear of these very heavily armed, very well 
  equipped but very unpredictable officers.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITIES
  Lieutenant Myles Harking
  Age: 29
  Height/Build: 6'/Strong
  Eye/Hair Colour: Hazel/Black
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: TCMA Provosts
  First and foremost, Myles Harking is reckoned by most that 
  are in the know to be one of the few good cops left in The 
  Provosts. Saying that is quite something, as he is commander 
  of the Assault Section officers of the 87th Street Patrol Area. 
  His gritty determination and an iron will in the face of adver-
  sity have got him where he is today. He is known to react 
  with disgust to dishonesty within the police force and has had 
  many officers under his command transferred or dismissed. 
  Rumour has it that he is being groomed to take over one 
  of the top spots in the Provosts, possibly as head of Assault 
  when Adam Micdevitt retires (although the likelihood of that 
  happening in the future is minimal).
  Physically, he is an imposing figure at 6'1" tall and of strong 
  build. His dour visage masks a keen sense of humour and a 
  sharp mind.
  the power 116
  
  Deputy Assistant Chief Community Service Officer Islera 
  Koretz
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 9"/Average
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Blond
  Occupation: TCMA CSB
  Affiliations: TCMAA
  Koretz is a stern woman, and is most certainly on her way 
  to the top. It is no secret that she has ambitions of eventually 
  inheriting Markus Heilige's job, a position which she has 
  been manoeuvring for over a period of years. Her talents for 
  sniffing out fraud and keeping a tight reign on expenses have 
  achieved almost legendary status. What is less well known 
  is her background.
  Growing up in Dreamingspires provided the hardest of pos-
  sible educations. Life amongst the most wretched citizens of the 
  TCMA was a lesson in survival. Through her own choice, she 
  begged for entrance into one of the Third Church of God the 
  Architect orphanages dotted about the TCMA and when she 
  came of age, was eligible for TCMA citizenship. Determined 
  to make the best out of her like, she joined the CSB as soon as 
  she was able and since then her steely determination and killer 
  instinct have taken her almost to the top of the most complex 
  organ in what is a diabolically labyrinthine bureaucracy.
  Captain Adam Micdevitt
  Age: 42
  Height/Build: 5' 10"/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Pale grey/Black, greying at the tem-
  ples
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: TCMAA Provosts
  Well known throughout the TCMA and further afield, 
  Micdevitt is the hard-hitting commander of the Provost Assault 
  Division, with personal command of the feared CATCH 
  Teams. Leading from the front and providing an example for 
  his men are two of the features which have endeared him to 
  the personnel under his command.
  A fairly unremarkable figure at first sight, Adam Micdevitt is 
  wiry and of average height, not at all looking like the public 
  image of an ex-Brigade of Light man. On duty he is tough 
  and at times brusque, off duty he can be pleasant and mild 
  mannered. Unknown to anyone but himself he regularly 
  makes large donations to various charities helping the vast 
  numbers of homeless in the TCMA.
  Superintendent Julia Whitelaw
  Age: 44
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/Trim, well muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dark brown/Strawberry blond
  Occupation: Police officer
  Affiliations: TCMAA Provosts
  The highest-ranking female officer in the Provosts, Julia 
  Whitelaw has proved to be an exceptionally gifted and tal-
  ented senior officer. An Inspector with 
  Lansing Defence before being 
  headhunted by the Provosts, she
  has risen through the ranks at 
  a steady pace but has 
  finally settled on being
  the commanding officer
  of the Patrol Division. 
  Despite offers of 
  higher ranking, less 
  demanding super-
  visory posts, she 
  has stolidly stayed 
  put for the past 
  four years, tackling
  the day to day 
  difficulties of 
  the Provosts
  largest division 
  with skill and 
  ease. 
  Now aged 44, 
  she is a slim, slightly
  greying woman of 
  above average height. 
  Physically, she is very 
  capable, easily able to 
  cope with the rigorous 
  and regular Patrol combat 
  training. With an IQ of 178, 
  she is undoubtedly one of the 
  most intelligent officers within 
  the organisation.
  the power 117
  
  Macrocorps
  Not One Step Back: The Hundred Block War
  An Analysis, by Grigori Kircher, historiographic cliometrician, 
  Longshore University
  From a political, historical and cultural perspective, the so-
  called 'Hundred Block War' was one of the most interesting 
  events of recent decades. It's impact is still felt, most of all 
  by the two main protagonists: Arclight and Hirplakker. The 
  echoes of the conflict still haunt parts of The City and have 
  lead to a series of topographical, political, cultural and soci-
  etal changes.
  Reasons: Arclight
  Arclight had one bold aim in attacking Hirplakker: the acqui-
  sition of resources. Arclight had gown, over a very short 
  space of time, from being a middle-rank company in The 
  City to challenging the might of an industrial giant such as 
  Hirplakker. The sudden change in company focus, the cancel-
  lation of GRID contracts and the turning over of production 
  to armaments manufacture is well documented and need not 
  be covered here.
  The reasons for this sudden turnaround in activity have yet 
  to be disclosed. Fronsac, in his paper entitled "Sudden Light: 
  The Ascendancy of Arclight" argued that the company had 
  made a rather sudden and remarkable scientific advance 
  in areas not dominated by the other macrocorps. Fronsac 
  argued that in order to realise the full potential of these 
  advances, they would need to have access to resources in the 
  manner of a macrocorp. While the quality of Fronsacs schol-
  arship cannot be questioned, the nature of his conclusions is 
  somewhat suspect. 
  Arclight saw Hirplakker as an easy target. Fat, bloated, com-
  placent and engorged on its own power, it was unprepared 
  for hostile action, despite it's impressive and much vaunted 
  armed forces. Arclight desperately wanted to ascend to 
  macrocorporate status and the riches that such a status 
  bestowed. It was for this sole reason that it set off down the 
  path to war.
  Reasons: Hirplakker
  Hirplakker's reasons were far more prosaic than those of 
  Arclight. Hirplakker was fighting a war simply to survive. 
  It's initial encounters with Arclight were viewed as more of a 
  nuisance than a credible threat. Yet, as the attacks grew in 
  number and scale, the company gradually brought itself onto 
  a war footing, ramping up arms production and preparing its 
  substantial armed forces for conflict. The controlling intellects 
  behind Hirplakker were slow to realise the significant threat 
  that was posed to them. When the penny finally dropped, 
  it was too late to fight anything but a war for survival. 
  Hirplakker had no reason to fight other than the desire for 
  continued existence.
  The Conduct of the War
  The actual fighting can be characterised by the markedly 
  differing strategies employed by both sides. On one side, 
  there was Hirplakker, a rigidly stratified command structure 
  depending entirely on its controlling intellects for strategic 
  insight. Officers were hidebound by centuries of tradition, 
  soldiers cowed to the point of acquiescence. Arclight dem-
  onstrated the opposite end of the military spectrum, employ-
  ing a loose structure, unfettered by outdated doctrine and 
  obsessions of rank. The largest single unit ever fielded by 
  Arclight during the war was fifty men. The largest single unit 
  fielded by Hirplakker was one thousand men. The flexibility 
  of the Brigade of Light structure and the space for individual 
  initiative afforded to unit commanders was the key to early 
  Arclight success. 
  Both sides, however, have been heavily criticised for their treat-
  ment of non-combatants and prisoners of war. Hirplakker's 
  cynical exploitation of Mire End and the Brigade of Light 
  attack on their (false) staging post still ranks as one of the 
  most appalling military actions in the recent history of The 
  City. The loss of life in Mire End has never been fully tabulat-
  ed, but it has been estimated to be in excess of two hundred 
  souls. The continuing detention of prisoners on both sides has 
  been a thorn in the side of both companies ever since the 
  semi-official 'conclusion' of the war.
  The other continuing aspect of the war is the refusal of both 
  sides to give any ground in the ongoing low-level conflict in 
  what have become known as The Contested Grounds. This 
  former area of storage facilities and railheads was one of 
  the major Arclight objectives during the war, yet was com-
  prehensively wrecked by both sides, it has become nothing 
  more than a wasteland occupied by hundreds of troops. It is 
  symbolic of the pride of the two combatants that they continue 
  to fight on in The Contested Grounds, even after officially 
  coming to peace terms. It seems that neither is willing to give 
  up what has become an entirely pointless struggle, a struggle 
  which will continue, it seems, for a log time to come.
  the power 118
  
  The Opposing Sides: Arclight
  Prior to the Hundred Block War, Arclight was known to have 
  maintained a small, regimental size, combat unit for the 
  purposes of facility defence. What was not known was that 
  this unit was, in fact, far larger and far better equipped than 
  anyone could have imagined. The so-called Brigade of Light 
  proved itself to be a highly effective, flexible, dynamic fighting 
  force, easily capable of taking on Hirplakker on even terms. 
  Their main strength lay in the strategic and tactical abilities 
  of their commander, General Katarina van den Haas and 
  in the individual initiative shown by commanders in the field. 
  The Brigade demonstrated a remarkable lack of reliance on 
  one single type of force or any single type of tactical doc-
  trine. They struck swiftly and effectively against the lumbering 
  Hirplakker formations, making good use of local knowledge 
  acquired by spies, scouts and informants on the ground.
  The Opposing Sides: Hirplakker
  Hirplakker had, to all intents and purposes, become com-
  placent. The last thing it expected was an attack from an 
  apparently smaller and weaker opponent. Their main fighting 
  capability was based around their much vaunted GenePool 
  Troopers. Rigidly controlled, strictly organised and badly 
  deployed, the Troopers were decimated by the lightning 
  strikes of the Brigade of Light. A series of immense tactical 
  and strategic blunders by Hirplakker practically gifted vic-
  tory to Arclight. The decisions taken by the larger company 
  were, to most observers, idiosyncratic and at times positively 
  insane. 
  Conclusions
  If one conclusion is to be drawn it is that Hirplakker was 
  roundly defeated in what was the first major conflict in The 
  City for nigh on two hundred years. Severely shaken by 
  massive, unsustainable losses, Hirplakker acquiesced to the 
  demands made by Arclight, gifting them the access to the 
  resources which they so greedily desired. It is a defeat from 
  which Hirplakker has yet to recover. The company seems to 
  be caught in a malaise, unwilling to acknowledge the rea-
  sons for its defeat. The massive purges which followed the 
  conclusion of hostilities only demonstrated further the lack of 
  understanding in the high command.
  On the winning side, there was nothing but rejoicing. For rela-
  tively little cost, Arclight had gained macrocorporate status, 
  elevating itself to the exalted ranks of Trilhoeven, Gorunna 
  and the rest. Yet, the bleeding wound that is The Contested 
  Grounds continues to trouble both sides. It is a horrific 
  reminder of defeat, sacrifice and pain, a bubbling cauldron 
  of misery and self-doubt. Whether or not either side will have 
  enough courage to lose face by pulling out of The Contested 
  Grounds remains to be seen.
  ARCLIGHT
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: Luminosity Tower
  Product(s)/Service(s): Advanced armaments, aircraft, 
  communications systems, personal electronics, powered per-
  sonal armour.
  OVERVIEW
  A stern challenger to the might of Trilhoeven in the field of 
  advanced armaments, until a few years ago Arclight were 
  considered outsiders in the macrocorporate world. Indeed, it 
  was the opinion of the other seven macrocorps that Arclight 
  were merely a very large company trying to create waves in 
  The City by attempting to gain control of resource facilities.
  However, Arclight asserted their macrocorp status during the 
  Hundred Block War three years ago when they defeated 
  the massive Hirplakker Combine in a dispute over trade and 
  exploitation rights to several highly lucrative regions of The 
  City. Arclight are now firmly ensconced as the eighth macro-
  corp while the tail end of the Hundred Block War rumbles on 
  in the Contested Grounds.
  Arclight rules its corporate empire from the astonishing 
  Luminosity Tower, built entirely since the Hundred Block War. 
  No citizen can fail to be impressed by the elegance and 
  might of the tower. From here, the leaders of the corporation 
  control their business dealings, watching the thousands who 
  labour for Arclight live out their lives.
  ORGANISATION
  Controlled by five families, the van den Haas’, the McKenzies’, 
  the Singhs', the Grays’ and the Spitzers, Arclight's business 
  organisation is somewhat idiosyncratic and not a little nepo-
  tistic. Infighting, assassination and sometimes war are not 
  uncommon within Arclight. Currently, the Grays' hold the 
  upper hand, with seven out of the twenty-three seats on the 
  board.
  the power 119
  
  SECURITY FORCES
  The Hundred Block War revealed that Arclight had man-
  aged to construct one of the best equipped and best trained 
  security forces anywhere in The City. The military heart of 
  these forces lies in the Brigade of Light, a 15,000 strong 
  force of elite soldiers. Complementing this military arm are 
  the paramilitary Ruby and Sapphire Sections. Ruby Section 
  deals with internal security matters, Sapphire with external 
  matters. 
  The Brigade is made up of infantry with limited heavy 
  armour support, a reasonably sized air wing and a large 
  force of power armoured Tentenel troops. Their tactical abil-
  ity and training are second to none, while their equipment is 
  among the best, if not the best, in The City. Most troops are 
  fanatically loyal to Arclight, more than ready to lay down 
  their lives to defend both it and the honour of the Brigade.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  General Katarina van den Haas
  Age: 67 (looks 30)
  Height/Build: 5'7"/Slim
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Dark Brown
  Occupation: Commander of the Brigade of Light
  Affiliations: Arclight, all sections of the Brigade
  General Katarina van den Haas, Commander-in-Chief of 
  the Brigade of Light. Eldest daughter of the van den Haas 
  family, one of the five families who control Arclight, Katarina 
  is now sixty-seven years old but thanks to her genetically 
  enhanced background and limitless medical treatment, she 
  hardly looks a day over thirty. This has lead to more than a 
  few embarrassing situations with young suitors apparently 
  unaware that she is old enough to be their grandmother.
  A strong willed woman, it was she who masterminded 
  Arclight's victory over Hirplakker during the Hundred Block 
  War. She also turned the Brigade of Light from a merely 
  good military machine into one of the most formidable fight-
  ing forces in The City. Her drive to ensure Arclight's pre-emi-
  nence saw the Brigade of Light go from strength to strength, 
  increasing the number of armoured Tentenel troops and 
  destroying the rigid, stratified,  nepotistic chain of command 
  which had been so endorsed by previous commanders.
  GORUNNA LOGISTICS
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: Trenevier Compound
  Product(s)/Service(s): Armaments, communications sys-
  tems, transportation systems and services.
  All Gorunna products, from powered assault suits to com-
  municators, are rugged, dependable items. While not scal-
  ing the heights of technological advancement like Arclight 
  or Trilhoeven, Gorunna products are ideally suited to life in 
  The City. Because of their powerbase in heavy engineer-
  ing, Gorunna produces most of the really heavy equipment 
  (such as cargo aerostats) used in The City and as such, 
  Gorunna manufactured construction equipment is used city-
  wide, even by rival macrocorps.
  ORGANISATION
  Overall control of the company is exercised by the Board: 
  a fifteen-person group of directors headed by the Chief 
  Logistics Officer (CLO). Current CLO is Martain Geriss. 
  Next in line to the board are the Co-ordinators, each one 
  being responsible for the efficient running of Gorunna oper-
  ations in a single area of production. The corporation itself 
  is divided in to a number of departments, each handling 
  their own area of expertise but there is a certain amount of 
  cross-fertilisation of ideas between the departments. 
  SECURITY FORCES
  The majority of the company's security forces are directed 
  towards preventing internal dissent and worker insurrec-
  tion. They drive their employees hard in places such as the 
  Deepdown mining zone (see 'The Place'). Consequently, 
  passions often run high amongst a workforce that feels (with 
  some justification) that it is being used and abused. Green 
  clad Internal Order Cadre (IOC) officers constantly patrol 
  the factories, mines and powerplants, rooting out revolution 
  and anarchy.
  In comparison, the External Order Cadre (EOC) is small and 
  rather ill equipped. However, such is the value that other 
  corporations place on Gorunna (and the fact that they are so 
  huge), an attack or hostile take-over would be unthinkable.
  the power 120
  
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Stephane Almovar
  Age: 33
  Height/Build: 6' 5"/Slightly plump
  Eye/Hair Colour: Auburn, short and businesslike
  Occupation: Operations Controller, Gorunna Logistics 
  Deepdown Minezone
  Affiliations: Gorunna Logistics
  Stephane Almovar is the current head of operations for the 
  Deepdown minezone. A ruthless, efficiency minded bureau-
  crat, he has introduced conditions of virtual slavery in order 
  to obtain better and better production figures. While this has 
  gained him the admiration of his superiors, it has garnered 
  the anger not only of the workforce but also from several 
  citizens rights organisations. 
  Those who know him say that Almovar is on his way to a seat 
  on the board, via the Co-ordinatorship of one of the major 
  departments. Physically, he can be quite intimidating, being 
  nearly six and a half feet in height and possessing remark-
  ably piercing green eyes. A single man, he has no social life 
  to speak of and spends most of his off duty time working out 
  ways to increase productivity and reduce costs. He seems to 
  be one of the few people who genuinely enjoys the minu-
  tiae of business administration. To protect himself from the 
  spite of the workforce, he has built up both a cadre of loyal 
  personal supporters and an extensive network of spies and 
  informants within the mining zone and within the adjacent 
  workers neighbourhoods. Industrial action or protest is usu-
  ally stamped out before it ever begins, a fact which only 
  serves to increase Almovars reputation for ruthlessness.
  GRID
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: The Powerhouse
  Product(s)/Service(s): Power supplies, power production 
  technology and personnel.
  Overview
  Of all the macrocorps, GRID occupies an almost unique 
  position of strength and security. For they have access to 
  more raw power than any other group in The City. From their 
  concrete fastness, the Powerhouse, they send out electric-
  ity through cables and conduits, packaged in batteries and 
  superconductors. Deep beneath The City, they maintain their 
  cyclopean reactors, centuries old fusion generators, patched, 
  repaired, renewed, soldiering on through centuries of cease-
  less toil. For large scale power requirements, most organisa-
  tions within The City rely upon GRID and their massive power 
  generating facilities. Whilst the other macrocorps maintain 
  small reactors and power systems, none can match the sheer 
  generating output of GRID. The only group that comes even 
  close to their capabilities is The Ancient and Honourable 
  Guild of Fulgurators. For centuries, the two organisations 
  have glared at each other with seething, baleful animosity. 
  Both know that GRID is the most powerful by a long way, 
  and that the systems of the guild are falling apart, crumbling 
  into ruin through lack of resources and skill. 
  GRID maintains its position by trading power for resources 
  and manpower. The other macrocorps do the hard work of 
  sending drones out into the Outlands and GRID buys what it 
  needs in exchange for a percentage of its generating capac-
  ity. Other groups such as the Three Canals Metropolitan 
  Area Authority buy GRID power, usually through monetary 
  means or by offering certain concessions to GRID interests. 
  Even individual tenements can strike a deal with GRID, hook-
  ing their houses up to the system, plugging in to light, warmth 
  and comfort, according to GRID advertising at least. Others 
  choose to adopt the cheaper but somewhat more sporadic 
  and unreliable services of the Guild. That having been said, 
  the service offered by GRID does not always meet expec-
  tations. Richer areas and the other macrocorps (politcal 
  wrangles notwithstanding) can pretty much be assured of 
  reliable service all of the time. Individual burghs and smaller 
  companies which have chosen to buy power from GRID can 
  often find themselves faced with brownouts, blackouts and 
  the power 121
  
  other variations in service at the most unexpected times. This 
  happens due to the company shifting supply to others areas 
  as demand rises and falls.
  Organisation
  GRID is, fundamentally, rigidly hierarchical in nature. The 
  organisational layout offers little in the way of flexibility and 
  has become weighed down with bureaucracy and inter-depart-
  mental acrimony. At the top of the tree are Maintenance, which 
  comprises those who directly maintain the power systems and 
  control supply. Below Maintenace comes (in order of prece-
  dence) Research, Facilities, Security and Administration. As 
  you get lower down the hierarchy, the resources and facilities 
  available become steadily worse. Administration, at the very 
  bottom of the pile, get the worst offices, the most incompetent 
  management, the most shiftless personnel and poorest pay. This 
  is all despite the fact that they are fundamentally vital in keeping 
  the tottering edifice that is GRID running.
  Security Forces
  Forming the paramilitary wing of GRID, the EyEwiRE Corps 
  maintain defensive security at all GRID operations and per-
  form a limited internal policing function. Unlike most of the 
  other macrocorps, the Corps is not geared up or equipped for 
  offensive operations. This is due to the company's self-image 
  as something of a benefactor and vital component of life in 
  The City. Whilst not reaching the levels of complacency and 
  slackness achieved by the security forces of Gorunna, they 
  are still fairly unprepared for any kind of serious operations. 
  The Corps is very small, amounting to little more than 4,000 
  active personnel, backed up by reservists and part-time troops. 
  They are, however, fairly liberally supplied with light weapons, 
  mainly purchased from the likes of Trilhoeven. Although GRID 
  produces small numbers of weapons, these are mainly special 
  projects with limited application in the field.
  Highlighted Personality
  Leo Troeltsch
  Age: 27
  Height/Build: 5' 9"/Average
  Eye/Hair Colour: Brown/Fair, centre parted
  Occupation: Administration clerk, GRID
  Affiliations: GRID
  Dominated by the weight of demands, memos, invoices and 
  queries which cover his desk, Leo Troeltsch makes a valiant 
  effort to keep a small part of the mighty GRID operation 
  running effectively. Clad in his threadbare, crumpled, coarse 
  brown suit, he carries out his lowly administrative functions 
  with all the outward appearance of joviality and good humour. 
  Cramped into his tiny office, only a few feet square, wedged 
  into an already crowded basement somewhere under the 
  Powerhouse, he stamps, approves, questions and orders 
  twelve hours a day with scarcely a complaint. And, strangely 
  for someone in Administration, he is actually good at his job. 
  The reason? Leo fundamentally cares about what he does. 
  He genuinely and truly believes that in his own small way 
  he's doing something to support GRID's position. When not 
  at work, Leo enjoys many happy hours painting and drawing 
  in his room scarcely bigger than his office. His artworks have 
  become rather popular in the Powerhouse, eagerly being 
  sought as gifts, bribes or for personal appreciation.
  HIRPLAKKER COMBINe
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: The Iron Bastion
  Product(s)/Service(s): Armaments, communications sys-
  tems, construction, food and beverage products, personal elec-
  tronics, powered personal armour, security services, vehicles.
  OVERVIEW
  A massively widespread and diversified macrocorp, Hirplakker 
  provides more services and has a wider client/product base 
  than any other macrocorp. Unfortunately, they are still licking 
  their wounds after their defeat at the hands of Arclight in the 
  Hundred Block War three years ago. Hirplakker's confidence 
  that they would win the Hundred Block War boosted their self-
  esteem up to new heights. Unfortunately, the comprehensive 
  defeat they suffered at the hands of Arclight brought them 
  crashing back down again. 
  ORGANISATION
  The general affairs of the corporation are overseen by the 
  Combinat, a diverse group of interests representing the 
  various divisions, subsidiaries and interest groups within the 
  massive company. At any one time, the Combinat has had up 
  to eighty-seven members, all competing to have their voices 
  heard. All decisions are made by a simple majority vote, sub-
  ject to the advice of a group without whom no decisions can 
  be made about the company: the Intellects. Hirplakker places 
  massive store in the power of their Intellects to maintain their 
  position. All matters of top-line strategy are handled by the 
  seven Intellects, artificial intelligences created hundreds of 
  the power 122
  
  years ago. Intelligent beyond the power of humankind, these 
  beings are as near to gods as you are likely to find in The 
  City. Their powers of perception and deduction are second to 
  none. They can out think and out manoeuvre any other brain 
  in The City. Which leads people to wonder why Hirplakker 
  lost the Hundred Block War. Even a master strategist like 
  Arclight's General van den Haas could not hope to compete 
  with the sheer power of an Intellect. Yet, Arclight consistently 
  out manoeuvred and out fought Hirplakker. Murmuring can 
  be heard from deep within Hirplakker. murmurings of dissent, 
  murmurings of that most heretical of thoughts: doubting the 
  Intellects.
  SECURITY FORCES
  Hirplakker maintains a huge standing army. Called the 
  Cadre, this massive force was thought to be able to crush 
  any opposition in The City. That is, until the Hundred Block 
  War. Mired by a seeming lack of coherent strategy, The 
  Cadre floundered about the battlefields, wasting precious 
  resources and destroying any strategic or tactical advantage 
  it had ever possessed. Most disgraced of all were the much-
  vaunted GenePool Troopers (GPTs). The GPTs were meant to 
  be the ultimate infantryman, stronger, faster, more skilful. In 
  battle they were a disaster. Sent up against Brigade of Light 
  Tentenel forces, they were decimated. Survivors mutinied, 
  causing panic in the ranks. Courts martial were arranged and 
  many troopers were executed, spreading dissent amongst the 
  ranks. The current Cadre is yet to recover from the humiliation 
  of the Hundred Block War. The GPTs are less than fifteen 
  percent of the strength they had prior to the war. Infantry units 
  are still depleted and the armoured units are virtually useless. 
  Still drained by the wound that is the Contested Grounds, 
  some fear that the Cadre will never recover.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Giovanni Rohm
  Age: 28
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/Very slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Brown/Black
  Occupation: AI Technician
  Affiliations: Hirplakker
  One of the few trusted individuals who maintain the systems 
  supporting the Hirplakker Intellects, Rohm is a nervous, twit-
  tering little man, always flapping his hands and mopping his 
  brow. The Intellect techs are well respected in the Combine, 
  even a fidgeting flutterer like Giovanni. He knows he is in a 
  position of trust and also knows that through his education, 
  skill and intelligence, he more than deserves the position. 
  Despite this, he has nagging doubts. He has become scepti-
  cal of the implicit trust which the leaders of the company put 
  in the Intellects. In the back of his mind there is a worm of 
  doubt, gradually wriggling it's way to the surface. He sus-
  pects that what he is thinking may be heretical to the corpora-
  tion, grounds for dismissal, disgrace or possibly even death. 
  Despite this, he continues to think, to observe the Intellects 
  and wonder what is going on.
  I-LOK
  Status: Macrocorp (disputed)
  Headquarters: N/A
  Product(s)/Service(s): Everything from foodstuffs and 
  clothing, to weapons and dingins. The business comprising 
  I-LOK cover the full spectrum of interests.
  Overview
  i-lok are an enigma even to the other macrocorps. An 
  amorphous mass of dissimilar business. A web of mercantile 
  relationships. I-LOK has seemingly no central control, no 
  governing board, no centralised security service and no 
  corporate goals. Yet, it has the same immense buying power 
  as the other macrocorps, employs vast numbers of citizens, 
  and purchases all kinds of resources in huge quantities. Even 
  The Council seems baffled by I-LOK and its mannerisms. At 
  Council meetings, members are never sure who will be rep-
  resenting I-LOK. One meeting it may be a shopkeeper from 
  Sleeping Vale, at another meeting it may be the foreman of 
  a toolworks in Folly Hills, at another it may be the slick presi-
  dent of a software company. This random attitude extends 
  through almost all business dealings
  Organisation
  The myriad businesses which make up I-LOK are not organised 
  an any meaningful fashion, merely a web of amorphous inter-
  relationships and business dealings. A tool factory affiliated 
  to I-LOK might buy its steel from another I-LOK business while 
  sending out its products on barges owned by another sepa-
  rate business. Most of the other macrocorps argue that I-LOK 
  should not even be afford the status of a macrocorp, that it 
  is just a glorified co-operative, a bunch of small businessmen 
  laughing up their sleeves at the other seven. However, what-
  ever they want to call I-LOK it does have one thing that they 
  have: access to resources from The Outlands. No other small 
  business have this, none come even close. Only a macrocorp 
  has this kind of power.
  Highlighted Personality
  No one person can be said to represent a single aspect of 
  I-LOK or its interests, hence the lack of a highlighted personal-
  ity.
  the power 123
  
  Nakamura-Yebisu Group
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: The Forbidden City
  Product(s)/Service(s): Power production, power produc-
  tion systems, aircraft, ground vehicles.
  OVERVIEW
  Aside from the strange business dealings of I-LOK, Nakamura-
  Yebisu is probably the most enigmatic and least understood 
  of all the macrocorps. Their origins are hazy at best, darkly 
  mysterious at worst. Folklore surrounds the company and 
  its imposing, fortress-like headquarters on the edge of The 
  Trench, the Forbidden City. Unlike the other macrocorpora-
  tions, the average man in the street has little, if any, knowl-
  edge of Nakamura-Yebisu and its activities. They are not as 
  brash and militant as Trilhoeven, as arrogant and obstinate 
  as Hirplakker or as omnipresent and obsessive as Sideband. 
  They go about their business quietly and without fuss, main-
  taining their position through keen intelligence, low cunning 
  and an utterly ruthless business strategy developed over 
  many centuries of existence. 
  ORGANISATION
  A highly laterally diversified company, kept under strict verti-
  cal control, Nakamura-Yebisu likes to keep itself very much to 
  itself. Its vehicles are common on the canals and streets and 
  it markets some of the best known prestige boat, automobile 
  and powerbike brands in The City, making it very highly 
  regarded in nomenklatura and upper level macrocorp circles. 
  They are in fierce competition with GRID for the provision of 
  power systems to smaller companies, although as yet they 
  have exhibited no interest in challenging GRIDs monopoly on 
  general power supply. 
  The company itself is run on an almost feudal basis, with the 
  officers of the company having ranks and titles such as Lord 
  and Lady. Where this archaic and unusual practice stems from, 
  outside observers are unsure. It does, however, serve to give 
  ranking members of the Nakamura-Yebisu hierarchy a some-
  what smug and self-righteous attitude when dealing with the 
  representatives of other macrocorps.
  SECURITY FORCES
  Nakamura-Yebisu maintains a small, strictly regimented 
  military force to protect its interests. The force, known simply 
  as the Weapons Division, comprises infantry, armour units, 
  marines (who patrol the numerous sub-surface waterways 
  which lead from The Trench and wind under the Forbidden 
  City) and aerial forces. Most of these forces are concen-
  trated in and around the Forbidden City, rarely becoming 
  involved in wider conflicts. Popular opinion asserts that the 
  Weapons Division has the best mikefighter pilots in The City 
  as well as some of the best actual mikefighter aircraft. This 
  opinion is mostly based on cunning Nakamura-Yebisu propa-
  ganda and the occasional, rare dogfight between Weapons 
  Division mikefighters and those of other macrocorps.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Lady Karen Nakamura
  Age: 47
  Height/Build: 5' 6"/Stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Brown
  Occupation: Business leader
  Affiliations: Nakamura-Yebisu Group
  Elder scion of the Nakamura family, Karen is being primed 
  to inherit the position of Chief Executive from her uncle, Lord 
  Joseph Nakamura. A women of singular determination, she 
  is known to have advocated the involvement of Nakamura-
  Yebisu in the Hundred Block War, desiring to intervene on the 
  side of Hirplakker. The motivation for this was, publicly, the 
  quasi-friendly relationship that has always existed between 
  the two macrocorps, if such an improbable thing can be said 
  to truly exist. Privately, the real reason was rumoured to be 
  an irrational hatred of Katerina van den Haas, commander 
  of Arclight's military wing, the Brigade of Light, and one of 
  the senior figures in the macrocorp. Where this (alleged and 
  unsubstantiated) hatred springs from, confidantes are unwill-
  ing to say.
  Unimposing and plain at first sight, Lady Karen is not a 
  women to whom suitors are constantly flocking. Her iron-
  hard demeanour and ruthless attitude put many potential 
  swains off. The closest she can be said to have to a friend 
  is her shadowy intelligence adviser Ernst Ruse. When he is 
  not engaged in his nefarious activities out in The City, Ruse is 
  almost constantly by Lady Karen's side, leading to a whole 
  raft of rumour, innuendo and suspicion about their relation-
  ship.
  the power 124
  
  SIDEBAND MEDIA
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: The Cathedral, 
  Product(s)/Service(s): Films, television, tri-D, newspa-
  pers, Dataflow access services, media analysis, intelligence 
  gathering.
  Overview
  Working out of the massive, gargoyle encrusted edifice that 
  is the Cathedral, Sideband dominate the media landscape 
  of The City. No other corporation can claim to have such an 
  influence over the daily lives of so many citizens of the urban 
  sprawl. They wire themselves into the consciousness of The 
  City, feeding dreams and playing off nightmares. Sideband 
  holds a vital position in keeping the citizens sedated. Without 
  the entertainments they produce, the entire city would simply 
  descend into chaos. The controllers of the corporation are 
  well aware of this, using their perceived power to influence 
  other organisations. Cutting off TV services to a burgh can 
  have drastic effects as the population are isolated from their 
  electronic sedative. More than once have Sideband used this 
  tactic and more than once they have got their way.
  ORGANISATION
  Each of the eight departments has an equal controlling 
  interest in the corporation. In many ways, each of the depart-
  ments can be seen as a separate corporation, competing for 
  market share and scarce resources. SBMT (Sideband Media 
  Technologies, providers of TV, Tri-D and pay-per view cable) 
  compete in the same marketplace as Cinematographics (who 
  produce feature films). Laydown (newspapers and Dataflow 
  newswire services) compete against HiGloss (magazines 
  and Dataflow information services for the well-off). This 
  often results in bitter infighting between the departments as 
  they scrabble to attract the attention of the jaded consuming 
  public. In the many vaulted cafeterias and restrooms of the 
  Cathedral, fights are commonplace between employees of 
  varying departments and Media Break (the security arm of 
  Sideband) are often called out to intervene.
  Perhaps the most lucrative part of the Sideband operation 
  is its intelligence gathering operations. With the vast flow of 
  data which pours into the Cathedral, everything is useful to 
  someone and the corporation are willing to sell information 
  to anyone. SideScan are the department responsible for 
  intelligence gathering and information sales. Everything has 
  a price and no request (apart from the monumentally unrea-
  sonable) will be refused.
  SECURITY FORCES
  As mentioned before, the corporation maintains a reason-
  able security force in the form of Media Break. Their pur-
  pose is mainly to provide internal security services, as most 
  of the other corporations see Sideband operations as too 
  vastly labyrinthine to even contemplate a violent take-over. 
  Employees of the corporation view Media Break as a harsh, 
  authoritarian part of the company, and, indeed, they are. 
  They have no bias towards any part of the company, despite 
  the influencing tactics that other departments employ. In 
  addition to their more obvious security function, they also 
  provide an arbitration service between squabbling sections 
  and departments. Their smooth, urbane negotiators are the 
  last word in diplomacy, exercising their skills for the good of 
  the corporation.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Brandon Shape
  Age: 43
  Height/Build: 6' 7"/Very well muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: Green/Light Brown
  Occupation: Head of Security, Sideband Media
  Affiliations: Employed by Sideband Media, alleged con-
  nections to the 3rd Syndicate.
  Respected by his superiors, peers and staff, Brandon Shape 
  is a man of great cunning, wit and immense physical pres-
  ence. Standing a fraction over six and a half feet tall, he is 
  an impressive figure, always clad in immaculately pressed 
  black suits.
  After a stint in the armed forces of an unspecified company, 
  he joined Sideband at the lowest level of their security opera-
  tion but, after many years of hard work, perseverance and 
  success in his field, he has now gravitated to the very highest 
  echelons of his profession. He oversees all aspects of security 
  operations for the Cathedral with a precision and dedication 
  which almost defies belief.
  It is said that he knows the name and career record of every 
  single one of his security personnel. A career corporate, it 
  is rumoured that he has close ties with the 3rd Syndicate, 
  although he remains characteristically tight lipped and the 
  3rd's are certainly saying nothing.
  the power 125
  
  TRILHOEVEN
  Status: Territory owning macrocorp
  Headquarters: Konkret
  Product(s)/Service(s): Armaments, battlefield electronics, 
  vehicles, security services and consultation.
  OVERVIEW
  Most militant of the macrocorps, Trilhoeven also presents the 
  most outwardly secretive face to the world. All company facili-
  ties are built in a style which one commentator wryly referred 
  to as ‘bunker chic’. Trilhoeven is one of the main suppliers to 
  many security and militant organisations and its weapons, 
  armour and security systems can be found city-wide.
  Serious analysts rank Trilhoeven as the most powerful of the 
  eight macrocorps, making it the most powerful organisation in 
  The City. The corporation is not unaware of its position and 
  more often than not uses its financial and military muscle to 
  get its way. Many communities have found Trilhoeven facilities 
  springing up in their neighbourhood without so much as a by-
  your-leave. The other macrocorps seem happy to let Trilhoeven 
  carry on in this manner, biding their time, watching. 
  Aside from its militancy, Trilhoeven is a massive employer, 
  bringing succor and shelter to tens of thousands. This does 
  not come without a price: conditions in the smokey, ill-lit fac-
  tories are amongst the worst in any macrocorporate facilities, 
  earning them a reputation for insanitary conditions and colos-
  sal injury rates. However, with a teeming population begging 
  for employment, Trilhoeven cares little for the welfare of 
  its workers. They are packed into reeking towerblocks and 
  flats, often with two or three families crammed into each tiny 
  apartment. When virulent diseases break out in the workers 
  housing (which they do with alarming frequency), Trilhoeven 
  simply blocks off the entrances and exits with cordons of 
  troops and waits for the disease to run its course. When 
  the last of the infected are so raddled with disease they are 
  unable to move, flamethrower equipped units are sent in to 
  'cleanse' the affected buildings before scores of new workers 
  desperate for housing are brought in.
  ORGANISATION
  The affairs of Trilhoeven are overseen by an eleven person 
  corporate board, chosen from the highest-ranking executives 
  within the company structure. These officials vote for one of 
  their number to be Chief Executive Officer, a post which is 
  held for 3 years at a time. The current incumbent of this office 
  is Tyron Weller, androgynous scion of the powerful Weller 
  family.
  SECURITY FORCES
  Trilhoeven maintains vast numbers of corporate militant forc-
  es, stationing them about its facilities in massive and obvious 
  numbers. Despite this, it is not the regular troopers who are 
  feared by the workers and the population at large, but the 
  secretive and ruthless Grauschjager. The Grauschjager can 
  be likened to a combination of secret police, internal affairs 
  and special forces unit. They are Trilhoevens most elite secu-
  rity/paramilitary unit and they have a fearsome reputation 
  for ruthlessness, cunning and efficiency. When seen by the 
  public, they are always dressed in heavy, ankle length, dark 
  grey coats and unadorned military style caps. No badges 
  of name, unit or rank are ever visible on their forbidding 
  uniform. Very little is really known about the unit, except that 
  they have recognisance to operate as both an internal and 
  external security force and have seeming carte blanche to 
  use any methods they wish.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Beezer Holmes
  Age: 32
  Height/Build: 6' 4"/Skinny
  Eye/Hair Colour: Dark blue/Black
  Occupation: Combat engineer
  Affiliations: Trilhoeven
  Pre-eminent in Trilhoeven for his architectural and engineer-
  ing skills, Holmes is a man in demand. Specialising in the 
  design of military buildings and equipment, he has helped 
  the macrocorp turn out some of the best and most durable 
  combat systems in The City over the last decade. Despite his 
  occupation, he is a quiet, modest man, slightly unworldly, 
  seemingly unaware of the violent uses which his creations 
  are put to.
  Highly regarded by the top echelons of the company, some 
  people discount him a slightly effete, naïve individual of little 
  or no worth. Then they learn of his reputation. This bookish 
  young man has the ear of some very powerful figures, to 
  insult or demean him would be an astonishingly bad move, 
  and a swift visit from the Grauschjager would most likely fol-
  low: a hard lesson in respect.
  the power 126
  
  Minor Companies
  FIREFINGER
  Status: Independent corporation
  Headquarters: 208-217 Rue Pascal, Calculus Tor
  Product(s)/Service(s): Dingin software
  OVERVIEW
  A fiercely independent small corporation, Firefinger have 
  positioned themselves at the leading edge of dingin software 
  development. Disliked by some for their seemingly close ties 
  to Arclight, the company is seen as a prime target for a hostile 
  takeover. Firefinger supplied much of the offensive software 
  used by Arclight forces against Hirplakker during the Hundred 
  Block War, software which has now found its way on to the 
  open market, much to the dismay of the larger corporations.
  The company has concentrated much of it’s activity into 
  producing cutting edge combat programmes for micro and 
  nano-scale dingins. Their sophisticated pattern recognition 
  programmes helped to improve the targeting sensor capa-
  bilities of Arclight Tentenel troops and their high speed code 
  generating software has also proved extremely popular 
  amongst a wide spectrum of users.
  In the wider marketplace, the company is mainly known for 
  its codebreaking/generating programmes, much beloved of 
  flowghosts across The City. Their ‘HyperCypher’ series of 
  microtapes have been bought, hacked, copied and modified 
  by flowghosts far and wide. Indeed, what was originally 
  Firefinger software forms the basis of much of the basic arse-
  nal of cryptologists across The City.
  ORGANISATION
  Firefinger are, much to the dismay of many of their custom-
  ers, a pretty chaotic and disorganised company. No one is 
  entirely sure who is in charge. When asked, some point at 
  Trishe Maden, the senior software developer, whilst others 
  will casually wave in the direction of Kent Uls, sometime sales 
  director and marketing executive at large. 
  Despite the chaos, everyone in the company seems to know 
  what they are doing and when they are meant to do it. 
  Their rambling, slightly shabby office and labs in Calculus 
  Tor are not the kind of premises that immediately inspire 
  confidence. Developed from an old three story tenement 
  block, they have something of an organic style about them, 
  with bubbletents, dormer rooms and greenhouses tacked on 
  to walls and roofs. Fibrelines and gel-feed lines run every-
  where, the air is alive with the clicking and clattering of 
  various dingins, from massive old macroscales to the latest in 
  experimental nanoscale models kindly provided by some of 
  their more generous macrocorporate clients.
  SECURITY FORCES
  Firefinger does not maintain a standing security force but 
  has an extended contract with the up and coming Eisenblitz 
  militant corporation to provide security for its buildings and 
  personnel. 
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  Trishe Maden, Senior Software Developer
  Age: 29
  Height/Build: 5' 10"/slim
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Blond
  Occupation: Software designer
  Affiliations: Firefinger
  One of the driving forces behind Firefinger's current success, 
  Maden has been the subject of more job offers, attempted 
  kidnappings, bungled assassinations and botched bribes 
  than almost any other individual in The City. Arclight have 
  made no secret of the fact that they would dearly love to 
  have her working for them, leading to the other macrocorps 
  being pretty certain that they want her too, even if they’re not 
  sure why. Constantly shadowed by some of the best opera-
  tives Eisenblitz has to offer, she’s come through all relatively 
  unscathed.
  Developer of the original ‘Rumbled!’ pattern recognition 
  software and one of the main continuing developers on 
  ‘HyperCypher’ (currently on v178.8), she is relatively self-
  effacing about her abilities. However, when she gets drunk, 
  she is less than modest about her abilities and will brag at 
  length about how she helped Arclight win the Hundred Block 
  War. A very noticeable scar on her left cheek is the result of 
  making just such a boast in the presence of an ex-Hirplakker 
  trooper who happened to be in her Eisenblitz entourage at 
  the time. 
  the power 127
  
  Iron Hand Security
  Status: Militant organisation
  Headquarters: Furstein House, 23-27 Hoffman Strasse, 
  Sleeping Vale
  Product(s)/Service(s): Protection, extraction, contract 
  combat forces
  ORGANISATION
  One of the oldest of the currently extant militant organisa-
  tions, Iron Hand Security have established a reputation for 
  ruthless efficiency and brutal adherence to the wishes of 
  their employers. Organised along strictly military lines, the 
  company prospers by never refusing to take on a contract, 
  no matter how inimical the situation involved may prove 
  to be. This has, at times, led to the decimation of large 
  numbers of Iron Hand Security (IHS) troops (the destruction 
  caused by the Border Canal Rights Dispute twenty three 
  years ago has not yet been forgotten) and the loss of valu-
  able material. However, because of their reputation, IHS 
  can charge fees which are well above the normal rates for 
  militant organisations.
  Most Iron Hand troopers are culled from various prisons, 
  mental asylums and deep slums and are trained to the peak 
  of physical fitness. Nothing is done to remove any edge of 
  criminal behaviour or psychosis; these are seen as positive 
  attributes in their line of work. Indeed, Iron Hand is one of 
  the few active militant organisations to offer suicide troops on 
  its roster of services.
  The level of equipment supplied to the troops varies accord-
  ing to the wishes of the client and the needs of the mission. 
  While they do have access to limited numbers of hitech 
  weapons, troopers are, in the main, equipped with basic 
  cartridge rifles and pistols. Certain special troops such as 
  snipers are routinely equipped with the latest hitech weap-
  ons, purchased at ruinous cost from macrocorps such as 
  Trilhoeven. 
  Current commander of field operations for Iron Hand is 
  Major Scott Nicholas, a veteran of twenty-five years service 
  and one of the few troopers to survive the disastrous Border 
  Canal Rights Dispute. An extreme paranoid sociopath, Major 
  Nicholas takes an obsessive, and some would say intrusive, 
  interest in all field affairs. His sudden visits to Iron Hand 
  units stationed around The City are well known. His other 
  obsession is the maintenance of the organisations aging and 
  decrepit air fleet. Currently, the fleet consists of three cargo 
  aerostats, the oldest of which is over two hundred years old, 
  and two mikefighters. When things go wrong with the air 
  fleet, he has been know to summarily execute the mainte-
  nance personnel. This does not make him a popular figure 
  amongst the technical troops. 
  SECURITY FORCES
  The manpower of Iron Hand is in a constant state of flux, 
  depending on the contracts currently engaged in and the 
  success of recent recruiting campaigns. Even when large 
  numbers of recruits have been brought on board, this is no 
  guarantee that losses will be made up. Due to the nature of 
  the people that the company employs, a large proportion of 
  potential troopers do not survive basic training or a deemed 
  just too unstable or dangerous for employment. This usually 
  results in the individual being sent back to the institution or 
  slum that they came from or, on occasion, dumped out on 
  the streets.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  MAJOR SCOTT NICHOLAS
  Age: 40
  Height/Build: 6' 2"/Well-muscled
  Eye/Hair Colour: No one ever looks him in the eyes/Brown
  Occupation: Militant officer
  Affiliations: Iron Hand Militant Group
  Obsessed with military hardware and more than a little 
  paranoid, Major Nicholas runs field operations for Iron hand 
  with, well, an iron hand. Board members of the company 
  would be more than happy to see the Major removed from 
  his post but are extremely wary about incurring the wrath of 
  this highly unstable individual. His instability can be traced 
  to a lifetime of constant danger and exposure to stressful 
  combat situations.
  As a survivor of the Border Canal Rights Dispute, that disas-
  trous campaign is still cast up to him as an example of Iron 
  Hand's 'victory at all costs' policy. Even though he was only 
  a very young trooper at the time, he remains very sensitive 
  about the subject and mentioning it in his presence can result 
  in something similar to controlled demolition. 
  the power 128
  
  the power 129
  
  Pan-urban Organisations
  The Ancient & Honourable Guild of 
  Fulgurators
  Status: Pan-urban guild
  Headquarters: CrossBar Terminus, Fogwarren
  Product(s)/Service(s): Power production and rail trans-
  port
  Overview
  Claiming to be the oldest organisation of any kind in The 
  City, the Ancient & Honourable Guild of Fulgurators certainly 
  has a long and interesting history, even if their claim to have 
  pre-Shift origins is derided as somewhat spurious. The Guild's 
  main business is generating and supplying power to various 
  parts of The City, in direct competition with the might of GRID. 
  However, compared with the macrocorporations, the Guild 
  is a ramshackle, archaic organisation stumbling along, ever 
  threatening to fall apart at the seams. 
  The power production facilities of the Guild are as timeworn 
  and ramshackle as the order itself. Ranging from failing, 
  frequently broken, centuries old fusion reactors to clusters of 
  wind turbines, the Guild sells power to industries and burghs 
  who cannot afford the charges laid down by GRID. The Guild 
  also has wide-ranging interests in other areas, controlling the 
  railways which twine through The City, providing transport 
  services and hiring out Guild members as ‘consultants’. As 
  previously discussed, the railways are just as ramshackle as 
  any other element of the Guild, a crumbling, overlapping 
  network of overhead and underground lines, all coming 
  together at the Guild headquarters of CrossBar Terminus in 
  the seething, mist shrouded depths of Fogwarren burgh.
  Guild members themselves are a disparate bunch: some 
  members come from families who have been in the service of 
  the Guild for generations, others join because of a desire for 
  supposedly arcane knowledge, or for the simpler reason of a 
  place to sleep and something to belong to. Often portrayed 
  in The City as a misogynistic, quasi-monastical institution, the 
  Guild actually accepts both male and female members, mak-
  ing distinction only in terms of technical ability and length of 
  service. Whilst it is true that members refer to each other as 
  ‘Brother’, there is no ‘glass ceiling’ preventing female mem-
  bers rising to the upper echelons of the organisation. Indeed, 
  there have been many female Masters of the Guild in the 
  past. Uniformly clad in their heavy, rubberised, insulated 
  black coats, dark goggles and thick gloves, Guild members 
  can present a somewhat intimidating sight. Most brothers are 
  scarred or burned in some way, a relic of having to deal with 
  miles of corroded cabling and dangerously unpredictable 
  generating mechanisms.
  Revered amongst the ordinary members are those brothers 
  chosen to act as train crews on the vast railway network. It is 
  seen as a position of great responsibility and singular honour. 
  Out of all those who work on the railways, only the train 
  crews are themselves members of the Guild. Conductors, 
  ticket collectors and Transit Militia, while employed by the 
  Guild, are not permitted to become members, unless it is 
  under very special circumstances.
  Organisation
  Such is the complex nature of the Guild, no one person can 
  be said to control the entire teetering edifice. In nominal (very 
  nominal, in fact) charge of the Guild is the Master of the 
  Order, a position endowed with considerable power, respect 
  and responsibility. The Master is supposed to represent the 
  Guild at all official functions, such as meetings of the Council, 
  and be spokesman for the Guild on all matters of City-wide 
  importance. Below the Master are the many layers of Guild 
  bureaucracy, down through Commissioners, High Electricians, 
  Sub-masters of the Forge, Fusioneers Depute, Senior Brothers 
  and right on down through to ordinary brothers.
  The only non-Guild members to have a say in important mat-
  ters are the senior officers of the Transit Militia. As the de 
  facto security arm and paramilitary wing of the Guild, they 
  wield a substantial amount of power, being able to influence 
  key decisions and even, at times, dictate Guild policy.
  Security forces
  The Guild maintains order through the Transit Militia. Aside 
  from the Militia, many other brothers are trained in the use 
  of weapons, rather unsurprising given the somewhat militant 
  and distrusting outlook of the Guild. It is also rumoured that 
  the Guild maintains a substantial cache of ancient, possibly 
  non-functional, but allegedly deadly weapons at a secret 
  location somewhere in The City. Known only as 'The Keep', 
  this secret arsenal seems never to be officially discussed with-
  in the Guild and is the subject of rampant rumour and debate 
  within the lower orders. Even the macrocorps have become 
  interested in the stories of The Keep, but their centuries long 
  investigations have so far yielded little, if any, concrete infor-
  mation on this mysterious phantom.
  the power 130
  
  Highlighted Personality
  Senior Brother Almayer Grudd
  Age: 42
  Height/Build: 6' 1"/Wiry
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Bald
  Occupation: Guild enforcer
  Affiliations: Ancient & Honourable Guild of Fulgurators, 
  Transit Militia
  Enforcer, troubleshooter and all-round hardcase, Grudd is the 
  Guild’s man-on-the-spot in situations where things are getting a 
  bit heated. Adept at sorting things out via negotiation, coercion 
  or even outright violence, he is a man feared by even the most 
  hardened officers of the Transit Militia. When Grudd appears 
  on the scene, you can be sure that things are going to get 
  resolved very quickly and possibly not to your advantage.
  Clad in the same black uniform as other Guild Brothers, 
  Grudd packs a surprisingly diverse array of weaponry 
  beneath his insulated coat. From sparklocks to magnetic 
  repeater SMGs, he has armament for every conceivable 
  occasion. Aside from his martial prowess, he is also a skilled 
  orator, negotiator and debater, adept at spinning a web of 
  argument, counter-argument and deceit. Most who have a 
  verbal encounter with him come away feeling that, no mat-
  ter how strongly they have argued their position, they have 
  somehow been backed into a corner and forced to change 
  their views.
  None within the Guild feel safe in the presence of Almayer 
  Grudd, although none can doubt that he has saved the 
  reputation of this fractious, perfidious and terminally unstable 
  organisation on many occasions.
  THE CRYPT
  Status: ?
  Headquarters: ?
  Product(s)/Service(s): None
  OVERVIEW
  A shadowy organisation, only rumoured to exist. Legend has 
  it that The Crypt controls everything in the city, from the gangs 
  right up to the macrocorps. Other rumours indicate that The 
  Crypt is somehow connected with The Shifted. Whatever 
  the story, nobody actually knows anybody who even met 
  someone who could confirm the existence of The Crypt. It is 
  largely discounted by the more 'rational' inhabitants of The 
  City and is often used as a threat by parents to their children, 
  "Behave, or The Crypt will come for you".
  ORGANISATION
  Unknown. Many rumours and folklore abound about the 
  organisation of The Crypt, from it being a cabal of macrocor-
  porate executives in league with The Shifted to and unholy 
  alliance of religious and criminal figures bent on enslaving 
  the population of The City. Suffice to say, The Crypt remains 
  to this day nothing more than an intangible phantom.
  SECURITY FORCES
  Unknown.
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  None.
  The Transit Militia
  Status: Pan-urban organisation
  Headquarters: CrossBar Terminus, Fogwarren
  Product(s)/Service(s): Railway network security
  Overview
  The brutal, thuggish, quasi-military arm of the Ancient 
  and Honourable Guild of Fulgurators, the Transit Militia 
  are charged with keeping law and order on the railways. 
  Approaching their task with scarcely concealed relish, they 
  are a harsh, authoritarian group whose activities sometimes 
  bring embarrassment to the entire guild. First appearing as 
  a coherent force over three hundred years ago, they have 
  evolved over time into the sprawling police organisation that 
  they are now recognised as. 
  Whilst some individuals within the militia are dedicated, hard 
  working law enforcers, many officers are vicious ruffians, 
  attracted by the thought of being able to openly carry weap-
  ons and subject weaker citizens to violence and humiliation. 
  the power 131
  
  Indeed, the vast majority of militiamen (and women) are little 
  more than bullys. Clad in their rough grey greatcosts and 
  stern peaked caps, the militia present a stern, forbidding face 
  to the world. Their bulky garments are padded in order to 
  increase the intimidation factor and their hats cast concealing 
  shadows over their eyes. The copper badge of the militia sits 
  on the left breast of the coat, displaying the seal of the Transit 
  Militia and the officers number. 
  While being a sadistic, cruel organisation, the militia are, in 
  fact, underfunded, undermanned and poorly paid. Most offi-
  cers carry sparklocks which they have purchased themselves, 
  and it is very rare to meet a militiaman with anything more 
  hitech. Their uniforms are ancient and threadbare, handed 
  down through the generations, repeatedly darned, patched 
  and repaired. 
  Structure 
  Nominally controlled from the sprawling structure that is 
  CrossBar Terminus, local militia operations at each of the sta-
  tions along the railway line is pretty much left up to the deci-
  sion of the commander on the spot. Most of the militia forces 
  at the stations are commanded by an Inspector or a Sergeant 
  if the station is particularly small or insignificant. Manpower 
  can range from one or two constables, right up to forces num-
  bering twenty or more for particularly busy stations. Overall 
  operations on a single railway line are overseen by  a Chief 
  Inspector, whose powers are both considerable and variable. 
  Militiamen are often to be seen riding the railways, travelling 
  on carriages with the passengers, keeping an eye on things, 
  checking tickets, watching out for vandals. Then again, some 
  commanders choose to keep their men solely within the con-
  fines of the station, ignoring crimes against passengers on the 
  trains. At the top of the Transit Militia are the Superintendents, 
  a group of men and women of variable number who report 
  directly to the High and Exalted Council of the Guild.
  Enforcement Policy
  There is one crime which ranks above all others in the eyes 
  of the Transit Militia. A crime so heinous that it turns the stom-
  achs of ordinary militiamen. A crime which, if left unchecked, 
  could devastate the railway system; dodging the fare. The 
  militia have an almost pathological hatred of fare dodgers. 
  If someone fails to produce a ticket, they are arrested and 
  given a brutal beating as well as being fined. If they run, the 
  militia open fire. It’s the law of the railway that runners get 
  shot. Other serious crimes are damaging the railway mecha-
  nisms, interfering with an officer in the execution of his duty 
  and causing the trains to run late. With so much discretion in 
  the hands of individual station commanders, application of 
  the laws of the railway is variable in the extreme. 
  Highlighted Personality
  Inspector Irina Hasek
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 4"/stocky
  Eye/Hair Colour: Grey/Grey
  Occupation: Transit Militia officer
  Affiliations: Transit Militia, The Ancient and Honourable 
  Guild of Fulgurators, The Mortal God Church
  Officer in charge of the Folly Hills Central station, Inspector 
  Hasek has fifteen militiamen under her command. A rigorous, 
  by-the-book officer, she runs her little force with the greatest 
  precision and remarkable efficiency. Regarded as something of 
  a nitpicker and pedant by the officers under her command, she 
  demands the best from her platoon, insisting on smart turnout 
  at all times. In truth, Inspector Hasek has strong views about 
  the dignity of the militia as a organisation and is not quite the 
  typical senior officer. Despite being in one of the rougher areas 
  of Folly Hills, Folly Hills Central is kept immaculately clean and 
  tidy, the ordinary Guild staff being coerced by Hasek into 
  working by her rules. Despite her stern demeanour, she is a 
  warm, thoughtful woman, given much to speculation and deep 
  thought. She also writes awful poetry, regaling passers by with 
  badly composed verses in bastardised iambic pentameter.
  Despite their back-room grumblings, the militiamen have 
  a certain fondness of Inspector Hasek. Her methods have 
  gained the Transit Militia slightly more goodwill and respect 
  in the area, a massive change from the atmosphere of fear 
  and resentment that usually surrounds militia activities.
  the power 132
  
  Religious Groups
  religion and cultism
  The City is a fertile seedbed for all manner of religious 
  and quasi-religious organisations. Millenarian cults, animist 
  klatches and apocalyptic suicide sects all play their part in 
  the decaying tapestry of life. Religion is a vital part of life 
  for many people, providing them with a bulwark against the 
  horrors of everyday life. It provides the column which gives 
  them strength in a horrible, dark place. 
  Millenarian Groups
  By the common reckoning, The Bombardment and The Shift 
  occurred 997 City-years ago. This means that it is nearly one 
  thousand years since the terrible events which so shaped life 
  in The City. In recent decades, there has been an explosive 
  rise in the number of sects whose beliefs are centred on 
  the upcoming millennium. Groups such as this have always 
  existed, most of them believing that there is a thousand-year 
  cycle of destruction, chaos and re-building. However, as 
  the thousand-year mark draws closer, many more extreme 
  groups have sprung into being, with views and practices 
  that challenge even the hardened sensibilities of The City. 
  Most common are groups which believe another Shift is on 
  the way and that they alone hold the key to living through 
  the event. Sacrifice, torture and self-mutilation are hallmarks 
  of these sects. Believers generally have tenets that revolve 
  around extreme practices, practices which guarantee their 
  survival during the next Shift.
  One of the most radical of the millenarian groups are the 
  Soldiers of Change. They are almost exclusively made up of 
  veterans of the ongoing conflict in the Contested Grounds, 
  most of them driven to the edge of insanity (and beyond) by 
  their experiences. Having a strict code of martial discipline 
  and religious observance, their rigorously regimented hier-
  archy demands that any transgressions are punishable by 
  death and all orders from the senior officers must be followed 
  to the absolute letter, even if it means death or injury for the 
  soldiers concerned. Their central belief is that only through 
  martial virtue and discipline will man be prepared for the 
  trials of the next Shift. Unsurprisingly, the Contested Grounds 
  have become the spiritual home of the Soldiers of Change, 
  a place where they learn to master themselves and indulge 
  their compulsion to kill. Driven by their nightmares and per-
  sonal demons, they see most people as traitors, infiltrators, 
  spies, an enemy to be rooted out, tortured and executed. The 
  Soldiers of Change are a dangerous, violent and unstable 
  group of people (probably amounting to no more than a few 
  hundred individuals) who could, if they desired, wreak major 
  havoc in The City.
  Macrotists
  Some citizens choose strange idols to worship. To many 
  people, those who belong to the macrocorps are beautiful 
  figures who come down from on high, dressed in wonder-
  ful finery, skin unblemished by soot or pollution, beautiful in 
  every aspect. Macrocorporate worship assumes many forms, 
  from idolisation of a particular figure or product, to a build-
  ing or even the organisation itself. Within all of this, there a 
  two distinct types of worship: spontaneous and conceived.
  Spontaneous worship (as the name would suggest) arises 
  naturally, as individuals or small groups start to hold certain 
  aspects of macrocorporate life as the acme of existence or 
  examples of the divine. In recent years, one of the most nota-
  ble aspects of spontaneous worship is that associated with 
  Luminosity Tower, the headquarters of Arclight. So impressive 
  is the building, shining with an almost heavenly glow, that 
  many have come to believe that it has indeed been divinely 
  inspired. Some choose to believe that the structure itself was 
  created by a deity figure, others choose to believe that, 
  although built by men, the tower is a symbol of holiness and 
  divine wisdom.
  Conceived worship is an altogether different matter. Some 
  elements within the macrocorps noted the existence of corpo-
  rate worship and decided that such beliefs could be valuable 
  to their interests. Through various means, certain macrocorp 
  interests manipulate people into macrotism. Some choose to 
  'plant' individuals who preach belief in certain divine aspects 
  of the company, whilst others choose subtle manipulation via 
  television and the media. Others choose even more insidious 
  methods, such as drug manipulation of entire workforces to 
  make them susceptible to religious suggestion. Whatever the 
  means, worshipping macrocorps has become a part of life 
  in The City. Although fractured and disparate, the number 
  of believers steadily grows, becoming ever stronger as the 
  years roll by.
  Animism
  Some within The City hold the belief that natural objects, 
  places and even The City itself have a 'spirit', a binding force 
  which unifies all things. Most animists or groups of animists 
  have differing views on what exactly constitutes a 'spirit' and 
  how it is manifested, yet all adhere to the same basic beliefs. 
  Animists quite often receive revelations from the spirits in 
  the power 133
  
  the form of dreams and visions, often connected with the 
  presence of a particular things or place. Some areas in The 
  City have attracted large numbers of animists to live in and 
  around them. The Forest and Central Park are both popular 
  locations, due to their bountiful natural resources. Much of 
  the time, the authorities in these areas tolerate people build-
  ing tiny shrines under trees or next to flowering shrubs. They 
  realise that the believers are highly unlike to damage the 
  objects which they venerate and are, in most cases, more 
  likely to tend the item in question. There are some cases 
  where animists stray dangerously close to Shift worshippers 
  and there is some cross-fertilisation of belief between the two. 
  Some of the more extreme animist sects see The Shifted as 
  spirits of The City, to be worshipped and communed with. 
  This, from any reasonable standpoint, is a fairly bad idea 
  which can only end in trouble.
  One of the more notable and widespread animist religions 
  are the Greenkeepers. Each Greenkeeper worships their 
  own personal plant, which they must tend and respect. 
  Each plant is grown from a cutting taken from a gigantic, 
  ancient tree which grows at a secret location somewhere in 
  The City. Only the inner circle of believers know where the 
  tree is located and they guard it with a fierce determination. 
  Members of the religion believe that by tending for the plant, 
  there is a two-way process which benefits both the plant and 
  the tender. There may be a certain amount of truth in this, as 
  Greenkeepers tend to be marginally happier and better bal-
  anced than your average citizen.
  Apocalyptic Cults
  Often confused with some of the millenarian groups, most 
  apocalyptic cults believe that The Shift and The Bombardment 
  were a literal apocalypse and that the world, as it existed 
  prior to these events, no longer exists. In many senses, this 
  is true. Life in The City is radically changed from what it 
  once was; it is now a cauldron of social problems gone 
  hopelessly insane. These cults believe that the inhabitants 
  of The City are literally living in a hell. Some of their beliefs 
  are not so far removed from the tenets of the Third Church 
  of God The Architect. Indeed, some apocalyptic cults are 
  splinter factions of the Third Church. These cults vary in the 
  extreme in their beliefs. Some believe that as the populace 
  has been condemned to hell, then it must be because man-
  kind is essentially evil and deserves as much punishment as 
  possible. In a contrary view, some believe that the only way 
  to release mankind from this apocalyptic state is by doing 
  good, by exhibiting kindness and compassion. This view is 
  exemplified by the Children of Beneficent Compassion and 
  Blessed Relief. Although not very widespread, they run a 
  number of poorhouses, orphanages, hospitals and schools in 
  an attempt to bring succour and assistance to as many poor 
  souls as possible.  Taking a opposite line to the Children 
  are the Despondent Brothers, a quasi-monastic group which 
  believe that extreme penitence through starvation, flagella-
  tion and self-mutilation are they key to achieving external 
  rest. Needless to say, the Brothers attract the more unusual 
  citizens of The City into their fold, sadists, masochists, the 
  insane and the hopelessly weak-willed.
  Shift Worship
  Disturbed, deranged and quite possibly demented. This is the 
  common perception of those who worship and adore Shifted 
  beings, venerating them as deities. However, the truth is, if 
  anything, even more disturbing. Not all Shifted worshippers 
  are the deranged lunatics of popular folklore, sacrificing 
  themselves in bloody services and ending their miserable lives 
  in a frenzy of destruction. Many see the power of The Shifted 
  as a key to greater power for themselves. Respected citizens, 
  powerful executives and admired sportsmen and women have 
  been know to be followers of The Shifted, worshipping them 
  for their own ends. In truth, worshipping The Shifted is danger-
  ous; at best, a path to insanity, at worst, a road to death. The 
  incomprehensible nature of The Shifted makes dealing with 
  them a shaky proposition, one founded on misunderstanding, 
  confusion and hatred. If The Shifted do, in their own way, 
  decide to 'assist' worshippers, it is usually for their own mysteri-
  ous ends rather than for the ends of the worshippers. Yet, many 
  still flock to the underground churches, the darkened back 
  rooms, the secluded courtyards to pray and beseech in the 
  hope of attracting those whom they fear and venerate.
  THE MORTAL GOD CHURCH
  Status: Citywide religious organisation
  Headquarters: The Empty Shrine
  Membership: Estimated to be 3 - 5% of the population of 
  The City
  Overview
  The second largest organised religion in the city, The Mortal 
  God Church is deeply factionalised and ridden with schisms. 
  Whilst all sharing the same main tenets, the four main factions 
  all furiously stick to their own interpretation of the Churches 
  beliefs. The core of these beliefs is that God has died and 
  that man is now alone. It was Gods death which caused 
  The Shift and imprisoned mankind in this city. However, the 
  four main factions all have different theories on why exactly 
  God died.
  the power 134
  
  The Mans Folly faction
  Most powerful of the four factions, the Mans Folly faction 
  believe it was the evil of man and a lack of spirituality in 
  humanity as whole which caused God to die. Sect members 
  believe that man must atone for his mistakes if a New God 
  is to be born into the universe and allow man to leave his 
  imprisonment in The City.
  The Unfair Universe faction
  Ridiculed by the other factions and derided for being simplis-
  tic and trite, the Unfair Universe faction preaches that God 
  died and The Shift occurred because that's just life, and life 
  can be really unfair to man at times. They believe that there 
  is no going back, that man will just have to learn to cope on 
  his own and get on with things as best they can.
  The Godless Incursors faction
  The Godless Incursors faction present the most controversial 
  (in the eyes of the other factions) theory on why God died. 
  They believe that a race other than humanity managed, 
  through twisted science and evil machinations, to kill the 
  Supreme Being. Man can therefore rest easy in the knowl-
  edge that there was little that could be done to prevent this. 
  However, sect members must always be on the lookout for 
  Incursor activity, ready to defend humanity if they return to 
  carry on their evil work.
  The Triumph of Evil faction
  The Shifted are to blame. The Shift was not the result of Gods 
  death, but what caused His death. The Shifted beings, by 
  creating The Shift, killed God and therefore allowed evil to 
  triumph. Sect members violently hate The Shifted, blaming 
  them for the current plight of mankind, actively attempting to 
  destroy The Shifted, in an attempt to cleanse The City and 
  allow a new God to come to the fore.
  Organisation
  Technically, all the factions of the Church come under the 
  control of the Arch Propagator of The Faith. However, in real-
  ity, this is most certainly not the case. While the adherents of 
  the Mans Folly faction have for a long time been the most 
  powerful of the factions and have therefore elected the Arch 
  Propagator, this august personage really only has authority 
  over those within his own faction. The schismatic factions all 
  elect their own Arch Propagator, each one of them claiming 
  to be the true spiritual leader of the entire Church. If truth be 
  known, many followers of the Church are desperate to see an 
  end to this factional infighting and divisive bickering. They wish 
  to see a unified, strong Mortal God Church, with the ability 
  to challenge the dominance of the Third Church of God The 
  Architect. These followers have organised themselves into the 
  ‘All Together Now’ group, a cross factional talking-shop and 
  force for change (or so they believe). Many of the more zeal-
  ous factional members believe the ‘All Together Now’ group 
  to be a bunch of dangerous radicals who wish to drag the 
  Church into dark age of ignorance.
  Overall, each faction follows similar organisational lines, with 
  the Arch Propagator at the top and the lesser members of 
  the Church following a sliding scale of influence and respect. 
  Just below the Arch Propagator are the handful of Demi-
  Propagators, below them are Learned Propagators, Revered 
  Propagators and at the bottom, the lowly Propagators, the 
  rank and file priests of the Church.
  Security Forces
  Unlike the Third Church of God The Architect, the Mortal 
  God Church has little in the way of an armed force. However, 
  many members of the laity and even some members of the 
  priesthood go armed, mainly to protect themselves from 
  attacks by other factions.
  Highlighted Personality
  Learned Propagator Myron Linebarger
  Age: 43
  Height/Build: 6' 4"/muscular
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Bald
  Occupation: Propagator of The Mortal God Church
  Affiliations: The Mortal God Church (Triumph of Evil fac-
  tion), The Hohler Gang
  Former streetfighter, mugger, petty criminal, sometime pit-
  fighter and all round ne’erdowell, religion caught up with 
  Myron Linebarger late in life. His moment of epiphany came 
  whilst languishing in a dank cell in Fogwarren, having been 
  arrested for some minor infraction of local law. While he 
  remains silent as to what caused his conversion, he emerged 
  from captivity with a new found zeal and desire to carry out 
  good works. Since then, he has been an ardent member of 
  the Triumph of Evil faction of the Church, rising to the rank 
  of Learned Propagator, with a roving portfolio covering any-
  where he chooses to go within The City. A rock-like bruiser 
  of a man, Linebarger preaches with a confidence and piety 
  that proves the old maxim that there’s none so righteous as 
  the converted. In his fifteen years of service to the Church, he 
  has scarcely put a foot wrong, even going so far as to bring 
  some of his erstwhile criminal colleagues into the fold. Such is 
  the power of his oratory, other factions are beginning to see 
  him as a threat, such is his ability to sway the mob and gain 
  conversions.
  the power 135
  
  The Shining Sky
  Status: City-wide religious organisation
  Headquarters: The Observatory, Shore Ditch Warrens
  Membership: Estimated to be between 1 and 5% of the 
  population of The City
  Overview
  One of the more recent manifestations of the desire for an 
  explanation of the situation which The City finds itself in, the 
  Shining Sky religion has gathered a remarkable number of 
  devotees in a relatively short space of time. Originating as 
  just another small sect, meeting in the shambles of Shore 
  Ditch Warrens, it has grown over the last few decades into a 
  belief system adhered to by a substantial number of people 
  of a wide variety of social classes.
  The basic belief of the religion is that The City is encapsulated 
  in a bubble (hence the reason no one can leave), wrenched 
  from it’s position in the base earth and placed in a crystal 
  sphere for the edification of the unseen but omnipotent 
  Observers. On the rare occasions when the night sky can 
  be seen, the twinkling lights are the eyes of the ever pres-
  ent Observers, watching with amusements the comings and 
  goings of the citizens of The City. The daytime sun is a power-
  ful light shone by the Observers to illuminate their subjects.
  Some have pointed out that the basic notion of the religion is 
  on somewhat shaky foundations, as the barren wastes of The 
  Outlands prove. Believers decry this as foolishness, pointing out 
  that as no one can leave The City, The Outlands must be an 
  illusion placed there by the Observers to test the reactions of 
  their subjects. Most outsiders sigh at this point and walk away, 
  feeling that there is no point in arguing with deep-seated faith. 
  Derided by both the Third Church of God The Architect and 
  the Mortal God Church (both much larger and, as they see 
  it, more worthy religions) for being naïve, simplistic and 
  downright unbelievable (which is exactly what large numbers 
  of people say about the Third Church and the Mortal God 
  Church), the Shining Sky rides out the frequent pot-shots taken 
  at it with a smugness and sense of self-worth which borders 
  on the intolerable. In fact, it is the sheer smugness and self-
  regard which the Shining Sky breeds within its believers that 
  irritates most people. Members often pontificate at length 
  about the arcane knowledge which has been passed down 
  to them through the ages. This is considered a bit rich coming 
  from a sect which has only been in existence for about six 
  decades (give or take a few years here and there).
  Organisation
  The Shining Sky is non-hierarchical to the point of manic 
  obsession. Believers in a given area organise themselves into 
  ‘watch groups’, each group carefully maintaining their own 
  Holy Telescope through which they can watch the heavens 
  and hopefully gain some insight into the activities of the 
  Observers. They gather together to watch, pray and offer 
  mutual support or relate any recent revelations they may have 
  had regarding the purpose of the Observers. Each member 
  carries a notebook and pen with them everywhere they go, 
  ready to note any insights they may have or to record any 
  observations made through the Holy Telescope.
  Security Forces
  Pacifistic in the extreme, Shining Sky members are forbidden 
  by the Holy Tenets from carrying weapons of any kind. This 
  frequently leads to watch groups being the target for rob-
  bery, muggings and assorted petty theft.
  Highlighted Personality
  July Middenthatch
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Brown 
  Occupation: Priest
  Affiliations: The Shining Sky
  A long time devotee of the Shining Sky, July balances her life 
  as a dingin software developer with her religious beliefs in 
  a highly precarious fashion. Continually teased by her col-
  leagues, she spends most of her off duty hours at the eyepiece 
  of her watch groups Holy Telescope, watching the night sky 
  and meticulously taking notes on what she sees through the 
  scratched and fogged lens. Recently, however, she has been 
  spending more and more time looking through the telescope 
  and less and less time at work, a fact which has not gone 
  unnoticed by her employers, Firefinger. They are less than 
  pleased at the religious devotion that July exhibits, especially 
  when it interferes with the good running of their business. This 
  is also causing tension in her local watch group, as she has 
  been accused of "hogging the Holy Telescope" and spending 
  far too much time watching and not letting her fellow believers 
  have their fair share of eyepiece time.
  All in all, July’s life is on a downhill slope leading to a cre-
  vasse marked ‘disaster’.
  the power 136
  
  THE THIRD CHURCH OF GOD THE ARCHITECT
  Status: Citywide religious organisation
  Headquarters: Colsetter Parish
  Membership: Estimated to be between 15 and 25% of the 
  population of The City
  OVERVIEW
  Austerity. Penitence. Toil. These are the hallmarks of the 
  Third Church of God The Architect. Born out of the schis-
  matic fires of the Second Church, the Third Church has 
  grown to be even more powerful and popular than its more 
  lenient predecessor. Hundreds of thousands worship God in 
  His aspect as the Great Architect, creator of this penitential 
  domain and judge over all. The core belief of the Church 
  is simple: God created The City as a testing ground for the 
  faithful, to see who was fit to enter His Eternal Heavenly 
  City or be forever cast into the Many-Cursed Slums of the 
  Great Demolisher. Only those who show true devotion to 
  the Church, who live an appropriately humble and austere 
  life, who regularly sing the Seventeen Virtues and Devotions 
  and who work to further the glory of God can even have a 
  hope of entering His Eternal Heavenly City. Everyone else 
  is just in the shit.
  ORGANISATION
  The Church is ruled over by the High Cardinal, supreme 
  leader of all the faithful. The High Cardinal is chosen from 
  the ranks of ordinary cardinals upon the death or abdication 
  of the previous incumbent. This is by no means a position for 
  life and more than one High Cardinal has been persuaded 
  to abdicate his office in light of certain matters.
  Under the cardinals are the numerous bishops who take care 
  of the day to day running of the Church. It is they who hold 
  the true power within the Church, as it is the bishops who 
  carry out the vast amounts of clerical and organisational 
  work required to keep the Church running. The lowest rung 
  on the ladder of ordained members of the Church are the 
  ordinary priests. Their duties can range from presiding over 
  a given parish, assisting in clerical (in the administrative 
  sense) matters, carrying out diplomatic work or any number 
  of duties which the bishops and cardinals might find for 
  them. The ordained hierarchy is exclusively male, the Church 
  forbidding women from taking holy orders.
  While not hugely vocal, there have always been factions in 
  the Church who seek to change the status quo and allow 
  female adherents to become priests. However, these move-
  ments are never very large and rarely manage to obtain the 
  support of higher officials within the hierarchy.
  Working alongside the priests, bishops and cardinals, there 
  are numerous members of the laity who have chosen to 
  dedicate their life to the Church. These are the deacons 
  and sub-deacons. While many deacons act as assistants 
  and advisers to members of the clergy, a large proportion 
  of their number serves in the Lay Reserves Martial, the mili-
  tary arm of the Church. Ordinary priests are forbidden from 
  taking up arms except for ceremonial purposes. It is the sub-
  deacons and deacons who act as non-commissioned and 
  junior officers within the Reserves. The higher ranks are held 
  by bishops and some of the more senior and well-regarded 
  deacons.
  SECURITY FORCES
  As has been mentioned, the Church maintains a large armed 
  force in the form of the Lay Reserves Martial. Each member 
  of the Church, male or female, is expected to serve at least 
  two years in the armed forces.
  An almost monastic organisation, the Reserves indoctrinate 
  its members with a fanatical devotion to the Church and to 
  God. Combining the functions of police force, army and 
  intelligence agency, they are a stern and forbidding group, 
  clad in their tight fitting black uniforms and proudly display-
  ing the elaborate tonsures which are their marks of rank. As 
  rank increases, the tonsure become even more elaborate, 
  the highest ranking officers must maintain their hair on an 
  almost daily basis if they do not wish to be reprimanded 
  and suffer loss of face in front of their fellow believers. 
  The vast majority of the reserves are formed into infantry 
  companies, they have no air force as air travel is considered 
  a sin against God and His Creation. Armaments vary widely, 
  with the most lowly units simply being armed with sparklocks, 
  while expensively purchased hitech weapons are reserved 
  for the members of the Chosen Path: the personal guard of 
  the High Cardinal.
  the power 137
  
  HIGHLIGHTED PERSONALITY
  The Reverend Jaimes Mickitrik
  Age: 37
  Height/Build: 5' 5"/Slight
  Eye/Hair Colour: Blue/Brown 
  Occupation: Priest
  Affiliations: The Third Church of God The Architect
  A lowly parish priest, Mickitrik tends to the needs of his 
  parishioners in the densely populated slums of Fogwarren 
  with a care and attention to duty which surprises even his 
  superiors. He seems to be one of those rare individuals who 
  actually care for the wellbeing and safety of others above all 
  else. Many laugh and deride his efforts to help the poor, the 
  sick, the starving and the mad. However, despite his seeming 
  naivete, the people of Fogwarren have taken him to their 
  hearts. His trust is rarely abused, his Chapel left relatively 
  untouched and he can even walk in safety through the rough-
  est neighbourhoods. His chapel has expanded from a single, 
  small stone building in to a structure large enough to house 
  a sanatorium, hospital, dormitory, soup kitchens and meeting 
  hall. Physically, Mickitrik is a small, unassuming, prematurely 
  balding man of quiet demeanour. He evangelises to a cer-
  tain extent, but most take this as small penance for the good 
  works that he carries out. 
  the power 138
  
  the procedure
  "It's not right, you're not right, he's not right, noth-
  ing's RIGHT! Concrete, blood, iron, tracks, canals, 
  houses, trees, towers, knives, axes, fire, fury, wealth, 
  poverty, shit, death. None of this matters, you don't 
  matter, he don't matter, I don't fucking MATTER! 
  Nobody cares. That's the point. Nobody cares. At 
  all. Any time. We are all dead men. We're born 
  into the shit and just don't realise until a bullet tears 
  our spine out. You just don't get it, neither does he. 
  Because I know. I KNOW! I FUCKING KNOW!"
  Prisoner 74019, Wing 32, 'Inferno' Mental 
  Institution.
  
  the procedure 140
  
  In a|state, all primary attributes and skills are defined by 
  a number from one to one hundred. If a player wishes to 
  have their character try their hand at a particular test of 
  a skill or attribute, the player must roll a 100-sided die 
  (hereafter referred to as a D100) on or under the appro-
  priate attribute or skill in order to succeed. Under normal 
  circumstances, rolling on or under the attribute means that 
  the character is successful and passes the test. If a number 
  greater than the attribute or skill level is rolled, then the 
  character fails the test.
  MODIFYING THE ROLL
  Sometimes, circumstances will conspire to make it easier 
  or harder for the character to pass an attribute or skill test. 
  When a skill or attribute is modified (either positively or nega-
  tively) the modified number is known as the 'Effective Total'. 
  This is the number which must be rolled on or under in order 
  that the character is successful in the test. 
  The difficulties and the level by which they modify the appro-
  priate skill or attribute are shown below.
  Difficulty 
   
  Modifier
  Absurdly Easy 
   
  +80
  Very Easy 
   
  +60
  Easy 
   
   
  +50
  Simple  
   
  +40
  Routine   
   
  +30
  Complicated 
   
  +10 
  Challenging 
   
  0
  Difficult  
   
  -10
  Very Difficult 
   
  -30
  Extremely Difficult  
  -50
  Formidable 
    
  -70
  Impossible 
    
  -90
  example
  John is playing the character of Janus Kripitsch, a type 
  of character known as a Lostfinder. Kripitsch is attempt-
  ing to follow a suspected thief silently and without being 
  observed. Unfortunately, the thief heads down a silent alley 
  strewn with discarded rubbish, making it rather difficult to 
  move quickly. The GM informs John that he must make a 
  successful Shadowing roll in order that the thief remains 
  unaware of Kripitsch's presence. Kripitsch is rather good 
  at this and has a Shadowing skill of 70%. However, due to 
  the circumstances, the GM states that this is a Difficult roll, 
  meaning that John must subtract 10 from Kripitsch's skill 
  level in Shadowing. This gives an Effective Total of 60%. John 
  makes his roll. The dice come up 25, Kripitsch has passed the 
  test and the thief remains blissfully unaware that he is being 
  followed. 
  However, a roll of 01 will always pass and a roll of 00 will 
  always fail. This serves to at least give characters a small 
  chance of succeeding, even in a hopeless situation, and 
  makes characters with very high skills nervous, as there is 
  always the chance of failing. 
  SKILL AND ATTRIBUTE CHALLENGES
  On certain occasions, a character will be called upon to pit a 
  particular skill, or attribute, against that of another character, 
  creature or even an inanimate object. This is known as a Skill 
  (or Attribute) Challenge. Resolving such a challenge is very 
  simple. Both sides roll against their base skill or attribute. 
  Whoever passes by the most or fails by the least has won the 
  challenge. Simple as that.
  Example
  Local Mire End loudmouth and all round bully Valentin Brady 
  is in a local pub one night. Out of sheer braggadoccio, he 
  challenges another man to an arm wrestle. Brady has a 
  Strength of 70 (the appropriate attribute for such a chal-
  lenge) and his opponent has a Strength of only 40. Should 
  be easy to beat. The player playing Brady rolls first and the 
  dice turn up a score of 75, Brady fails his roll by five. The GM 
  rolls for his opponent and gets a 35, passing by five. Much to 
  his surprise, Brady is defeated by the weaker man.
  SKILLS AND SKILL MODIFIERS
  Skills are organised into groups of related skills know as 'Skill 
  Areas'. These Skill Areas serve to indicate what attribute or 
  attributes should be used to modify a particular skill. Each 
  Skill Area (see 'Skill Descriptions' in 'The Players' for a full 
  list of skill areas and skills) has an attribute, or attributes, 
  associated with it. The associated attribute(s) serve to modify 
  the skill.
  In order to work out what the modifier is, take one tenth of the 
  attribute (or one tenth of the average of the attributes) associ-
  ated with the skills in the area and use this as a positive modi-
  fier in any skill roll. Note: Skill areas cannot be bought, you 
  have to buy the individuals skills separately in that area. 
  This is explained further in 'The Players'.
  the procedure 141
  
  COMBAT
  In a|state, the best way to avoid being killed or injured is to 
  avoid a fight in the first place. Even if a stab wound or a gun-
  shot doesn’t kill you straight off, there’s a good chance you’ll 
  succumb to infection, medical care being what it is in The 
  City. Unless you’re rich, affiliated with a macrocorp or have 
  managed to scavenge some decent medical gear, medical 
  care will be primitive and not particularly effective. Take the 
  hint: don’t get into a fight, and if you do, keep behind cover 
  and out of the line of fire.
  Basics
  Combat can be divided into two types: melee combat and 
  ranged combat. The end result is essentially the same in that 
  the object is to kill or injure your opponent. However, there 
  are specifics for each which must be covered in detail. Before 
  we get into that, though, there are some basics which apply 
  to both types of combat.
  Rounds
  Combat is arbitrarily divided into one second segments called 
  ‘Rounds’. Within this timescale, an individual can perform a 
  single action, such as run a given distance, fire a gun a certain 
  number of times, throw a knife and so on. How quickly a char-
  acter can react in combat is determined by the Reaction (REA) 
  rating. The higher Reaction is, the faster your character can 
  react in a high pressure combat environment. Base Reaction 
  is found by taking the average of Awareness, Intelligence and 
  Agility, and rounding down to the nearest whole number if 
  the fraction is below .5 and rounding up if the fraction is .5 or 
  above and adding or subtracting certain modifiers. The combat 
  round runs from the highest Reaction to the lowest, thus allow-
  ing faster, more aware characters to get the drop on slower 
  opponents.
  A character can also choose to hold their action, waiting 
  until their opponent has moved before taking action. This 
  allows a quick character to instantly react to manoeuvres. 
  When a character has chosen to hold action and reacts to an 
  opponent's move, both the actions of the opponent and the 
  character are considered to have happened simultaneously.
  Example
  Jane Card, a ghostfighter has an AWR of 70, INT of 50 and AGL 
  of 80. Her Reaction is therefore the average of these three num-
  bers, giving an REA of 67 (66.67, rounded up). She's just been 
  challenged by Flash Valentine, a well known local gang leader. 
  Valentine has an AWR of 65, and INT of 40 and an AGL of 60. 
  His Reaction is therefore 55. Card can therefore either strike at 
  Valentine before he has a chance to move or can hold action until 
  he moves and choose an appropriate response.
  Melee Combat
  Melee combat, whether using weapons such as knives and 
  clubs, or using fists and feet can be a messy, brutal business. 
  Generally, no one gets out of a fight completely unscathed. 
  Melee weapons (from table legs to laminate combat blades) 
  are all defined by the following stats:
  Damage Value (DAM)
  The basic level of damage which the weapon will do to a 
  target. The damage level of a hand held weapon is added 
  to a character's Punch Damage.
  Penetration (PEN)
  How good the weapon is at penetrating armour.
  Reach (RCH)
  How much the weapon extends your effective reach, gener-
  ally based on the length of the weapon.
  Reaction Modifier (REM)
  How the size and mass of the weapon affects the reaction 
  time of the user.
  Mass (MSS)
  How heavy the weapon is.
  Cost (CST)
  The basic retail cost, in pounds, shillings and pence, of the 
  weapon.
  For weapons such as knives and swords, PEN will usually 
  have two ratings separated by a slash. The number before 
  the slash represents the PEN when stabbing with the weapon, 
  the number after the slash represents the PEN when cutting 
  with the weapon.
  Example
  The profile for a Llive looks like this:
   
  DAM 
  PEN 
  RCH 
  REM 
  MSS
   
  6 
  10/20 +0 
  +5 
  2
  Characters who are within two meters of each other may make 
  melee attacks, using any appropriate close combat skill.
  Hitting The Target
  Taking into account any appropriate modifiers (see next 
  page) a character may attempt to strike an opponent with 
  fists, feet, knives or their melee weapon of choice. 
  the procedure 142
  
  The attacker must specify where they are striking, taking the 
  appropriate modifier shown in the table below
  Area 
   
   
  Penalty
  Head 
   
   
  -20
  Chest 
   
   
  -10
  Abdomen 
   
  -10
  Arm 
   
   
  -15
  Upper Leg 
   
  -10
  Lower Leg 
   
  -15
  A Challenge roll must be made between the attacker and 
  the defender. Whoever makes the roll by the most or fails by 
  the least makes a successful attack or defence. Defending 
  does not count as an action on the part of the defender, 
  allowing them to strike back when their turn comes.
  Fire Combat
  Fire combat is a deadly and dangerous business, usually 
  over and done with in a few seconds, with one or both sets of 
  combatants either injured or dead. Firearms (and this covers 
  gauss weapons, lasers and all ranged weapons) are defined 
  by the following attributes:
  Damage Value (DAM)
  The basic level of damage which a standard round from the 
  weapon will do to a target.
  Penetration (PEN)
  How good a standard round from the weapon is at penetrat-
  ing armour.
  Range (RNG)
  The close range (in metres) of the weapon.
  Rate Of Fire (ROF)
  How many times in a  one second combat round the weapon 
  can be discharged.
  Reaction Modifier (REM)
  How the size and mass of the weapon affects the reaction 
  time of the user.
  Clip (CLP)
  How many shots a single clip for the weapon contains.
  Mass (MSS)
  How heavy the weapon is.
  example
  The profile for a medium sparklock looks like this:
   
  DAM 
  PEN 
  RNG 
  ROF 
  REM 
  CLP  
  MSS
   
  7 
   
  5 
   
  10   
  1 
   
  +10  
  1 
   
  2.5
  Hitting The Target
  Actually hitting the target in fire combat is a combination 
  of many factors including, but not limited to, the skill of the 
  user, the range to the target, the quality of the weapon, the 
  ambient light, movement, etc. In order to hit the target, the 
  firer must make a skill roll against the appropriate skill for the 
  weapon they are using (i.e.: firing a sparklock pistol requires 
  the use of the Pistol skill, firing a shotgun requires the use of 
  the Longarms skill). In ideal conditions (which never, ever 
  exist) the skill of the firer is merely modified by the range to 
  the target and the modified skill is rolled against to see if the 
  round hits. This is always the first step in determining if you 
  can hit the target. The Range (RNG) stat for a given weapon 
  shows the Close Range in Metres of the weapon. Medium 
  range is between the figure for close range and twice that 
  number. The figure for Long Range is between twice and 
  four times Close Range and the figure for Extreme Range is 
  between four and eight times this number.
  the procedure 143
  
  Example
  The profile for the Medium Sparklock given above shows a 
  RNG figure of 10. Therefore, the range bands are:
  Close 
   
  10
  Medium  
  20
  Long  
   
  40
  Extreme  
  80
  As the range to a target increases, it becomes increasingly 
  difficult to hit the target. Each range band has a different 
  modifier, as shown below:
  Close 
   
   00%
  Medium  
  -20%
  Long  
   
  -50%
  Extreme  
  -80%
  Range is not the only modifier. Movement, lighting, rain, 
  tiredness and a vast range of situational modifiers can all 
  conspire to turn the best marksman into a hopeless shot. The 
  list given below is not exhaustive and GMs should feel free 
  to change the modifiers and make up new ones as the situa-
  tion demands it.
  Situation 
   
  Modifier
  Walking  
   
  -10
  Jogging  
   
  -20
  Running  
   
  -30
  Sprinting  
   
  -40
  Poor Light 
   
  -10
  Bad Light 
   
  -30
  Near Dark 
   
  -70
  Mist 
   
   
  -20
  Fog/Smog 
   
  -40 
  Light Rain 
   
  -10
  Heavy Rain 
   
  -30
  Poor Footing 
   
  -10
  Restricted Movement 
  -10
  Aiming (1 second) 
  +10
  Aiming (2 seconds) 
  +20
  Aiming (4 seconds) 
  +30
  Aiming (8 seconds) 
  +40
  Laser Targeting 
   
  +20
  Example
  A character running through mist and attempting to hit a 
  target fifteen metres away with the aforementioned medium 
  sparklock, would suffer a whopping -70% penalty to hit.
  Called Shots
  Sometimes, it may be better to try and hit a specific part 
  of a target rather than just randomly blazing away, hoping 
  that something vital will be hit. In this instance, the firer can 
  declare a called shot and take a penalty to hit based on the 
  area of the body they are attempting to shoot.
  Area 
   
  Penalty
  Head 
   
  -40
  Chest 
   
  -20
  Abdomen 
  -20
  Arm 
   
  -30
  Upper Leg 
  -20
  Lower Leg 
  -30
  RATE OF FIRE
  The Rate Of Fire (ROF) of any weapon determines how many 
  single shots or bursts it can fire in any combat round. For 
  example, a semi-automatic cartridge pistol has a ROF of 4, 
  meaning that it can fire up to four shots per combat round. 
  Automatic weapons (i.e.: those that can fire continuous 
  streams of bullets) will have their ROF show like this : 4(5). 
  This means that the weapon can fire up to four single shots or 
  four bursts of five rounds each. Burst fire can either be Aimed 
  or Suppressive. 
  Aimed burst fire is treated exactly like firing a single shot 
  at a target, only multiple rounds are being fired at once. A 
  single hit roll is made for each burst, all rounds either hit or 
  miss. When a target is hit by a burst, all rounds strike the 
  same area. Needless to say, a well aimed burst can have a 
  devastating effect on a target.
  Suppressive burst fire is mainly designed to cover an area or 
  keep opponents heads down. A single burst can be used to 
  cover an area one meter wide and the chance to hit a target 
  within that area equals:
  (number of bursts fired x number of rounds in each burst) x2, 
  modified by various range modifiers.
  The chance to hit is doubled at close range and halved at 
  extreme range. As an example, an automatic rifle with a ROF 
  of 4(5) could spray bullets across an area four meters wide 
  in one combat round, giving a chance to hit targets within 
  the area of 10% (modified for range, if appropriate). Or, the 
  firer could concentrate all four bursts on an area one meter 
  wide, giving a chance to hit of 40% (modified for range, if 
  the procedure 144
  
  appropriate). Targets caught by a suppressive burst will be 
  struck by 1D10/2 rounds, up to a maximum of the number 
  of rounds in a single burst. 
  Recoil
  All firearms produce recoil 
  and this can quite easily 
  throw off the aim of the firer. 
  To represent this, each shot 
  or burst fired AFTER the first 
  shot or burst in a round takes 
  an additional, cumulative -
  10% to hit (so the second 
  shot is at -10%. third shot is at 
  -20% and so on). Of course, 
  this rule does not apply to 
  lasers. That would be silly.
  COVER
  In some situations, a target may have benefit of cover: walls, 
  barrels, tables and so on. Cover is defined as either full or 
  partial. Full cover, as the name would suggest, provides 
  protection to the character's entire body whilst partial cover 
  provides protection to either the upper or lower half of the 
  body. 
  Cover effectively provides extra armour for the character, 
  depending on the construction of the cover. So, a brick wall 
  provides more protection than a wooden table, for example. 
  Sample AVs for some common types of cover are given 
  below.
  Cover Type 
   
  AV
  Brick Wall 
   
  10
  Plasterboard Wall  
  03
  Reinforced Concrete 
  40
  Table 
   
   
  02
  Wooden Door 
   
  03
  If a character is in full cover, then the AV of the cover applies to 
  any hit location. If the character is in partial cover, the AV only 
  applies to those areas of the body which are behind cover.
  Hit Location
  Once it has been determined that the target has actually 
  been hit, then the attacker must roll to see where he or she 
  hits the target (with a called shot, this part of the process is 
  unnecessary, as the attacker will either hit the chosen area or 
  miss completely). Rolling on the table below will determine 
  where the bullet or blow hits.
  D10 Role 
  Location
  1 
   
  Head
  2,3 
   
  Chest
  4 
   
  Abdomen
  5 
   
  Right Arm
  6 
   
  Left Arm
  7 
   
  Upper Right Leg
  8 
   
  Upper Left Leg
  9 
   
  Lower Right Leg
  10 
   
  Lower Left Leg
  The hit location will come into effect later on when determin-
  ing armour effects and damage results.
  Penetrating Armour
  Each weapon has a Penetration (PEN) rating and each item 
  of armour has an Armour Value (AV). The basic rule of thumb 
  is that if PEN is greater than or equal to AV, then the round 
  hits the target with no reduction in the damage. If, however, 
  the PEN is less than the AV, one point is subtracted from 
  damage for each point PEN is less than AV. Armour is only 
  effective if the area which it covers has been hit. A character 
  wearing an armour vest would be protected if hit in the chest 
  or abdomen, but not if hit in the head, legs or arms.
  Soft armour (chainmail, armoured clothing, etc) have no 
  effect against blunt melee attacks (club, fists, etc). Hard 
  armour (such as a flak vest) has half effect against blunt 
  attacks. Melee weapons such as knives, swords and axes use 
  the full armour value.
  the procedure 145
  
  Damage
  Trauma Damage
  All characters and NPCs will have 
  a resistance to damage known as 
  Resilience (hereafter referred to as 
  RES). When a target is struck by a 
  projectile, melee weapon, fist, foot or 
  whatever, compare the damage (taking 
  any armour effects into account) with 
  the RES of the target. If the DAM is less 
  than RES, then the character takes a 
  light wound. If the DAM is equal to or 
  more than RES, then the character takes 
  a moderate wound. If the DAM is equal 
  to or more than twice RES, then the 
  character takes a serious wound. 
  The effects of wounds are decided in 
  terms of Shock Points, which combine 
  blood loss, trauma, broken bones and 
  the effects of shock into one number. 
  The table below will show the number 
  of shock points a specific wound on a 
  specific area will cause.
  However, for each five points that DAM 
  exceeds the serious wound level for the 
  character (twice RES), an additional 
  Shock Point is added.
   
   
   
   
   
  Light  
   
  Moderate Serious
  Head  
   
   
  1S  
   
   
  4S  
   
   
  Dead
  Chest  
   
   
  2S  
   
   
  4S  
   
   
  Dead
  Abdomen 
   
  1S  
   
   
  2S  
   
   
  4S
  Upper Leg  
  1S  
   
   
  2S  
   
   
  3S
  Lower Leg  
  Bleeding  
  1S  
   
   
  2S
  Arm  
   
   
  Bleeding  
  1S  
   
   
  2S
  Example
  A character with a RES of 5 is wearing an armour vest with 
  an AV of 10. He is shot by an attacker with a rifle which has 
  a PEN of 7 and a DAM of 20. Comparing the PEN with 
  the AV, we see that AV exceeds PEN, therefore reducing 
  the DAM by 3 points (AV of 10, minus PEN of 7 = 3). The 
  damage is now reduced to 17. The target has been hit in the 
  upper right leg with the adjusted DV of 17. This is more than 
  twice the target's RES, inflicting a serious wound. Normally, 
  this would give 3 Shock Points. However, the DV of 17 
  exceeds the serious wound level for the character by seven 
  points, inflicting another Shock Point, bringing the total to 4, 
  a very serious wound.
  BLUNT TRAUMA DAMAGE
  Attacks with feet, fists, clubs (or indeed any non-penetrating 
  melee attack) and non-penetrating projectile attacks (such 
  as stones or bricks) do what is known 
  as blunt trauma damage. Blunt trauma 
  damage is worked out in the same man-
  ner as trauma damage, only there is no 
  blood loss effect. 
  Projectiles which fail to penetrate 
  armour are still capable of doing severe 
  damage. Take the damage level which 
  was stopped by the  armour and divide 
  by five. The number which is arrived at 
  is taken as blunt trauma damage, mea-
  sured against RES to determine actual 
  damage in the normal way.
  UNCONSCIOUSNESS & DEATH
  When a characters total number of 
  shock point becomes greater than his 
  or her RES, then they must make a 
  Willpower check with a modifier of 
  -(10x number of Shock Points). If they 
  fail, they lapse into unconsciousness. 
  This check must be taken each time 
  another Shock Point is gained. 
  When a characters total of Shock Points equals RES x1.5, 
  they are about to die and only immediate first aid can save 
  them. At this point, characters will die in a number of minutes 
  equal to their basic RES unless a successful first aid roll is 
  made (see below).
  Damage Effects On Skills
  When characters receive Shock Points, they automatically 
  receive a penalty to all skill use equal to the total number of 
  Shock Points x10.
  Medical Aid and Healing
  After being shot, stabbed, cut, kicked, punched or generally 
  injured in some way, the first thing a character will probably 
  want to do is get some form of medical aid. For the purposes 
  of the game, there are essentially two forms of medical aid: 
  First Aid and Long-term Aid. 
  First aid refers to any treatment which is administered shortly 
  after an injury being received. It is, in the main, designed to 
  stop bleeding, set bones and hopefully ameliorate the dam-
  aging effects of shock. 
  the procedure 146
  
  Long-term aid refers to any medical care which is received 
  after first aid. This can range from something simple, like tak-
  ing pills, to something more complex, like an extended stay 
  in an intensive care unit.
  When a character has been injured, first aid may be attempt-
  ed in order to prevent further damage from a particular inju-
  ry. The individual giving aid must make a basic roll against 
  their First Aid skill, modified according to the conditions and 
  the severity of the wound, as laid out below.
  Light Wound 
   
   
  +0%
  Moderate Wound  
   
  -20%
  Serious Wound 
   
   
  -40%
  Using Extemporised Materials 
  -20%
  Working Under Poor Conditions 
  -20%
  (e.g.: in a rain-soaked alley) 
  Working Under Terrible Conditions -40%
  (e.g.: in a combat zone with mortar shells falling all around)
  If the character giving the aid make the roll successfully, 
  then the character being treated will have had the bleeding 
  stopped and had basic treatment of his or her injuries. 
  However, if the first aid roll is unsuccessful, the character will 
  continue to accumulate Shock Points at the following rate:
  Most Severe Wound Is Additional Shock Points
  Light 
   
   
  +1 per hour
  Moderate 
   
  +1 per 30 mins
  Serious  
   
  +1 per 10 mins
  However, first aid does not necessarily mean that the char-
  acter will recover successfully from his or her injuries. Injuries 
  take a long time to heal, the more serious the injury, the 
  longer the healing time.
  RECOVERY FROM INJURIES
  A character will naturally recover from one shock point per 
  week. This can be increased through the use of drugs and 
  medical care. Rolling for any of the tasks below will allow 
  shock points to be regained over the period specified in the 
  task. The skill used is the General Medicine skill of whoever 
  is carrying out the treatment.
  Intensive hospital care 
  +20% 
  1 shock point regained
    
    
   
    
  per day
  Hospital care 
   
  +0% 
  1 shock point regained
    
   
   
   
  per 2 days
  In-home care 
   
   -20% 
  1 shock point regained
    
   
   
   
  per 4 days
  Other Forms Of Damage
  Explosive Damage
  Explosives inflict damage in exactly the same way as other 
  weapons, dealing out damage through a combination of 
  concussion, blast and fragmentation. Like other weapons, 
  explosive devices have a PEN and DAM rating. However, 
  they also have an additional stat: Blast Radius (BR). The BR 
  gives an indication of how powerful the explosive is and 
  what damage it will do at a given distance. BR is given in 
  metres from the centre of the explosion and within the BR, 
  the explosion does full damage and deals out full penetra-
  tion as shown in the stats for the device. 
  At distances up to twice the BR, DAM and PEN are both 
  quartered.
  At distances up to four times the BR, DAM and PEN are one 
  eighth of their initial level.
  At distances up to eight times the BR, DAM and PEN are one 
  sixteenth of their initial level.
  So, for example, an explosive device with a PEN of 16, a 
  DAM of 32 and a BR of 2 metres will do the following dam-
  ages at the following ranges:
  0 - 2 metres  
   
  PEN 16, DAM 32
  2 - 4 metres 
   
  PEN 4, DAM 8
  4 - 8 metres 
   
  PEN 2, DAM 4
  8 - 16 metres 
   
  PEN 1, DAM 2
  Explosions do damage to the whole body, using the Chest 
  hit section of the damage table to determine the effects of 
  the wound. 
  Electric Shocks
  Electric shocks are a constant hazard in The City, with ancient 
  generators, corroded cables and hanging wires an omnipres-
  ent danger. Shocks can range in severity from the merely 
  irritating to the instantly deadly. A mild shock (such as that 
  received from a large battery) should be considered equal 
  to a light chest wound, a more powerful shock equal to a 
  moderate chest wound (such as that from a household mains 
  circuit) and a really powerful shock (such as touching the out-
  puts of a large generator) equal to a serious chest wound.
  the procedure 147
  
  Falling
  Gravity is your friend. Most of the time. Unless you hap-
  pen to fall from a tall building, then it’s most certainly your 
  enemy. Hitting the ground from great heights (or even not 
  so great heights) can have a fairly serious effect on the 
  human body. 
  Falls are treated as chest hits for the purposes of damage, 
  with DAM worked out according to the height fallen from, 
  as shown on the table below:
  Height  
  Damage
  0 - 2m 
   
  06
  3 - 4m 
   
  10
  5 - 7m 
   
  14
  8 - 10m  
  18
  10m+ 
   
  20
  Poisoning
  Toxins, poisons and drugs can all have serious effects on 
  the body, effects ranging from mild twitches and hot flushes 
  to agonizing death. All toxins are rated according to their 
  Potency (POT), the higher the Potency, the more dangerous 
  the toxin. When a target is attacked with poison, the table 
  below should be consulted to find out the results. Like physi-
  cal combat damage, RES is used to determine the serious-
  ness of the damage. If the POT is less than RES, then the 
  target barely notices the effects. If the POT is greater than or 
  equal to RES but less than twice RES, then the target has a 
  mild version of the full effect of the poison. If POT is greater 
  than or equal to twice RES, the target takes the full effect 
  of the poison.
  Generic Poisons
  Paralytic 
  Paralytic poisons cause the target (or a particular part of 
  the target) to become immobilised. They can be adminis-
  tered through injection, contact, gas or a variety of other 
  forms. They are generally not lethal unless administered in 
  abnormally large quantities.
  POT: 15 
  Effects: Causes temporary paralysis in the target.
  Time: Takes RES x 5 secs to have full effect.
  Neurotoxin 
  Acting against the central nervous system of the target, neuro-
  toxins are invariably fatal in their effects. Many of the really 
  effective neurotoxins are natural in origin, extracted from 
  plants or animals and concentrated to improve their effects.
  POT: 20
  Effects: Death.
  Time: Takes RES x 1 sec to have full effect
  Knockout 
  Ranging from stun gases used by macrocorporate security 
  forces to simple liquids administered to a cloth and held 
  over the victims face, knockout toxins come in a staggering 
  variety of forms. As with paralysis toxins, most knockout 
  toxins are not lethal unless administered in abnormally 
  large doses.
  POT: 12
  Effects: Causes unconsciousness in the target.
  Time: Takes RES x 5 secs to have full effect
  the procedure 148
  
  Vehicle Combat
  Vehicle combat is not handled that much differently from 
  man-to-man combat, with the exception that vehicles are 
  bigger, faster and more often than not, more heavily armed 
  and armoured. 
  Vehicle Stats
  Vehicles are rated according to several stats, some of which 
  will be familiar from the man-to-man combat section.
  The stats are explained below.
  Resilience (RES)
  Like the personal stat, this represents how resistant to damage 
  the vehicle is.
  Armour Value (AV)
  Almost self-explanatory, the higher the AV rating, the more 
  powerful weapons the vehicle can take hits from without 
  being damaged.
  Manoeuvrability (MAN)
  Some vehicles can turn tighter than others. MAN represents 
  the handling of a vehicle.
  Speed (SPD)
  This is the top speed of the vehicle, expressed in metres per 
  one second combat round. To find the top speed in miles per 
  hour, multiply the SPD by 2.24.
  Acceleration (ACC)
  Each turn, a vehicle with a given acceleration can increase 
  its speed by that amount.
  Deceleration (DEC)
  Each turn, a vehicle with a given deceleration can decrease 
  its speed by that amount.
  Crew (CRW)
  How many individuals it takes to operate the vehicle at opti-
  mum efficiency.
  Passengers (PSS)
  How many passengers the vehicle is designed to carry.
  Cargo (CRG)
  How much weight the vehicle is designed to carry.
  Example
  A small electrically driven skiff may have a profile like this:
  RES:  
   
  10
  AV:  
   
  0
  MAN:   
  5
  SPD: 
   
  8
  ACC: 
   
  1
  DEC:  
   
  3
  CRW:   
  1
  PSS:  
   
  4
  CRG:   
  200kg
  Combat Manoeuvring
  In a hectic combat scene, sticking rigidly to the rules is not 
  the best plan. Handling things in a more ‘cinematic’ fashion 
  often works well, engendering the scene with greater excite-
  ment and generally giving better game play. The rules given 
  below are not intended to accurately model how vehicles 
  behave in the real world, merely to give a basic framework 
  on which to hang vehicle combat in a|state. GMs and play-
  ers are actively encouraged to discard or ignore rules and 
  make things up as they go along, anything, in fact, which 
  contributes to a more enjoyable game.
  Manoeuvring is carried out by testing the skill associated 
  with the particular vehicle being driven/piloted and so on. 
  Each particular manoeuvre has a difficulty modifier and 
  the task is further modified by the MAN stat of the vehicle. 
  MAN runs from 1 (a particularly poorly handling vehicle) 
  to 10 (a vehicle which has supreme handling). The MAN 
  stat gives a modifier to all manoeuvres carried out with that 
  vehicle, a modifier that can be either negative or positive, 
  as shown below.
  MAN 
   
  Modifier
  1 
   
  -40
  2 
   
  -30
  3 
   
  -20
  4 
   
  -10
  5 
   
  +0
  6 
   
  +10
  7 
   
  +20
  8 
   
  +30
  9 
   
  +40
  10 
   
  +50
  the procedure 149
  
  The different manoeuvring tasks have difficulty modifiers as 
  shown below.
  Task 
    
   
   
   
  Modifier
  Drive/pilot in a straight line  
   
  0
  Shallow turn 
   
   
   
  -10
  Medium turn 
   
   
   
  -20
  Sharp turn 
   
   
   
  -40
  Gentle weaving  
   
   
  -20
  Violent dodging  
   
   
  -50
  Sharp braking 
   
   
   
  -30
  Bootlegger turn (ground vehicles only) 
  -60
  Power dive (aircraft only)  
   
  -40
  All modifiers are cumulative. So, if the pilot of a small skiff were 
  attempting to execute a sharp turn and brake violently at the 
  same time, the modifier would be -70% And this is without tak-
  ing into account the MAN stat. If someone fails a manoeuvre 
  roll, the GM should exercise his or her judgement in what the 
  results are, taking into account the speed at which the manoeu-
  vre was carried out, the surrounding area and any other 
  random factors which might come in to play. As vehicle RES 
  and AV are rated on the same scale as that used by man-sized 
  targets, it’s easy to gauge how effective fire from a person will 
  be against a vehicle and vice versa. The following rules allow 
  for vehicle to vehicle and man to vehicle combat. 
  Hitting The Target
  Some vehicles can move very fast and move very violently, 
  presenting quite a difficult target to hit. A mikefighter moving 
  at 300mph and dodging violently between tenement blocks is 
  quite obviously a more difficult target to hit than a man stand-
  ing still ten metres away from you. However, the mikefighter 
  is considerably larger than a man, thus negating a certain 
  amount of the disadvantage. When a person fires at a vehicle 
  or when a vehicle fires at a vehicle, the following modifiers can 
  be used to simulate the effects of speed, size and manoeuvring. 
  Range modifiers are the same in vehicle combat as in man to 
  man combat.
  Close 
   
  -10%
  Medium  
  -20%
  Long  
   
  -50%
  Extreme  
  -80% 
  Like people, vehicles have a variety of hit locations. When a hit 
  has been achieved, a roll is made on the table below in order 
  to determine which components of the vehicle have been hit. 
  D10 
   
  Location
  1 
   
  Superstructure
  2 
   
  Superstructure
  3 
   
  Powerplant
  4 
   
  Powerplant
  5 
   
  Drivetrain
  6 
   
  Controls
  7 
   
  Sensors
  8 
   
  Weapons
  9 
   
  Passengers
  10 
   
  Crew
  Like individuals, vehicles can take three levels of damage: 
  Light Damage, Moderate Damage and Serious Damage. The 
  seriousness of the damage inflicted upon a vehicle is worked 
  out in exactly the same way as that for people. The PEN of the 
  weapon being fired at the vehicle is compared with the AV 
  for the vehicle. If PEN is greater than AV, then the shot goes 
  straight through the armour and uses its full damage. For each 
  point that PEN is less than AV, DAM is reduced by one point. 
  Should this reduce DAM to zero, then the shot simply bounces 
  off the vehicle's armour. Penetrating damage is then compared 
  with the Resilience (RES) of the vehicle. If the DAM is less than 
  RES, then Light Damage is taken. If the DAM is greater than or 
  equal to RES but less than twice RES, then Moderate Damage 
  is taken. If DAM is greater than or equal to twice the RES of the 
  vehicle, then Serious Damage is taken. The damage received 
  should be cross-referenced to the hit location as determined 
  above in order to work out exactly what damage has been 
  done to the vehicle.
  the procedure 150
   
   
   
   
   
  Light  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Medium  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Heavy
  Controls  
   
  MAN reduced by 2 levels.  
   
   
  MAN reduced by 5 levels.  
   
   
  Vehicle is uncontrollable.
  Crew  
   
   
  1 crew member takes hit at 50%  
   
  All crew take hit at 50% of   
   
   
  Crew killed.
   
   
   
   
   
  of penetrating damage.  
   
   
   
  penetrating damage. 
  Passengers 
   
  1 passenger takes hit at 50%  
   
   
  All passengers take hits at 50%   
   
  Passengers killed.
   
   
   
   
   
  of penetrating damage.  
   
   
   
  of penetrating damage.
  Weapons  
   
  1 weapon out of action. Repairable.  
  1 weapon destroyed. 
   
   
   
   
  All weapons destroyed.
  Superstructure 
  Holes in superstructure, minor damage, 
  Noticeable damage to superstructure,  
  Catastrophic damage.
   
   
   
   
   
  RES reduced by 10% (round up)  
   
  RES reduced by 30%.
  Powerplant  
  ACC and SPD reduced by 25%  
   
  ACC and SPD reduced by 50%.  
   
  Catastrophic damage.
  Drivetrain  
   
  ACC, DEC and SPD reduced by 25%  
  ACC, DEC and SPD reduced by 50%. 
  Destroyed.
  Sensors 
   
   
  1 sensor put out of action. Repairable. 
  1 sensor destroyed.  
   
   
   
   
  All sensors destroyed.
  Catastrophic damage: The vehicle is totally destroyed. All passengers and crew take damage equivalent 50% of that which penetrated the vehicle.
  Destroyed: The component in question is rendered useless and unrepairable.
  
  the players
  "Why am I  happy? Because I've managed to make 
  peace with myself. There are too many people in 
  this city who are bent on causing misery for others. 
  I choose a different path. Make a difference. Bring 
  some light into peoples lives. Give them hope. 
  That's the key. Hope is important."
  Florentina Venkatseramany, Streethealer, Hangside.
  
  the players 152
  
  The a|state character creation system is designed to allow 
  players to create rounded, realistic characters. Although this 
  involves a large number of individual choices, the process is 
  laid out in as simple and straightforward a manner as pos-
  sible, making it easier for both player and GM. 
  Character creation follows seven stages:
  1) In discussion with the GM, the player should come up with 
  a character concept that both are happy with.
  2) Choose Advantages and Disadvantages.
  3) Choose an Origin for the character.
  4) Choose an Upbringing for the character.
  5) Purchase the character's attributes, using the attribute point 
  pool.
  6) Purchase the character's skills, using the skill point pool.
  7) Round out the character and purchase any appropriate 
  personal possessions.
  ATTRIBUTES
  Before going any further into the character creation system, 
  we should have a look at the main attributes which define 
  characters in a|state. These are:
  Strength (STR)
  This represents the raw physical power of the character. A 
  character with Strength 10 is very weak, while a character 
  with Strength 90 is exceptionally strong.
  Agility (AGL)
  Sense of balance, physical flexibility and control of large-
  scale bodily movements.
  Dexterity (DEX)
  Fine manipulation with the hands (or occasionally, feet) and 
  control of small-scale bodily movements. 
  Health (HLT)
  The general state of health and resistance to disease and 
  injury.
  Awareness (AWR)
  The spatial awareness and generalised sensory acuity of the 
  character. Awareness covers all five senses and the more 
  nebulous category of 'intuition'.
  Intelligence (INT)
  The 'brainpower' of the character, the ability to learn and use 
  knowledge.
  Willpower (WIL)
  How mentally strong the character is. A character with 
  Willpower 10 is remarkably gullible and phenomenally eas-
  ily lead. Whereas a character with Willpower 90 would be a 
  leader of men and able to bend others to his or her will.
  Personality (PER)
  How likeable, friendly and charismatic the character is. 
  Personality 10 would be someone remarkably unapproach-
  able, dull and not in the least likeable. Whereas, someone with 
  personality 90 would be the life and soul of any party going.
  BUYING ATTRIBUTES AND SKILLS
  Attributes and skills are bought using Attribute Points (APs) 
  and Skill Points (SPs). Starting APs and SPs for all characters 
  are 360AP and 500SP. These amounts can be modified by 
  taking advantages and disadvantages. Buying attributes and 
  skills is a simple 'one for one' process until you reach 70%, 
  when both attributes and skills become more expensive, as 
  shown on the table below:
  Skill/Attributes  
  Cost
  70 - 79% 
   
  X2
  80 - 89% 
   
  X3
  90 - 100 % 
   
  X4
  Some skills on the Skill Table have the letter ‘d’ in brackets after 
  them. This means they are difficult to learn, either because of 
  their complexity or rarity. Learning these skills costs 50% more 
  than normal. For example, learning to pilot an ekranoplan is 
  quite a difficult business, so to get a level of 40% in this skill 
  would require the expenditure of 60 skill points.
  Certain skills have sub-skills which form part of the whole. On 
  the skill table, these are indicated by being indented under 
  the main skill. If a character wishes to be more specialised 
  in particular areas of a skill, he or she can choose to pur-
  chase sub-skills if appropriate. Sub-skills add their level to 
  the main skill when rolling for success in the particular skill 
  area. Sub-skills are purchased at half the cost of normal skills, 
  but can only be taken to half of the level of the main skill. 
  For example, a character has the skill of Unarmed Combat, 
  which means she can punch, kick, grapple, etc. However, 
  the player wants their character to be good at kicking, so 
  decides to spend some SPs buying the Kick sub-skill. With an 
  Unarmed Combat skill of 60%, the character can take Kick 
  up to +30%. So, when in close combat and using a kick, the 
  character (if the maximum level of skill was purchased) could 
  kick with a skill of 90%. All other melee attacks would be at 
  60%, unless sub-skills in other areas were purchased.
  the players 153
  
  Each skill area has a 'controlling attribute'. This gives an addi-
  tional bonus when using the skill. This bonus is equal to 10% 
  of the attribute in question. For example, a character with a 
  DEX of 50 and a Pistol skill of 60 would make rolls against 
  a total skill of 65%.
  All characters can speak Common at their INT x1.5. 
  Characters from the Lower Middle Class, Upper Middle 
  Class, Nomenklatura, Low Corporate, Median Corporate and 
  High Corporate origins also gain Common (read and write) at 
  a level equal to their INT. Characters from the Dispossessed, 
  Redundant and Drudge origins also gain a base level in the 
  Folklore skill equal to 20% of their INT stat.
  CHARACTER CONCEPT
  The first and most important stage of character creation is the 
  basic concept. Where is the character from? What do they 
  look like? What is their outlook on life? By answering a series 
  of questions about the character (given below), the player will 
  create a broad picture of what this person is like,  making the 
  more number based sections of character creation far easier.
  Questions to be asked
  1) The name, age and sex of the character.
  2) What part of The City was the character born in?
  3) What social class were the character's parents?
  4) What were the character's parents' occupations?
  5) What was family life like? 
  6) Did the character have siblings? 
  7) Why did your character eventually leave the family
   
  home (if at all)?
  8) What kind of things did your character learn as a child?
  9) What does your character look like?
  10) Does your character have any notable physical strengths
    
  or weaknesses?
  11) Does your character have any notable mental strengths
    
  or weaknesses?
  12) What does your character do for a living?
  13) What kind of training (if any) has your character 
   
  received?
  14) What are your character's main goals in life?
  15) What motivates the character?
  16) Are there any particular traits which the character
    
  respects/dislikes in people?
  17)  Does the character have any close friends, dependants 
   
  etc?
  ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
  In order to make a character more rounded and realistic, 
  a player can choose to have a number of advantages and 
  disadvantages for their character. These can be physical, 
  mental, monetary, social etc. All will have an effect on the 
  character's life and the course of the game at some point. 
  Advantages are purchased using either attribute or skill 
  points, depending on what particular advantage is chosen. 
  Disadvantages give points back into the attribute or skill point 
  pools, either balancing out advantages or giving increased 
  points to spend on attributes or skills. The GM has the final 
  say on how many advantages and disadvantages characters 
  may have. As each character starts with 360 attribute points 
  and 500 skill points, players can choose to have characters 
  with many advantages and few disadvantages, but who are 
  slightly lacking in skills or attributes. Conversely, a player 
  could take many disadvantages and few advantages, thus 
  giving the character bonuses in skills and attributes.
  Age
  Age has a definite effect on the skills and abilities of a 
  character. Older characters may have great knowledge and 
  skills, but may be slightly less able physically. Characters 
  who are very young will have lesser skills, knowledge and 
  attributes, but their ages gives many advantages.
  Age 
   
  AP/SP
  5-12 
   
  -150/-200
  13-17 
   
  -50/-80
  18-25 
   
  +40/-50 
  26-35 
   
  +0/+0
  36-45 
   
  -40/+50
  46-60 
   
  -80/+100
  60+ 
   
  -100/+150
  Contact
  A contact can range from a casual acquaintance, right up to 
  a lifelong friend who would gladly give their life for the char-
  acter. There are three grades of contact: Minor, Moderate 
  and Major. Minor contacts will pass over titbits of information, 
  find out the 'word on the street' etc. Moderate contacts will 
  carry out tasks which involve some small risk to themselves. 
  Major contacts would do almost anything for the character. 
  This is not to be taken as carte blanche to use major contacts 
  as cannon fodder. These are friends, who have built up trust 
  or a strong professional relationship over many years. Their 
  friendship is not to be taken lightly. Very few people would 
  have more than two or three major contacts.
  the players 154
  
  Minor:   
   
  -05 AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  -10 AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  -20 AP or SP
  Enemy
  Someone or something out there doesn't like you. As with 
  contacts, there are three grades of enemy: Minor, Moderate 
  and Major. Minor enemies merely dislike you and may, on 
  occasion, take action to disrupt what you are doing or cause 
  you minor harm. Moderate enemies would actively like to see 
  you harmed, put out of business, jailed or otherwise incon-
  venienced in a serious way. Major enemies want to see you 
  dead, crippled or incarcerated for life. Major enemies should 
  not be taken lightly.
  Minor:   
   
  +05 AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  +10 AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  +20 AP or SP
  Fame
  Hey, you're famous! At least, to a greater or lesser extent. You 
  might be a Lostfinder who is well known and respected in 
  her local area. Or, you could be a Class A ekranoplan pilot, 
  known across The City and admired by millions. Fame runs 
  from Minor (a single burgh or parish), through Moderate (sev-
  eral burghs or parishes) to Major (city-wide). Fame can also 
  act only within a certain culture, society or group of people. 
  Fame which is specific to a single group comes at half cost. 
  Minor:   
   
  -05 AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  -10 AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  -15 AP or SP
  Infamy
  Hey, you're infamous! This can be just as widespread and 
  talked about as fame, but a lot more sinister. Infamy comes 
  about because you've done (or are rumoured to have done) 
  something bad, or possibly downright evil. Whether this is 
  true or false is up to the player and GM, but mud sticks and 
  an infamous reputation is hard to get rid of. Like fame, infamy 
  runs from Minor (a single burgh or parish), through Moderate 
  (several burghs or parishes) to Major (city-wide). Infamy can 
  also act only within a certain culture, society or group of 
  people. Infamy which is specific to a single group gives only 
  half of the normal additional points (rounded down).
  Minor:   
   
  +05 AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  +10 AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  +15 AP or SP
  Mental Advantage
  As the name would suggest, mental advantages are mental 
  traits which allow the character to function that little bit bet-
  ter in a certain area. Examples include better memory than 
  most, the ability to concentrate harder and for longer peri-
  ods of time or a natural talent with languages and dialects. 
  The examples given below are by no means exhaustive 
  and GMs should feel free to add their own as and when 
  necessary. Unlike mental disadvantages, mental advan-
  tages are not rated. You have the advantage or you don't. 
  When appropriate, a mental advantage gives a +10% skill 
  or attribute bonus in an applicable situation.
  Examples:
  Charming 
   
  Concentration 
   
  Eidetic Memory  
  Empathy
  Extreme Patience  
  Mental Calculator
  Pain Tolerance 
   
  Perceptive
  Cost: 
   
   
  -10AP
  Mental Disadvantage
  Mental disadvantages come in many shapes and forms, 
  from being mildly impatient to outright psychosis. All mental 
  disadvantages are rated as Minor, Moderate or Major. The 
  actual points a character gains for taking specific types of 
  advantage are given below. Major mental disadvantages 
  should not be taken lightly, as they can represent extreme 
  mental illness and psychosis.
  Examples:
  Arrogance 
   
  Big Mouth
  Combat Fatigue  
  Flashbacks
  Impatient  
   
  Low Pain Tolerance
  Nightmares 
   
  Phobia
  Psychosis  
   
  Shy 
   
  Minor:   
   
  +05 AP
  Moderate:  
   
  +10AP
  Major:  
   
  +15AP
  Physical Advantage
  A Physical Advantage represents some ‘edge’ that the charac-
  ter has over your average human being. Physical advantages 
  are things which are not represented wholly by attributes. For 
  example, just being ‘strong’ would not be a physical attribute, 
  as this could be represented simply by the Strength attribute. 
  However, ‘strong grip’ could be a physical advantage, repre-
  senting strength in a  particular area. A physical advantage 
  can be either Minor, Moderate or Major. 
  the players 155
  
  A Minor advantage confers a bonus of +5% to the appro-
  priate attribute when in use, a Moderate advantage confers 
  a +10% bonus and a Major advantage confers a +20% 
  bonus. 
  Sample advantages are shown below.
  Examples:
  Ambidextrous (-10AP) 
  Balance
  Good Hearing 
   
  Good Sight
  Good Speaking Voice 
  Handsome 
   
  Sound Sleeper 
   
  Strong Grip
  Minor:   
   
  -03AP
  Moderate:  
   
  -08AP
  Major:   
   
  -15AP
  Physical Disadvantage
  A physical disadvantage is some form of limitation which 
  will affect the character's actions at some point in their 
  daily life. Some are barely noticeable (such as wearing 
  spectacles) while others may be very obvious (such as hav-
  ing no legs). Physical disadvantages are rated as Minor, 
  Moderate or Major. Minor disadvantages are almost 
  unnoticeable and will not affect the character too much. 
  However, a major disadvantage is extremely noticeable 
  and/or limiting. For example, a Minor Disadvantage of 
  Bad Sight may result in the character wearing spectacles. 
  However, a Major Disadvantage in Bad Sight would result 
  in the character being near blind or totally blind.
  Examples:
  Addict 
   
   
  Allergy
  Bad Hearing 
   
  Bad Sight
  Bad Sleeper 
   
  Bad Speech
  Disfigured 
   
  Illness 
   
   
  Injury 
   
   
  Ugly
  Minor:   
   
  +05 AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  +10AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  +15AP or SP
  Poverty
  Many people in The City live in conditions of extreme 
  poverty, earning way below the average wage of £5 per 
  week. Players can choose to have their characters live in 
  penurious circumstances in order to increase the number 
  of APs or SPs they have to spend. Minor poverty reduces 
  the characters starting Wealth Level by 1, Moderate pov-
  erty reduces the characters starting Wealth Level by 3 
  and Major poverty reduces the characters starting wealth 
  level by 5. However, the lowest the Wealth Level can go 
  is 1, characters cannot take a Poverty disadvantage which 
  would reduce their Wealth Level below 1.
  Minor:   
   
  +05 AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  +10AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  +20AP or SP
  Wealth
  In direct opposition to the Poverty disadvantage, the Wealth 
  advantage assumes that the character has been particularly 
  successful in their career, business dealings, inheritance or 
  whatever. Minor wealth increases the characters starting 
  Wealth Level by 1, Moderate wealth increases the charac-
  ters starting wealth level by 2 and Major wealth increases 
  the characters starting Wealth Level by 3. No characters 
  can start with a Wealth Level greater than 10.
  Minor:   
   
  -05AP or SP
  Moderate:  
   
  -15AP or SP
  Major:   
   
  -30AP or SP
  ORIGIN
  Origin tells you what kind of family your character comes 
  from. This should be firmly based in the Character Concept 
  and reflect the answers given by the player. Each different 
  origin offers the character a choice of certain skills. The 
  player can choose to purchase two, all, or any number in 
  between of these skills for their character. However, no start-
  ing skill may be greater than 20%. The player has 40 skill 
  points (not part of the starting total of skill points) to spend 
  on Origin skills.
  Each origin also confers a bonus in one or more attributes. 
  For example, someone with the Drudge origin would receive 
  a bonus of +10% to STR.
  dispossessed
  The lowest of the low. Dispossessed is an origin where char-
  acters are born into the serried ranks of the homeless that 
  inhabit The City. It is a rough upbringing that teaches you to 
  look after yourself, sure as hell no one else will.
  Skill Picks: Armed Combat, Unarmed Combat, Sneak, 
  Folklore, Foraging, Fast-talk.
  Bonus: +10 AWR
  the players 156
  
  redundant
  Lucky enough to have a place to live but not lucky enough to 
  have a job, the redundant are a step above the dispossessed, 
  but only just. 
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Mechanics, Folklore, 
  Foraging, Economics.
  Bonus: +10 AWR
  drudge
  Born into a family which slaves through a life of hard, manual 
  work. Most of the drudge class work for the lowest echelons 
  of monolithic corporate organisations.
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Mechanics, Machinist, 
  Electrician, Folklore, any Trades skill.
  Bonus: +10 STR
  MIDDLE CLASS, LOWER
  Mildly affluent, the lower middle classes are made up of shop 
  owners, small businessmen and the lower ranking profession-
  als. Their life is not extravagant but they are comfortable in 
  their situation.
  Skill Picks: Mechanical Computing, Economics, Writing, 
  Ground Vehicles, Bureaucracy.
  Bonus: +10 WIL
  MIDDLE CLASS, UPPER
  Professionals, skilled tradesmen and the owners of mini or 
  microcorps go towards making up the majority of the upper 
  middle classes in The City.
  Skill Picks: Negotiation, Economics, Diplomacy, Bureaucracy, 
  Writing.
  Bonus: +10 WIL
  nomenklatura
  The nomenklatura are respected professionals of high rank or 
  those who have been born into inherited wealth. They are the 
  cream of non-corporate society in The City.
  Skill Picks: Act, Diplomacy, History, Politics, Economics.
  Bonus: +10 PER
  LOW CORPORATE
  Perhaps skilled tradesmen or lower echelon managerial staff, 
  low corporates have security and a regular wage, which is 
  more than many can boast.
  Skill Picks: Mechanical Computing, One Trades or Scientific 
  skill, Ground Vehicles, Persuasion.
  Bonus: +10 WIL
  MEDIAN CORPORATE
  The people who truly run the corporate monsters, they live 
  comfortable lives, mostly secluded from the rough and tumble 
  of the city streets.
  Skill Picks: 2 Scientific, Trades or Administrative skills, 
  Mechanical Computing, Negotiation, Persuasion.
  Bonus: +10 HLT
  HIGH CORPORATE
  The very top echelons of corporate society, an individual born 
  into this stratum of society can expect a life of luxury and privi-
  lege unparalleled anywhere else in the City.
  Skill Picks: 3 Scientific or 3 Academic skills, Act, 
  Diplomacy.
  Bonus: +10 HLT and +10 PER
  UPBRINGING
  Again, this is a choice which the player must make based on 
  answers given during the creation of the character concept. 
  The player may only choose one upbringing, and this choice 
  is influenced by the origin of the character. The 'Available To:' 
  line under the title of the upbringing shows which origins can 
  have this type of upbringing. For example, someone with a 
  dispossessed origin, could not choose the Academic upbring-
  ing, as this is only available to the Upper Middle Class, 
  Nomenklatura, Low Corporate, Median Corporate and High 
  Corporate. However, the player, in consultation with the GM, 
  can choose an upbringing which is not normally allowed by 
  the origin, if the character concept warrants it.
  As for the origin, upbringing bestows certain extra skills on 
  the character. The player can choose to purchase two, all, 
  or any number in between of these skills for their character. 
  However, no starting skill may be greater than 20%. The 
  player has 40 skill points (not part of the starting total of skills 
  points) to spend on upbringing skills.
  ACADEMIC
  Available To: Upper Middle Class, Nomenklatura, Low 
  Corporate, Median Corporate, High Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Any 4 Scientific and Academic skills, Writing.
  APPRENTICED
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge, Lower 
  Middle Class, Low Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Any Trades skill, Economics, Mechanical 
  Computing, Ground Vehicles or Water Vehicles.
  the players 157
  
  CORPORATE (macrocorp or smaller business)
  Available To: Low Corporate, Median Corporate, High 
  Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Economics, Writing, Law, Diplomacy, Act.
  CRIMINAL
  Available To: All.
  Skill Picks: Pistol, Unarmed Combat, Sneak, Fast-talk, 
  Criminal Culture.
  DANGEROUS
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge, Lower 
  Middle Class, Low Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Pistol, Armed Combat, Unarmed Combat, 
  Tracking, Tactics.
  INDEPENDENTly minded
  Available To: All.
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Negotiation, Psychology, 
  Economics, any Trades skill.
  MILITARISTIC
  Available To: All.
  Skill Picks: Longarm, Armed Combat, Ground Vehicles, 
  Unarmed Combat, Tactics.
  MINORITY group
  Available To: All.
  Skill Picks: Unarmed Combat, Act, Diplomacy, Negotiation, 
  Running, Hide.
  political
  Available To: Upper Middle Class,  Nomenklatura, 
  Median Corporate, High Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Writing, Economics, Politics, Psychology, Act.
  POOR
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge.
  Skill Picks: Foraging, Economics, Unarmed Combat, First 
  Aid, Negotiation.
  RELIGIOUS
  Available To: All.
  Skill Picks: Theology, Psychology, Oration, Writing, History 
  (Own Religion)
  SHELTERED life
  Available To: All.
  Skill Picks: Any 2 Scientific or Academic skills, First Aid, 
  Writing, Musical Instrument.
  TRANSIENT or nomad
  Available To: Dispossessed, Redundant, Drudge.
  Skill Picks: Ground or Water Vehicles, Foraging, Fishing, 
  First Aid, Negotiation, Persuasion.
  WEALTHY
  Available To: Upper Middle Class, Nomenklatura, Median 
  Corporate, High Corporate.
  Skill Picks: Economics, History, Musical Instrument, 
  Bureaucracy, Diplomacy.
  TYPES OF CHARACTER IN THE CITY
  This particular section outlines different types of character 
  which can be found in The City. Each character type gives 
  a brief description of the essentials of the character, as well 
  as listing some recommended skills for that particular type. 
  However, everyone is an individual, and these are merely 
  guidelines. A player may think that the ghostfighter is a great 
  character type, but wants something a little different. So, they 
  may decide that instead of using knives, their ghostfighter only 
  uses blunt weapons such as clubs, nightsticks or coshes. This is 
  only a small change to the character type, but serves to make 
  it unique. Character type also has an influence on the starting 
  wealth for the character. This is explained further in the section 
  entitled 'Starting Wealth'.
  Activist
  The scent of power lures many into the shady, shadowy world 
  of local politics. The many and varied burgh and parish coun-
  cils, local committees and advisory boards are always stocked 
  with the ambitious, the cunning, the concerned and the glory 
  seeking. People come into politics for different reasons. Some 
  would seek to make things better for their fellow citizens, some 
  merely do it in order to exercise some feeble and meaningless 
  power over others, whilst others use it as a means of making 
  a living via graft and corruption. Whatever their reasons, 
  Activists are all strongly motivated, forceful individuals.
  Recommended Skills: Bureaucracy, Diplomacy, Oration, 
  Negotiation, Persuasion, Act, Fast-talk.
  Resource: A small office (either owned or rented), type-
  writer and printing press.
  Wealth Level: 6
  the players 158
  
  Antiquities Hunter
  Layers of history lie beneath The City. In dusty libraries and 
  dank archives, stores of information wait to be uncovered. In 
  musty lofts and attics, venerable artworks hang unappreciated 
  and unwanted. Yet, there are always those willing to pay for 
  an item, no matter how hard it may be to track down. To pay 
  someone to discover whether or not a folktale or legend is true. 
  This is where antiquities hunters come in. Specialists in tracking 
  down that which has been lost for years, decades or even 
  centuries. Antiquities hunters must have the investigative skills 
  of a lostfinder, the tenacity of a stringer and the hardiness of a 
  flowghost. Tracking leads and myths in half-forgotten libraries. 
  Clambering through disused tunnels and vaults. Wresting items 
  from the hands of those who would rather not let go. The life of 
  a hunter is hard, but the rewards can be huge.
  Recommended Skills: Armed Combat, Archaeology, 
  Climbing, Criminal Culture, Folklore, History, Investigation, 
  Negotiation, Pistol
  Resource: Collection of notes on folklore and history, 
  archaeological equipment and a strong will!
  Wealth Level: 3 to 9
  Artist
  Some are drawn to art as an escape from the drab and 
  depressing environment of The City. Others feel the need to 
  create well up from inside them, as an expression of man's 
  creativity. Others just do it to make money. Regardless of 
  their reasons, there are many artists in The City, poets, musi-
  cians, painters, sculptors, composers and so on. The majority 
  scratch away in dim garret rooms, dreaming of patronage 
  and fame, whilst the lucky few live in opulent surroundings, 
  reaping the benefits of obtaining a wealthy patron. All look 
  forward to the day that their work is recognised and revered 
  by the populace of The City.
  Specialisations: Composer, Musician, Painter, Poet, 
  Sculptor, Writer
  Recommended Skills: Artistic skill depending of specialisa-
  tion, Economics, Diplomacy, Negotiation
  Resource: Varies widely according to what the artist does, 
  their level of fame etc. The GM should make a decision based 
  upon the rest of the character creation process.
  Wealth Level: 1 to 9
  Clergy
  For the millions who seek solace in religion, the clergy are their 
  spiritual and moral leaders, passing on the word of God (or 
  Gods) to the masses of the laity. From the rigid, dour priests of 
  the Third Church of God the Architect to the voluble, demon-
  strative orators of The Shining Sky, many tend to the welfare of 
  their flock and to the survival of their religion with great devo-
  tion. However, some slip from the true path and become more 
  self serving, more interested in worldly possessions and physi-
  cal pleasures than inner piety. Members of the clergy can vary 
  between these extremes, often exhibiting a pragmatic view of 
  life, counselling where necessary and holding their tongues as 
  the occasion demands. 
  Recommended Skills: Psychology, Theology, Music, 
  Writing, Oration, Persuasion, Folklore.
  Resource: Holy items and garb.
  Wealth Level: 1 to 5
  Criminal
  If there is one thing that The City has more than enough of, it's 
  criminals. From the common cutpurse working the canalsides 
  and back alleys to the heads of the massive organised crime 
  syndicates, they all contribute to the criminal culture of The 
  City. In many ways, the vast majority of The City's population 
  are criminals in one way or the other. However, to actually 
  make a living through a life of crime requires a special mindset 
  and a particular kind of person.
  Specialisations: Ganger, Scrounger/Scavenger, Fence, 
  Crook, Cutpurse.
  Recommended Skills: Unarmed Combat, Armed Combat, 
  Running, Persuasion, Act, Hide, Sneak, Criminal Culture.
  Resource: Varies, from a bludgeon to an entire gang.
  Wealth Level: 1 to 9
  Driver
  Transport is vital in The City, whether it be via the stinking, 
  teeming canals or through the winding, narrow streets. Many 
  of The City's residents earn a living transporting people and 
  produce from one place to another. Such characters tend to 
  have a good knowledge of the areas they work in, where 
  and where not to go, who to speak to for 'specialist' goods 
  and a never ending supply of local gossip. Some travel all 
  over The City and can profess knowledge of large chunks of 
  the crushing urban sprawl. However, most are content to ply 
  their trade within one or two burghs.
  Specialisations: Rickshaw Driver, Taxi Driver, Aerostat Pilot.
  Recommended Skills: Appropriate Vehicle skill, Mechanics, 
  Electrician, Folklore, Machinist.
  Resource: Generally a lot of fellow feeling exists amongst 
  drivers of a particular type and a character may be able to 
  call upon the aid of his fellow drivers at some point.
  Wealth Level: 2 to 5
  the players 159
  
  Entrepreneur
  Small businessmen and women, shopowners and traders: 
  they represent the most basic level in the economic life of The 
  City. The entrepreneur can vary from the settled stallholder, 
  who inherited his pitch from parents or grandparents, to a 
  thrusting young go-getter who firmly believes her schemes 
  and dealings will one day challenge the might of the macro-
  corps. Whatever goods they deal in and whatever methods 
  they choose to make a living, entrepreneurs must be loqua-
  cious salesmen and steely-eyed negotiators.
  Recommended 
  Skills: 
  Mechanical 
  Computing, 
  Economics, Bureaucracy, Negotiation, Persuasion, Bribery, 
  Fast-talk.
  Resource: Depending on the kind of business and the suc-
  cess it has achieved, the entrepreneur may have anything from 
  a small tray around his neck to substantial business premises.
  Wealth Level: 2 to 7
  Flowghost
  Prowling the pathways of the Dataflow, the calling of the 
  Flowghost is a dangerous one. Nobody likes their information 
  being stolen and some groups will pay Flowghosts back with 
  the proverbial six inches of steel. Incompetent Flowghosts, 
  therefore, are few and far between. Skilled in cryptology, 
  mathematics and the science of The Dataflow, they are adept 
  at using both dingin and electronic computer systems to trawl 
  the vast pool of information, cutting into secure systems and 
  extracting the juiciest morsels. Unlike netrunners, matrix jock-
  eys and hackers in other game settings, Flowghosts are more 
  closely related to cryptographers and codebreakers than to 
  the prototypical cyberspace cowboy. Such is the nature of the 
  Dataflow and so widespread the use of mechanical dingins, 
  that having a bank of programs ready to assault a datacore 
  is just not enough. Careful perception, skilled manipulation 
  and intelligent application of mathematics will see the suc-
  cessful 'ghost through. There is no 'jacking in' and perceiving 
  the Dataflow as a 360 degree simulation. Flowghosts must 
  observe what happens on screens, tanks or mechanical dis-
  plays, listening to sounds through headphones, handsets or 
  speakers. The skill of Dataflow Perception is not easily picked 
  up and takes a lot of trial and error. Simple visual cues are 
  not enough, the successful Flowghost must listen, observe and 
  often act on instinct and intuition.
  Recommended Skills: Dataflow Perception, Mathematics, 
  Cryptography, 
  Electrician, 
  Mechanics, 
  Dinginsmith, 
  Mechanical Computing, Investigation.
  Resource: Microscale dingin and peripherals.
  Wealth Level: 7
  Ghostfighter
  The ghostfighters of The City are a breed apart from the 
  common guffer or militant trooper, having honed their skills 
  in knife fighting and stealthy attack to a remarkable degree. 
  The most talented of ghostfighters are prosperous and in 
  demand. Untalented ghostfighters are dead. 
  A ghostfighter is quite simply an individual who has trained 
  themselves to a high degree of expertise in stealth, infiltration 
  and armed combat. Do not make the mistake of thinking that 
  they are assassins. They are stand up fighters, preferring to 
  look their enemy straight in the face before delivering the 
  killer strike. Many notable figures employ a ghostfighter or 
  two as unobtrusive bodyguards at exorbitant prices.
  Recommended Skills: Unarmed Combat, Armed Combat, 
  Thrown Weapon, Tactics, Running, Climbing, Hide, Sneak, 
  Shadow, Tracking.
  Resource: 2 melee weapons
  Wealth Level: 6
  Jake
  Bundles of rags huddled in a shop doorway, soaking 
  figures slumped by the side of a canal, crouching shapes 
  sheltering in wrecked barges. The jakes are the street 
  dwellers of The City, tramps and beggars ignored by the 
  vast majority of the population. The overwhelming majority 
  beg for a living, while some turn to petty crime in order to 
  have enough money to buy food, booze or drugs. Living in 
  squalor, jakes are often riddled with disease and parasitic 
  infections, wracked by the side effects of cheap drugs or 
  bad drink. It's a hard life on the streets: no one turns to help 
  his fellow man and the only rule is that the one person you 
  can trust is you.
  Recommended Skills: Sneak, Hide, Persuasion, Fast-talk, 
  Criminal Culture, Folklore, Foraging, Fishing.
  Resource: Very little other than a few shabby personal pos-
  sessions and some ragged clothes.
  Wealth Level: 1
  Labour
  The toiling masses of The City. Labourers struggle in the 
  factories, mills, and works. They scrabble in mines, unload 
  cargo and construct new buildings. Being a labourer is a 
  harsh, rough, unyielding lifestyle which offers little reward 
  for hours of toil. Many members of the labouring classes 
  supplement their meagre income through petty crime or 
  some kind of shady second job. Labourers in the employ of
  the players 160
  
  the players 161
  the macrocorps fare slightly (only slightly,
  mind you) better than their fellows working
  for smaller companies or local councils.
  Specialisations: Factory Worker, Labour -
  er, Construction Worker.
  Recommended Skills: Unarmed Combat, 
  Machinist, Drinking, Folklore, Bureaucracy,
  Criminal Culture, Mechanics.
  Resource: The resources available to the 
  common labourer are understandably limited.
  They may have a few tools, specialised work-
  ing clothes, etc.
  Wealth Level: 2 to 4
  Law Enforcer
  The streets and canals of The City are rid-
  dled with crime and corruption. Someone 
  must protect the citizenry from the predat-
  ions of the criminal classes. Unfortunately,
  the very people charged with upholding
  laws are often guilty of lawbreaking
  themselves. Law enforcers range
  from the Provosts of the Three 
  Canals Metropolitan 
  Area, down to scops 
  employed by the 
  private security comp-
  anies. Most feared of all law enforcers 
  in The City are the Transit Militia, who 
  guard the tracks, trains and stations 
  of the ageing, crumbling rail-
  way network. 
  Specialisations: Provost, Scop, 
  Transit Militia.
  Recommended Skills: Pistol, Armed 
  Combat, Unarmed Combat, Investigation, 
  Negotiation, Forensics, Shadow, Criminal 
  Culture.
  Resource: A gun, a badge and a cynical 
  attitude.
  Wealth Level: 5
  Lostfinder
  Seekers, searchers, investigators. Lostfinders 
  take a quasi-mystical approach to their work, 
  seeking to be in harmony with The City and its
  people in order to better carry out their chosen
  tasks. As a result of this, Lostfinders will never 
  accept payment in cash, only in kind or in the
  form of simple goodwill. An inves-
  tigation of weeks into the disap-
  pearance of a child may result 
  in no more payment than a hot 
  meal and the long-lasting thanks 
  of a poor family. In the   parish or 
  burgh where they work, Lostfinders
  are often figures of respect, trust-
  ed by the community for their 
  altruistic efforts to help others. It 
  is a foolish person, however, who  
  betrays the trust of a Lostfinder. For 
  not only will they incur they anger 
  of an individual, they will incur 
  the wrath of the entire com-
  munity. Such is the place of the 
  Lostfinder, a semi-religious force for 
  good in a dark place.
  Recommended Skills: Investiga-
  tion, Law, Diplomacy, Negotiation, 
  Shadow, Forensics, Criminal 
  Culture.
  Resource: The goodwill of com-
  munity is a resource not to be under-
  estimated.
  Wealth Level: 2
  Mapmaker
  Deals must be done and bargains 
  must be struck. But what if two parties 
  are unwilling or unable to make con-
  tact, to be seen speaking with a 
  mortal enemy. This is where the 
  mapmakers come in. An in
  dispensable part of the 
  criminal culture of The
   City, mapmakers 
  organise deals, act 
  as intermediaries and 
   arbitrators between 
  the factionalised and fractious 
  criminal elements. Always careful to 
  rigorously maintain their indepen-
  dence, they take a reasonable per-
  centage of any deal they help to bro-
  ker or ask a simple flat fee for arrang-
  ing meetings or transferring messages. 
  They walk a quaking tightrope between 
  violently aggressive organisations, main-
  taining a careful balancing act, to ever 
  avoid dropping into the abyss.
  Recommended Skills: Bribery, 
  Criminal Culture, Economics, Fast Talk, 
  
  Negotiation, Persuasion, Politics, Psychology.
  Resource: 3 Minor (Criminal) contacts.
  Wealth Level: Depending on reputation and success, 
  between 3 and 8.
  Medical
  Medicine in The City is truly a fractured thing. The majority of 
  the population go without organised medical facilities, either 
  looking after themselves or paying exorbitant amounts to pri-
  vate medical centres. In the domains of the macrocorps, medi-
  cal science is at its most advanced. Treatments regarded with 
  a reverential awe by the general populace are handed out 
  with dull regularity. Longevity, bodily enhancement and perfect 
  health are all within the scope of the services provided by the 
  macrocorps. Those who toil in the factories receive somewhat 
  lesser medical care, which amounts to not much more than first 
  aid. Some have chosen to wander the streets, dispensing aid to 
  the needy, in return for food or a bed for the night. These are 
  the streethealers, wandering doctors who tramp the lanes of 
  The City or travel along its canals practising their craft.
  Specialisations: Doctor, Medic, Streethealer.
  Recommended Skills: First Aid, General Medicine, 
  Pharmacology, Surgery, Diplomacy, Persuasion, Biology, 
  Chemistry.
  Resource: Medical equipment appropriate to the sophisti-
  cation and status of the character.
  Wealth Level: 1 to 7
  Military
  From the sparklock wielding militia of the Third Church to the 
  armoured fist of Arclight’s Tentenel troopers, military forces 
  across The City vary widely in their training, skill and level 
  of equipment. However, all share a broad ethos and similar 
  battlefield techniques. Many people in The City have had 
  experience with weapons at some point in their lives, but 
  the military or former military character has been extensively 
  trained in weapons, tactics and military procedure. In hitech 
  forces, there are also vehicular forces, such as the armoured 
  divisions of the Red Canal Collectivist Republic.
  Specialisations: Third Church Lay Reserves Martial, 
  Arclight Brigade of Light, Gorunna Internal Order Cadre, 
  Trilhoeven Militia, RCCR Peoples Guards.
  Recommended Skills (infantry): Longarm, Armed 
  Combat, Tactics, Thrown Weapon, Demolition, Running, First 
  Aid, Hide, Orienteering.
  Recommended Skills (armoured): Pistol, Tactics, 
  Mechanical Computing, Mechanics, Ground Vehicles, 
  Vehicular Weapons.
  Resource: Serving military personal will have access to a 
  range of equipment appropriate to the technological level 
  and wealth of the organisation which they serve. Ex-military 
  characters will have a few bits and pieces left over from their 
  service, maybe a sidearm, a few bits of armour, a helmet or 
  other non-combat items of kit.
  Wealth Level: 1 to 8, depending on rank and organisa-
  tion.
  Mikefighter Pilot (ex)
  "One centimetre too tall, one kilo too heavy". So runs the 
  credo of the former Mikefighter pilots. Most have finished 
  their careers by the time they are sixteen, if they are lucky. 
  Once they are too tall or too heavy for maximum combat 
  efficiency, they get thrown out by their corporate masters, 
  out onto the streets where they must use their skills as best 
  they can. Even aged sixteen, most ex-mikefighter pilots are 
  combat hardened veterans, carrying a casual contempt for 
  life and limb. Despite being skilled pilots, they often find it dif-
  ficult to find work. Getting a job as an aerostat pilot is prized, 
  but rare. Most live out their lives in criminal activities, never to 
  take to the air again.
  Recommended Skills: Pistol, Unarmed Combat, Tactics, 
  Air Vehicles, Vehicular Weapons, Navigation.
  Resource: Flight suit, small handgun.
  Wealth Level: 3
  Mudlark
  Also known as Bankers, Canal Rakers and Dockers, Mudlarks 
  are specialists at loading and unloading barges, rigging lines 
  and dredging the canals. Many are transient, moving from 
  place to place as work varies. Unlike nomads, they may stay 
  in one place for long periods of time, becoming established in 
  a burgh before moving on. Others live by the same canal their 
  entire lives, with entire families working in the same business. 
  Often, they can be found in small boats, dredging the canals 
  for saleable items, for silt and trash to sell as fertiliser or simply 
  to keep the waterways open. Many use primitive, home made 
  diving suits and hand cranked air pumps to scour the canal bot-
  toms for anything of value. The life of the mudlark is a hard one, 
  full of dangerous work, hard drinking and brutal fighting.
  Recommended Skills: Armed Combat, Drinking, First 
  Aid, Fishing, Folklore, Mechanics, Navigation, Negotiation, 
  Unarmed Combat, Water Vehicles.
  Resource: Sometimes a small boat and accoutrements, 
  most often a knife, boathook or pike and some rough, hard 
  wearing clothes.
  Wealth Level: 2 to 4
  the players 162
  
  Nomad
  Nomads wander the canals and streets, having chosen a life 
  without a permanent home, rather than having the existence 
  thrust upon them like a jake. All their worldly possession are 
  carried in a pack, a carpetbag or some other easily carried 
  piece of luggage. Due to their wide-ranging travels, nomads 
  are experienced in the many diverse cultures of The City and 
  often have an excellent grasp of idiosycratic local laws and 
  customs which could catch the unwary by surprise.
  Recommended Skills: Longarm,  Unarmed Combat, 
  Mechanics, Fish Farming, Folklore, Negotiation, Water 
  Vehicles, Orienteering, Navigation.
  Resource: Small boat (if waterbourne), bundle of posses-
  sions (bedroll, cooking pan, oil stove, etc.)
  Wealth Level: 3
  Scientist
  Whether they be experimenting in pristine white clean rooms 
  or dissecting a mutated fish in a dingy garret room, scientists 
  throughout The City all share a passion for research and the 
  advancement of knowledge. Sometimes, this is perverted for 
  their, or their employer's, ends, resulting in horrific experi-
  ments or dubious technological 'advances'. The life of a 
  scientist can range from one of great wealth and prestige to 
  an existence little better than that of a jake. Great discover-
  ies tend to go unnoticed when the discoverer dies of alcohol 
  poisoning, slumped in a urine soaked alley. 
  Recommended Skills: Electronic Computing, Mechanical 
  Computing, Investigation, Writing, Biology, Chemistry, 
  Physics, Bureaucracy, Pharmacology.
  Resource: Lab (standard of which depends on the reputa-
  tion, status and wealth of the character).
  Wealth Level: 2 to 8
  Sportsman
  Famous sportsmen are the true heroes of The City. Top 
  ekranoplan pilots, elite cripplecut players and the best card-
  sharps are all lauded and admired by the serried ranks of the 
  population. However, very few ever reach this level of fame, 
  wealth and adulation. The majority of sportsmen and women 
  live a hand to mouth existence, often labouring to supple-
  ment their meagre sporting incomes. Few live to see middle 
  age, piloting infeasably dangerous ramshackle ekranoplans 
  or fighting in disorganised and bloody cripplecut pits.
  Specialisations: Ekranoplan racer, cripplecut fighter.
  Recommended Skills: Armed Combat, First Aid, 
  Negotiation, Running, Swimming, Unarmed Combat.
  Resource: Depends entirely on which sport the character 
  competes in. For a cripplecut fighter, it might be some knives 
  and body armour.
  Wealth Level: 3 to 9
  Stringer
  Digging in the dirt for juicy stories, stringers are the lowest 
  level of the media system which encompasses The City. 
  Some are crusading journalists, out to expose the cruelties 
  of the macrocorps or the schemings of the crime syndicates. 
  others are simply greasy hacks looking of a titillating bit of 
  gossip that they can sell to a newswire for a few shillings. All 
  Stringers are skilled at wheedling information out of people, 
  putting two and two together (often arriving at a figure of 
  five), watching, waiting and following. 
  The average citizen has an intense dislike of stringers, view-
  ing them as parasites trying to burrow under their skin. The 
  only hope for many stringers is that one day they will be 
  taken on by the vast empire of Sideband Media, where a 
  comfortable office, regular pay and the admiration of one's 
  peers awaits.
  Recommended Skills: Investigation, Politics, Writing, 
  Bureaucracy, Negotiation, Persuasion, Act, Disguise, Shadow, 
  Fast-talk, Folklore.
  Resource: Notepads and pencils, recording device of 
  some kind.
  Wealth Level: 3
  Technical
  Vital to the continuing existence of The City, technically skilled 
  (and often not so skilled) personnel maintain the lights, trains, 
  water supplies, cablecars, canal locks, trams, televisions and 
  all the other parts of the infrastructure which make life possible. 
  The range of skills, expertise and motivation are understand-
  ably highly varied, ranging from ill-paid, under-supported 
  technician maintaining a shoddy, leaking local gas supply to 
  inspired architects dreaming up bold new designs for wealthy 
  citizens.
  Specialisations: Fulgurator, Mechanic, Technician, 
  Inventor, Architect, Engineer, Artisan.
  Recommended Skills: Scientific, Trades and Technical 
  skills as appropriate, Writing, Mechanical Computing, Draw, 
  Bureaucracy.
  Resource: Very varied. A lowly maintenance worker may 
  get by with a bag of tools, an engineer may have a studio 
  filled with drafting boards, modelling tables and suchlike.
  Wealth Level: 3 to 9
  the players 163
  
  Starting Wealth
  Each character has certain amount of money to begin with, 
  representing cash on hand, savings, property etc. There can 
  be wide variations in this, according to social status, occupa-
  tion etc. Each character profession has a Wealth Level. This 
  level is cross referenced with a D10 roll on the table below 
  to find out how much wealth the character starts with. Some 
  professions have a range of Wealth Levels. It is up to the GM 
  to decide which level within the range to use, according to the 
  fame, skill or otherwise of the character in question. Wealth 
  Level can also be modified by the Wealth advantage from the 
  'Advantages and Disadvantages' section.
  Rounding Out The Character
  Rounding out the character is simply a matter of defining 
  various secondary attributes and deciding on such things 
  as height, weight, hair colour, etc (taking into account the 
  answers given when deciding the basic character concept).
  The secondary attributes are as follows:
  Reaction (REA)
  Reaction is found by taking the average of Awareness, 
  Intelligence and Agility, rounding down if the number has a 
  fraction below 0.5 and rounding up if the number has a frac-
  tion of 0.5 or above.
  Resilience (RES)
  This is the character's resistance to injury and disease. 
  Resilience is found by dividing Health by 10 , rounding down 
  if the number has a fraction below 0.5, rounding up if the 
  number has a fraction of 0.5 or above.
  Encumbrance (ENC)
  The maximum weight (in kilos) a character can carry before he 
  or she starts to feel weighed down and have his or her actions 
  slowed. Encumbrance is found by dividing Strength by two.
  Kick Damage
  The damage a character can do with a kick equals STR/15.
  Punch Damage
  The damage a character can do with a punch equals 
  STR/20.
  EXAMPLE OF CHARACTER GENERATION
  The following example leads you through the character cre-
  ation process in order to illustrate how a typical character is 
  created. 
  Firstly, in conjunction with the GM , the player should go 
  through the list of questions given under ‘Character Concept’ 
  in order to come up with a basic idea for the character.
  the players 164
  Roll  
  1  
   
  2  
   
  3  
   
  4  
   
  5  
   
  6  
   
  7  
   
  8  
   
  9  
   
  10
  Wealth
  1  
   
  £0  
   
  £0.05s 
  £0.10s  
  £1  
   
  £1.10s  
  £2  
   
  £2.10s  
  £3  
   
  £3.10s   
  £4
  2  
   
  £1  
   
  £2  
   
  £3  
   
  £4  
   
  £5  
   
  £6  
   
  £7  
   
  £8  
   
  £9  
   
  £10
  3  
   
  £5  
   
  £8  
   
  £11 
   
  £14 
   
  £17 
   
  £20 
   
  £23 
   
  £26 
   
  £29 
   
  £32
  4  
   
  £8  
   
  £12 
   
  £16 
   
  £20 
   
  £24 
   
  £28 
   
  £32 
   
  £36 
   
  £40 
   
  £44
  5  
   
  £10 
   
  £15 
   
  £20 
   
  £25 
   
  £30 
   
  £35 
   
  £40 
   
  £45 
   
  £50 
   
  £55
  6  
   
  £20 
   
  £30 
   
  £40 
   
  £50 
   
  £60 
   
  £70 
   
  £80 
   
  £90 
   
  £100  
  £110
  7  
   
  £40 
   
  £60 
   
  £80 
   
  £100  
  £120  
  £140  
  £160  
  £180  
  £200  
  £220
  8  
   
  £60 
   
  £100  
  £140  
  £180  
  £220  
  £260  
  £300  
  £340  
  £380  
  £420
  9  
   
  £100  
  £200  
  £300  
  £400  
  £500  
  £600  
  £700  
  £800  
  £900  
  £1000
  10  
   
  £1000  
  £2000 
  £4000 
  £6000 
  £8000 
  £10,000 £15,000 £20,000 £25,000 £30,000
  
  Character Concept
  Name, age and sex
  Andy, the player, decides that his character will be called 
  Camden Derr, be 36 years of age and male.
  What part of The City was the character born in?
  Looking  through 'The Place', Andy decides that he wants 
  Derr to come from a fairly rough background and so choos-
  es Bankside, one of the roughest spots in The City!
  What social class were the characters parents?
  What were their occupations?: Given that he was born in 
  Bankside, Derr is unlikely to come from a wealthy nomen-
  klatura family. So, Andy decides that his parents both were 
  self-employed, running a small blacksmithing workshop in the 
  depths of Bankside. While they work with their hands, they are 
  skilled tradesmen and respected by others in the community.
  What was family life like?
  Thinking on this, Andy decides that Derr's family life was 
  hard but fair. The family were poor but his parents were not 
  unduly harsh or uncaring.
  Did the character have any siblings?
  Yes, Derr had a younger brother and a younger sister.
  Why did your character eventually leave the 
  family home (if at all)?
  Derr chose to leave home because of his desire to be an 
  ekranoplan pilot! Andy has decided at this early stage that 
  this is the driving force in Derr's life. He saw illegal ekrano-
  plan races as a child and was enthralled by the speed and 
  glamour. Age fifteen, he ran away from his parents to seek 
  his fortune as a racer!
  What kind of things did your character learn as 
  a child?
  Given his parents jobs, Derr obviously learnt a bit about metal-
  working, machining and other basic mechanical tasks.
  What does the character look like?
  Andy has a think about what Camden Derr might look like and 
  settles on the following description: He is of average height (5' 
  10") and fairly wiry build. He has rough, callused hands, dark 
  blue eyes, straggly black hair and some old, but fairly severe, 
  burn scars on his upper torso and face.
  Does the character have any notable physical 
  strengths or weaknesses?
  Andy chooses not to highlight any particular part of Derr for 
  attention here.
  Does the character have any notable metal 
  strengths or weaknesses?
  Derr doesn't suffer fools gladly and can be fairly obstinate 
  when he wants to be. However, he is pretty strong willed 
  and not easily intimidated by threats of force or violence.
  What does the character do for a living?
  As mentioned above, Derr ran away from home to become 
  an ekranoplan racer. But Andy wants to make him a bit more 
  interesting than this, so plumps for a fairly tortuous career 
  path. After blagging his way into a small Limited Class team 
  as general dogsbody and tool-carrier, he learns a bit about 
  repairing and maintaining ekranoplans. Eventually he is 
  allowed a race and shows a certain aptitude for piloting. 
  After a few successful races and a couple of wins, he is spot-
  ted by the Hirplakker Speed Division and snatched away 
  from his old team with offers of money, women and glory. His 
  career is disastrously short. After a couple of successful trial 
  runs and low-level races for HSD, he is entered in the Grand 
  Canal 2000 as the 3rd pilot in the team. He crashes. Badly, 
  taking out another HSD ship and a couple of other ekrano-
  plans, handing victory to Darrat-Emvax. Finding himself fired 
  and out on the street, he attempts to scratch a living doing 
  odd jobs. After a while, he ends up back in his old home of 
  Bankside, working out of a canalside workshop, gradually 
  improving his skills.
  Now, age 36, he has a thriving business in Bankside, fixing 
  failing mechanical item and fabricating bits and pieces. His 
  main project is building an illegal racing ekranoplan for a 
  local gang who think they can make big money by entering 
  it in  races.
  What kind of training (if any) has your character 
  received?
  The only formal training was some tuition and training whilst a 
  pilot for HSD.
  What are the characters main goals in life?
  Andy decides that Derrs main goal is to run a successful rac-
  ing team. While this may not seem likely when working from 
  a run down workshop in one of the worst slums in The City, 
  he's a man with a great amount of hope and optimism.
  What motivates the character?
  The desire to win and be successful.
  Are there any particular traits which the character 
  respects in people?
  Thinking on this, Andy decides that Derr respects people who 
  are strong-minded, loyal and honest.
  the players 165
  
  Are there any particular traits which the character 
  dislikes in people?
  From the information given above, it's easy to see that Derr 
  dislikes people who are sneaky, liars and the weak-willed.
  Does the character have any close friends, depen-
  dants, etc?
  Andy thinks about all the information on Derr that he's come 
  up with so far and decides that he's not on great terms with 
  his family (who still live in Bankside). The closest Derr has to a 
  dependant is his apprentice at the workshop, a ragged youth 
  whom he took on more out of sympathy than any particular 
  need for an assistant.
  So, the basis of the character is already coming together. 
  Andy has come up with a character concept for a man 
  who has seen a bit of life. He’s experienced dizzying highs 
  and crushing lows. He’s seen the opulent side of The City 
  and the less salubrious side of life. A man with varied skills 
  and a strong sense of purpose, he nonetheless has suffered 
  a few defeats in his time but still harbours a desire to win.
  Now that this stage is sorted, Andy can go on to working out 
  Derrs advantages, disadvantages, attributes and skills.
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Looking at the life of Camden Derr so far, Andy decides on 
  the following advantages and disadvantages:
  Advantages
  Contact, former racing team buddy 
   
  (Moderate) 
  -10SP
  Contact, local Bankside gang  
   
   
  (Moderate) 
  -10SP
  Fame   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (Minor) 
   
  -5SP
  Disadvantages
  Age:36 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  -40AP/+50SP
  Enemy, former member of HSD team   
  (Moderate) 
  +10AP
  Enemy, bookmaker   
   
   
   
   
  (Minor) 
   
  +5AP
  Enemy, gang leader  
   
   
   
   
  (Minor) 
    
  +5AP
  Mental Disadvantage, impatient   
  (Moderate) 
  +10AP
  Mental Disadvantage, obstinate   
  (Moderate) 
  +10AP
  Physical Disadvantage, bad scarring  (Minor) 
   
  +5AP
  Poverty  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (Minor) 
   
  +5AP
  Doing a bit of adding up, this gives Derr a total of 370 
  Attribute Points and 525 Skill Points to play with.
  Attributes
  Andy spends the Attribute Points as follows:
  Strength: 55 
   
  Cost: 45 (+10 to STR for Origin)
  Agility: 35 
   
  Cost: 35
  Dexterity: 60 
   
  Cost: 60
  Health: 30 
   
  Cost: 30
  Awareness: 55 
   
  Cost: 55
  Intelligence: 50 
   
  Cost: 50
  Personality: 40 
   
  Cost: 40
  Willpower: 55 
   
  Cost: 55
  Now we move on to skills. Firstly, Andy must decide on the 
  Origin and Upbringing of Camden Derr. However, this has 
  pretty much been decided by the answers to the character 
  concept questions.
  Origin
  Given that he grew up in Bankside and his parents were 
  relatively skilled artisans, Derr’s origin is Drudge (which, 
  as noted above, gives +10% to STR). From the skill list for 
  Drudge, Andy selected the following skills for Derr:
  Electrician 
   
  10
  Mechanics 
   
  10
  Machinist 
   
  15
  Unarmed Combat  
  5
  As he comes from the Drudge origin, Derr also gains Folklore 
  at 10% (20% of his INT).
  Upbringing
  Derr’s upbringing was not harsh or brutal, but his parents 
  were firm. Andy therefore selects the Apprenticed  upbring-
  ing and buys the following skills from the list:
  Blacksmith 
   
  10
  Mechanics 
   
  30 (20, plus 10 already gained from Origin)
  Water Vehicles  
   
  10
  So, at the end of the Origin and Upbringing stages of char-
  acter creation, Camden Derr has the following skills:
  Blacksmith 
   
  10
  Electrician 
   
  10
  Machinist 
   
  15
  Mechanics 
   
  30
  Unarmed Combat  
  5
  Water Vehicles 
   
  10
  the players 166
  
  Skills
  Now Andy gets on to spending the Skill Points that he’s 
  accumulated for Camden Derr. Given his upbringing, back-
  ground, life experience and all the information that came 
  out during the character concept, Andy spends the 525 skill 
  points as follows, taking in to account the skills gained as part 
  of the origin and upbringing stages:
  Blacksmithing 
   
  25
  Common (spoken)  
  75 (free skill)
  Common (written)  
  50
  Commerce (spoken) 
  50
  Criminal Culture   
  60
  Ekranoplan 
   
  40
  Racing  
   
  +20
  Electrician 
   
  50
  Fast Talk  
   
  50
  First Aid  
   
  20
  Folklore  
   
  10
  Machinist 
   
  50
  Mechanics 
   
  60
  Negotiation 
   
  30
  Pistol 
   
   
  20
  Swimming 
   
  35
  Unarmed Combat  
  30
  Water Vehicle 
   
  30
  Rounding out the character
  Now that attributes and skills have been purchased, all that 
  remains is to finalise the character and buy some equipment.
  Derr's secondary attributes work out as follows:
  Reaction:  
   
  4 
  (Average of Agility, Awareness and Intelligence, rounded down)
  Resilience:  
   
  3 
  (Health divided by ten, rounded down)
  Encumbrance:  
  23kg
  (Strength divided by two, rounded down)
  Kick Damage:   
  3
  (Strength divided by 15)
  Punch Damage:  
  2
  (Strength divided by 20, rounded down)
  Consulting with the GM and taking into account the fact that 
  Derr has the Poverty (Minor) disadvantage, Andy rolls for start-
  ing wealth. The GM assigns Derr a starting wealth of 5 (which 
  includes the fact that he has a workshop and some tools) but this 
  is reduced to 4 by the Poverty disadvantage. Andy rolls an 8 on 
  a D10 and cross-references this with a wealth level of 4 on the 
  wealth table. He ends up with £36 starting wealth. Spending 
  some money, Derr ends up with the following equipment:
  Small workshop  
   Tools
  Medium sparklock pistol 
   Small skiff
  Skill Descriptions
  Combat (Aimed) - Dex
  Heavy Weapon: Semi-portable, fixed and support weapons. 
  (Specialisations: Medium Machinegun, Heavy Machinegun, 
  Man Portable Cannon.)
  Launcher: Covers the use of all rocket, missile and gre-
  nade launchers. (Specialisations: Grenade Launcher, Missile 
  Launcher, Mortar,  Rocket Launcher.)
  Longarm: The use of all rifles, shotguns and man-portable 
  machineguns. (Specialisations: Crossbow, Light Machinegun, 
  Rifle, Shotgun.)
  Pistol: Skill required to use all types of handgun and one 
  handed automatic weapons. (Specialisations: Single-shot, 
  Revolver, Semi-auto, Submachinegun.)
  Thrown Weapons: The ability to accurately throw an 
  object is a skill in itself and covers knives, grenades, bolas, 
  axes and any other form of thrown weapon. (Specialisations: 
  Axe, Grenade, Improvised, Knife, Spear/Javelin.)
  Vehicular Weapons: Covers the use of any weapons 
  mounted on a vehicle. (Specialisations: Light Weapons, Heavy 
  Weapons, Launchers.)
  Combat (Melee) - Agl
  Armed Combat: Hand to hand combat using knives, 
  swords, axes, polearms, clubs or any other form of melee 
  weapon. (Specialisations: Axe, Club, Improvised, Knife, 
  Polearm, Sword.)
  Unarmed Combat: Utilisation of fists, feet, elbows and other 
  body parts to inflict damage on an opponent. (Specialisations: 
  Block, Grapple, Hold, Kick, Punch, Throw.)
  Combat (Miscellaneous) - Int
  Command: The ability to command others is a skill har-
  nessed by few but can prove valuable when attempting to 
  control subordinates. Command can be used to control and 
  influence others in a combat situation. How effective this is and 
  how far it can be taken is up to the GM.
  Logistics: The supply of combat related materials and associ-
  ated formations in the field.
  Strategy: The use and deployment of large scale military 
  formations in combat.
  Tactics: The use and deployment of small units in combat.
  the players 167
  
  the players 168
  Combat (Aimed) - Dex
  Heavy Weapons
   
  HeavyMG
   
  Man-portable Cannon
   
  Medium MG
  Launcher
   
  Grenade Launcher
   
  Missile Launcher
   
  Mortar
   
  Rocket Launcher
  Longarm
   
  Crossbow
   
  Light MG
   
  Rifle
   
  Shotgun
  Pistol
   
  Semi-auto
   
  Single Shot
   
  SMG
   
  Revolver
  Thrown Weapons
   
  Axe
   
  Grenade
   
  Improvised
   
  Knife
   
  Spear/Javelin
  Vehicular Weapons
   
  Heavy Weapon
   
  Launchers
   
  Light Weapons
  Combat (Melee) - Agl
  Armed Combat
   
  Axe
   
  Club
   
  Improvised
   
  Knife
   
  Polearm
   
  Sword
  Unarmed Combat
   
  Block
   
  Grapple
   
  Hold
   
  Kick
   
  Punch
   
  Throw
  Combat (Misc.) - Int
  Command
  Logistics
  Strategy
  Tactics
  Computing - Int
  Dataflow Perception
  Electronic Computing (d)
  Mechanical Computing
  Academic - Int
  Anthropology
  Archaeology
  Economics
  Folklore
  History
  Law
   
  Specific Burgh/Organisation
  Investigation
  Philosophy
  Politics
  Psychology
  Sociology
  Theology
  Writing
  Language - Int
  Commerce (spoken)
   
  Electrospeak
   
  Fighting Talk
  Commerce (read & write)
   
  Electrospeak
  Common (spoken)
   
  Broken
   
  Menace
  Common (read & write)
  Culture (spoken)
   
  Cant
  Culture (read & write)
   
  Cant
  Scientific - Int
  Architecture
  Biology
  Chemistry
  Cryptology
   
  Cryptanalysis
   
  Cryptography
  Engineering
  Genetics
  Mathematics
  Physics
  Shift Studies (d)
  Technical - Int/Dex
  Demolition
  Dinginsmith
   
  Macroscale
   
  Microscale
   
  Nanoscale
  Electrical Systems
  Electrician
  Electronics (d)
  Gas Systems
  Locksmith
  Machinist
  Mechanical Systems
  Mechanics
  Trades - Int/Dex
  Agriculture
   
  Aquaculture
   
  Hydroponics
  Animal Husbandry
  Blacksmith
  Cooking
  Fish Farming
  Jeweller
  Watchmaker
  Administrative - Per
  Bureaucracy
  Diplomacy
  Man-management
  Athletic - Hlt
  Climbing
   
  Abseiling
   
  Free Climbing
   
  Rappelling
  Drinking
  Running
   
  Distance Running
   
  Sprinting
  Swimming
  Communications - Per
  Fast Talk
  Negotiation
  Oration
  Persuasion
   
  Intimidation
   
  Seduction
  Artistic - Awr/Int
  Act
  Creative Writing
  Dance
  Draw
  Moviemaking
  Music
  Musical Instrument
   
  Accordion
   
  Barrel Organ
   
  Drums
   
  Harp
   
  Guitar
   
  Mouth-organ
   
  Penny whistle
   
  Piano/Organ
   
  Squeezebox
   
  Violin
  Paint
  Photography
  Poetry
  Sculpture
  Sing
  Songwriting
  Medical - Int
  First Aid
  Forensics (d)
  General Medicine (d)
  Pharmacology
  Surgery (d)
  Vehicles - Awr/Dex
  Air Vehicles
   
  Aerostat
   
  Dirigible
   
  Mikefighter
  Ekranoplan (d)
   
  Military
   
  Racing
  Ground Vehicles
   
  Automobile
   
  Haulage Wagon
   
  Powerbike
  Trains
   
  Cablecar
   
  Funicular/Tram
   
  Train
  Tracked Vehicles
  Water Vehicles
   
  Large Barge
   
  Large Skiff
   
  Small Barge
   
  Small Skiff
  Subterfuge - Awr/Dex
  Bribery
  Criminal Culture
   
  Specific Area/Group
  Disguise
  Forgery
  Hide
  Lockpick
  Pickpocket
  Shadow
  Sneak
  Survival - Awr/Int
  Fishing
   
  Line
   
  Net
   
  Rod
   
  Spear
  Foraging
  Gardening
   
  Flowers
   
  Trees & Shrubs
   
  Vegetable
  Navigation
  Orienteering
  Tracking
  
  Computing - Int
  Dataflow Perception: The ability to make sense out of the 
  sensory chaos of the dataflow, pulling out relevant information 
  and retrieving desired data.
  Electronic Computing (d): The programming and opera-
  tion of electronic computers, a rare and little used skill in The 
  City.
  Mechanical Computing: The programming and operation 
  of dingins.
  Academic - Int
  Anthropology: The social science which studies the origins 
  and social relationships of human beings.
  Archaeology: The interpretation and study of places, cul-
  tures and people from the past through the examination of items 
  dug from the ground. 
  Economics: The ability to understand the arcane and often 
  confusing workings of economic systems and trends.
  Folklore: Not quite an academic field of study, but presented 
  here for convenience. Folklore is the knowledge of the many 
  tales, myths and legends, both ancient and modern, which have 
  sprung up in The City.
  History: The study and theory of events and people in the 
  past. 
  Investigation: Use of investigative techniques (searching 
  records, interviewing people, looking for evidence, etc) to 
  ascertain facts or come to conclusions.
  Law: The study of legal and judicial systems, their practice and 
  application. (Specialisations: Specific burgh/organisation.)
  Philosophy: The study of various schools of thought.
  Politics: Understanding of the purpose and processes of 
  governments and institutions, ranging from tenement councils to 
  macrocorporate structures.
  Psychology: Can be used to gain understanding of the 
  subconscious feelings affecting an individual's actions and 
  emotions.
  Sociology: The study of social groups, individuals and their 
  interactions.
  Theology: The study of religion.
  Writing: The ability to write reports, theses, essays and dis-
  sertations in a coherent and understandable way.
  Language - Int
  Commerce (spoken) and Commerce (read and 
  write): The language of business and trade in The City. 
  (Specialisations: Electrospeak, Fighting Talk.)
  Common (spoken) and Common (read and write): 
  Most widely spoken of all languages and used by the vast 
  majority of citizens. (Specialisations: Broken, Menace.)
  Culture (spoken) and Culture (read and write): The 
  language of the arts and the upper classes. (Specialisations: 
  Cant.)
  Scientific - Int
  Architecture: The application of architectural principles to 
  the design of buildings.
  Biology: Knowledge of organic life and how it functions.
  Chemistry: Understanding of the workings, composition and 
  interaction of chemicals and chemical processes.
  Cryptology: The study and application of codes and code-
  breaking. (Specialisations: Cryptanalysis, Cryptography.)
  Engineering: The design and application of engineering 
  principles to a wide variety of manufactured items, from 
  bridges to powerbikes.
  Genetics: Understanding of the genetic makeup of organ-
  isms.
  Mathematics: The ability to understand and utilise mathe-
  matical systems such as algebra, trigonometry and geometry.
  Physics: The science of matter and energy.
  Shift Studies (d): The study of the phenomenon known as 
  The Shift, the entities known as The Shifted and the effects 
  of both on The City and its inhabitants. Note: It is extremely 
  unlikely that any character would have a very high skill in this, 
  if at all. It is a little known, poorly understood area, mostly the 
  preserve of a select group of scientists and academics.
  Technical - Int/Dex
  Demolition: Knowledge of how to use explosives effectively 
  to demolish buildings or vehicles.
  the players 169
  
  Dinginsmith: The construction of dingins. (Specialisations: 
  Macroscale, Microscale, Nanoscale.)
  Electrical Systems: Design, usage, building and repair of 
  large scale power systems such as cable networks.
  Electrician: Design, usage, building and repair of small scale 
  power systems.
  Electronics (d): The ability to operate, repair and design 
  electronic equipment. A rare skill in The City
  Gas Systems: Design, usage and repair of large scale gas 
  transfer systems such as those which supply gas for heating 
  and lighting to many houses in The City.
  Locksmith: The construction and operation of mechanical 
  locks.
  Machinist: Skilled at using lathes, drills, presses and other 
  machinery to fabricate items.
  Mechanical Systems: Design, usage, building and repair 
  of large scale mechanical systems.
  Mechanics: The ability to operate, repair and design 
  mechanical equipment.
  Trades - Dex/Int
  Agriculture: The skills required to effectively farm fruits and 
  vegetables on a medium to large scale.
  (Specialisations: Aquaculture, Hydroponics)
  Animal Husbandry: Knowledge of how to breed and 
  care for animals for the purposes of food production. In The 
  City, this mostly applies to dogs.
  Blacksmith: The ability to use furnaces and tools to manu-
  facture items from iron, usually less intricate, more functional 
  items than someone would produce using Machinist skill.
  Cooking: The skills and abilities required to make tasty, 
  appealing and nutritious meals or foodstuffs.
  Fish Farming: Knowledge of how to breed, care for and 
  harvest fish for sale or consumption.
  Jeweller: The ability to produce items of jewellery from a 
  variety of materials.
  Watchmaker: The construction and operation of intricate 
  clockwork mechanisms for use in timepieces.
  Administrative - Per
  Bureaucracy: Knowledge of the ins and outs of any 
  bureaucratic system and how to manipulate and utilise them 
  to best effect.
  Diplomacy: The subtle art of representing the interests of 
  one group to another group or to an individual.
  Man Management: The effective use, deployment and 
  treatment of individuals within an organisation.
     
  Athletic - Hlt
  Climbing: The ability to climb using a variety of equip-
  ment or simply using hands and feet. (Specialisations: Free 
  Climbing, Rappelling, Abseiling.)
  Drinking: The ability to consume large quantities of alco-
  hol over a short period of time or in some form of 'sporting' 
  competition.
  Running: The ability to run particularly fast or for extended 
  periods. (Specialisations: Distance Running, Sprinting.)
  Swimming: The basic ability to swim.
  Communications - Per
  Fast-talk: Bamboozling, confusing and confounding anoth-
  er individual by rapid-fire discussion.
  Negotiation: Mainly used in mercantile transactions, nego-
  tiation allows the manipulation and alteration of the flow of 
  communication to give the successful user advantage.
  Oration: The ability to influence people's attitudes and 
  behaviour patterns through powerful and effective public 
  speaking.
  Persuasion: The ability, through reason and psychological 
  manipulation, to influence individuals to change their opinions 
  or actions. (Specialisations: Intimidation, Seduction)
  Artistic - Awr/Int
  Act: The ability to use dramatic techniques to portray charac-
  ter or emotion.
  Creative Writing: Skill in crafting words to induce emotions 
  in the reader.
  Dance: Allows the skilled performance of many forms of 
  dance.
  the players 170
  
  Draw: Skill at rendering images with pen, pencil or charcoal.
  Moviemaking: Usage of various equipment and techniques 
  to make moving pictures.
  Music: The ability to compose musical scores.
  Musical Instrument: Ability to play a chosen instrument 
  (this skill must be taken once for each instrument the character 
  can play). (Specialisations: Accordion, Barrel Organ, Drums, 
  Guitar, Harp, Mouth Organ, Penny Whistle, Piano/Organ, 
  Squeeze Box, Violin.)
  Paint: Skill at rendering images using various types of paint.
  Photography: Skill at using photographic equipment to take 
  pleasing, accurate or otherwise effective images.
  Poetry: The ability to craft words into a variety of poetical 
  forms.
  Sculpture: The ability to carve or construct sculptures from a 
  variety of materials.
  Singing: The innate or learned ability to tunefully vocalise in 
  a pleasing or effective manner.
  Songwriting: The ability to write pleasing or effective lyr-
  ics.
  Medical - Int
  First Aid: Emergency medical treatment given shortly after 
  an injury.
  Forensics (d): A branch of medicine concerned with identify-
  ing causes of death and any criminal circumstances surround-
  ing it.
  General Medicine (d): An education in medical care and 
  treatment, such as that a doctor would receive.
  Pharmacology: The ability to make, use and identify a 
  variety of drugs and medicinal compounds.
  Surgery (d): Use of instruments to alter, repair or remove 
  parts of the human body.
  Vehicles Awr/Dex
  Air Vehicles: Covers the ability to take off, land and per-
  form manoeuvres in a variety of aircraft. (Specialisations: 
  Aerostat, Dirigible, Mikefighter.)
  Ekranoplan (d): A fairly rare skill, this is the ability to pilot 
  the dangerous, unstable and fast ground effect planes used 
  for racing in The City. (Specialisations: Military, Racing.)
  Ground Vehicles: Any wheeled vehicles. (Specialisations: 
  Automobile, Haulage Wagon, Powerbike.)
  Tracked Vehicles: Any ground vehicles which run on cat-
  erpillar tracks, such as warcrawls and APCs.
  Trains: The ability required to control the mechanisms of the 
  train systems which run throughout The City. (Specialisations: 
  Cablecar, Funicular/Tram, Train.)
  Water Vehicles: Covers the piloting of boats and barges 
  of all sizes. (Specialisations: Small Skiff, Large Skiff, Small 
  Barge, Large Barge.)
  Subterfuge - Awr/Dex
  Bribery: A knowledge of who, where, how and when to 
  bribe officials, functionaries, policemen and others in author-
  ity.
  Criminal Culture: Knowledge and awareness of the 
  structure and operation of criminal organisations in The 
  City. (Specialisations: Specific area of The City or a specific 
  criminal group/organisation)
  Disguise: Use of various means (makeup, false hair, cos-
  tume and suchlike) to resemble someone else or to alter one's 
  own appearance.
  Forgery: In conjunction with various artistic skills, forgery 
  can replicate (to a greater or lesser extent) money, coins, 
  documents, paintings and so forth.
  Hide: The ability to make maximum use of cover and con-
  cealment to remain unseen in a static position.
  Lockpick: The use of specialist tools to open purely 
  mechanical locks.
  Pickpocket: The theft of items from pockets and bags, 
  either by directly lifting them or by cutpursing.
  Shadow: Unobtrusively tailing another individual.
  Sneak: Using concealment, shadow, cover and stealth to 
  move quietly and unobtrusively around.
  the players 171
  
  Survival - Awr/Int
  Fishing: Use of rod, line, net or spear to catch fish to eat. 
  (Specialisations: Line, net, rod, spear.)
  Foraging: The ability to find edible plants and animals.
  Gardening: The small-scale equivalent of the Agriculture 
  skill, gardening relates to the tending of small plots of land 
  in order to produce foodstuffs for personal use or to provide 
  an attractive display of plant life. (Specialisations: Vegetable, 
  Flowers, Trees & Shrubs)
  Orienteering: The determination of location using known 
  or easily identifiable landmarks.
  Navigation: The determination of location, distance travelled 
  and course taken using a variety of maps and instruments.
  Tracking: The ability to follow the signs left on the environ-
  ment by a person or animal, thereby allowing it to be fol-
  lowed.
  Character Advancement
  Characters in a|state can improve attributes, skill and so on 
  through the acquisition and use of Improvement Points (IPs). 
  IPs are awarded by the GM based on quality of role-play-
  ing, achievement of goals and the more nebulous category 
  of ‘hope’. 
  Guidelines for awarding IPs
  Before an adventure, the GM should have some idea of 
  how many IPs it should be worth if the players complete the 
  adventure successfully. This should not be a large amount, 
  as the majority of IPs should come from quality role-playing 
  and through engendering hope in the populace. A short 
  adventure, perhaps lasting one session, may be worth 5 
  IPs if completed successfully. A longer adventure, perhaps 
  spread over several sessions, might be worth 20 IPs. GMs 
  should feel free to reduce or increase the adventure IP 
  award, particularly for players who have either contrib-
  uted very little or contributed a lot to the enjoyment of the 
  game. 
  Role-playing
  Did the player portray  their character successfully? This 
  should be the most important guiding question when deciding 
  awards for role-playing. For example, a player whose char-
  acter was written as a kindly, curiously inquisitive Lostfinder 
  but played him as a gung-ho weapons nut, would not receive 
  much in the way of role-playing awards.  However, this is all 
  up to the judgement of the GM. Someone who plays their 
  character to an average level and contributes an average 
  amount to the game should probably receive about 10 IPs 
  per session. A player who played their character convincing-
  ly, utilising various traits, skills, background, advantages and 
  disadvantages might warrant an award of 20 or more IPs. 
  The GM can also hold a secret ballot amongst the players 
  to rate the other players in the group on their role-playing. 
  Getting players to rate each other on a scale of 1 to 10 will 
  allow you to judge how they think each other have performed. 
  Emphasise to them that a rating of 5 is average and anything 
  above 7 constitutes particularly good, amusing or convincing 
  role-playing. The average of all ratings can be doubled to find 
  out the individual players IP award for role-playing.
  Example:
  After a session, the GM hands out blank slips of paper and 
  asks each of his four players to rate each other on the quality 
  of their role-playing. 
  The players rate each other as follows:
   
   
   
   
  Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4
  Player 1  
   
  X  
   
  5  
   
  5  
   
  5
  Player 2  
   
  3  
   
  X  
   
  4  
   
  3
  Player 3  
   
  5  
   
  6  
   
  X  
   
  5
  Player 4  
   
  8  
   
  8  
   
  8  
   
  X
  So, it can be seen that Player 4 was considered to have role-
  played rather well, whilst Player 2 role-played fairly badly. 
  Taking the average rating for each player and doubling it, 
  the players gain the following IPs:
  Player 1:  
  10 IPs
  Player 2:  
  6 IPs
  Player 3:  
  10 IPs
  Player 4:  
  16 IPs
  'Hope'
  The City is a grim place, full of hopelessness, despair and 
  evil. Sometimes characters may contribute to this hopeless-
  ness and despair in some way, but there are many ways 
  in which they can improve people's lives, even if only by a 
  small amount.
  the players 172
  
  The GM can make substantial IP awards to individual characters 
  or groups for doing good, giving people a bright spark in their 
  lives, helping others and suchlike. This does not mean that groups 
  of players should constantly behave like a bunch of do-gooders 
  on a mission. However, players who, even inadvertently, do 
  something to assist others should be rewarded for this. 
  Example:
  We've already been through the creation of Camden Derr: 
  former ekranoplan racer turned mechanic, down on his luck, 
  working out of a small, dilapidated workshop in his native 
  Bankside. Desperate for money, he has agreed to help some 
  friends investigate a disappearance in Folly Hills. He's not 
  convinced about the entire thing and constantly questions why 
  he is here. During their investigations, a small boy runs up to 
  Derr clutching and faded old sepiatone daguerreotype show-
  ing Derr back in the old days, leaning against an ekranoplan, 
  proudly holding his sponsor's product.
  Does Derr brush the boy off? No. 
  His player decides to talk to the boy, indulge in a bit of friendly 
  banter and offer to sign the crumbling picture. The boy , need-
  less to say, delighted and this alone would be enough to gain 
  some IPs. However, Derr goes one step further and enquires 
  of the boy (who has already stated that he comes from an 
  extremely impoverished family) if he would like to become 
  his apprentice. The boy is delighted, as are his family when 
  he tells them. This raises the family's standing in the tenement 
  where they live and everyone is proud of the boy for gaining 
  an apprenticeship.
  This small encounter serves to give the boy a future, his fam-
  ily a little money and immense pride and causes no small 
  amount of good cheer in many local residents. 
  This simple act of kindness would be worth up to 20 IPs for 
  the player of Camden Derr.
  Some sample Hope awards are as follows:
  A small act of kindness to an individual
  (e.g.: giving some small change to a beggar): 1IP
  A substantial act of kindness to an individual
  (arranging a room in a hostel for a beggar and getting him 
  or her a new set of clothes): 5IP
  Minor self-sacrifice
  (e.g.: giving up a moderate amount of money to help oth-
  ers): 5IP
  Major self-sacrifice
  (e.g.: taking a scrape addict into your home and trying to get 
  him/her off the drug): 10IP
  Altruistic act towards a group of people
  (e.g.: ridding a burgh of a gang leader who has been ter-
  rorising the inhabitants): 15IP
  Potential life threatening situation to help others
  (e.g.: running into a burning tenement to rescue trapped 
  children): 10IP
  Spending IPs
  IPs can be used to improve skills and attributes. To improve 
  any skill or attribute, a certain amount of points must be 
  spent. In the case of skills, this is equal to half the level the 
  skill is being raised to. In the case of attributes, this is equal 
  to twice the level the attribute is being raised to. All fractions 
  are rounded up.
  Example
  The above mentioned character Camden Derr has ended 
  an adventure with a grand total of 50 IPs. The player 
  checks out Derr’s skills an decides to improve a few of them. 
  His Shadowing skill is currently 20 and the player thinks this 
  could do with being a bit better. To improve the skill from 
  20 to 21 costs 11 IPs, from 21 to 22 costs another 11 and 
  from 22 to 23 costs another 12. The player stops there, 
  having managed a three point increase in Shadowing for 
  a cost of 34 IPs. With 16 IPs left, the player notices that 
  Derr’s current Pistol skill stands at 33. To increase this to 
  34, would cost 17 IPs, one more than the amount left over. 
  The player therefore holds these points back to spend at 
  another time.
  the players 173
  
  NPCs
  There follows a selection of stock NPCs for use in a|state 
  games. Basic statistics, four key skills and some typical gear 
  are given for each, as well as a short rundown on what the 
  character is like.
  Vociferous Activist
  Whether it be haranguing the crowd from the hustings or 
  doing shady deals in smoke filled rooms, the vociferous activist 
  always has his own best interests at heart. Occasionally there 
  are deals done which benefit the people whom the activist 
  represents but this is a rare and surprising event.
  AWR:  50 
   
  AGL:  
  40
  INT:  
  50 
   
  DEX:  
  40
  PER:  
  70 
   
  HLT:  
  60
  WIL:  
  60 
   
  STR:  
  40
  Skills
  Oration   
   
  70
  Diplomacy 
   
  50
  Fast Talk   
   
  60 
  Persuasion 
   
  60
  Gear
  Sheaf of leaflets.
  Hectoring tone of voice.
  Selection of banners.
  A small office and maybe a couple of loyal supporters.
  Penniless Artist
  Locked away in a stuffy garret or dingy basement, the artist 
  works in poverty for the love of her art. Creating something 
  of beauty in a decaying world is her goal, selling simple 
  sketches and portraits in order to get by. 
  AWR:  60 
   
  AGL:  
  40
  INT:  
  60 
   
  DEX:  
  65
  PER:  
  50 
   
  HLT:  
  30
  WIL:  
  50 
   
  STR:  
  40
  Skills
  Artistic Skill of Choice 
  70
  Economics 
   
  50
  Persuasion 
   
  50
  Foraging  
   
  50
  Gear
  Art materials.
  Dusty garret room somewhere.
  Entrepreneurial Businessman
  In any situation, there’s money to be made. From selling elec-
  tricity or gas illicitly tapped from cables and pipes to fattening 
  dogs for the kill, there are a million money making schemes to 
  be tried. Every opportunity must be analysed and assessed, 
  every penny counted and re-counted, every deal squeezed 
  dry. 
  AWR:  70 
   
  AGL: 
  40 
  INT:  
  60 
   
  DEX: 
  40
  PER:  
  50 
   
  HLT: 
  50
  WIL:  
  70 
   
  STR: 
  50
  Skills
  Negotiation 
   
  70
  Economics 
   
  60
  Fast Talk  
   
  60
  Bribery  
   
  50
  Gear
  Varies widely, from a skiff full of stock to a notebook of con-
  tacts and a brain full of ideas. Depends very much on the 
  business he/she is involved in.
  hard-bitten Law Enforcer
  Years spent on the beat, standing guard or taking statements 
  behind a worm-eaten desk have removed every last vestige of 
  doubt about the realities of life from this hard-nosed lawman. 
  Every crime that can be committed has been witnessed by 
  those dull eyes, every form of human degradation has passed 
  by. Nothing surprises this bearer of the burden of justice, cyni-
  cism is his stock in trade.
  AWR:  60 
   
  AGL: 
  50
  INT:  
  55 
   
  DEX: 
  50
  PER:  
  40 
   
  HLT: 
  50
  WIL:  
  60 
   
  STR: 
  60
  Skills
  Investigation 
   
  60
  Pistol 
   
   
  60
  Armed Combat 
   
  60
  Criminal Culture  
  50
  Gear
  Depends very much on who he or she works for. A Three 
  Canals Provost might carry a heavy sparklock pistol, a trun-
  cheon and key to access bunkers, rest sheds or telephone 
  boxes. On the other hand, a security operative working in an 
  upper class area such as Lucent Heights might have access to 
  a magnetic repeater sidearm, body armour and a personal 
  aerostat.
  the players 174
  
  Disgruntled Labourer
  A twelve hour stretch in a hot, foetid, roaring factory would be 
  enough to embitter most folk. Putting up with all this whilst being 
  harassed by petty management and bullying foremen makes it 
  even worse. Still, it’s better than no job at all. Only the prospect 
  of a lonely life on the streets, slowly dying by inches, keeps this 
  one of the thousands of labourers in The City toiling away.
  AWR:  40 
   
  AGL: 
  50
  INT:  
  40 
   
  DEX: 
  50
  PER:  
  50 
   
  HLT: 
  50
  WIL:  
  40 
   
  STR: 
  65
  Skills
  Machinist 
   
  60 
  Drinking  
   
  60
  Unarmed Combat  
  50
  Bureaucracy 
   
  40
  Gear
  Heavy work clothes.
  Old boots.
  Battered lunchbox.
  Thrusting Macrocorp Exec
  It’s tough at the top. It’s hard at the bottom. In the middle, 
  the pressure is at its worst. Seen as a target by subordinates 
  and a threat by superiors, life in the cut-throat world of the 
  macrocorps is a battle for survival. Fail, and it’s all over: 
  the comfortable dwelling, the pay, the access to consumer 
  goods. Slip and it’s finished. The only way to avoid it is to 
  keep pushing ever upwards. 
  AWR:  50 
   
  AGL: 
  50
  INT:  
  60 
   
  DEX: 
  50
  PER:  
  60 
   
  HLT: 
  70
  WIL:  
  80 
   
  STR: 
  40
  Skills
  Negotiation 
   
  70
  Act 
   
   
  60
  Diplomacy 
   
  60
  Man Management 
  60
  Gear
  Office equipped with dingin and the use of a secretary or 
  PA.
  Range of stylish clothing.
  Expensive, hand-crafted pocket watch.
  Smart apartment or house in a reasonably nice area.
  Membership of a select club or two.
  Knowledgeable Nomad
  Spending a lifetime slowly wending your way around the 
  canals teaches you a thing or two. The nomad is wise in the 
  ways of many areas of The City, cultures, customs, laws and 
  folklore. They are useful sources of information and gossip, 
  but seldom stay in any one place long. They stop for a while 
  to buy and sell, exchange news and then move on to some-
  where new.
  AWR:  70 
   
  AGL: 
  60
  INT:  
  55 
   
  DEX: 
  50
  PER:  
  50 
   
  HLT: 
  40
  WIL:  
  50 
   
  STR: 
  50
  Skills
  Folklore  
   
  50
  Foraging  
   
  70
  Fishing  
   
  60
  Navigation 
   
  60
  Gear
  Sparklock carbine.
  Small skiff or hand drawn cart.
  Bedding. 
  Foodstuffs.
  Portable stove.
  Fishing gear.
  Invasive Stringer
  Some people think that having a private life means just that. 
  Well, they’re wrong. Nobody’s life is private, everything is in 
  the public domain. At least, that’s what this avid news-hound 
  thinks. Twisting truth and inventing lies, she delves into misery, 
  corruption, crime and death in an attempt to get the stories 
  that will catapult her to fame and fortune.
  AWR:  60 
   
  AGL:  
  50
  INT:  
  50 
   
  DEX:  
  60
  PER:  
  60 
   
  HLT:  
  40
  WIL:  
  70 
   
  STR:  
  40
  Skills
  Folklore  
   
  40
  Shadow  
   
  60
  Investigation 
   
  60
  Writing  
   
  50
  Gear
  Notepad and writing instruments.
  Lotech camera.
  List of contacts.
  the players 175
  
  Cocky Street Ganger
  Young, independent, loud-mouth: the archetypal street gang 
  member is all of these and more, Practically living their lives 
  on the streets, most of these youngsters either end their days 
  bleeding to death in a deserted alley or graduating on to the 
  higher echelons of the criminal world. On their own territory, 
  they have they edge, confident of the back-up of their broth-
  ers and sisters in the gang.
  AWR:  50 
   
  AGL:  
  55
  INT:  
  45 
   
  DEX:  
  55
  PER:  
  55 
   
  HLT:  
  35
  WIL:  
  60 
   
  STR:  
  40
  Skills
  Pistol 
   
   
  40
  Armed Combat 
   
  40
  Unarmed Combat  
  50
  Criminal Culture  
  30
  Gear
  Knife or weighted cosh.
  Extensive gang tattoos.
  Poor quality, rough clothes, perhaps with a few gang sym-
  bols stitched into them.
  Maybe access two one or two rather old and unreliable 
  sparklocks owned by the gang.
  Cynical Jake
  A bundle of rags slumped in an alley, hands tightly gripping 
  a half empty bottle. The cynical jake has seen all the life 
  of The City pass before his eyes, nothing surprises him any 
  more. Perhaps no one is more inured to the violence and 
  degradation of life in The City, or more exposed to its many 
  variations.
  AWR:  60 
   
  AGL: 
  30
  INT:  
  50 
   
  DEX: 
  40
  PER:  
  50 
   
  HLT: 
  20
  WIL:  
  30 
   
  STR: 
  30
  Skills
  Foraging  
   
  70
  Persuasion 
   
  60
  Hide 
   
   
  50
  Sneak 
   
   
  50
  Gear
  The clothes on his or her back.
  Begging bowl, hat or tin.
  Tough Soldier
  Fight or die. Adapt to survive. Kill or be killed. There are 
  many who bear arms in The City but few can truly call 
  themselves soldiers. Those who do have been hardened by 
  conflict, toughened by combat. Few occurrences can disturb 
  such a veteran, for he’s seen it all before.
  AWR:  55  
   
  AGL:  
  60
  INT:  
  50 
   
  DEX:  
  60
  PER:  
  50  
   
  HLT:  
  40
  WIL:  
  60  
   
  STR:  
  60
  Skills
  Longarm 65
  Armed Combat 65
  Unarmed Combat 60
  Hide 60
  Gear
  A rifle of some sort, ranging from a sparklock to a magnetic
  repeater.
  Sidearm, same situation as above.
  Body armour of some kind and probably a helmet.
  Knife or bayonet.
  Mess kit.
  Various scavenged or looted personal effects.
  Boatman
  Those who remain forever on the land lose out on the true 
  pulse of The City, the lifelines which allow it to survive. The 
  boatman has seen it all in his time, whether it be lugging 
  crates of parts up and down the Grand Canal, ferrying 
  anxious travellers through darkened capillaries or carefully 
  picking his way through the labyrinth of Long Pond. Boatmen 
  and women see and hear many things, see the passage of 
  life and know the rumours which float along the canals.
  AWR:  50 
   
  AGL: 
  50
  INT:  
  50 
   
  DEX: 
  40
  PER:  
  55 
   
  HLT: 
  50
  WIL:  
  40 
   
  STR: 
  55
  Skills
  Navigation 
   
  60
  Negotiation 
   
  50
  Swimming 
   
  60
  Water Vehicle 
   
  70
  Gear
  A small skiff, ranging from an oar powered variant, to some-
  thing a little more powerful.
  Knife.
  Ropes.
  the players 176
  
  Mudlark
  Lift. Fetch. Carry. Hoist. Rig. Dredge. Mudlarks have a hard, 
  demanding, physical life. Years spent unloading barges, 
  yanking on ropes, scouring the bottoms of the canals breeds 
  a class of tough, self-sufficient people, unafraid of the harsh-
  ness of extreme physical labour. Docks, wharves, warehous-
  es and jetties are magnets for rumour, gossip, superstition 
  and folklore. The mudlarks pick up on all of this and weave 
  it into the ongoing tapestry of their lives. Tales are bandied 
  about in low pubs, boats are made and vast quantities of 
  drink consumed. 
  AWR:  45 
   
  AGL: 
  55
  INT:  
  45 
   
  DEX: 
  55
  PER:  
  50 
   
  HLT: 
  40
  WIL:  
  60 
   
  STR: 
  65
  Skills
  Armed Combat 
   
  60
  Drinking  
   
  70
  Folklore  
   
  50
  Unarmed Combat  
  60
  Gear
  Boathook or pike.
  Knife.
  Rope splicing tools.
  Mapmaker
  In the cracks between the various shadowy organisations, 
  the mapmakers live. Brokering deals, organising meetings, 
  arbitrating in bitter gang disputes. They go where others fear 
  to tread, walking the fine line between intrinsically violent 
  groups, forever making sure of their absolute impartiality. 
  Mapmakers know many things, much of whish must remain 
  forever hidden. To betray secrets is the mark of death for a 
  mapmaker. Once trust is lost, then life finishes; either dying 
  by slow inches as work dries up, or ending up as a cooling 
  corpse slumped in an alley.
  AWR:  65 
   
  AGL: 
  35
  INT:  
  60 
   
  DEX: 
  45
  PER:  
  55 
   
  HLT: 
  40
  WIL:  
  60 
   
  STR: 
  40
  Skills
  Criminal Culture  
  70
  Economics 
   
  60
  Negotiation 
   
  70
  Persuasion 
   
  60
  Gear
  Notebooks.
  Small sidearm.
  Plenty of criminal contacts.
  the players 177
  
  the players
  the players 178
  Pre-generated Characters
  Over the next ten pages, you’ll find a selection of pre-gener-
  ated characters, ready for use in any a/state game. From a 
  wily macrocorp executive to a cocky ganger, from a hard-
  bitten Transit Militia officer to an inquisitve scientist, you’ll 
  find a range of characters to use or to provide a basis for 
  your own creations.
  
  the players 179
  Wealthy Dilettante
  History and Description
  Born and brought up in the glittering seclusion of Lucent 
  Heights, you’ve never known the drudgery and poverty that 
  the vast majority of citizen face. Educated by private tutors 
  and boarded in exclusive dorms at Longshore University, 
  life has never been hard. Now finished university and with 
  precious little to do, you lounge about with similarly rich 
  young friends, living off the inherited wealth of your parents, 
  scoffing at the tribulations of the lower orders. Occasionally, 
  you venture out into the wider world, visiting poorer areas 
  of The City to sample what you imagine to be the ‘wild’ side 
  of life. Well-educated and wealthy, you are nonetheless 
  devoid of any real understanding of how things work in the 
  real world.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Nomenklatura
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Wealthy
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  23
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  27  
   
   
  27
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Personality (bonus) 
   
   
   
  70  
   
   
  60
  Willpower  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Mental Adv (Confidence) 
   
  /  
   
   
  -10AP
  Physical Adv (Poise)  
   
   
  Mod  
   
  -8AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Ex-boyfriend)  
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Enemy (Other socialite)  
   
  Mod  
   
  +10SP
  Mental Disad (Superior)  
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Act  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Bribery 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  70  
   
   
  20
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  85  
   
   
  20
  Culture (Read & Write)  
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Culture (Spoken)  
   
   
   
  70  
   
   
  70
  Diplomacy  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Economics  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Fast Talk  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Musical Instrument (Violin) 
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Persuasion  
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Politics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Possessions
  Pretty much anything she fancies. A nice apartment in 
  Lucent Heights for starters.
  Money: £600
  
  the players 180
  Penniless Ex-mikefighter Pilot
  History and Description
  Born into abject poverty in the infested subterranean lanes 
  of Shore Ditch Warrens, your parents barely earned the 
  pennies required to pay the slum landlord who owned the 
  dripping, foetid room you called home. Shortly after your 
  seventh birthday, your parents took you on a train journey, a 
  journey to see some of the fabulous sights of the City. After 
  the journey, they returned. You did not. Sold into virtual 
  slavery, you were trained to fly tiny aircraft for one of the 
  macrocorps, flitting through the spaces between towerblocks 
  and tenements. Of your class of thirty, only you survived 
  to reach age sixteen and an unceremonious end to your 
  career. Now you live on the streets, attempting to survive as 
  best you can.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Dispossessed
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Militaristic
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  18
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40 
  Mental
  Awareness (bonus) 
   
   
   
  70  
   
   
  60
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  47  
   
   
  47
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Willpower  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Phys Ad (good balance)  
   
  Moderate  
  -8AP
  Contact (macrocorp military)  
  Minor  
   
  -5AP
  Contact (fence/dealer)  
   
  Minor  
   
  -5SP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Ment. Disad (flashbacks)  
   
  Moderate  
  +10AP
  Ment. Disad (acrophobia) 
   
  Moderate  
  +10AP
  Poverty  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Major  
   
  +20SP
  Phys Disad (addict)  
   
   
  Minor  
   
  +5SP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Air Vehicles 
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
   
  Mikefighter 
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Armed Combat 
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Common (read & write)  
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Common (spoken) 
   
   
   
  70  
   
   
  n/a
  Criminal Culture  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  First Aid 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Folklore 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  09  
   
   
  n/a
  Foraging  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  30
  Hide  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Longarm  
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Navigation 
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Persuasion  
    
   
   
   
   
  40   
   
   
  40
  Pistol  
    
   
   
   
   
   
  40   
   
   
  40
  Running 
   
    
   
   
   
   
  30   
   
   
  30
  Sneak  
    
   
   
   
   
   
  30   
   
   
  30
  Tactics  
    
   
   
   
   
   
  50   
   
   
  50
  Unarmed Combat   
   
   
   
  40   
   
   
  40
  Vehicular Weapons   
   
   
  50   
   
   
  50
  Possessions
  A few pennies in loose change
  Small knife
  Cheap Clothes
  Average Boots
  Fish Oil Stove
  Mess Kit
  Money: £0.0s.10p
  
  the players 181
  driven Lostfinder
  History and Description
  Many people in The City have no one to look after them. 
  Forsaken by justice and authority, they have few choices in 
  their times of need. That’s where you come in: serving your 
  burgh for little more than a few scarps of fish, the odd hot 
  meal or simply the goodwill of the community. People come 
  to you with their problems, their missing possessions, pets, 
  money or even family members. As a lostfinder, it’s your duty 
  to search for missing items and people as best you can. From 
  your damp room in a cheap tenement, you gather scraps of 
  information, wheedle people for intelligence and scour the 
  streets and canals for clues. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes 
  it doesn’t. But that’s the lot of the lostfinder. That’s what you 
  do: helping those who can’t help themselves.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Drudge
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Independent
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Strength (bonus)  
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  35
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  55  
   
   
  55
  Willpower  
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Contact (local Politician)  
   
  Minor  
   
  -5SP
  Contact (local shopkeeper)  
  Minor  
   
  -5SP
  Contact (petty thief)  
   
   
  Minor  
   
  -5AP
  Ment. ad. (memory)  
   
   
   /  
   
   
  -10AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Poverty  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Moderate  
  +10AP
  Enemy (street gang)  
   
   
  Minor  
   
  +5AP
  Eneny (law enforcement)  
   
  Minor  
   
  +5AP
  Ment. disad. (nightmares) 
   
  Moderate  
  +10AP
  Enemy  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Minor  
   
  +5AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Bureaucracy  
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Commerce (spoken)  
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Commerce (read & write) 
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Common (read & write)  
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  97  
   
   
  /
  Culture (spoken)  
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Criminal Culture  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Diplomacy  
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Economics  
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Folklore 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  28  
   
   
  15
  Forensics  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Hide  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  20
  Investigation  
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Lockpick  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Mechanics  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Negotiation  
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Persuasion  
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Pistol  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Shadow  
   
   
   
   
   
  55  
   
   
  55
  Sneak  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Possessions
  Sparklock Pepperbox
  Magnifying Glass
  Notebook & Pencil
  Dogskin Greatcoat
  Money: £1.5s
  
  the players 182
  Ruthless Ghostfighter
  History and Description
  Anyone can aim a gun and pull a trigger. Guns are for 
  idiots, cowards and amateurs. It takes someone different 
  to look an opponent in the eye and slice their life out from 
  under them. A relatively comfortable upbringing in the Three 
  Canals Metropolitan Area was stultifyingly dull, an endless 
  succession of boredom and triviality. A juvenile gang fight 
  brought out talents you never knew you had: speed, hand/
  eye co-ordination and utter ruthlessness. From then on, you 
  knew you could make your living from this, like the fabled 
  ghostfighters. Now, many years later, you’ve established a 
  reputation for yourself and become one of those selfsame 
  ghostfighters you so admired.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Middle-class (Lower)
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Dangerous
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  29
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  59  
   
   
  59
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Willpower (bonus) 
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  50
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Contact (Booker)  
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5SP
  Physical Adv (Ambidextrous)  
  Mod  
   
  -8AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Ex-client)  
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Enemy (Streetgang)  
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Enemy (3rd Syndicate)  
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Enemy (Law enforcement) 
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Mental Disad (Flashbacks)  
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Physical Disad (Scarring)  
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Armed Combat 
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
   
  Improvised  
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
   
  Knife  
   
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Climb  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Commerce (Spoken)  
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  45  
   
   
  /
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  68  
   
   
  /
  Economics  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  First Aid 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Hide  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Mechanical Computing  
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Shadow  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Sneak  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Tactics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Thrown Weapons  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
   
  Knife  
   
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Possessions
  Ceramic blade
  2 steel knives
  Padded armour
  Climbing kit (lotech)
  Money: £30
  
  the players 183
  Cocky young flowghost
  History and Description
  The Dataflow is just a big pool of information, waiting to 
  be tapped. All these old-timer who prattle on about hidden 
  mysteries, deep code and strange encounters don’t have a 
  clue what they’re on about. Information is power, and you’ve 
  got access to the biggest source of information in The City. 
  You keeping your dingin spinning, your codes fresh and your 
  cryptological skills up to date. Those that think you’re just 
  a geeky wastrel can take a hike as well. Ghosting involves 
  far more than that: breaking in to place to steal code to get 
  through the infernal mechanical codelocks that seem to be 
  everywhere, intimidating information out of people, running 
  for your life before the Provosts catch you. It’s a tough life, 
  but you wouldn’t trade it in for anything.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Middle-class (Lower)
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Independent
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  75  
   
   
  80
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Willpower (bonus) 
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  55
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Contact (Thug) 
   
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5AP
  Contact (Streetgang)  
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Other flowghost)  
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5AP
  Enemy (Macrocorp)  
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Enemy (Law enforcement) 
   
  Mod  
   
  +10SP
  Physical disad (Bad sleeper)  
  Mod  
   
  +10SP
  Poverty  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Bureaucracy  
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  75  
   
   
  /
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  99  
   
   
  /
  Criminal Culture  
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Cryptology 
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
   
  Cryptography  
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Dataflow Perception  
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Dinginsmith 
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
   
  Macroscale  
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Economics  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Electrician  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Fast Talk  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Lockpick  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Mechanical Computing  
   
  70  
   
   
  70
  Mechanics  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Negotiation  
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Sneak  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Possessions
  120 cubic inch macroscale dingin
  Dataflow splice (lotech)
  Keyboard (lotech)
  Money:£15
  
  the players 184
  Embittered transit militia officer
  History and Description
  Twenty years on the job. Twenty sodding years! And what 
  do you have to show for it? Well, calluses on your feet, a 
  permanent squint from gazing into the wind all the time and 
  a permanently sore back from the knife wound all those 
  years ago. Still, it keeps the wife and kids warm, there’s 
  food on the table and the Militia will look after you in your 
  old age. It’s better than what a lot of people got. Still, your 
  neighbours don’t like you much, tend to stop talking and act 
  shifty whenever you appear round the corner, just coming 
  home from a hard twelve hours on the lines. Nutter, fare 
  dodgers, muggers, cutpurses, dollymops, jackers and mur-
  derers, it’s all part of a long days work in the Transit Militia. 
  Still, mustn’t grumble.
  Origin:   
   
   
   
   
   
  Drudge
  Upbringing:   
   
   
   
   
  Apprenticed
  Age:   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  38
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Strength (bonus)  
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  55
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  52  
   
   
  52
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Willpower  
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Contact (Homeless person)  
  Min 
   
   
  -5AP
  Contact (Provost)  
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5AP
  Contact (Train driver)  
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5AP
  Physical Adv (Strong grip) 
   
  Min 
   
   
  -3AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Petty criminal) 
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5AP
  Enemy (Petty criminal) 
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5AP
  Enemy (Hohler gang)  
   
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Physical Disad (Old wound)  
  Min 
   
   
  +5AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Armed Combat 
   
   
   
   
  55  
   
   
  55
   
  Club  
   
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Bureaucracy  
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Commerce (Spoken)  
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
   
  Electrospeak  
   
   
   
  +10 
   
   
  5
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  / 
  Criminal Culture  
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Economics  
   
   
   
   
   
  15  
   
   
  15
  First Aid 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Folklore 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  33  
   
   
  25
  Investigation  
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Machinist  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Mechanical Computing  
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Mechanics  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Negotiation  
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Pistol  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
   
  Single Shot 
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Shadow  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Possessions
  Heavy sparklock pistol
  Billy club
  Uniform
  Money: £60
  
  the players 185
  hardline rccr peoples representative
  History and Description
  Truly, the Republic is the only bastion of light and hope in 
  this sea of strife. The Republic is the one place where men 
  can be equal to strive for a better future, where children are 
  taught true morals, values and ethics. Yes, the RCCR is the 
  only hope. Imbued with a fervent respect for the Republic 
  from an early age, you live only to serve the people, your 
  komrades. A two year stint in the infantry, guarding the 
  borders and shooting spies, insurgents and insurrectionists 
  taught you that the Republic is assailed on all side by those 
  who wish to drag her down into a pit of their own making. 
  Now, you represent the people of the Republic, making 
  decisions based on komradely agreement and fraternal 
  discussion. 
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Drudge
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Militaristic
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  35
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  44  
   
   
  44
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Strength (bonus)  
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  50
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  55  
   
   
  55
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  42  
   
   
  42
  Willpower  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Contact (Special Department) 
  Min 
   
   
  -5AP
  Mental Adv (Concentration)  
  /  
   
   
  -10AP
  Physical Adv (Good speech)  
  Mod  
   
  -8AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Insurgents) 
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5AP
  Enemy (Other representative) 
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Infamy (RCCR only)  
   
   
  Mod  
   
  +5AP
  Mental Disad (Fanaticism) 
   
  Maj 
   
   
  +15AP
  Mental Disad (Paranoia)  
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Armed Combat 
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Bureaucracy  
   
   
   
   
  55  
   
   
  55
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  77  
   
   
  /
  Electrician  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Fast Talk  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Folklore 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  n/a
  Investigation  
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Longarm  
   
   
   
   
   
  25  
   
   
  25
  Machinist  
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
   
   
  10
  Mechanics  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Negotiation  
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Oration 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Persuasion  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Pistol  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Politics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Tactics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Possessions
  All possessions are shared equally amongst the people.
  
  the players 186
  Independently Minded Scientist
  History and Description
  Whole chunks of the population may choose to lose them-
  selves in religion, superstition and folklore, but only science 
  offers a way out of this trap in which we live. Tired of the 
  strictures and rules of the macrocorps and educational 
  establishments, you struck out on your own to pursue pure 
  research into the very nature of…things. What things exactly, 
  you’re still not sure, but important things nonetheless. You 
  speak to flowghosts who trawl the Dataflow for information 
  on The Shifted. You speak to chemists and apothecaries 
  about toxins and poisons. You converse with half-mad antiq-
  uities hunters who have delved deep into the bowels of The 
  City. You’re not sure what it all points to, but it all points to 
  something. Something meaningful. Something important.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
  Median corporate
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
  Sheltered
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
  42
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Health (bonus) 
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  25
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  75  
   
   
  80
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Willpower  
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
   
  +/-
  Fame (Scientific community)  
  Mod  
   
   
  -10SP
  Mental Adv (Concentration)  
  n/a 
   
   
   
  -10AP
  Mental Adv (Natural scientist) 
  n/a 
   
   
   
  -10AP
  Mental Adv (Quick learner)  
  n/a 
   
   
   
  -10AP
  Wealth  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Mod  
   
   
  -15SP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
   
  +/-
  Mental Disad (Shy)  
   
   
  Min 
   
   
   
  +5AP
  Mental Disad (Impatient)  
   
  Mod  
   
   
  +10AP
  Physical Disad (Withered arm) Mod  
   
   
  +10SP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  75  
   
   
  n/a
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  99  
   
   
  n/a
  Electrical Systems  
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Electronics  
   
   
   
   
   
  45  
   
   
  45
  Hide  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  25  
   
   
  25
  History  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Investigation  
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Man-management 
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Mathematics  
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Mechanical Computing  
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Persuasion  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Philosophy  
   
   
   
   
   
  25  
   
   
  25
  Physics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  90  
   
   
  120
  Politics  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  17  
   
   
  17
  Sneak  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Writing 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Possessions
  Small, but well-equipped laboratory
  Macroscale dingin
  Lab assistant
  Money: £200
  
  the players 187
  ladylike thief
  History and Description
  So, those boys in the gang all those years ago said you’d 
  never amount to nothing. Father and mother said the same, 
  screamed the place down after you got kicked out of that 
  expensive school. Went made when you just upped and left 
  without so much as a by-your-leave. Has to be said though, 
  that expensive schooling helps in your chosen professions. 
  The enunciated vowels and ladylike manner really fool some 
  folks. Makes getting in to some places easy. Then again, 
  when charm and persuasion don’t work, there’s always the 
  lockpick set and the pry bar. Whatever needs to be stolen, 
  you’re just the young lady to do the job. If only your par-
  ents could see you now. Why, they’d probably have heart 
  attacks!
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Middle-class (Upper)
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Sheltered
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  25
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  63  
   
   
  63
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  51  
   
   
  51
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Willpower (bonus) 
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  50
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Contact (Fence)  
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5SP
  Contact (old gang friend) 
   
  Min 
   
   
  -5SP
  Physical Adv (Attractive)  
   
  Mod  
   
  -8AP
  Physical Adv (Good hearing) 
  Mod  
   
  -8AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Parents)  
   
   
   
  Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Enemy (Jilted lover)  
   
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Enemy (Law enforcement) 
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Mental Disad( Haughty)  
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  51  
   
   
  /
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  76  
   
   
  /
  Criminal Culture  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Culture (Spoken)  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Diplomacy  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Disguise  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Economics  
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Fast Talk  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Hide  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Lockpick  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Negotiation  
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Persuasion  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Psychology 
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
   
   
  20
  Shadow  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Sneak  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  55  
   
   
  55
  Unarmed Combat  
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Possessions
  Lockpick set
  Utility knife
  Disguise kit
  Rope (lotech) - 20 metres
  Money: £50
  
  the players 188
  doubting third church priest
  History and Description
  Faith in a dark place. Faith in God and His Heavenly City. 
  That’s what your mother and father brought you up to 
  believe. That’s why you joined the priesthood as soon as 
  you were eligible, driven on by a fierce, burning devotion to 
  God. However, over these past months, doubts have been 
  creeping in. As you travel about The City and see the suffer-
  ing, cruelty and hatred, you wonder. Wonder if this really 
  is all part of Gods great plan, part of His great scheme for 
  man. And you faith in the Church is beginning to crumble as 
  you see the thoughtlessness, the lack of compassion for the 
  weakest members of society, the blind devotion to scripture 
  and tradition. For so long, these were the things at the very 
  core of your being, but now, like so much of The City, they 
  are beginning to crumble.
  Origin:  
   
   
   
   
   
  Middle-class (Lower)
  Upbringing:  
   
   
   
   
  Religious
  Age:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  34
  Attributes
  Physical  
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Agility  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Dexterity  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Health  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Strength 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  35  
   
   
  35
  Mental
  Awareness  
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Intelligence 
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Personality  
   
   
   
   
   
  65  
   
   
  65
  Willpower (bonus) 
   
   
   
  70  
   
   
  60
  Advantages & Disadvantages
  Advantages 
   
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Mental Adv (Compassionate) 
  n/a 
   
   
  -10AP
  Disadvantages  
   
   
   
  Level   
   
  +/-
  Enemy (Disgruntled parishoner) Min 
   
   
  +5SP
  Enemy (Deacon)  
   
   
   
  Mod  
   
  +10SP
  Mental Disad (Phobia) 
   
   
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Mental Disad (Crisis of faith)  
  Maj 
   
   
  +15AP
  Physical Disad (Bad sleeper)  
  Mod  
   
  +10AP
  Skills
  Skill  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Level  
   
  Cost
  Act  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Bureaucracy  
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Common (Read & Write)  
   
  65  
   
   
  n/a
  Common (Spoken) 
   
   
   
  99  
   
   
  n/a
  Culture (Read & Write)  
   
  40  
   
   
  40
   
  Cant   
   
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Culture (Spoken)  
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
   
  Cant  
   
   
   
   
   
  +20 
   
   
  10
  Diplomacy  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  First Aid 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
   
   
  40
  Negotiation  
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Oration 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Persuasion  
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Philosophy  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
   
   
  30
  Theology  
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
   
   
  60
  Writing 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  50  
   
   
  50
  Possessions
  Priestly garb
  Religious and philosophical books
  Symbols of the Church
  Small room in Church living quarters
  Money: The Church provides all, but a few shillings here 
  and there for ‘personal expenses’.
  
  the product
  "Uh huh, I want a big set of sparklocks just like One 
  Eye Frank. Me mum says that guns isn't nice, that 
  there's too many bad people wiv them. Nah, me 
  mum talk shit. Guns is what folks respect you for. 
  Got no guns, got no respect. Bankside here, you 
  got no gun, people don't care 'bout you. I want a 
  big gun. Then I can jack a macro and get his gun. 
  Shiny, quick, slick. Guns are good."
  Oleevia Harkness, age 9, Bankside
  
  the product 190
  
  the product 191
  Access Level: 
  16.7
  Refer To:  
  Brigade, VdH (Gen)
   
  From: 
   
  Stahlecker, F J
   
  To: 
   
  Borrowstoun, L N
   
   
  Subject:  
  Testing, testing and more testing!
  Lucy,
  It’s the old problem again. The projectile stabilisation just isn’t working at these longer ranges. Can we not just be satisfied with the range we’ve got? I 
  mean, who wants a weapon that fires that far anyway? I’ve had a look over the stats from the Hundred Block and over 90% of engagements were fought 
  at aggregate ranges of less than 50 meters! Where is the justification for this system coming from?
  And another  thing! At any range less than 500 meters (and you show me where we can obtain a line of sight greater than that in this place!) the blow-
  through is going to be terrific. Yeah, it’ll tear the target a new arse, but with something like this, we’ll be delivering horrific collateral damage.
  Just thought I’d express my concerns. Look after yourself.
  Frank.
  Access Level: 
  16.7
  Refer To:  
  Brigade, VdH (Gen)
   
  From:  
   
  Borrowstoun, L N
   
  To:  
   
  Stahlecker, F J
   
   
  Subject:   
  Re: Testing, testing and more testing!
  Frank,
  I appreciate your concerns, but this comes from the highest level. I realise you feel the need to speak your mind, but just concentrate on the matter in hand, 
  OK?
  Stabilisation at the ranges we require is vital, even if you have to sacrifice short range accuracy. Get this right and it could be a big feather in your cap, 
  even more so than project 1010L. This could be big for all of us.
  Lucy
  Access Level: 
  16.9
  Refer To:  
  Brigade, VdH (Gen)
   
  From:  
   
  van den Haas, K (General)
   
  To:  
   
  Stahlecker, F J
   
  Copy:  
   
  Borrowstoun, L N
   
   
  Subject:   
  Re: Testing, testing and more testing!
  Mr Stahlecker,
  I’d like to take the time to express my profound thanks to you for your commitment to this project. You’ve carried out exemplary work for us in the past and 
  I’m sure your skill and devotion will prove the decisive factors in this particular development programme.
  However, I would like to caution you against expressing your doubts in transmittable form again, just for the safety of the project and your own personal 
  protection.
  van den Haas
  Access Level:  
  15.0
  Refer To:   
  N/A
   
  From:  
   
  Borrowstoun, L N
   
  To:  
   
  Stahlecker, F J
   
   
  Subject:   
  ??????
  See what I mean? A direct communication from the General  herself! Shit Frank, you must really have stirred something up, even I didn’t realise she was 
  directly involved! I’d watch your step if I were you.
  Lucy 
  
  Money In The City
  Currency in The City consists of Pounds, Shillings and Pence. 
  While all of the macrocorps, several banks, some local 
  governments and a few churches produce their own scrip, 
  all are denominated in the same manner and are generally 
  given equal value, as money circulates around The City at a 
  fairly rapid rate. That having been said, most people prefer 
  to deal with macrocorp pounds, as they are backed by the 
  power and resources of the largest institutions in The City. 
  Local governments, such as the TCMAA issue money through 
  banks which they control, as is the case with the TCMAA and 
  the Canals Trading Bank.
  One pound contains twenty shillings, with each shilling being 
  made up of five pence. A good baseline for working out 
  the value of items can be found by looking at the average 
  weekly wage, which amounts to £5.0s.0p. Admittedly, this 
  is an average, many earn far less than this and a few earn 
  vastly more.
  Pricing & Scarcity of Resources
  When browsing through The Product, you’ll notice that 
  each item has a cost and availability. The cost indicates an 
  average price for the item if it were freely available on the 
  open market, whereas the availability indicates the scarcity 
  or otherwise of the item. Cost and availability have a direct 
  relationship, as scarcity will tend to increase the perceived 
  value of an item.
  There are six levels of availability, as show below:
  Very common: The item can be purchased anywhere and 
  commands no premium on the listed price
  Common: The item can be purchased in most places and 
  if it does command a premium, this will only be a matter of 
  a few percent.
  Uncommon: The item is available in specialised retailers or 
  through underground contacts. It may command a premium 
  of up to 100% more than the listed price.
  Rare: The item is hard to come by, requiring a bit of work to 
  obtain. It may command a premium of 100 to 200% more 
  than the listed price.
  Very rare: The item is very hard to come by and will 
  require a lot of tracking down or considerable influence or 
  money to purchase. It can command a premium of from 200 
  to 400% more than the listed price.
  Scarce: The item is almost impossible to find. If available, it 
  will command a premium of 500% more than the listed price. 
  And that’s just for a start, it could be a lot more.
  Technology Levels in The City
  Broadly speaking, technology in The City can be divided into 
  two areas: hitech and lotech. Hitech equipment is generally 
  compact, highly designed, reliable and most of all, expen-
  sive. Hitech gear is generally produced by the macrocorps 
  or by smaller companies with ties to the macrocorps. At the 
  opposite end of the scale is lotech equipment. Lotech items 
  are often crude, clunky and large but can be astonishingly 
  well made and reliable. Lotech technology does not imply 
  a lack of skill on the part of manufacturers. Indeed, the skill 
  required to produce a lotech microscale dingin may exceed 
  that required to produce a hitech nanoscale dingin. 
  Armament technology in The City
  Sparklocks
  The most common and the most primitive firearms in The City, 
  sparklocks range from crudely lashed together specimens 
  made from old iron pipe to cunningly fashioned devices made 
  by skilled artisans.  The weapons function by using an electric 
  spark to ignite a propellant charge of loose powder. The 
  powder is poured down the barrel, tamped down, then a ball 
  or bullet forced down the barrel on top of the powder. When 
  the trigger is pulled, a spark is provided by scavenged capaci-
  tors or superconductors. The spark causes the propellant to 
  ignite and propel the bullet down the barrel. After firing, the 
  capacitors or superconductors need to be recharged, usually 
  accomplished by connecting them to a small clockwork gen-
  erator/dynamo mechanism. In order to allow more rapid fire, 
  many sparklocks mount more than one power source. 
  Ammunition for a sparklock is usually a ball or elongated 
  bullet made from compressed brick dust bound with resin, 
  carved stone or cast iron. The weapons can come in a variety 
  of forms, including pistols, carbines, rifles and small cannon. 
  They can also come in single or double barrel variants, or 
  even in rare revolver or repeater configurations. 
  Sparklocks are, in the main, unreliable at best and tremen-
  dously dangerous at worst.
  the product 192
  
  Cartridge Guns
  Offering superior reliability with good power and accu-
  racy, cartridge guns are highly favoured by most of the 
  militant organisations in The City. The guns themselves are 
  fairly easy to manufacture but it is the ammunition which 
  poses problems. Intricate primers, precision made bullets 
  and high-tolerance casings are required to make the weap-
  ons function effectively. Hence, they tend to be made by the 
  macrocorps or companies affiliated with them. This having 
  been said, a cartridge revolver is possibly the most inher-
  ently reliable weapon in The City, and find much favour 
  with soldiers, police officers and criminals. Cartridge guns 
  can be found in single shot, semi-automatic, revolver and 
  fully automatic versions, Depending on your needs, you can 
  acquire the weapons as pistols, rifles, sub-machineguns, 
  machineguns, shotguns and a whole plethora of weapons 
  types.
  Magnetic Repeaters
  The highest of hitech weapons, magnetic repeaters are 
  almost exclusively used by macrocorporate forces and a 
  few favoured allies.  Magnetic repeaters use no propel-
  lant, but instead use a series of stepped magnets arranged 
  down the barrel to propel an iron flechette up to very high 
  velocity.  Although very small, the projectiles are fired at 
  such a speed as to ensure great armour penetration and 
  reasonable tissue damage. Another feature of these weap-
  ons is the rate at which they can fire. They can, if required, 
  spew out flechettes at an astounding rate, allowing them 
  to literally ‘hose’ a target. If striking power is the issue, 
  then magnetic repeaters can also be made very powerful. 
  Long barrels can endow such weapons as sniper rifles with 
  extreme rage, accuracy and firepower.  They can also be 
  used in lower-velocity applications such as mortars and 
  grenade launchers, where their adjustability allows for a 
  variety of range settings. 
  Reliability
  In the harsh world of The City, having a reliable weapon 
  by your side is often an important issue. Some types of 
  weapon are more reliable than others, some manufactur-
  ers make weapons which are inherently of better quality, 
  some systems are just more prone to breakage by their very 
  nature. In a game context, each weapon is rated accord-
  ing to its reliability. In simple terms, this rating tells you how 
  often the weapon needs to be cleaned/maintained in order 
  to stop it malfunctioning.
  There are five classes of reliability. They are:
  Very Unreliable
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 10 shots.
  Unreliable
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 20 shot.
  Average
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 100 shots.
  Reliable
  Needs maintenance and cleaning every 1000 shots.
  Very Reliable
  Only needs maintenance and cleaning about once per 
  year.
  WEAPONS
  Pistols (lotech)
  Sparklock Pistol
  Most primitive of firearms found in The City, sparklocks use 
  batteries or clockwork to charge scavenged capacitors 
  or superconductors to spark-ignite powdered propellants. 
  They are single shot weapons, mostly of dubious reliabil-
  ity. When fired, they create voluminous clouds of smoke 
  which can often impair the vision of the firer. Repeating 
  pepperbox and double barrelled  versions are available 
  at an increased cost (roughly 75% more than their single 
  barrelled cousins).
  Light 
   
   
  Medium
  Cost: £20 
   
  Cost: £30
  Availability: Common 
  Availability: Common
  Heavy  
   
  Pepperbox
  Cost: £40 
   
  Cost: £50
  Availability: Common 
  Availability: Uncommon
  the product 193
  
  Cartridge Pistol
  Representative of the thousands of sidearms manufactured 
  by back street shops and microcorps, the Cartridge Pistol is 
  a regular, cased ammunition weapon with no special ad-ons. 
  The cartridge pistol is available in Light, Medium and Heavy 
  versions as well as in semi-automatic and revolver styles.
  Light 
   
   
  Medium
  Cost: £65 
   
  Cost: £85
  Availability: Uncommon Availability: Common
  Heavy
  Cost: £110
  Availability: Uncommon
  Pistols (hitech)
  Furien 'Jacketcracker' Heavy Pistol
  Currently holding the title of 'most powerful handgun ever 
  produced' the 'Jacketcracker' was designed specifically to 
  defeat Hirplakkers FLAKK line of armour jackets. Hirplakker 
  launched the line claiming they were proof against any hand-
  gun in The City. Via Furien, Arclight responded by designing 
  the 'Jacketcracker', a handgun of sizeable proportions but 
  which can punch holes in the Hirplakker armour.
  Cost: £900
  Availability: Very rare
  Furien 'Linetrooper' Medium Revolver
  A bizarre but successful weapon, the ‘Linetrooper’ is one of 
  the few magnetic repeater revolvers ever produced. The ‘cylin-
  der’ of the weapon is essentially six small magazines arranged 
  in a star shape, with strengthening material in between to 
  provide the traditional revolver look. Each separate slot in the 
  cylinder can hold 4 5mm flechettes, giving the user a choice of 
  ammunition types. The gun can fire all four rounds in a slot in 
  succession or can switch between slots by rotating the cylinder. 
  An onboard nanoscale dingin provides the computing power 
  to co-ordinate the firing of this complex but useful weapon.
  Cost: £850
  Availability: Very rare
  Gorunna 'Sling' Heavy Pistol
  A bulky, ugly weapon, the Sling is a semi-automatic heavy 
  gauss pistol used by Gorunna corporate forces. Due to 
  Gorunna's liberal sales of arms and equipment, untold num-
  bers of these weapons have found their way on to the streets. 
  Many toughs find the size and bore of the weapon appeal-
  ing and intimidating, that is until the recoil breaks their arm. 
  They are limited in ammunition capacity but have massive 
  stopping power.
  Cost: £300
  Availability: Rare
  Hirplakker 'Pantera' Heavy Revolver
  A massive double-action revolver of menacing appearance, 
  the ‘Pantera’ is widely marketed by Hirplakker and its sub-
  sidiary sales concerns. Of very simple design, the ‘Pantera’ 
  offers ultimate reliability and strength.
  Cost: £250
  Availability: Uncommon
  Micintyre 'Kicker' Medium Pistol
  A militant model magnetic repeater pistol, the abilities of the 
  weapon have been tailored for the widest possible accep-
  tance. The penetrative abilities are high enough to discour-
  age lightly armoured attackers but the compact barrel and 
  the use of ferrous coated light alloy flechettes reduces the 
  long range capabilities of the weapon. 
  Cost: £300
  Availability: Rare
  the product 194
  
  PPIM E35 Hideout Pistol
  A very high quality, very small magnetic repeater pis-
  tol, manufactured by the production arm of the Personal 
  Protection Inc militant corporation. Long for a pocket pistol, 
  it compensates by being exceptionally slim. An integral laser 
  dot projector assists aiming.
  Cost: £350
  Availability: Scarce
  Souken Vent-450 Heavy Pistol
  Manufactured in plants across The City, the Vent-450 has 
  become the symbol of a mercenary for hire, and as such has 
  become something of an institution. Its popularity is mainly 
  due to its reliability and solid hitting power.
  Cost: £230
  Availability: Rare
  Trilhoeven GP-013 Heavy Pistol
  The more modern replacement for the centuries-old GP-010, 
  the GP-013 uses a magnetic repeater action rather than the 
  liquid propellant system of the older weapon. The ammuni-
  tion is the same, but with a ferrous coating to allow the mag-
  netic accelerators to 'grip' the round.
  Cost: £750
  Availability: Very rare
  SUBMACHINEGUNS AND MACHINE PISTOLS (lotech)
  Cartridge SMG
  Like the Cartridge Pistol, the Street SMG is a typical, cheap 
  weapon found on the streets. While variants may differ 
  slightly, they all share broadly the same characteristics.
  Cost: £120
  Availability: Uncommon
  SUBMACHINEGUNS AND MACHINE PISTOLS (hitech)
  Mitushi 'Whistler'
  A lightweight but somewhat bulky SMG, the 'Whistler' is 
  one of the lower tech gauss weapons available. Mitushi are 
  not wealthy or powerful enough to have access to the latest 
  superconductor technology, hence the fact that the gun is at 
  least two generations behind the times. The weapon’s major 
  flaw, however, is the extreme susceptibility of its onboard 
  electronics to any form of interference. Indeed, if pushed 
  too hard the magnetic field created by firing the weapon 
  can scramble the processor and burn out circuits. It is, how-
  ever, still a popular and effective weapon, mainly due to the 
  large numbers manufactured over the past sixty years.
  Cost: £350
  Availability: Rare
  Trilhoeven KM-067R
  Trilhoeven’s latest SMG produced for its front line troops 
  and security operatives, the KM-067R is well ahead of 
  anything produced by other corporations, perhaps with the 
  exception of Arclight. Each round consists of a projectile 
  bonded to a superconducting power cell. On discharge, the 
  cell is ejected from the bottom of the weapon, just ahead of 
  the trigger guard. Integral to the weapon is a dingin mod-
  erated sensor array which scans for human silhouettes and 
  highlights them for the user. An additional back-up din-gin 
  unit makes the gun effectively invulnerable to any kind of 
  interference and very resistant to battlefield damage.
  Cost: £900
  Availability: Very rare
  rifles (LOTECH)
  Sparklock Carbine
  A short, easily wielded weapon designed to provide the 
  power of a rifle in a compact package. Most carbines simply 
  look like large sparklock pistols with stocks added on to the 
  back.
  Cost: £75
  Availability: Common
  the product 195
  
  Sparklock Rifle
  Other than sparklock cannon, these are the largest and most 
  powerful sparklock weapons in The City. Generally between 
  three and four feet in length, they provide good firepower but 
  are pretty unwieldy for use in tight spaces.
  Cost: £100
  Availability: Common
  Cartridge Rifle
  Using fixed metallic cartridges, these weapons are available in 
  a multiplicity of forms. Second only to the sparklock in popular-
  ity, they can be found in heavy and light versions, as well as 
  single shot, semi-automatic and fully automatic versions.
  Single Shot 
   
  Semi-Auto
  Cost: £150 
   
  Cost: £200
  Availability: Common 
  Availability: Uncommon
  Full-auto
  Cost: £250
  Availability: Uncommon
  rifles (hiTECH)
  Hakken lR0018r Assault Laser
  A special purpose infantry weapon designed by Hakken 
  Industries AG. As a result of lessons learned during the 
  Hundred Block War (during which Hirplakker irregular 
  troops used the IR0018), the lR0018r version was made 
  available for sale, boasting improved sighting aids and fur-
  ther power splitting systems. 
  Cost: £1900
  Availability: Scarce
  Tenlier Assault-100
  For decades, successive models of the Assault-100 have 
  been best sellers in the militant market.
  Cost: £1000
  Availability: Uncommon
  Trilhoeven KSK-G30
  Rarely available in the commercial markets, the KSK-G30 
  equips large numbers of Trilhoeven militia troops. The weap-
  ons main advantage is its massive ammunition supply, which 
  allows troopers to literally hose targets with flechettes.
  Cost: £1500
  Availability: Very rare
  SNIPER WEAPONS
  Arclight 'Redeye' Laser Rifle
  One of Arclight’s most advanced pieces of technology, the 
  'Redeye' equips some elite Brigade of Light recon troops. 
  While none have been sold on the open market, it is known 
  that the rifle is frequency agile, allowing it to cut through 
  some atmospheric obscuration. Sighting aids fitted as stan-
  dard include a multimode laser sight, target predicting HUD 
  and datapaths for connection into powered armour systems. 
  Cost: £2300
  Availability: Scarce
  Furien 'Shellbreaker' Gauss Rifle
  A devastatingly accurate and powerful weapon, the 
  'Shellbreaker' has enabled Furien to virtually corner the mar-
  ket in gauss sniper weapons. Fully 50% of this type sold to 
  militant organisations are Furien 'Shellbreakers'. Expensive, 
  they are seldom seen outside militant or macrocorporate 
  hands.
  Cost: £2000 (including basic sight)
  Availability: Scarce
  SHOTGUNS (lotech)
  Sparklock Blunderbuss
  Using a design common to most other sparklocks, the spar-
  klock blunderbuss looks like nothing more than a sparklock 
  carbine with a grossly over-sized barrel.  While inaccurate 
  in the extreme and possessing a hopelessly short range, few 
  toughs will argue with someone toting one of these vicious 
  weapons.
  Cost: £70
  Availability: Common
  the product 196
  
  Cartridge Shotgun
  A step up from the common sparklock, cartridge shotguns use 
  cased ammunition, either manufactured by one of the many 
  small companies across The City or laboriously produced 
  by hand in back alley workshops. Versions vary from simple 
  break action breechloaders right up to semi-auto weapons.
  Cost: £150 (single shot), £200 (pump)
  Availability: Uncommon
  SHOTGUNS (hitech)
  Hirplakker 'Lacerator' Gauss Shotgun
  This versatile 15mm weapon can fire clusters of needles, 
  HEAP shells, APDS rounds or all manner of specialised 
  ammunition. Examples captured by Arclight during the 
  Hundred Block War were studied and Arclight have since 
  produced their own weapon, the 16mm 'Thorn'.
  Cost: £600
  Availability: Scarce
  Micintyre L16B
  A high tech conventional weapon, the L16B is the longarm 
  of choice for militant units engaged in house clearing opera-
  tions. A helical magazine slung under the barrel gives prodi-
  gious ammo capacity and a wide range of rounds including 
  HEAP, HE, flechette and APDS are available.
  Cost: £500
  Availability: Very rare
  HEAVY WEAPONS
  Arclight 'Boomer' A1 Pack-cannon
  Fearsome in its power, the ‘Boomer’ is the prime armamnet 
  of Arclight’s legendary Tentenal troops. This 0.75 inch, semi-
  auto, magnetic repeater cannon provides immense striking 
  power, as well as the capability to launch a wide variety of 
  different projectiles.
  Cost: £5000
  Availability: No way
  Makei Assault Gun
  A ruggedly simple but nonetheless hard-hitting weapon, the 
  Makei AG is a highly effective light anti-armour weapon. 
  Firing a variety of low-pressure 19mm rounds, it has often 
  proved the bane of APA equipped units.
  Cost: £500
  Availability: Rare
  Trilhoeven Microhowitzer
  Part way between a grenade launcher and a hand-held can-
  non, the Microhowitzer serves Trilhoeven troops as an anti-
  armour, anti-building and indirect fire weapon. Its 45mm shell 
  gives it enough velocity to be reasonably accurate at short 
  ranges and provides good indirect fire range. The magnetic 
  propulsion system also eases the felt recoil of the weapon, 
  which is also managed by a fully integrated system of buffers 
  and compensators.
  Cost: £1000
  Availability: Very rare
  Vehicular Weapons
  Sparklock Cannon
  Ranging from the man-portable jezails (essentially a very, 
  very large sparklock rifle) right up to substantial breechload-
  ing cannon, these are the ultimate evolution of the sparklock. 
  Divided into light, medium and heavy classes, only the light 
  variants are man-portable.
  Light 
   
   
  Medium
  Cost: £200 
   
  Cost: £600
  Availability: Uncommon Availability: Rare
  Heavy 
  Cost: £1000 
  Availability: Very rare
  the product 197
  
  Cartridge Cannon
  Available in light (roughly 15 to 25mm), medium (roughly 
  30 to 45mm) and heavy (anything above 45mm) versions, 
  cartridge cannon use the same technology as other cartridge 
  weapons, only on a much larger scale. Single shot, semi-auto 
  and automatic (light a medium only) versions are available 
  for fitment to vehicles and fixed emplacements.
  Light 
   
   
  Medium
  Cost: £1500 
   
  Cost: £4000
  Availability: Rare 
  Availability: Rare
  Heavy 
  Cost: £10,000+ 
  Availability: Very rare
  Magnetic Repeater Cannon
  Powerful, accurate weapons with an alarming tendency 
  to go right through their intended target and blast through 
  intervening walls, buildings and people, magnetic repeater 
  cannons are undoubtedly the most powerful direct-fire 
  weapons in The City. As with other vehicular class weap-
  ons, they are available in light, medium and heavy versions. 
  Only the very largest vehicles can mount the heavy ver-
  sions, as the power requirements and recoil are immense.
  Light 
   
   
  Medium
  Cost: £3,500 
   
  Cost: £6,000
  Availability: Very rare 
  Availability: Scarce
  Heavy 
  Cost: If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. 
  Availability: Scarce
  Rockets
  Perhaps even more frowned upon than magnetic repeater 
  cannons, rockets can cause widespread destruction due to 
  their explosive warheads. Light variants can be carried and 
  fired by a single man, while the medium and heavy versions 
  require vehicles.
  Light 
   
   
  Medium
  Cost: £200 
   
  Cost: £600
  Availability: Very rare 
  Availability: Very rare
  Heavy 
  Cost: Anything the seller wants to ask. 
  Availability: Scarce
  Ammunition Types & Costs
  Solid shot
  The standard projectile for sparklocks, cartridge weapons 
  and magnetic repeaters, solid shot is a basic solid ball, bullet 
  or (in the case of magnetic repeaters) flechette. The listed 
  DAM and PEN values for all projectile weapons (other than 
  those firing explosive rounds, such as the Microhowitzer) are 
  for solid shot.
  Cost multiple: None (see table below for costs)
  Availability: Same as weapon
  Safety Rounds
  Something of a misnomer, as they are anything but safe for 
  the target. Safety round are designed to increase the dam-
  age done to a target at the expense of penetrating power. 
  They can be frangible, soft-nosed, hollowpoint, crosshead or 
  any number of similarly nasty ways to do more damage to 
  living tissue. Safety rounds have their PEN reduced by 50% 
  but any damage that gets through is increased by 50%.
  Cost Multiple: x2
  Availability: Same as weapon
  Armour Piercing Rounds
  The exact opposite of safety round, armour piercing (AP) 
  rounds have increased penetration at the expense of deliv-
  ered damage. AP rounds have their PEN increased by 50% 
  but penetrating DAM is reduced by 50%.
  Cost Multiple: x3
  Availability: One level higher than weapon
  Ammunition Cost is per clip, or 20 rounds if the weapon uses 
  loose ammo.
  Type of Weapon 
   
  Ammunition Cost
  Sparklock Pistol (any) 
   
  £1
  Cartridge Pistol or SMG (any) 
  5% of weapon cost
  Magnetic Repeater Pistol     
  10% of weapon cost
  or SMG (any) 
  Sparklock Carbine, Rifle 
   
  £1.10s
  or Blunderbuss (any)
  Cartridge Rifle or Shotgun (any) 
  5% of weapon cost
  Magnetic Repeater Rifle  
   
  10% of weapon cost
  or Sniper Weapon (any) 
  Heavy Weapon (lotech) 
   
  5% of weapon cost
  Heavy Weapon (hitech) 
   
  15% of weapon cost
  the product 198
  
  WEAPON ACCESSORIES
  Adaptive Laser Sight
  A useful and effective variation on the standard laser sight. 
  An ultrasonic device measures the distance to the target 
  and adjusts the depression or elevation of the laser beam 
  to account for the drop. The sight also contains a tiny gyro-
  stabiliser which detects rapid gun movement and adjusts 
  the laser beam to compensate for angular barrel movement 
  during snap shots. The sight must be keyed in to the specific 
  weapon it is being used with upon purchase. If this is not 
  done, it merely functions as a normal laser sight. The ALS is 
  only really effective at ranges of under 100 metres, beyond 
  this the time lag for the ultrasound pulse becomes too great 
  for use in a combat situation. 
  Game effects are to give +1 round to aim time, -10% off 
  firer movement penalties and the benefits of a laser range-
  finder. The -10% to movement penalties does not have the 
  deleterious effects of a gyrostabiliser.
  Cost: £300
  Availability: Rare
  Gyrostabilisers
  Hand weapon gyrostabilisation operates on six gyros (all 
  controlled by an onboard dingin), with two contrarotating 
  gyros on each axis, near the weapon’s centre of gravity. 
  Pressure switches speed up or brake certain gyros depend-
  ing on how the weapon is moved, helping the user to 
  change it from facing to facing. If the weapon is not being 
  pivoted, the gyros tend to keep the weapon pointed in the 
  same direction, regardless of firer motion. A gyro system 
  will halve negative movement modifiers on firing but auto-
  matically makes the reaction modifier of the weapon 10% 
  worse.
  Cost: £250
  Availability: Rare
  Laser Dot
  A simple red dot projecting system for weapons, only really 
  useful over short distances due to the obscurative properties 
  of the air in The City. Most versions are designed for close-
  range use, under 100m, and are very small and light. IR laser 
  sights are also available, where the beam can only be seen 
  through IR or lowlight sights or goggles.
  Cost: £250 
  Availability: Uncommon
  Holsters
  Available in a wide variety of styles and materials and avail-
  able to carry any handgun or machine-pistol.
  Cost: 5s to £200
  Availability: Common
  Optical Sights
  Ranging from simple versions using hand ground lenses, right 
  up to dingin-moderated versions used by macrocorp snip-
  ers, optical sights are a common weapon accessory. They 
  can only be used in aimed fire. Sights are available in three 
  forms: x2, x3 and x4. These are used to multiply the aiming 
  range of the weapon for the purposes of negating range 
  penalties. For example: A rifle with a range of 50 using a 
  x2 sight would have range bands of 100/200/400/800 
  for the purposes of aiming modifiers, although the maximum 
  range would still only be 400 metres.
  Cost:  x2: £50  x3: £150  x4: £300
  Availability: Uncommon
  Silencers and Suppressors
  True "silencers" are extremely difficult to construct because, 
  although the sound of the cartridge firing can be muffled, 
  the bullet itself cannot, and it is this supersonic crack which 
  usually alerts the target. Sound suppressors effectively 
  muffle the sound of the weapon firing while leaving the 
  supersonic crack of the bullet unmodified. This will have 
  no effect on the ability of target personnel to realise that 
  they are being fired at but it does make it more difficult for 
  persons who are not taking part in the firefight to realise 
  what is happening. 
  Firefights conducted with suppressed weapons will seldom 
  be heard beyond 100 metres. Truly silenced weapons not 
  only muffle the sound of the cartridge firing but also slow the 
  bullet (usually by bleeding off propellant gas) to sub-sonic 
  speeds. This reduces the noise of firing but also consider-
  ably reduces muzzle energy.  Silenced weapons will not be 
  heard beyond 20 metres in open areas or beyond 5 metres 
  in urban areas. 
  Silencer Cost: £20 per DAM point of weapon, plus 25% of 
  original weapon cost to modify firearm for silent operating.
  Availability: Very rare
  Suppressor Cost: £10 per DAM point of weapon, plus 
  25% of original weapon cost to modify firearm for sup-
  pressed operating. 
  Availability: Very rare
  the product 199
  
  Melee Weapons
  Ceramic Blade (hitech)
  Constructed from composite ceramic materials, the blade of 
  this knife has unrivalled sharpness and strength.
  Cost: £25
  Availability: Rare
  Ceramic Long Knife (hitech)
  A longer, larger version of the ceramic blade, offering slightly 
  greater reach and a more intimidating appearance than its 
  smaller cousin.
  Cost: £40
  Availability: Very rare
  Llife (hitech)
  Incredibly sharp weapons, llives are made up of extremely 
  thin layers of diamond sheet, ceramic and high quality steel 
  bonded together on the molecular level. Not designed at 
  all as stabbing weapons, in a slashing attack they can cut 
  through armour, bone, muscle, metal and just about anything 
  else. They are very much in favour with ghostfighters and oth-
  ers who rely on quality edged weapons for their livelihoods.
  Cost: £200
  Availability: Very rare
  Billy Club
  As used by the Provosts and numerous other police agencies 
  across The City. The billy club is constructed from high-impact 
  materials and is carefully weighted to allow maximum energy 
  transfer upon impact. In trained hands this can be an excep-
  tionally effective weapon and gives superior punch when 
  compared to a regular cosh or club.
  Cost: £35
  Availability: Rare
  ARMOUR
  Armoured Clothing (hitech)
  Regular clothing with a layer of ballistic fibres.
  Cost: £7 per item
  Availability: Uncommon
  Armour Vest (hitech)
  Covers the torso, shoulders and groin with a layer of hard-
  ened plastics, ballistic fibre and other materials which the 
  manufacturer chooses to include.
  Cost: £20
  Availability: Common
  Integrated Armour Suit (hitech)
  Fully sealed, semi-powered, used by some macrocorporate 
  troops for assault duties
  Cost: £500
  Availability: Rare
  the product 200
  
  Mail Vest (lotech)
  Painstakingly made of tiny metal links, mail vests are gener-
  ally the highest quality lotech armour.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Common
  Makeshift Armour (lotech)
  Constructed from a hodge-podge of materials, most make-
  shift armour looks and is home-made.
  Cost: Homemade
  Availability: Very common
  Padded Armour (lotech)
  Really nothing more than very heavy clothing, perhaps rein-
  forced with hardened dogskin at vital points. Useful against 
  knives and suchlike, but pretty much useless against guns.
  Cost: 10s per item
  Availability: Common
  Helmet (hitech)
  Protects the head and features attachment points for sensor 
  systems.
  Cost: £20
  Availability: Rare
  Helmet (lotech)
  Still protects the head, but not very well.
  Cost: £1
  Availability: Common
  Roadarmour
  Ideal for the powerbikers who wants that little edge in pro-
  tection. Made from the same light but strong materials as 
  light bullet proof vests, Roadarmour is a tight fitting, full body 
  suit of powerbike/ekranoplan clothing. With padded joint 
  sections and improved ballistic fabrics, it offers impressive 
  protection in a potential roadrash situation.
  Cost: £40
  Availability: Rare
  Powered Armour
  Arclight 'Tentenel' Battle Armour
  Tentenel armour provides Arclight heavy infantry with an 
  environmentally sealed, power-assisted protective suit ideally 
  suited to urban warfare. Its compact dimensions (in compari-
  son to the clunky powered suits utilised by other macrocorps) 
  and extensive sensory apparatus make it superior in almost 
  every respect to any other similar item in The City. It is, 
  however, very (very, very) expensive to produce, hence the 
  rather small numbers which the Brigade of Light can field 
  at any one time.
  Cost: £35,000
  Availability: Not a hope
  Bonuses: +40 to all weapons fire, STR becomes 120 when 
  using suit, ‘Viridian’ system has a 75% chance of hitting any 
  missile, rocket or thrown item directed  at the suit. It fires once 
  the item is within 25m of the suit. A single hit will usually dis-
  able or destroy the target. 
  Trilhoeven 'Mad Dog' Battle Armour
  A fearsome piece of combat equipment from Trilhoeven, 
  this suit skirts the very edge of technological advancement. 
  Incorporating mimetic stealth systems, self-repair nanoware 
  and powerful artificial musculature, the 'Mad Dog' is the 
  ultimate in lightweight personal armour. 
  Cost: £25,000
  Availability: Scarce
  Bonuses: +20 to weapons fire, STR becomes 150 when 
  using suit. Mimetic systems offer the equivalent of Hide skill 
  at 90%.
  Trilhoeven 'Running Dog' Scout Armour
  A counterpart to the heavier 'Mad Dog' system, the 'Running 
  Dog' dispenses with much of the armour layers and self-
  repair systems of its brother and instead relies on speed, 
  stealth and its amazing sensory systems to keep out of 
  trouble. Most Trilhoeven infantry companies have at least 
  one trooper outfitted with the system, acting as an advance 
  scout and recon asset. Some units have even been know to 
  equip their snipers with these suits, allowing the sniper to use 
  the long range sensors and superior carrying capacity to 
  achieve remarkable long-range kills.
  Cost: £20,000
  Availability: Scarce
  Bonuses: +40 to weapons fire, STR is 100 when using suit. 
  The mimetic capabilities of the suit give +50% to any Hide or 
  Sneak rolls made while wearing the suit.
  the product 201
  
  the product 202
  Accommodation
  Standard 
   
   
   
   
   
  Cost (per week)
  Squat or totally uncontrolled area (e.g.: Dreamingspires) 
   
  Nothing, although sometimes gangs may charge ‘protection’
  Slum hovel, very poor quality tenement or towerblock room   
  Between 10s and £1, again, sometimes ‘protection’ may be   
  (e.g.: Mire End) 
   
   
   
   
   
  charged in addition to this.
  Low-grade tenemental rooms (e.g.: Folly Hills, Fogwarren, etc) 
  Between £1 and £2.
  Mid-grade tenemental or towerblock rooms (eg: east Folly Hills) 
  Between £2 and £5
  Best-quality (relatively speaking) tenemental rooms   
   
  Between £5 and £10
  (eg: better areas of Fogwarren) 
  Low-quality apartment in good area  
   
   
   
  Between £10 and £40
  (eg: cheapest, least desireable parts of Clearwater Break)
  Mid-quality apartment in good area  
   
   
   
  Between £30 and £60
  (eg: ‘bottom of hill’ properties in Lucent Heights)
  High-quality apartment in good area 
   
   
   
  Between £50 and £200
  (the best properties in Lucent Heights and Clearwater Break)
  3 bedroomed house in poor area 
   
   
   
  Between £5 and £10
  3 bedroomed house in reasonable area  
   
   
  Between £10 and £50
  3 bedroomed house in good area 
   
   
   
  Between £70 and £300
  Living Costs & Upkeep
  Even the most basic accommodation and sustenance costs 
  money, often money that many of the poor unfortunates who 
  live in The City don’t have. The table below give a selection 
  of costs for accommodation, food and a variety of services.
  Services
  Service 
   
   
   
  Cost (per week)
  Sideband TV service 
   
   
  £2
   
  Additional factual channels 
  £1
   
  Telephone service 
   
  £3
  Electricity for a home 
   
   
  £1 - £20
  Gas for a home  
   
   
  £1 - £15
  Healthcare 
   
   
   
  Extremely variable
   
  e.g: TCMAA Health Service 
  10s (basic)
   
        Macrocorp Health Care 
  £25 (basic)
  Local taxes (depends on area)  
  From 5s to £50
   
  e.g.: TCMAA Council Tax 
  10s (basic)
   
         TCMAA Higher Band 
  £5
   
         TCMAA Premier Band 
  £35
  Servant (depending on status)  
  £3 to £20
   
  e.g: Cleaner  
   
  £3 - 5
   
        Bodyguard 
   
  £5 - 20
   
        Butler 
   
   
  £10 - 20
  Sustenance
  Foodstuff 
   
   
   
  Cost
  Poor quality fish (the kind of stuff  
  1s per fish
  produced in Bankside) 
  Good quality fish 
   
   
  £2 per fillet
  (macrocorp reared) 
  Bread (fishmeal and plant fibres) 
  1s per loaf
  Dog (whole) 
   
   
   
  £1 - £10
  Dog (leg) 
   
   
   
  4s to £5
  Dog (steak) 
   
   
   
  2s to £3
  Fruit 
   
   
   
   
  5s to £10 per item
  Vegetables 
   
   
   
  3s to £10 per item
  Spices  
   
   
   
  2s to £20 per small bag
  Herbs  
   
   
   
  2s to £20 per small bag
  Clean drinking water 
   
   
  1s per cup
  Tea leaves 
   
   
   
  1s per small bag
  Spirits, rough, 1 litre bottle 
   
  £1
  Spirits, quality, 1 litre bottle 
   
  £10
  Eating Out  
   
   
  Cost
  Meatballs in sauce from street stall 
  2s
  Fried fish & troot from street stall  
  3s
  Cup of tea in cafe or street stall  
  1s
  Meal for 1 at poor quality eatery 
  4s
  Meal for 1 at mid-level eatery  
  £2
  Meal for 1 at high-class eatery  
  Anything from £10  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  upwards
  
  DINGINS
  Dingins are the fundamental building blocks upon which 
  almost all the computing power of The City is based. Rod 
  logic provides the power for businesses to operate and for 
  the Dataflow to function. The dingin is both ubiquitous and 
  vital, in all its many forms and variations. From the creaking, 
  clanking macroscale engines still used by the Three Canals 
  Metropolitan Area Provosts to store their crime information, 
  to the compressed efficiency of single cubic inch nanoscale 
  units (and all the sizes in between), dingins are everywhere 
  you look, calculating, storing, processing and analysing. 
  All dingins are rated according to their volume, the more 
  volume, the greater the power. However, this is relative 
  within the different classes of dingin. A two cubic inch 
  nanoscale unit is far more powerful than a two cubic foot 
  macroscale unit. For reference, one cubic foot equals 1728 
  cubic inches.
  The previously mentioned Provost dingins run to hundreds 
  of cubic feet of rods, gears and cranks and can analyse 
  and store vast amounts of data. For this type of engine, the 
  data is stored on punched cards,  tapes or optically read 
  sheets. Data is fed into the machine in a similar manner, 
  using laboriously prepared cards or punched in manually 
  at enormous input desks. Output is generally in the form of 
  typed sheets, fed out from automatic electric typewriters. 
  Some macroscale engines can be linked to screens, but this 
  is relatively rare.
  Unlike macroscale dingins, microscale versions are far more 
  portable. However, their increased compactness is somewhat 
  tempered by the need for cooling devices such as heatsinks 
  in order to bleed away the enormous amounts of heat pro-
  duced by the unit. Microscales are rated according to the 
  cubic inch, although there are some very large microscale 
  units which are rated by the cubic foot. Very small microscale 
  dingins are also rare, the smallest versions being about four 
  or five cubic inches in  size and  of relatively limited capac-
  ity. The average size is about that of a large book, perhaps 
  eight inches wide, eleven inches high and three inches deep, 
  giving a total cubic capacity of  264 inches.
  However, the main problem is that each cubic inch of 
  macroscale dingin requires a similar cubic capacity of heat 
  dispersal systems. So, our previously mentioned book-sized 
  microscale dingin with a volume of 264 cubic inches would 
  require another 264 cubic inches of heatsinks, fans and other 
  cooling items. Microscales can be programmed via miniatur-
  ised metallic tapes or, like macroscale dingins, by laboriously 
  hand programming them. Again, they can also give similar 
  output but they are also commonly linked into screens for 
  ease of use. Some users go as far as to buy active gel-screens 
  at great expense in order to obtain clear, full colour readouts 
  from their dingins.
  Nanoscale dingins are the ultimate in miniaturised comput-
  ing systems. Compared even to microscale systems, they are 
  tiny. Some can be built down to tenth of a cubic inch in size, 
  suitable for installation into weapons and other portable 
  systems. They do, however, require cooling systems equal 
  to five times their own cubic capacity. So, a one cubic inch 
  nanoscale dingin will require five cubic inches of heatsinks 
  and coolants.  A twenty one cubic inch nanoscale dingin (a 
  cube measuring just three inches on a side) plus it’s associat-
  ed one hundred and five cubic inches of cooling gear, would 
  provide an immense amount of computing power, power far 
  in excess of any macroscale dingin and vastly more powerful 
  than all but the very largest microscale units.
  In terms of processing power, a cubic foot of microscale din-
  gin is ten times more powerful than a cubic foot of macroscale 
  engine. As a rough rule of thumb, a microscale engine will 
  be a tenth the size of a macroscale unit of equivalent power 
  (not taking into account the associated cooling systems, these 
  would double the size of the unit, making it one fifth of the 
  size of an equivalent macroscale unit).  Nanoscale dingins 
  are even more powerful by several orders of magnitude. A 
  one cubic inch nanoscale dingin will have the processing 
  power of several cubic feet of macroscale unit, depending on 
  the techniques used to make the nanoscale unit.
  Macroscale
  Slow, clunky and requiring constant maintenance, macroscale 
  dingins can perform basic arithmetical and mathematical 
  tasks. Provided you keep them oiled. They are generally 
  programmed by means of punched cards, punched tapes or 
  manual programming inputs.
  Cost: £30 to £1000
  Availability: Common
  Microscale
  Faster and more powerful than macroscale dingins, microscale 
  variants can run more sophisticated programmes and carry 
  out far more complex tasks. However, they are high main-
  tenance items requiring specialist skills and tools. They are 
  programmed via tiny metallic tapes.
  Cost: £50 to £2000
  Availability: Common
  the product 203
  
  Nanoscale
  Packing immense processing power into the same space 
  as a microscale unit, nanoscale dingins can also be made 
  extremely small to fit into a variety of other devices. 
  Exclusively produced by the macrocorps, they are pro-
  grammed by molecular 'tapes' or 'chains'.
  Cost: £80 to £5000
  Availability: Very rare
  Dingin Accessories
  Code Lock
  A popular system for defending against unwanted dingin 
  intrusion, the code lock is available in all shapes and sizes. 
  Regardless of size and cost, all work on the same principles. 
  The code lock is spliced into a line leading to a dingin or 
  memory system. Once in place, the user manually inputs a 
  six figure code (changeable at any time), setting a series of 
  six mechanical wheels, activated by combs or gears (each 
  wheel corresponds to an individual numeral in the code). 
  Anyone attempting to access the system must input the right 
  six figure code through the Dataflow or the mechanical 
  system will lock down, preventing any access to the system 
  until the owner manually resets the lock. Essentially, this give 
  an intruder a one-in-a-million chance of successfully enter-
  ing a system without having the proper code.
  Hitech Cost: £100
  Availability: Rare
  Lotech Cost: £10
  Availability: Common
   
  Dataflow Splice
  Splices come in many shapes and size, but in essence 
  they are the means by which a dingin can connect to the 
  Dataflow. They convert the mechanical output of the dingin 
  into an electronic signal and vice versa. Some are simple 
  arrangements of components which can be clamped to bare 
  telephone wires, others are complex little boxes of tricks with 
  microscale switching systems and integral firewalls.
  Hitech Cost: £100
  Availability: Rare
  Lotech Cost: £2
  Availability: Common
  Keyboard
  Vital in order to make inputs into a dingin, keyboards can 
  range from massive lotech static arrangements of iron keys, 
  rods and levers to wafer-thin hitech foldable arrays of pres-
  sure switches using tiny flexible rods and levers to transmit 
  instructions. Most portable lotech keyboards are fashioned 
  from metal and are about the size of a typewriter.
  Hitech Cost: £100
  Availability: Rare
  Lotech Cost: £20
  Availability: Common
  Memory
  External memory which can be used to store information 
  abstracted from the Dataflow, programmes, records or any-
  thing the user chooses to input. Hitech systems employ com-
  plex means of storing information such as laser-manipulated 
  optical cores, whilst lotech mechanisms are simply dumb 
  collections of gears, rods and switches, much like the dingins 
  themselves.
  Memory is rated according to ‘Page Equivalents’ (Pe), ie: the 
  memory that would be required to store the information held 
  on a single, standard sized sheet of paper. Lotech mechani-
  cal storage systems often use actual cards with information 
  printed on them which are stored, then optically read when 
  the information is required. The capacity of storage systems 
  can vary from a few hundred Pe for macroscale mechani-
  cal memory to many billions of Pe for the optical cores or 
  nanoscale substrates used by the macrocorps.
  Hitech Cost: £100 per million Pe
  Availability: Very rare
  Lotech Cost: £20 per 100 Pe
  Availability: Common
  the product 204
  
  Output Devices
  All dingins require some form of output. Some use ticker tape 
  mechanisms, others printed cards and still others used a vari-
  ety of screening systems. Screens themselves can range from 
  mechanically actuated arrays of tiny flipping squares which 
  arrange themselves to form words or pictures, through crude 
  cathode tubes, right up to flat liquid displays which can be 
  rolled up and stored in a pocket.
  Hitech Flat Display: £100
  Availability:  Very rare
  Hitech Hard Display: £70
  Availability:  Rare
  Hitech Printer Output: £60
  Availability:  Rare
  Lotech Cathode Tube: £30
  Availability:  Rare
  Lotech Mechanical Display: £50
  Availability:  Rare
  Lotech Tickertape Output: £15
  Availability:  Common
  GENERAL EQUIPMENT
  CLOTHING
  The following lists give costs for various common items of 
  clothing.
  ITEM 
   
   
  COST
  Hat 
   
   
  2s to £50
  Work Trousers  
  10s 
  Cheap set of clothes 
  15s
  (trousers, shirt, jacket) 
  Average Suit 
   
  £2.15s
  Tie 
   
   
  1s to £100
  Waterproof Jacket 
  £1.5s
  Military Trousers 
  £1.2s
  Jumpsuit 
   
  £2
  Greatcoat 
   
  £2
  Dogskin Coat  
  £10 to £500
  Cheap Shoes 
   
  7s.2p
  Average Shoes  
  £1.10s
  Quality Shoes  
  Up to £200
  Quality Boots  
  Up to £250
  Powerbike Boots 
  £10 to £400
  Belt 
   
   
  1s upwards
  NAVIGATION DEVICES
  Automapper (hitech)
  A handy device for those who just 
  can't find their way about. Simply 
  tell the unit where you are currently 
  and where you wish to go to, plug 
  it in to a public phone and it will link 
  in to the local Dataflow and access 
  map databases to give you the best 
  route to your destination. It can, 
  however, take a very long time to 
  access the information through the 
  chaos of the Dataflow.
  Cost: £10
  Availability: Rare
  Inertial Compass (hitech)
  Must be calibrated at the starting point of each journey. The 
  small dingin computes distance travelled and gives direction 
  back to the starting point. Not hugely effective in a three-
  dimensional environment.
  Cost: £7
  Availability: Rare
  MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
  First Aid Kit (hitech)
  Contains hypospray with a variety of drugs, self-hardening 
  casts, second skin spray and a small dingin with diagnostic 
  programming.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Rare
  First Aid Kit (lotech)
  Contains some antiseptic, bandages and tourniquets.
  Cost: 10s
  Availability: Very common
  Medical Kit (hitech)
  A larger and better equipped version of the First Aid Kit, the 
  medical kit contains three times the amount of disposables that 
  the first aid kit contains, as well as more advanced tools for 
  minor field surgery. Also included is a small biomonitor which 
  will give readouts on respiration, blood pressure, blood type, 
  respiration, heart rate etc. Two pints of artificial blood substitute 
  are included in the pack. 
  Cost: £20 
  Availability: Rare
  the product 205
  
  SURVIVAL GEAR
  Blanket
  A simple doghair or plant fibre blanket.
  Cost: 2s
  Availability: Very common
  Gas Mask (Lotech)
  A lowtech solution to airborne gases and toxins, the gas 
  mask is a simple, flexible mask with two glass covered eye-
  holes. Air is filtered through a bulky box attached to the users 
  belt and makes its way to the mask via flexible hose.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Uncommon
  Respirator (hitech)
  This is a small (10x20cm) oxygen cylinder attached through 
  a hose to a light facemask. It provides enough air for five 
  hours of moderate exertion.
  Cost: £25
  Availability: Rare
  Rucksack
  Multipurpose bag, ideal for all manner of outdoor activities. 
  Available in a variety of sizes.
  Cost: 5s to £50
  Availability: Very common
  Survival Kit (hitech)
  This rugged box contains a useful assortment of stuff: flares, 
  small utility knife, lighter, compass, lightweight thermal blan-
  ket, emergency rations, water purification tablets, a filter 
  mask and many other items. Commonly issued to macrocorp 
  operatives in the field.
  Cost: £200
  Availability: Rare
  Utility Knife
  The cheapest models come with three or four features while 
  the most expensive versions can have up to twenty useful 
  items. either on the knife or in the carrying pouch. Hitech 
  versions will generally be of better quality materials, while 
  lotech versions have a rugged simplicity about them.
  Cost: £40 to £250 
  Availability: Common
  Tools
  Basic Tool Kit
  This kit includes small hand tools, suitable for a variety pur-
  poses, including wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers etc.
  Cost: £10 to £100
  Availability: Very common
  Electrics Tools
  A standard set of tools for working on electrical equipment.
  Cost: £15 to £200
  Availability: Very common
  Electronic Security Circumvention Kit (hitech)
  A useful (and sometimes highly illegal) little box of tricks 
  used to bypass and override electronic security systems. 
  Possession of such an item is punishable by a very heavy fine 
  or a prison sentence. 
  Cost: £50  
  Availability: Very rare
  Mechanics Tool Kit
  All the tools needed for basic vehicle maintenance.
  Cost: £30 to £500,
  Availability: Common
  Weapon Maintenance Kit (hitech)
  Comes with a diagnostic dingin and a variety of cleaning, 
  lubrication and general maintenance items.
  Cost: £10
  Availability: Rare
  Weapon Maintenance Kit (lotech)
  A can of oil, a rag and a rod for pushing the oily rag down 
  a weapon's barrel.
  Cost: £1
  Availability: Very common
  SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT
  Dissecting Kit
  Kit containing a few small glass jars, forceps, scalpels and a 
  selection of other tools for the dissection of flora and fauna.
  Cost: 15s
  Availability: Rare
  the product 206
  
  Lab Apparatus, Chemical (lotech)
  A whole assortment of glassware (flasks, pipettes, test tubes 
  and suchlike) for the conducting of chemical tests and experi-
  ments. Also comes with a thermometer and a small burner 
  which uses fish oil.
  Cost: £15
  Availability: Rare
  Lab Apparatus, Electrical (lotech)
  A multitude of bits of wire, insulation, coils, dynamos, meters 
  and connections for the study of electrical phenomenon.
  Cost: £20
  Availability: Rare
  Photographic Lab Apparatus (lotech)
  Required to develop photographs produced by lotech cam-
  eras, the lab apparatus contains an assortment of chemicals, 
  tweezers, trays and even a black blanket to serve as an 
  extemporised darkroom.
  Cost: £15
  Availability: Common
  Vision Enhancers
  Binoculars
  Either flat, compact digital imagers or bulky, easily damaged 
  lotech optical versions. Hitech models can have lowlight, IR, 
  gyrostabilisation and rangefinder facilities. Hand made optical 
  binoculars can also be purchased, but only from specialised 
  manufacturers at considerable (not to say extortionate) prices.
  Cost: £4 to £200
  Availability: Rare
  Camera (hitech)
  Compact, rugged and easily used, the hitech camera stores 
  images on an optical storage medium and contains a tiny 
  nanoscale dingin to run the various light meters, zooms and 
  enhancement functions.
  Cost: £50
  Availability: Rare
  Camera (lotech)
  A single shot, bulky device which creates photographs on an 
  emulsion plate or treated paper. Requires a photographic lab 
  and some form of darkroom to develop the images.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Common
  Electric Torch (hitech)
  Compact, reliable, tough and powered by high-capacity bat-
  teries. Once the batteries run down, it is almost impossible to 
  buy spares unless you are in some way connected with the 
  manufacturers of such things or have access to nomenklatura 
  shopping areas.
  Cost: £3
  Availability: Rare
  Electric Torch (lotech)
  Powered from either a hand crank or clockwork mechanism 
  connected to a dynamo or by very bulky, short-duration bat-
  teries.
  Cost: £1
  Availability: Common
  Fish Oil Lamp (lotech)
  Hand carried lamp which burns refined fish oil in a glass 
  enclosed chamber in order to produce light. More than a 
  little smelly in operation.
  Cost: 5s (enough oil for an hour of operation costs 10p)
  Availability: Very common
  Magnifying Glass
  Pocket sized, hand held glass which makes small things 
  appear larger. Useful for examining fingerprints and the 
  like. Much beloved of lostfinders, Provosts and assorted 
  scientists.
  Cost: 10s
  Availability: Common
  Spectacles
  The simplest and most common way of resolving vision 
  defects. They can range from cheap, fragile constructions 
  which do little to correct problems to finely wrought items of 
  great expense.
  Cost: Ranging from 4s to £100
  Availability: Very common
  Miscellaneous Equipment
  Climbing Kit
  Contains 50 yards rope, pitons, hammer and slings.
  Cost: £3 (lotech), £35 (hitech)
  Availability: Common
  the product 207
  
  Clockwork Generator
  Wind-up dynamo used to recharge sparklocks, power din-
  gins or similar activities.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Very common
  Fishoil Stove
  A small stove, constructed of metal, burning fish oil contained 
  in a hand pressurised tank. 
  Cost: £1
  Availability: Very common
  Disguise Kit
  Contains a wide variety of make up, hair tints, artificial hair 
  and padding to alter the appearance of an individual. 
  Cost: £6 
  Availability: Rare
  Goggles
  In hitech or lotech form, both feature flat lenses of glass plas-
  tic to prevent harmful objects reaching the eyes.
  Cost: 7s (lotech), £3 (hitech)
  Availability: Very common
  Grappling Hook
  A heavy, three pronged grapple designed for scaling walls.
  Cost: £2
  Availability: Common
  Lockpick Set
  As used by burglars, spies and persons of ill repute through-
  out the ages. A lockpick set contains around twenty different 
  sizes of picks. It is very illegal in most areas with any kind of 
  law to own such an item.
  Cost: £25 
  Availability: Rare
  Mess Kit
  An assortment of dixies, forks and knives for outdoor cooking 
  and eating. Some kits also include a small, solid fuel burning 
  stove for heating food.
  Cost: Basic: £1  
  With Stove: £3
  Availability: Common
  Rope, 10 Yards (hitech)
  Artificial fibre rope with a breaking strain of 1000 kilos.
  Cost: £5
  Availability: Rare
  Rope, 10 Yards (lotech)
  Made from huyzel vine fibres, lotech rope has a breaking 
  strain of 200 kilos.
  Cost: 15s
  Availability: Very common
  Watch
  Ranging from slimline, elegant models crafted from precious 
  metals to bulky, clunky pocket watches which require wind-
  ing several times a day. Watches are only really owned by 
  those to whom a knowledge of time is vital. All watches are 
  powered by traditional clockwork mechanisms of varying 
  degrees of quality.
  Cost: £5 to £500
  Availability: Common
  BIOSCIENCE
  A misunderstood, rare part of life in The City, the biological 
  modification of the human body is only truly understood by 
  the scientists working for the eight macrocorps. It is they who 
  use it to its fullest extent, modifying their spys and soldiers 
  to make them faster, stronger or many other, more subtle 
  improvements. This does not mean to say that ordinary citi-
  zens do not come into contact with biosci. The fish breeders 
  who tend their herds in the canals utilise primitive bioscience 
  and selective breeding to improve their stocks. However most 
  people do not recognise this as bioscience, merely an inte-
  gral part of their everyday lives. Modifying the human system 
  is both difficult and dangerous (not to say expensive). 
  Although rare in the general populace (only about 0.6% of 
  the population of The City have some form of bio or nano 
  implants), in the higher levels of macrocorporate and upper 
  class existence, it is rare to find an individual who is not 
  modified in some way. Senior executives, researchers, wealthy 
  scions, all are integrated into a pervasive and at times invasive 
  network of data, communications, analysis and observation. 
  The most common form of implant is some form of biotech 
  or nanotech headware, designed to optimise or increase the 
  intelligence, analytical abilities and access to knowledge of 
  a given individual. Within the secure, virus proofed, domains 
  of the macrocorps, wireless links allow users to access remote 
  databases, interface with machinery or communicate with col-
  leagues at the speed of thought. Out of necessity, these systems 
  integrate some electronic components (such as the transmitters 
  and receivers for the links), but these are heavily shielded and 
  are specifically programmed to shut down and totally seal 
  the product 208
  
  the link when the user is not within a shielded area. However, 
  the vast majority of modifications rely on ‘soft’ technology, 
  cultured or force-grown biological implants. Individuals outfit-
  ted with a suite of implants can appear positively superhuman 
  when compared with the average undernourished, sickly 
  inhabitant of The City. As the decades roll by, the elite of The 
  City are becoming further and further separated from the 
  commonality. Hitech medical care, implants, anti-agathics and 
  nanotech are taking them further and further from the human 
  baseline towards the next stage of human evolution.
  For a normal person, interaction with a heavily modified 
  member of The Leet (as these individuals are commonly 
  known) can be difficult. Vastly expanded sensoria and the 
  ability to communicate by a range of different means can 
  cause real problems. The ability to hear in a far wider range 
  of sound than a normal human, coupled with the ability to 
  communicate across a far broader range means that two 
  Leet will often seem to be speaking noiselessly to each other, 
  when in fact they are having an animated and intense dis-
  cussion. Sociologists have commented that all the signs are 
  pointing to a ‘divergence singularity’, where the two streams 
  of humanity will separate, no longer having any form of com-
  mon ground on which to communicate. In the eyes of many, 
  this would lead to the increased isolation of The Leet, who 
  would find it necessary to communicate with the general 
  populace through less heavily modded intermediaries. 
  Problems also emerge from the bottom up. For example, in 
  Bankside there are a number of ‘clinics’ offering simple bio 
  modifications to those mad enough to go under the surgeon's 
  knife. These modifications have grown out of the knowledge 
  acquired from the breeding and genetic modification of the 
  fish which provide Bankside with its livelihood. Primitive modifi-
  cations are available in backstreet clinics, but these are highly 
  dangerous and can often have horrible consequences (cancer 
  being the least unpleasant of many side effects). 
  However, a more threatening aspect of the Leet cycle of 
  modification is its application in warfare and espionage. The 
  wealth of the macrocorps and their access to extreme hitech 
  allows them to extensively modify certain operatives and 
  soldiers in order to make them effectively unbeatable against 
  those not suitably modified and trained. The prime example 
  of this is the Hirplakker Gene Pool Troopers (GPTs). The result 
  of a centuries long programme (possibly predating The Shift) 
  to produce a soldier who was demonstrably tougher, faster, 
  stronger and smarter than every other warrior out there result-
  ed in the GPTs. In one on one combat, there has never been 
  a case (in common knowledge) of a ‘normal’ individual get-
  ting the best of a Trooper. Even the best ghostfighters The City 
  has to offer would run a mile at the very thought of taking on 
  a Trooper in single combat. This seeming invincibility of the 
  modified forces possessed by the macrocorps instills a sense 
  of fear in the populace, a sense of fear which is tapped into 
  and used by the macrocorps whenever their workers begin 
  grumbling about working conditions, pay or benefits.
  However, some of the macrocorps do not go down this route. 
  Arclight are notable for being very parsimonious in their use 
  of soft technologies, preferring extremely well developed 
  hard technology to counter soft technology applications. The 
  Hundred Block War demonstrated the benefits of a more 
  flexible approach when applied to the hard/soft technology 
  approach. The inherent flexibility of the Arclight Tentenel 
  troops proved too much for the Gene Pool Troopers, who 
  were roundly defeated by the Arclight forces at almost every 
  turn. 
  It should not, however, be assumed that hard technology 
  orientated organisations such as Arclight do not use soft tech-
  nology. The upper levels of Arclight are just as dominated by 
  the heavily modified as any other macrocorps and certain 
  elite forces, such as the Spyvers, receive just as much modifi-
  cation and training as the forces of other macros. 
  MODIFICATIONS
  Anti-toxin
  A broad-spectrum filtering and neutralisation system, anti-
  toxin helps the body combat a wide variety of toxic com-
  pounds, including many commonly used poisons.
  Effects: Triples the characters RES for the purposes of resist-
  ing toxins and poisons.
  Cost: £1000 
  Availability: Very rare
  Bleeder
  Surprisingly (or not, as the case may be) another military 
  bioware development that has found its way on to the civil-
  ian market. Initially developed to reduce the number of 
  battlefield deaths from bleeding, this system implants two 
  bioengineered glands which store the blood clotting com-
  pounds fibrin and fibrinogen. One gland is attached to the 
  mesenteric artery where it branches in to the femoral arteries 
  leading to the legs, while the other is located at the aortic 
  arch where it branches in to the auxiliary arteries to the arms 
  the product 209
  
  and the carotid arteries to the head. Wounds that cause a 
  drop in blood pressure or massively elevated levels of hista-
  mine cause the glands to release their contents an quickly 
  seal off the wound site with a fibrous scab.
  Effects: Multiplies the time for eventually fatal wounds to 
  lose HLT points by bleeding by five.
  Cost: £3500
  Availability: Scarce
  Disease Defiance
  Heavily boosting the base human immune system, Disease 
  Defiance increases the body's efficiency when it comes to 
  fighting viruses, infections and disease. It also has the pleas-
  ing side effect of slightly slowing the aging process. There 
  is, however, one major drawback. Due to the nature of the 
  system, the body is far more likely to reject further modifica-
  tions or transplants. While not always a given, this can, and 
  does, happen with alarming frequency.
  Effects: +30% of recipients base Health for the purposes of 
  fighting disease etc.
  Cost: £2000
  Availability: Very rare
  Hirplakker Gene Pool Trooper mod
  Most famous and infamous modification is that used by 
  Hirplakker to create their Gene Pool Troopers. Selected vol-
  unteers are subjected to a battery of treatments and implants 
  which serve to dramatically increase their fighting potential. 
  Reflexes are speeded up, muscles are enhanced and resis-
  tance to damage is drastically improved. It can take up to 
  six months for this sequence to be fully carried out and a full 
  thirty-percent of subjects do not survive the process.
  Effects
  Agility:  
  +25% of recipient's base level
  Strength:  
  +50% of recipient's base level
  Health:  
  +40% of recipient's base level
  Cost: £10,000
  Availability: Scarce
  Muscle Boost
  A combination of tailored viruses and food supplements 
  cause the body to increase the volume and density of 
  muscle fibre. This gives the recipient increased strength and
  considerable additional bulk. The recipient must continue to 
  take either the food supplements or have good diet and a 
  strenuous exercise regime in order to maintain the muscle 
  growth.
  Effects: Strength: +20% of the recipients base level
  Cost: £1000
  Availability: Very rare
  Nerve Streaming
  Utilised by many macrocorporate soldiers and covert ops, 
  nerve streaming serves to dramatically increase the speed 
  with which the subject can react to stimulus. The side effect of 
  this treatment is that users can appear to be extremely edgy 
  and nervous at all times. Guffers, scops and mikefighter pilots 
  who can afford the treatment also use it to enhance their 
  fighting potential.
  Effects
  Agility:  
  +20% of recipient's base level
  Dexterity: 
   -10% of recipient's base level
  Reaction:  
  +10% of recipient's base level
  Cost: £5000
  Availability: Very rare
  Next Step
  Immensely popular with upper level macrocorporates and 
  the extremely wealthy, Next Step represents a true evolution 
  of the basic human genotype. Health, strength and co-ordi-
  nation are all improved. The recipient also looks far younger 
  than their true age, making a fifty year old look no more 
  than thirty. The modification incorporates the effects found in 
  Disease Defiance (as well as all the disadvantages). Parents 
  who have chosen to have this modification can also choose 
  to have it ‘hardwired’ into their DNA, which results in their 
  children automatically being born with all the advantages 
  of Next Step. With macrocorporate medical care and the 
  advantages of Next Step, recipients can potentially live to 
  an extremely old age.
  Effects
  Strength:  
  +10% of recipient's base level
  Dexterity: 
  +15% of recipient's base level
  Agility:  
  +10% of recipient's base level
  Health:  
  +20% of recipient's base level
  Cost: £10,000
  Availability: Scarce
  the product 210
  
  Night Eyes
  A relatively simple modification (in relation to many of 
  the others described here) which improves night vision by 
  increasing the eyes’ sensitivity to light. 
  Effects: User can see well in all but total darkness.
  Cost: £2500
  Availability: Very rare
  Pain Deflector
  Intending primarily for military applications, the Pain Deflector 
  hooks in to the nervous system and releases a variety of 
  blocking chemicals upon injury to the user. This has the 
  effect of delaying the onset of shock and allowing the user 
  to continue functioning. Recipients feel pain as a far away 
  sensation; something which they are aware of but which has 
  little effect on them.
  Effects: Halves the skill penalty when the character is 
  injured.
  Cost: £3500
  Availability: Very rare
  Sleepless
  A curious, rare (even by the standards of bio modification) 
  alteration which counters the body's need for sleep. By 
  sequentially shutting down parts of the brain and artificially 
  enhancing the flushing of fatigue toxins, the users needs 
  little, if any, sleep. However, going without sleep seems to 
  do something to the recipients, turning them slightly…odd. It 
  seems that there is a basic desire at times to close ones eyes 
  and fall into a peaceful slumber. With Sleepless, this can't 
  happen, leading to some unusual mental side effects.
  Effects: Recipient need never sleep.
  Cost: £8,000
  Availability: Scarce
  Tight Rope
  By adapting the balancing systems of the human inner ear, 
  partially adjusting its connection to the brain and modifying 
  its systems, the Tight Rope modification gives the recipient a 
  much finer sense of balance, thereby increasing agility.
  Effects
  Agility:   
  +20% to recipient's base level
  Cost: £2000
  Availability: Very rare
  VEHICLES
  Boats
  Of all types of vehicle in The City, boats are by far the 
  most widely used. From tiny, one man, skiffs for punting 
  about the capillary canals to massive ore barges used by 
  the macrocorps to transport precious natural resources, all 
  sizes and classes of vessel can be found on the watery net-
  work of canals. Almost as wide as the variety in size is the 
  variety of construction materials used. Wood, harvested by 
  the macrocorps from long dead forests in the Outlands, is 
  used to construct rude rowing boats. Metal sheeting makes 
  the hulls of barges. A melange of different materials goes 
  towards making some vehicles, constructed from the scrap 
  and detritus of life in The City. 
  Power sources also display wide degrees of variation. The 
  smallest craft are powered by oars or punts, relying on the 
  strength of their users to propel them along. Others use 
  primitive electric engines, sparking and shuddering, driven 
  by bulky, badly sealed, dangerously toxic batteries. Hitech 
  watercraft use hydrogen-fuelled turbines and fuel cells, tech-
  nology unavailable to the common citizen.
  The examples below illustrate only a few of the myriad of 
  designs available in The City
  Gunskiff
  Ranging from primitive versions mounting heavy sparklock 
  rifles and using plates of iron for armour, right up to mac-
  rocorporate support variants carrying micro-howitzers and 
  magnetic repeater machineguns, gunskiffs  are the warships 
  of the canals. Most are small, carrying no more than three 
  or four crew, but all have substantial armament and good 
  armour protection. The vast majority of the examples afloat 
  on the canals are built from scavenged parts and  stolen 
  weapons. 
  Cost: Anything from £200 for a lotech versions, to well 
  over £10,000 for a well-armed hitech version.
  Availability: Common for lotech versions, rare for 
  hitech.
  Small Skiff
  A small, flat-bottomed boat, ideal for swift, stealthy move-
  ment along the canals. Typical skiffs can seat up to four 
  people in relative comfort, overloading the boat gives an 
  the product 211
  
  increased chance of being dumped unceremoniously in 
  the canals. Oar-driven versions are extremely common, 
  with electric driven being slightly less common. For long 
  journeys, some travellers mount sails on crude masts, taking 
  advantage of the winds that whistle down the canals.
  Cost: A new, oar powered skiff will cost between £25 and 
  £100, depending on quality. Add another £30 to £70 for 
  an electric engine.
  Availability: Very common
  Canal Taxi
  Essentially large skiffs, canal taxis range from simple, oar 
  driven craft (similar to the small skiffs mentioned above), to 
  elegant, luxurious waterborne limousines, plying the water-
  ways in the more respectable parts of The City. The hitech 
  versions tend to be fully sealed against the worst The City 
  can throw them, while in the lowest form, you'd be lucky to 
  get a tarpaulin to cower under. Journey prices also vary 
  widely, depending on quality of the vehicle, where you're 
  going from, where you're going to and how much the driver 
  thinks he or she can scam from you. A typical fare per mile 
  is about 1 to 5s for an average quality ride.
  Cost: For the lotech versions, same as a small skiff. For 
  the hitech versions, anything from £500 for a second hand 
  turbiner right up to £3,000 for a top-line, brand new lim-
  ousine.
  Availability: Common
  Medium Cargo Barge
  By far the most common form of cargo transport in The 
  City, medium barges can range from 10 to 25 metres in 
  length and 4 to 10 metres in width. If you can think of a 
  cargo, there will be a barge carrying it somewhere in The 
  City. Some citizens, disdaining a life fixed to one place, use 
  barges as their homes, floating about The City in search of 
  work, food or salvage. Macrocorporate barges tend to be 
  swift, solid and well armed, typically with reinforced bows 
  to allow them to breach right through obstacles (robbery on 
  the canals being a regular occurrence).
  Cost: £600 on average.
  Availability: Common
  Large Cargo Barge
  Only really used by the macrocorporates, these are the 
  largest vessels on the canals, huge hulls which spend their 
  entire working lives going in straight lines up and down 
  one canal. Generally, there are between 30 and 70 metres 
  long and between 12 and 20 metres wide. In the main, they 
  are used for the transportation of resource materials from 
  the Outlands to the manufactories and production areas 
  within The City. Always heavily guarded, they present a 
  tempting but deadly prospect to would be hijackers.
  Cost: Unavailable to non-macrocorporates.
  Availability: Rare
  Ekranoplans
  Certainly the swiftest, if not the safest, way to move about 
  the canals, ekranoplans come in all shapes and sizes, from 
  home-built racers to macrocorporate attack craft. 
  An ekranoplan is a ground effect aircraft, a vehicle which 
  flies along at a height of between two and five metres, 
  taking advantage of the ground effect (a low drag, high 
  efficiency method of flight). They are fast, (relatively) eco-
  nomical and versatile. Flying an ekranoplan at speed down 
  a canal is a hair raising experience.
  'Red Top' Limited class ekranoplan racer
  Designed and built by eccentric mechanic Murray Hanson, 
  'Red Top' competes in Limited class races at the Straits 
  Raceway. Driven by a twin prop set up (one front, one 
  rear) and powered by two markedly different alcohol burn-
  ing piston engines, the craft has been tracked exceeding 
  speeds of 250mph, not bad by anyone’s standards.
  Cost: Hanson isn't saying.
  Availability: Unique
  Hirplakker YEG/0003 Class A ekranoplan racer
  At the completely opposite end of the spectrum from 'Red 
  Top', the YEG/0003 is Hirplakker’s design for the current 
  Class A season. A massive craft, fifteen metres in length and 
  eight metres wide, it is powered by a highly secret fusion 
  powerplant. Hirplakker are confident that this craft will win 
  them the Class A crown this season.
  Cost: Unknown, but rumours circulate that the five craft 
  team (three racers and two back-ups) cost in excess of six 
  million pounds to design, develop and build. If this is true, 
  then Hirplakker must be really serious about winning the 
  title.
  Availability: Not a hope.
  the product 212
  
  the product 213
  'Red Top' Limited class ekranoplan racer
  Hirplakker YEG/0003 Class A ekranoplan racer
  
  aIRCRAFT
  As discussed in 'The Precepts', aircraft in The City can be 
  divided into three broad categories: the heavy, lumbering 
  aerostats, the flimsy, agile mikefighters and the wallowing, 
  slow dirigibles.
  Aerostats
  Gorunna Logistics 'Megalifter' Heavy Cargo 
  Aerostat
  Workhorse of aerostat fleets across The City, the 'Megalifter' 
  is the most common large aerostat in The City. Used by all 
  of the macrocorporations and a few smaller organisations, 
  this disc shaped craft can lift up to five tons of anything you 
  care to load inside it. Modified 'Megalifters' have been given 
  massive underside doors and used as rubbish dumpers over 
  Smokey Mountain whilst others are used by macrocorp forc-
  es as troop transports. Their wallowing, disc-shaped bodies 
  can been seen everywhere in The City, yet very few citizens 
  will ever see one close at hand or from the inside.
  Cost: £150,000
  Availability: Rare
  Hirplakker Aerial Gun Platform
  AGPs are nothing more than airborne weapons carriers, 
  designed to pound ground targets into submission through 
  overwhelming firepower. The Hirplakker AGP mounts its main 
  weapons in two turrets, one above and one below the main 
  body of the craft. Each turret contains two 88mm medium 
  magnetic repeater cannons, able to fire an astonishing range 
  of projectiles, from canister flechette rounds to high explo-
  sives. To back up the power of cannons, the AGP carries 
  six rockets in internal bays and can also mount rocket pods, 
  sensor pods or gun pods externally.
  For such a complex vehicle, the AGP has a small crew of only 
  two (pilot and gunner). However, they are amply aided by 
  banks of dedicated dingin processors and expert systems.
  Cost: £200,000
  Availability: Very rare
  Nakamura-Yebisu ‘Pollen’ Personal Aerostat
  If you can afford it (and very few can), the ultimate form of 
  individual transport in The City is the personal aerostat. This 
  rare breed of aircraft is typified by the Nakamura-Yebisu 
  ‘Pollen’, a svelte, streamlined craft, somewhat at odds with 
  the bulky, old cargo and military aerostats. Accodating the 
  pilot in luxurious comfort, the ‘Pollen’ is the preserve of the 
  super-wealthy nomenklatura or very high level macrocorp 
  executives. Powered by a single, highly compact, turbine, 
  this is a vehicle which makes the ultimate statement about the 
  owner’s status.
  Cost: £75,000
  Availability: Scarce
  Mikefighters
  Nakamura-Yebishu 'Wave'
  Mainstay of the Nakamura-Yebisu Group Weapons Division 
  airborne forces, the 'Wave’ is a slender, elegant aircraft with 
  sweeping crescent wings and a tail which narrows to a single 
  slim spar topped by an angled twin tail section.
  Powered by a single lightweight hydrogen burning turbofan, 
  it can take off and land vertically and carry a reasonable 
  weapons load. Its normal load is a .40 calibre light magnetic 
  repeater cannon for dogfighting purposes and two small 
  rockets for attacking ground targets.
  Cost: £37,000
  Availability: Rare
  Gorunna Logistics 'Invalidator'
  Brutally simple and hard-hitting, the 'Invalidator' is a dedi-
  cated attack mikefighter, optimised for taking out heavy 
  ground targets such as warcrawls and armoured personnel 
  carriers. Slung underneath the craft is a long 35mm medium 
  anti-armour cartridge cannon which runs the entire length 
  of the mikefighter. The punch from this weapon is incredible 
  and when fired, it actually slows the aircraft down by quite a 
  considerable margin.
  Gorunna only keep a limited stock of these vehicles in 
  operation, as its size and status have so far prevented it 
  being attacked by the other macrocorporations. They have, 
  however, sold a few to other organisations such as Iron Hand 
  Security.
  Cost: £35,000
  Availability: Rare
  the product 214
  
  the product 215
  Hirplakker Aerial Gun Platform
  Nakamura-Yebisu ‘Pollen’ Personal Aerostat
  Gorunna Logistics 'Invalidator'
  Nakamura-Yebishu 'Wave'
  
  POWERBIKES
  Toys of the rich and shameless, gleaming new powerbikes are 
  a common site in the well-to-do areas such as Lucent Heights 
  and Clearwater Break. Sleek and streamlined, they are the 
  fastest ground vehicles in The City. Most are powered by 
  advanced electric motors powered by superconducting bat-
  tery blocks.
  GSV SGM5000D
  Most popular among Gorunnas wide range of powerbikes, 
  the SGM5000D is a large, rugged affair, easily able to 
  cope with anything The City can throw at it. 
  Cost: £1000
  Availability: Rare
  GSV VBS9000R
  Latest entry into the powerbike market from Gorunna Special 
  Vehicles is the astonishing VBS9000R. Displaying a phe-
  nomenal amount of technological advancement for what is, 
  essentially, an expensive toy, it can run rings round anything 
  else currently available. Powered by a compact fuel cell (with 
  a small superconductor block as back up), it uses a nano-
  dingin monitored shaft drive to take power to both wheels. 
  The drive train also provides the braking mechanism for the 
  bike. When the accelerator is released, the natural braking 
  effect of the electric motor takes over, slowing the bike down 
  and also using the power from the shaft to charge the super-
  conductor block. If the brake lever is applied, a resistance is 
  created which slows the bike down even faster and, if REALLY 
  swift braking is required, the dingin will increase the power 
  to the electromagnets in the motor, making it come to a halt 
  very, very quickly. Only the richest of rich kids can afford one 
  of these bikes, it is the ultimate status symbol for the rebellious 
  macrocorporate youngster. 
  Cost: £3,000. That's 600 times the average weekly wage, 
  by the way.
  Availability: Scarce
  Nakamura 'Chainsaw' Bis3
  Third incarnation of the famous 'Chainsaw', this is without 
  doubt the most common powerbike in The City. So many 
  have been manufactured, stolen, copied, stolen again, 
  dumped and trashed that even the non-wealthy can some-
  times be seen on one. The superconductor block can give 
  three hours flat out endurance, but under braking the motor 
  will recharge the superconductors to give extended range. 
  Cost: A new Bis3 will cost about £1,200. Some older, 
  slightly trashed models are available for as little as £250.
  Availability: Common
  MILITARY VEHICLES
  Arclight Cube36 medium warcrawl
  Small and quick, with devastating armament, the Cube36 is 
  the standard medium warcrawl used by the Brigade of Light. 
  Initially produced four years ago (just in time, coincidentally, for 
  the Hundred Block War) the vehicle is used in large numbers 
  in the Contested Grounds, where its size gives it a consider-
  able edge over the larger, older Hirplakker AFVs. Mounting 
  a 45mm medium magnetic repeater cannon as its main arma-
  ment, backed up by a 65mm mortar and two heavy magnetic 
  repeater machineguns, the Cube36 has the firepower to han-
  dle almost any threat. The two man crew are ably assisted by 
  an outstanding computer suite, centred around a phenomenally 
  fast and powerful nanoscale dingin unit. Power is derived from 
  a compact turbine, based on a design purchased several 
  decades ago from Gorunna Logistics. There are quite a number 
  of variants of the Cube36, including the AirClaw anti-aircraft 
  version which mounts two 15mm rotary cannon.
  Cost: Current production cost for a latest generation 
  Cube36 runs to £178,000.
  Availability: Very rare
  Gorunna 'Lancer' APC
  Designed for the militant market, this is an effective and com-
  mon light AFV. Able to carry ten soldiers in relative comfort 
  and mounting a simple 27mm light cartridge cannon, the 
  'Lancer' has gained wide acceptance amongst the more 
  wealthy militant organisations. Eight powered wheels give it 
  good traction on almost any surface and its sturdy, rugged 
  fuel cell give good endurance and bomb-proof reliability.
  Cost: £23,000
  Availability: Rare
  Groundcars and other vehicles
  Haulage Wagon
  Commonly used in the more outlying areas of The City, 
  where the canal network becomes more sparse, these 
  behemoths are normally powered by pantograph systems, 
  massive battery trailers or (rarely) by compressed gas burn-
  ing internal combustion engines. Most of the space on the 
  wagon is normally taken up by the engine which in most 
  versions transmits power to the massive rear driving wheels. 
  Cargo is carried on a trailer or series of trailers strung behind 
  the wagon. Constructed of iron and brass and often very, 
  very old, these vehicles are most usually owned by small 
  private haulage companies.
  Cost: £500 to £20000
  Availability: Common
  the product 216
  
  GSV Imperator Automobile
  Wide, low, sleek, menacing and always black, the Gorunna 
  Special Vehicles Imperator is the vehicle of choice for those 
  who wish to make a serious impression. Rising on wide 
  HyGrip tires and clamped to the road by DynaGlyde sus-
  pension, the Imperator carries it passengers smoothly and 
  comfortable from one high-powered appointment to another. 
  Its powerful hydrogen burning engine gives impressive 
  acceleration combined with quiet running. Gorunna’s latest 
  Glyphread driving aids, running off of a powerful nanoscale 
  dingin unit, give the driver every possible assistance. The sin-
  ister, dark Imperators are rarely seen outside of macrocorp 
  controlled areas or the domains of the supremely wealthy. 
  If they do venture out of such areas, they do have discreet 
  armour to protect themselves from the occasional stone or 
  garbage throwing mob.
  Cost: £35,000
  Availability: Scarce
  the product 217
  GSV SGM5000D
  Arclight Cube36 medium warcrawl
  GSV Imperator Automobile
  
  the product 218
   
   
   
   
  DAM 
  PEN 
  RNG 
  ROF 
  REM 
  CLIP 
  MSS 
  Rel. 
  Cost 
  Avail.
  Pistols
  Sparklock Pistol, Light 
   
  5 
  4 
  5 
  1 
  +10 
  n/a 
  0.5kg 
  UR 
  20 
  Common
  Sparklock Pistol, Medium  
  7 
  5 
  10 
  1 
  +10 
  n/a 
  1.0kg 
  UR 
  30 
  Common
  Sparklock Pistol, Heavy  
  9 
  5 
  10 
  1 
  +5 
  n/a 
  1.5kg 
  UR 
  40 
  Common
  Sparklock Pistol, Pepperbox 
  5 
  4 
  5 
  3 
  +10 
  10 
  1.0kg 
  VUR 
  50 
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Revolver, Light  
  6 
  4 
  10 
  3 
  +10 
  6 
  0.8kg 
  VR 
  65 
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Revolver, Medium 
  9 
  7 
  15 
  3 
  +5 
  6 
  1.3kg 
  VR 
  85 
  Common
  Cartridge Revolver, Heavy 
  11 
  9 
  15 
  2 
  +5 
  5 
  1.7kg 
  VR 
  110 
  Common
  Cartridge Auto, Light 
   
  6 
  4 
  10 
  4 
  +10 
  10 
  0.5kg 
  AR 
  80 
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Auto, Medium  
  9 
  7 
  15 
  4 
  +5 
  10 
  1.0kg 
  AR 
  120 
  Common
  Cartridge Auto, Heavy 
   
  11 
  9 
  15 
  4 
  +5 
  8 
  1.5kg 
  AR 
  150 
  Common
  Furien 'Linetrooper' 
   
  10 
  15  
  15 
  4 
  +5 
  24 
  1.5kg 
  R 
  850 
  V. rare
  Furien 'Jacketcracker' 
   
  13 
  21  
  20 
  4 
  +5 
  20 
  1.8kg 
  VR 
  900 
  V. rare
  Gorunna 'Sling'  
   
  16 
  13 
  10 
  4 
  +5 
  4 
  2.3kg 
  VR 
  300 
  V. rare
  Hirplakker 'Pantera' 
   
  15 
  11 
  10 
  2 
  +5 
  6 
  2.0kg 
  VR 
  250 
  Uncommon
  Micintyre 'Kicker'  
   
  7 
  12 
  15 
  4 
  +5 
  20 
  1.6kg 
  AR 
  300 
  Rare 
  PPIM E35 
   
   
  5 
  6 
  5 
  4 
  +15 
  10 
  0.3kg 
  AR 
  350 
  Scarce
  Souken vent-450  
   
  13 
  11 
  15 
  4 
  +5 
  12 
  1.2kg 
  VR 
  230 
  Rare
  Trilhoeven GP-013 
   
  12 
  20 
  20 
  4 
  +5 
  30 
  1.6kg 
  VR 
  750 
  V. rare
   
  Sub-machineguns
  Cartridge SMG  
   
  9 
  7 
  15 
  3(5) 
  +5 
  25 
  3.5kg 
  UR 
  120 
  Uncommon
  Mitsushi 'Whistler' 
   
  7 
  12 
  15 
  4(3) 
  +5 
  50 
  2.5kg 
  UR 
  350 
  Rare
  Trilhoeven KM-067R 
   
  12 
  17 
  20 
  4(5) 
  +5 
  100 
  2.5kg 
  VR 
  900 
  V. rare
  Rifles
  Sparklock Carbine 
   
  11 
  10 
  15 
  1 
  +5 
  n/a 
  3.5kg 
  UR 
  75 
  Common
  Sparklock Rifle  
   
  13 
  12 
  20 
  1 
  +0 
  n/a 
  4.5kg 
  UR 
  100 
  Common
  Cartridge Rifle, Single Shot 
  19 
  22 
  60 
  1 
  -5 
  5 
  4.0kg 
  R 
  150 
  Common
  Cartridge Rifle, Semi-auto  
  19 
  22 
  60 
  4 
  -5 
  10 
  4.5kg 
  AV 
  200 
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Rifle, Full-auto  
  19 
  22 
  60 
  4(3) 
  -5 
  20 
  5.0kg 
  UR 
  250 
  Uncommon
  Hakken IR0018r  
   
  15  
  40  
  30 
  10 
  +0 
  20 
  6.0kg 
  R 
  1900 
  Scarce
  Tenlier Assault-100 
   
  15 
  17 
  40 
  4(5) 
  +0 
  30 
  3.6kg 
  R 
  1000 
  Uncommon
  Trilhoeven KSK-G30 
   
  16 
  24 
  50 
  4(10) 
  +0 
  100 
  3.5kg 
  VR 
  1500 
  V. rare
  Sniper Weapons
  Arclight 'Redeye'  
   
  17 
  42 
   50 
  10 
  -5 
  20 
  3.0kg 
  R 
  2300 
  Scarce
  Furien 'Shellbreaker' 
   
  19 
  47 
  100 
  10 
  -10 
  10 
  6.0kg 
  R 
  2000 
  Scarce 
  Shotguns
  Sparklock Blunderbuss 
   
   15 
  4 
  5 
  1 
  +5 
  n/a 
  2.5kg 
  UR 
  70 
  Common
  Cartridge Shotgun, Single Shot 
   25 
  5 
  10 
  1 
  +0 
  n/a 
  3.5kg 
  R 
  150 
  Uncommon
  Cartridge Shotgun, Pump  
   25 
  5 
  10 
  2 
  +0 
  5 
  4.0kg 
  AR 
  200 
  Rare
  Hirplakker 'Lacerator' 
   
   30 
  10 
  15 
  4(5) 
  +0 
  40 
  3.0kg 
  R 
  600 
  Scarce
  Micintyre L16B  
   
   30 
  7 
  15 
  4(3) 
  +0 
  50 
  3.5kg 
  VR 
  500 
  V. rare
  Heavy Weapons
  Arclight 'Boomer' A1 
   
  77 
  63 
  90  
  4 
  -20 
  12 
  35.0kg R 
  5000 
  No way
  Makei Assault Gun 
   
  30 
  40 
  60  
  4 
  -10 
  5 
  15.0kg R 
  500 
  Rare
  Trilhoeven Microhowitzer (BR:2m) 32 
  16 
  70 
  4 
  -10 
  6 
  15.0kg VR 
  1000 
  V. rare
  
  the product 219
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  RES 
  AV  
  MAN SPD 
  ACC 
  DEC 
  CRW PSS 
  CRG 
    
  Boats
  Gunskiff (lotech) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
  40  
  4  
  6  
  1  
  2  
  3-4  
  2-4  
  100kg  
  Gunskiff (hitech) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
  60  
  4  
  10  
  1  
  2  
  3-4  
  2-4  
  100kg
  Small Skiff (Oar powered)  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
  00  
  5  
  4  
  0.5  
  2  
  1  
  3  
  100kg
  Small Skiff (Engine powered) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
  00  
  5  
  8  
  1  
  3  
  1  
  4  
  150kg
  Canal Taxi (lotech)  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
  00  
  5  
  10  
  1  
  3  
  1  
  6  
  200kg
  Canal Taxi (hitech)  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
  10  
  6  
  12  
  2  
  3  
  1  
  6  
  200kg
  Medium Cargo Barge  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
  30  
  3  
  8  
  0.5   
  1  
  2  
  n/a  
  10,000kg
  Large Cargo Barge  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  60  
  30  
  1  
  6  
  0.5   
  1  
  4  
  n/a  
  25,000kg
  Ekranoplans
  'Red Top' Ltd. Class Racer  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
  10  
  6  
  100 
  5  
  20  
  1  
  0  
  0kg
  Hirplakker YEG/0003 Class A Racer 
   
   
   
   
  80  
  60  
  7  
  200 
  10  
  25  
  1  
  0  
  0kg
  Aerostats
  Gorunna Logistics 'Megalifter' Heavy Cargo Aerostat 
  100 
  30  
  3  
  70  
  4  
  20  
  3  
  30  
  5,000kg
  Hirplakker Aerial Gun Platform  
   
   
   
   
   
  90  
  100 
  4  
  80  
  4  
  25  
  2  
  0  
  0kg
  Nakamura-Yebisu ‘Pollen’ Personal Aerostat  
   
   
  20  
  10  
  6  
  80  
  6  
  25  
  1  
  0  
  50kg
  Mikefighters
  Nakamura-Yebishu 'Wave'  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  25  
  20  
  7  
  180 
  12  
  20  
  1  
  0  
  500kg
  Gorunna Logistics 'Invalidator'  
   
   
   
   
   
  30  
  30  
  6  
  150 
  10  
  20  
  1  
  0  
  700kg
  Powerbikes
  GSV SGM5000D  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
  0  
  6  
  50  
  7  
  12  
   1  
  1  
  50kg
  GSV VBS9000R 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  10  
  0  
  7  
  65  
  8  
  15  
   1   
  0  
  40kg
  Nakamura 'Chainsaw' Bis3  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  12  
  2  
  6  
  45  
  6  
  12  
   1  
  1  
  60kg
  Military Vehicles
  Arclight Cube36 medium warcrawl  
   
   
   
   
  100 
  120 
  6  
  14  
  1  
  7  
  2  
  0  
  100kg
  Gorunna 'Lancer' APC  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
  60  
  5  
  20  
  2  
  5  
  2  
  10  
  500kg
  Ground Cars & Other Vehicles
  Haulage Wagon 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  20  
  0  
  4  
  9  
  1  
  5  
  1  
  2  
  2,000kg
  GSV ‘Imperator’ Automobile 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  40  
  15  
  6  
  60  
  5  
  15  
  1  
  5  
  500kg 
   
   
   
   
  DAM 
  PEN 
  RNG 
  ROF 
  REM 
  CLIP 
  Rel. 
  Cost 
    Avail.
  Sparklock Cannon
  Light 
   
   
   
  20 
  14 
  30 
  1 
  -10 
  n/a 
  UR 
  £200 
    Uncommon
  Medium  
   
   
  45 
  25 
  60 
  1 
  -20 
  n/a 
  UR 
  £600 
    Rare
  Heavy 
   
   
   
  100 
  45 
  80 
  1 
  -30 
  n/a 
  UR 
  £1000   V. Rare
  Cartridge Cannon
  Light 
   
   
   
  85 
  60 
  70 
  4 
  -10 
  50 
  AV 
  £1500   Rare
  Medium  
   
   
  100 
  100 
  80 
  4 
  -20 
  10 
  AV 
  £4000   Rare
  Heavy 
   
   
   
  200 
  150 
  100 
  1 
  -30 
  1 
  R 
  £10,000+ V. Rare 
  Magnetic Repeater Cannon
  Light 
   
   
   
  70 
  60 
  80 
  4(3) 
  -10 
  200 
  R 
  £3500 V. Rare
  Medium  
   
   
  90 
  120 
  100 
  4 
  -15 
  100 
  R 
  £6000 Scarce
  Heavy 
   
   
   
  150 
  220 
  120 
  4 
  -20 
  30 
  VR 
  Haha ha Scarce
  Rockets
  Light (BR: 3m) 
   
   
  32 
  16 
  120 
  1 
  -10 
  n/a 
  UR 
  £200 
  V. Rare
  Medium (BR: 5m)  
   
  48 
  24 
  120 
  1 
  -20 
  n/a 
  UR 
  £600 
  V. Rare
  Heavy (BR: 8m) 
   
   
  64 
  32 
  150 
  1 
  -30 
  n/a 
  UR 
  £1000+ V. Rare
  
  the product 220
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Weight 
  Cost 
   
  Avail.
  Weapons Accessories
  Adaptive Laser Sight 
   
  0.3kg  
  £200  
  Rare 
  Gyrostabilisers  
   
   
  1.0kg  
  £250  
  Rare
  Laser Dot 
   
   
   
   
  0.2kg  
  £250   
  Uncommon
  Holster  
   
   
   
   
  n/a  
   
  5s-£200 
  Common
  Optical Sights x2 
   
   
  0.5kg   
  £50 
   
  Uncommon
  Optical Sights x3 
   
   
  0.7kg  
  £150  
  Uncommon
  Optical Sights x4 
   
   
  1.0kg  
  £300  
  Uncommon
  Silencer  
   
   
   
   
  0.4kg  
  £20 +  
  V. rare
  Supressor  
   
   
   
  0.3kg  
  £10 +  
  V. rare
  Dingins
  Macroscale  
   
   
   
  Varies  
  £30-£1000  Common
  Microscale  
   
   
   
  0.5-50kg 
  £50-£2000  Common
  Nanoscale  
   
   
   
  0.1-20kg 
  £80-£5000  V. rare
  Dingin Accessories
  Cathode Tube (lotech) 
   
  10kg 
   
  £30 
   
  Rare
  Code Lock (hitech)  
   
  n/a  
   
  £100  
  Rare
  Code Lock (lotech)  
   
  0.5kg  
  £10 
   
  Common
  Dataflow Splice (hitech)  
  n/a  
   
  £100  
  Rare
  Dataflow Splice (lotech)  
  0.2kg  
  £2  
   
  Common
  Keyboard (hitech) 
   
   
  0.5kg   
  £100  
  Rare
  Keyboard (lotech) 
   
   
  5.0kg  
  £20 
   
  Common
  Memory (hitech)  
   
   
  0.1kg+  
  £100+  
  V. rare
  Memory (lotech)  
   
   
  2.0kg+  
  £20+  
  Common
  Flat Display (hitech)  
   
  0.5kg  
  £100  
  V. rare
  Hard Display (hitech) 
   
  1.0kg  
  £70 
   
  Rare
  Mechanical Display (lotech) 20kg 
   
  £50 
   
  Rare
  Printer (hitech) 
   
   
   
  1.0kg  
  £60 
   
  Rare
  Tickertape Output (lotech) 
  4.0kg  
  £15 
   
  Common
  Navigation Devices
  Automapper (hitech)  
   
  0.5kg  
  £10 
   
  Rare
  Inertial Compass (hitech)  
  0.5kg  
  £7  
   
  Rare
  Medical Equipment
  First Aid Kit (hitech)  
   
  0.5kg  
  £5  
   
  Rare
  First Aid Kit (lotech)  
   
  1.0kg  
  10s  
   
  V. common
  Medical Kit (hitech)  
   
  5.0kg  
  £20 
   
  Rare
  Survival Gear
  Blanket  
   
   
   
   
  2.0kg  
  2s  
   
  V. common
  Gas Mask (lotech)  
   
  2.0kg  
  £5  
   
  Uncommon
  Respirator (hitech) 
   
   
  0.5kg  
  £25 
   
  Rare
  Rucksack 
   
   
   
   
  1.0kg  
  5s-£50  
  V. Common
  Survival Kit (hitech)  
   
  0.5kg  
  £200  
  Rare
  Utility Knife  
   
   
   
  0.2kg  
  £40-£250 
  Common
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Weight 
  Cost 
   
  Avail.
  Tools
  Basic Tool Kit 
   
   
   
  5.0kg  
  £10-£100 
  V. common
  Electrics Tools  
   
   
  2.0kg  
  £15-£200 
  V. common
  Electronic Security
  Circumvention Kit (hitech) 
  1.0kg  
  £50 
   
  V. rare
  Mechanics Tool Kit  
   
  25kg 
   
  £30-£500 
  V. common
  Weapon Maintenance
  Kit (hitech)  
   
   
   
  0.5kg  
  £10 
   
  Rare
  Weapon Maintenance
  Kit (lotech)  
   
   
   
  0.5kg  
  £1  
   
  V. common
  Scientific Equipment
  Dissecting Kit 
   
   
   
  2.0kg  
  15s  
   
  Rare
  Lab Apparatus,
  Chemical (lotech) 
   
   
  30kg 
   
  £15 
   
  Rare
  Lab Apparatus,
  Electrical (lotech) 
   
   
  30kg 
   
  £20 
   
  Rare
  Lab Apparatus,
  Photographic (lotech) 
   
  30kg 
   
  £15 
   
  Common
  Vision Enhancers
  Binoculars  
   
   
   
  1.0kg  
  £4-£200 
  Rare
  Camera (hitech)  
   
   
  0.3kg  
  £50 
   
  Rare
  Camera (lotech)  
   
   
  5.0kg  
  £5  
   
  Common
  Electric Torch (hitech) 
   
  0.5kg  
  £3  
   
  Rare
  Electric Torch (lotech) 
   
  2.0kg  
  £1  
   
  Common
  Fish Oil Lamp (lotech) 
   
  1.0kg  
  5s  
   
  V. common
  Magnifying Glass  
   
  0.3kg  
  10s  
   
  Common
  Spectacles  
   
   
   
  n/a  
   
  4s-£100 
  V. common
  Misc. Equipment
  Climbing Kit (hitech)  
   
  5.0kg  
  £35 
   
  Common
  Climbing Kit (lotech)  
   
  10.0kg  
  £3  
    
  Common
  Clockwork
  Generator (lotech)  
   
  1.0kg  
  £5  
   
  V. common
  Disguise Kit  
   
   
   
  1.5kg  
  £6  
   
  Rare
  Fish Oil Stove (lotech) 
   
  1.0kg  
  £1  
   
  V. common
  Goggles (hitech)  
   
   
  n/a  
   
  £3   
   
  V. common
  Goggles (lotech)  
   
   
  0.5kg  
  7s  
   
  V. common
  Grappling Hook 
   
   
  2.0kg  
  £2  
   
  Common
  Lockpick Set 
   
   
   
  0.5kg  
  £25 
   
  Rare
  Mess Kit (Basic)  
   
   
  0.5kg  
  £1  
   
  Common
  Mess Kit (with Stove)  
   
  1.5kg  
  £3  
   
  Common
  Rope (hitech) 
   
   
   
  2.0kg  
  £5  
   
  Rare
  Rope (lotech) 
   
   
   
  3.0kg  
  15s  
   
  V. common
  Watch  
   
   
   
   
  n/a  
   
  £5-£500 
  Common
  
  the product 221
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  AV 
    
   
   
  Weight  
   
   
  Cost 
   
  Avail.
  Armour
  Armoured Clothing (hitech)  
   
   
    
   
  5  
   
   
  1.5kg  
   
   
   
  £7  
   
  Uncommon
  Armour Vest (hitech)  
   
   
   
    
   
   
  20  
   
   
  3.0kg  
   
   
   
  £20 
   
  Common
  Integrated Armour Suit (hitech)  
   
    
   
  50  
   
   
  35kg  
   
   
   
  £500 
   
  Rare
  Mail Vest (lotech)  
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  10  
   
   
  5.0kg  
   
   
   
  £5  
   
  Common
  Makeshift Armour (lotech) 
   
   
   
    
   
  8  
   
   
  5 - 15kg  
   
   
  n/a 
   
  V. common
  Padded Armour (lotech)  
   
   
    
   
   
  3  
   
   
  2.0kg  
   
   
   
  10s 
   
  Common
  Helmet (hitech) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  30  
   
   
  1.5kg  
   
   
   
  £20 
   
  Rare
  Helmet (lotech) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  15  
   
   
  2.0kg  
   
   
   
  £1  
   
  Common
  Powered Armour
  Arclight 'Tentenel' Battle Armour  
    
   
   
  90  
   
   
  100kg  
   
   
   
  £35,000 
  Not a hope
  Trilhoeven 'Mad Dog' Battle Armour   
   
   
  100 
   
   
  130kg  
   
   
   
  £25,000 
  Scarce
  Trilhoeven 'Running Dog' Scout Armour     
  70   
   
   
  90kg  
   
   
   
  £20,000 
  Scarce
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DAM  
  PEN   
  RCH  
  REM  
  Weight  
  Cost 
  Avail.
  Ceramic Blade 
   
   
   
  5  
   
  10/12   
  +0  
   
  +10 
   
  0.3kg  
   
  £25  
  Common
  Ceramic Long Knife  
   
  7  
   
  10/12  
  +0  
   
  +10 
   
  0.5kg  
   
  £40  
  V. rare
  Cosh  
   
   
   
   
   
  6  
   
  0  
   
  +0  
   
  +5  
   
  1.0kg  
   
  10s  
  V. common 
  Hatchet/Axe  
   
   
   
  6  
   
  8  
   
  +0  
   
  +0  
   
  1.5kg  
   
  £5  
  Common
  Knife  
   
   
   
   
   
  5  
   
  7/8 
   
  +0  
   
  +10 
   
  0.5kg  
   
  £2  
  V. common
  Llife 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  6  
   
  5/20  
  +0  
   
  +5  
   
  1.0kg  
   
  £200 
  V. rare
  Polearm/Spear 
   
   
   
  8  
   
  12/7  
  +2  
   
  -10  
   
  2.0kg  
   
  £20  
  Uncommon
  Sword  
   
   
   
   
   
  8  
   
  7/8 
   
  +1  
   
  -5  
   
  3.0kg  
   
  £40  
  Uncommon
  Billy Club  
   
   
   
   
  6  
   
  0  
   
  +1  
   
  +0  
   
  2.0kg  
   
  £35  
  V. rare
  
  the product 222
  
  the prescription
  "Though we walk in the shadow of death, we 
  fear no evil. For we are the guardians of all that 
  it sacred, protectors of order. Though the raven-
  ing hordes may assail us from all sides, we shall 
  endure. For, if nothing else, we must endure. The 
  great purpose at the heart of our being drives us 
  on. In the end, it's them or us. And it's not going to 
  be us."
  Hauptmann Niederlage, Grauschjager, Trilhoeven
  
  the prescription 224
  
  A few guidelines for running a|state
  Create an atmosphere and be descriptive
  a|state is a game which thrives on atmosphere. Whether it’s 
  the grimy, reeking backstreets of Mire End or the hallowed 
  hallways and pristine offices of Luminosity Tower, each place, 
  person and organisation has a character of its own. Give 
  vivid descriptions of the places the PCs are visiting, covering 
  all the senses, not just what they can see.
  Sight: What does the place look like, what stands out, who 
  is there?
  Sound: Whether it’s a person or a place, sound is every-
  where. How does an individual talk, what noises are they 
  making when they move, are there dogs barking in an alley, 
  fishmongers yelling by a canal?
  Smell: Smells are an oft overlooked part of gaming descrip-
  tion, yet The City is alive with a myriad of different smells. 
  A labourer hauling crates from a canal barge may smell of 
  oil, sweat and mildewed clothes while the apartment of a 
  wealthy executive in Lucent Heights may smell faintly floral, 
  overlaid with subtle odours of nebelweed smoke and rich 
  foods.
  Taste: An adjunct to smell, tastes can often linger in the 
  air, either attracting or repelling a character. With someone 
  sweating nervously, you can almost taste their fear.
  Touch: The roughness and sliminess of a crumbling brick 
  wall, the smoothness and softness of a well-manicured hand. 
  Touch can offer a whole world of descriptive possibilities. A 
  trustworthy figure may seem slightly more sinister when he 
  offers a clammy, cold handshake.
  Emphasise the differences between rich and poor 
  and the many layers in between
  There are many layers in the society of The City, not all of 
  which have an easy time of it. Emphasise and detail the 
  shabbiness of poor workers’ clothing, the run-down nature 
  of their houses. Yet, also emphasise a sense of community, 
  sometimes even the clannishness prevalent in their communi-
  ties. After all, the PCs themselves may come from such an 
  environment. There can be, at times, something of an insular-
  ity about certain areas, a wariness of outsiders which may 
  at first appear like outside hostility. All the above having 
  been said, being wealthier doesn’t imply that the people are 
  any more approachable or pleasant. Frequently ,the more 
  comfortably off will want little or nothing to do with the vast 
  majority of the population. Even further removed are those 
  who live and work in the higher echelons of the macrocorps, 
  whose outlook and mindset may be radically different to the 
  average man in the street.
  Horror stems from the unknown, juxtaposition 
  and the strangeness of the familiar
  Slashed corpses, horrific discoveries and awful creatures are 
  but one aspect of horror. Horror can also come from the fear 
  of unknown, the juxtaposition of totally dissimilar things or a 
  strange twist on familiar people, places or objects. 
  The unknown: That which is unknown inspires dread and 
  fear. PCs are more likely to be scared of a mysterious, quiet 
  sound in a tunnel, a voice on the wind in an abandoned alley 
  or a darkened figure seen at the end of long corridor. 
  Juxtaposition: An eight year old child is not normally 
  scary. An eight year old child smiling faintly while holding a 
  cut-throat razor is scary. A glass-fronted cabinet in the room 
  of an old lady may appear to contain knick-knacks and junk, 
  yet on closer inspection, may contain, hidden in the bottom 
  right hand corner, a dried and shrunken human head. A 
  clean hospital ward where the PCs briefly see a slab of what 
  looks like animal meat being wheeled by on a rickety, rusty 
  trolley is liable to set nerves on edge.
  The familiar: Putting a twist of familiar objects, people and 
  places links in to the other two. Two sinister men in high-col-
  lared grey greatcoats and peaked, military style caps may 
  appear frightening and tough, yet why are they carrying 
  brightly coloured carpet bags? A kitchen table may seem as 
  ordinary and commonplace a thing as you could imagine, 
  but look closely. Is that a film of dried, crusted blood round 
  the edge of the table? Could be.
  Horror is a vital part of the a|state setting. Make the most 
  of it, induce some paranoia and anxiety into the players by 
  subtle manipulation and sinister, insidious dread.
  Don’t overuse The Shifted and the macrocorps
  The temptation is always there to use the two most misunder-
  stood groups in The City as the major bogeymen in almost 
  all adventures. A wise GM should avoid overusing them in 
  his/her adventures, keeping them sinister, rare features. Not 
  every dark happening should have a Shifted being behind 
  it and not every dire conspiracy should have a macrocorps 
  lurking in the background. There are plenty of ordinary 
  the prescription 225
  
  organisations and people in The City who are just as cun-
  ning, calculating and capable of causing PCs grief.
  Remember the technology level
  Unlike our modern world, citizens of The City can’t just pick 
  up their mobile phone and call a friend. Nor can they radio 
  for help at the drop of a hat. Instantaneous communication is 
  very rare in the City, therefore the players need to be aware 
  of this. Then there is the standard of living of the majority of 
  population. Most people will live in rather horrid rooms, lit 
  by flickering gas or electric lamps, damp spots visible on 
  the walls and fungus growing in corners. Dominating the 
  room will be a bulky black and white TV set plumbed in to 
  Sideband's insidious cable network. 
  If PCs have a firearm, its most likely to be a sparklock or, 
  maybe, a cartridge pistol. Clockwork mechanisms attached 
  to computers, guns and electrical devices are more com-
  mon than neat little batteries. The clicking of dingins and 
  clockworks fill the air. Flowghosts spend days trawling the 
  dataflow for significant bits of information, peering myopi-
  cally into screen and intently listening through headphones 
  for anything significant.
  Reward role-playing and the creation of hope
  When awarding Improvement Points to players, reward good 
  role-playing, character interaction and that all important 
  category of ‘hope’. Players shouldn’t be rewarded simply for 
  completing an adventure, blowing away the bad guys or just 
  surviving by the skin of their teeth. Now, that’s not to say that 
  players should explicitly be told "Do good and thou shalt be 
  rewarded!"  Gradually reveal the nature of Improvement Points 
  and how the PCs actions in improving peoples lives can have a 
  positive effect on the development of the character.
  Remember the consequences of actions
  Every action has its own reaction. Encourage your players to 
  think about this, particularly when they are all set to indulge 
  in violent gunplay or something similar. What if they miss 
  their target? The City is densely populated and stray shots 
  can easily hit an innocent bystander. A rifle round can quite 
  easily punch through a rotting brick wall and kill or injured 
  the child on the other side. If the PCs accidentally (or delib-
  erately) kill or injure someone, what are consequences for 
  his or her friends and family? Crippling someone may seem 
  like a good idea at the time (to a certain, possibly deranged, 
  mindset), but what if you cripple the only person in a poor 
  family who brings in money? What happens to the rest of the 
  family, how do they survive?
  The Prescription
  'The Prescription' is an introductory adventure for a|state 
  designed for 3 to 6 players and a GM. During the adventure, 
  the players will be taken round various areas of The city, 
  allowing them to explore and investigate The City and to find 
  out about the political, personal, environmental and social 
  tangles of this massive urban sprawl. If you are intending to 
  play a character in 'The Prescription', please read no further, 
  the following information is for GMs only.
  SYNOPSIS
  The adventure begins in Folly Hills, a burgh under the control 
  of the Three Canals Metropolitan Area Authority (TCMAA). 
  On a slum street, a young man is found dead, having been 
  horribly wounded then apparently ejected from a third floor 
  window. By hook or crook, the players find there have been 
  similar murders within the Three Canals area over the past 
  few weeks. Witnesses are few and far between, with only 
  the vaguest recollections and descriptions. However, looking 
  at the killings, they appear to run in a roughly straight line, 
  as if someone is moving along this line killing as he (or she) 
  goes. At this point, the players will be accosted by a group 
  from the famed Longshore University, who claim that the 
  killer is in fact one of their research assistants who has been 
  exposed to psychoactive drugs whilst working in the chemis-
  try department. Further investigation and use of contacts will 
  reveal that there has been another murder and that this time 
  a suspect has been arrested and incarcerated in Inferno, 
  the huge, terrifying mental asylum. Visiting the suspect, the 
  players become involved in a riot in the asylum and will only 
  be able to escape with luck, skill and cunning. The suspect 
  reveals that the Longshore group have not been entirely truth-
  ful with them, yet he remembers little of the killings apart from 
  moments of clarity before fading back into amnesia.
  The players are then encouraged to hotfoot it over to 
  Longshore to confront the group which accosted them, 
  who rather grudgingly admit that they aren’t chemists, but 
  in fact work for the mysterious Shift Studies Faculty. The 
  players will be shown some of their experiments, where 
  they are attempting to find out how Drache control their 
  human possession targets. The experiments are carried out 
  on live human targets, targets selected by the researchers 
  from a pool of labour provided by Trilhoeven. Whilst view-
  ing this highly secretive set-up, they will notice a couple 
  of grey-clad, unobtrusive figures who always seem to be 
  hanging around. These are representatives of Trilhoeven, 
  the prescription 226
  
  who are sponsoring the research. In fact, Trilhoeven want 
  to use Drache to control certain individuals, primarily senior 
  figures in other macrocorps. Revealing this to the university 
  authorities will result in the experiments being shut down. 
  Revealing this to another macrocorp will result in a tacti-
  cal strike against the university, attempting to take out the 
  experimental building. 
  Getting the players involved
  One possibility is that the PCs are a  group of Provosts who 
  have been assigned to investigate the murders. The Provosts 
  in Folly Hills are and under-resourced, under manned, poorly 
  equipped division who have little motivation to carry out their 
  gruesome task. A second possibility is a group of characters 
  associated with a stringer or directly with Sideband Media. 
  They may be covering the grisly happenings in Folly Hills in 
  the hope that it will turn out to be a highly newsworthy story. 
  The PCs can also be any other group of characters, from the 
  totally random to the highly specific. One avenue that could 
  be used is that they are hired by the distraught family of the 
  dead young man to find out who killed him. Another avenue 
  is that the murder victim could be a friend or relative of one 
  of the PCs.
  Murder, murder polis!
  The scene is Brookmyre Walk in Folly Hills, one of the less 
  reputable streets in the burgh, close to the Green Canal 
  and Mire End. The buildings along Brookmyre Walk are all 
  ancient stone three storey tenement blocks, crammed with 
  families. Walkways cross the street from all levels and down 
  the centre of the street runs a collapsed sewer, taking rainwa-
  ter and other, less mentionable liquids, to the Green Canal. 
  Rain falls lightly on the street as the working day draws to a 
  close. Men and women are heading home to the comfort-
  ing fug of their one room apartments. Hawkers and vendors 
  shout their wares. Food sellers offer spiced meatballs in 
  gravy only yards from the sewer, entrepreneurs offer scav-
  enged machine parts, costermongers try to get rid of the 
  last of their rapidly rotting stock of vegetables. In the midst 
  of this scene, a small crowd has gathered round a body 
  which appears to have fallen from an upper storey window, 
  crashing through two walkways on his way down. Various 
  gawpers are retching onto the street at the sight of the victim, 
  who has been horribly mutilated. Provosts arrive on the scene 
  and start to take notes, addresses and statements. The crowd 
  dissipates with remarkable rapidity. If the players are playing 
  Provosts or the Sideband team, then they should come into 
  the adventure at this point. 
  The Victim
  Name: Owen Harpur
  Age: 26
  Residence: 256E Brookmyre Walk, Folly Hills, Three 
  Canals Metropolitan Area (TCMA)
  Physical Description: Harpur was of above average 
  height, of wiry build. His skin was engrained with dust from 
  the brickworks where he worked. He had dusty brown hair 
  and dull blue eyes.
  During the course of the attack, Harpur had his hands, feet, 
  ears and nose removed, all apparently before he died. He 
  was then eviscerated and his throat cut. The remains then 
  appear to have been thrown from his third storey window.
  The players may have to do a bit of asking about amongst 
  the locals in order to find out Harpurs name and which flat he 
  lived in. This would be an Easy roll against the Investigation 
  skill.
  The Victims Apartment
  If the players are Provosts, then gaining access to the apart-
  ment is simply a matter of demanding to be let in. Other 
  characters will have to deal with the self-styled warden of 
  the apartment block, Mrs Genscher. Mrs Genscher is a well 
  built woman in her middle thirties, dressed in old but clean 
  working clothes. She is deeply, deeply suspicious of strang-
  ers, especially ones that want to go poking about in the 
  apartments of recently deceased residents. In truth, she has 
  no actual power, but she believes she does, which is what 
  counts these days. 
  PCs will have to exercise the skills in diplomacy, negotiation 
  and persuasion to the utmost in order to get past this formi-
  dable figure.
  Harpur’s apartment is a scene of devastation. Body parts are 
  scattered about the room and blood lines the walls. The room 
  itself is small, barely 14 feet long by ten feet wide. At one 
  end of the room is the smashed window where the body was 
  obviously thrown out. The whole place smells bad. A small 
  gas stove in corner props up a single corroded pan which 
  contains an unidentifiable mass covered in fungus. Above the 
  stove, various sealed jars contain pickles, preserved fish and 
  various other foodstuffs. Other than that, the walls (under the 
  blood) are bare grey stone. One of the jars, however, con-
  tains ten small bags of scrape, all carefully sealed and ready 
  for sale. Harpur carried out some small time drug dealing on 
  behalf of the local Hohler Gang assembly. 
  the prescription 227
  
  Observant characters will notice a pile of old clothes, frag-
  ments of news papers, disused jars and suchlike which appear 
  to have been shoved from under the bed. This is where the 
  killer hid from sight when various local residents rushed into 
  the rooms after the killing. The killer then fled once everyone 
  had run out into the street. A Difficult Awareness will reveal 
  a fragment of white cloth which 
  has caught on a hanging spring 
  under the bed. Although dirty, 
  the cloth appears to be tough 
  and of a quality not often found 
  in these parts. 
  Whether the players are inves-
  tigating the apartment imme-
  diately after the murder, or a 
  short time later, they will be 
  rudely interrupted by the victims 
  mother, Mrs Harpur. She will 
  be accompanied by the fear-
  some Mrs Gensche and will be 
  in a state bordering on hysteria. 
  At first, she makes raving accu-
  sations about the PCs being 
  thieves, burglars, and other 
  such forms of lowlife. When she 
  calms down sufficiently (a Difficult Diplomacy skill  roll will 
  placate her enough to allow the PCs time to question her), 
  she will be more amenable to giving information. She strong-
  ly suspects her sons girlfriend, one Therese Jung, of being 
  complicit in the murder of her beloved son. Mrs Gensche 
  claims she saw a young woman leaving the building shortly 
  before the body came crashing out of the window.
  Investigating The Girlfriend
  Judicious investigation will reveal that the girlfriend of the 
  deceased lives in a young womans refuge on Grassick 
  Way, about half a mile north of Brookmyre Walk. Therese is 
  pretty much destitute and does not yet actually know that her 
  boyfriend is dead. When the PCs arrive at the Hartenstein 
  Memorial Fallen Womans Refuge (for that is where she 
  lives), they will find her readying herself for work, gutting 
  fish for a living in a small factory on the Green Canal. She 
  will understandably be shocked when informed of Harpurs 
  death, collapsing to the floor in a genuine display of grief. If 
  questioned about the scrape found in Harpurs apartment, she 
  will feign ignorance. Observant character will realise she is 
  hiding something. The reason for this is that her sister is heavily 
  involved with the local Hohler Gang assembly and is the one 
  that supplied Harpur with the drugs to sell on. If pressured, she 
  will reveal that she was aware of Harpurs criminal activities. 
  She did visit Harpur shortly before he died, but he seemed in 
  good humour and good health. Again, if pressed or if the PCs 
  mention the scrap of white cloth, she will recall that she saw 
  a man in a dirty white coat entering the building as she left. 
  Other than that, there is precious little that she has to offer.
  Investigating The Scrape
  If analysed, the drug itself is of fairly low quality, cut with 
  a variety of unpleasant and possibly toxic substances. The 
  locals will remain silent on the subject, but tracking down 
  some destitute scrape addicts is not too difficult. They can be 
  bribed with pennies and will reveal nothing more than the 
  fact that Harpur did deal drugs. 
  Investigating The Scrap Of Cloth
  The scrap is made of high quality, machine manufactured 
  artificial fibres. Other than that, there is precious little to go 
  on.
  Broader Investigations
  Broader investigations, such as questioning criminal or 
  Provost contacts or trawling through the archives of the Three 
  Canals Observer (the local newspaper) will reveal a series 
  of similar murders across the area over the past few weeks. 
  Including Harpur, there have been four murders, the victims 
  of which have all be mutilated in a particularly horrible 
  fashion. The first reported killing of this type took place three 
  weeks ago (Ursula Janes), the last just over four days ago 
  (George Lupton).
  the prescription 228
  
  The Victims
  Victim 1: Ursula Janes 
  Age: 17
  Residence: Folly Hills, Three Canals Metropolitan Area
  Occupation: Fishmongers assistant
  Janes was found in the back room of the fish shop where 
  she worked. She had been gutted with a filleting knife, her 
  entrails strewn about the room. The body was discovered by 
  Mrs Kotel, her employer.
  Victim 2: Fedor Dankov
  Age: 48
  Residence: Folly Hills, Three Canals Metropolitan Area
  Occupation: Bar owner
  Dankovs body was found by a Provost patrol in the narrow, 
  dank alley behind his bar. His injuries were almost identical 
  to those suffered by Harpur.
  Victim 3: George Lupton
  Age: 31
  Residence: Folly Hills, Three Canals Metropolitan Area
  Occupation: Artisan
  Found by a customer who had called by to pick up a com-
  pleted dingin, Lupton’s throat was cut almost to the spine, his 
  ears removed and entrails twined around his neck. The cus-
  tomer, a Mr Faure, is currently being held by the Provosts in 
  Folly Hills due to the fact he went a little mad after discover-
  ing the body. Rumour has it that he is now a prime candidate 
  for transfer to the hell of Inferno.
  George Lupton had a young family, with a wife and three 
  children. In all likelihood, the party will encounter them if 
  investigating his death. Making any kind of assurances to 
  his wife and kids that they will do their best to hunt down 
  the killer is worth an extra 5 improvement points to each 
  character present at the time. Mrs Lupton will thank the 
  party effusively and timidly ask if they could let her know the 
  results of her investigations. If they do so at the end of the 
  adventure, this will gain the characters another 5 additional 
  improvement points and the eternal thanks of Mrs Lupton and 
  her children. Mrs Lupton herself knows many people in the 
  Folly Hills artisan community and could prove to be a useful 
  contact in the future.
  There are no connections between the victims, all were killed 
  totally at random. However, don’t let the players know this. 
  Players love thinking up esoteric and complex reasons why 
  people have been killed. So why spoil their enjoyment. 
  Witnesses to the killings, local people and grieving relatives 
  will start asking why there is so much interest in the deaths of 
  these people. First the Provosts, then some well-spoken strang-
  ers, now this lot! This should prompt the players to wonder 
  who the well-spoken strangers are and what they want.
  An Encounter In The Dark
  At some point during their investigations, the players will find 
  themselves set upon by the group of "well spoken strangers" 
  mentioned previously. They can either be the victims of an 
  attempting mugging (which is what it initially appears to 
  be) by the Longshore University group or they can run into 
  them (perhaps literally) when visiting the site of previous 
  murders, checking things out at the Folly Hills Central Provost 
  bunker or some other situation they may find themselves in. 
  The group consists of three academics and three Portreeves 
  from Longshore University. Effective leader of the group is 
  Dr Irina Clausewitze, a moderately senior figure in the Shift 
  Studies Faculty. The other two academics are her research 
  assistants, Sennett and Konev. They are backed up by three 
  burly Portreeves seconded from the university staff (see NPC 
  Details at the end of the adventure for further information on 
  the group).
  The academics will use the Portreeves to try and disable 
  the PCs (even if they are Provosts). The Portreeves all carry 
  snub-nosed cartridge shotguns loaded with extemporised 
  sandbag rounds (they also have a few more lethal rounds 
  for dire situations) and their usual massive keys which they 
  uses as coshes. They will attempt to subdue the PCs, allow-
  ing the academics to intervene and sedate the PCs with 
  sedatives they have in massive hypodermic syringes. This can 
  go either of two ways: the PCs get subdued and carted off 
  to the groups rented rooms in Folly Hills or they defeat the 
  Longshore group. If it is the latter case, you should be care-
  ful to ensure that at least two of the academics survives the 
  encounter (with Dr Clausewitze being one of them). In either 
  circumstance, the Longshore group will NOT reveal they are 
  from the Shift Studies Faculty. They have developed a cover 
  story to mask the fact that they are working on some pretty 
  dodgy scientific ground. Clausewitze will do most of the talk-
  ing in either situation and will explain that they are chemists 
  from Longshore, tracking a poor unfortunate research assis-
  tant who came into contact with a very powerful psychoac-
  tive gas they were working with. This sent him a bit bonkers, 
  he fled the university and has gone on the killing spree which 
  the PCs have been investigating.
  the prescription 229
  
  The above explanation is, of course, a total lie. Clausewitze is 
  in charge of an experiment in the Shift Studies Faculty which 
  seeks to find means of controlling and manipulating the Shifted 
  entities known as Drache. They have been attempting to force 
  Drache to ‘possess’ target  subjects and are trying to measure 
  the effects they have and any potential for controllability and 
  (possible) communication. Unfortunately, the containment sys-
  tems being used are not really very reliable and one contained 
  Drache manage to escape and ‘possess’ a young research 
  assistant named Foyle Langen. Operating according to its 
  own impenetrable mental processes, the Drache took Langen 
  on a killing spree across The TCMA to Folly Hills. Langen has 
  been drifting in and out of lucidity, as the Drache relaxes, then 
  tightens control over him. In the rare moments where he has 
  control of himself, he has been wandering confusedly through 
  the streets wondering exactly how he got here.
  Strength In Numbers
  After getting explanations from the Longshore group, there 
  are a couple of possibilities:
  1) The group will try and extract information on the PCs 
  investigations from them, stopping short of actual torture. 
  They have a wide range of drugs, including sedatives, truth 
  serums and psychoactives (this will help reinforce the image 
  of them as experimental chemists). Once they feel they have 
  got enough info, they will offer the players the chance to 
  work for them, in return for a small monetary consideration. 
  Clausewitze will offer them £10 each (negotiable up to £15) 
  to find, apprehend and return the missing research assistant. 
  Alive. Most sensible PCs, faced with a bunch of tooled up 
  scientists armed with a large cache of drugs will probably 
  agree to this. If they don’t, coercion can easily be used. If 
  the characters are Provosts, Clausewitze could intimate that 
  she has friends in high places and could have a noticeable 
  effect on the PCs future careers (this is pretty much a bluff). 
  Alternatively, the PCs could be offered future employment, 
  the everlasting gratitude of Longshore University or a grisly 
  death if they do not comply.
  All of the above will take place in secluded garret (a floored 
  and furnished attic) rooms in a relatively respectable part 
  of Folly Hills. The garret is in a partially empty three storey 
  tenement block, with no inhabitants on the floor immediately 
  below. The walls are of bare brick, the floors worm eaten 
  old boards covered with a selection of threadbare rugs. 
  There are three rooms, arranged ‘shotgun’ style, all accessed 
  through a narrow, dark stairwell from the third floor of the ten-
  ement. The first room is a sitting room, lit by two tiny skylight 
  windows and a couple of sputtering gas lamps on the walls. 
  Through the only door (other than the entrance) is a small, 
  rather dismal kitchen with a gas stove and a few cupboards 
  containing little more than insects. The door from the kitchen 
  leads into a shabby bedroom dominated by a substantial 
  iron bedstead, upon which sits a foetid doghair mattress and 
  some rather odorous blankets (which have obviously lain 
  undisturbed for some time).
  2) If the PCs have managed to subdue the Longshore group, 
  Clausewitze and her lackeys will offer almost anything to the 
  PCs in order to avoid torture, beatings or their investigations 
  being compromised. Again, Clausewitze will do most of the 
  talking and will offer substantial sums of money to the PCs if 
  they let them go and assist with their investigations. She will 
  appeal to their egos, praising their abilities, knowledge of 
  the local terrain and their all-round wonderfulness as human 
  beings. She’ll also offer up to £100 each if they let them go 
  and help with the investigation. This is a very substantial sum 
  of money, a sum which should tempt all but the most finan-
  cially independent of PCs.
  Even Provost groups should be tempted by the offer of such 
  a sum of money. Besides, having friends at Longshore may 
  prove useful at some point in the future. And who knows what 
  the blackmail opportunities might be?
  Incarceration
  Shortly after their meeting with the Longshore team, the party 
  will be sought out by one of their contacts (or, if they are a 
  Provost team, they will be informed by one of their superiors). 
  The contact/superior informs them that there has been a fifth 
  murder and that the perpetrator has actually been appre-
  hended on the scene. This quite handy set of circumstances 
  is down to the fact that the Provosts received an anonymous 
  tip off that the killer was going to strike in a certain area. 
  How was this knowledge acquired? Well, the suspect is him-
  self being stalked by two Grauschjager, part of Trilhoevens 
  secret police/intelligence gathering force/assassins. These 
  two individuals have been the go-betweens in the Trilhoeven/
  Clausewitze relationship and are adept at maintaining an 
  extremely low profile.
  Should the party follow this up, they will find that the suspect 
  (as yet un-named) has been incarcerated in the maximum 
  security basement at the main Provost Bunker in the heart of the 
  TCMA. Bribing Provosts at the bunker or garnering information 
  from contacts within the Provosts will reveal that orders have 
  come down from on high that the suspect is to be transferred 
  immediately to Inferno (the result of Trilhoeven putting pressure 
  on the TCMAA). Oh dear. Bringing someone back alive from 
  Inferno is not the most likely of prospects, but there are a few 
  routes they might take to expedite the suspects release.
  the prescription 230
  
  1) A Provost group could legally visit Inferno in order to 
  question the suspect,  others would need to find other ways 
  of gaining entrance. One method would be to fake some sort 
  of ID or possibly ask Clausewitze for Longshore staff identi-
  fication. This might allow academic staff into the building to 
  interview test subjects for their ‘researches’. If the party visits 
  the huge asylum, emphasise the massive scale of the place, 
  the strange look of 
  the tilted walls and 
  floors, the charnel 
  house stench which 
  permeates the build-
  ing. They will be con-
  fronted with a chaotic 
  confusion of slanted 
  corridors, constant 
  noise, 
  screams, 
  moans, 
  ravings, 
  inmates wandering 
  randomly 
  through 
  rooms, prone bod-
  ies being dragged 
  around or shunted 
  this way and that on 
  rusted, bloodstained 
  trolleys. Inferno is a 
  place of absolute, 
  soul-crushing horror, 
  a seemingly limitless 
  warren of rooms and 
  passages.
  Foyle Langen, the 
  poor 
  unfortunate 
  at the centre of this 
  entire sorry mess, is 
  currently locked up 
  in Transfer Wing 2 
  on the ground level 
  of Inferno. This is where most new inmates are kept for the 
  first few days prior to assignment to their permanent wing. 
  Although perhaps the least horrifying of the areas of Inferno, 
  Transfer Wing 2 still fits the description given above. Langen 
  is trussed up in a straitjacket and manacles in a sloping cell 
  with a level floor provided by rusted iron plates braced 
  against the wall. If the party have got to Inferno in some 
  haste, Langen will only have been here a couple of hours. 
  By this point, the Drache has actually departed and he is in 
  a state of some distress as to why he is locked up. He won’t 
  know anything about the murders, apart from the occasional 
  horrible suppressed memory which surfaces to cause him 
  even more distress. He will, however, be more than happy to 
  spill the beans to the party about what he thinks is going on 
  at the SSF. Remember that the party still currently believe that 
  Clausewitze is a chemist. Langen will talk about the Drache 
  experiments at the SSF (thus revealing that Clausewitze was 
  lying) and will mention his suspicions about what happened 
  to him. He is completely unaware of the Trilhoeven involve-
  ment, although he will mention a couple of grey-clad, military 
  looking types who 
  occasionally visited 
  the SSF and talked 
  with Clausewitze. 
  Aside from his infor-
  mation about the 
  experiment, Langen 
  is also desperate to 
  get out of Inferno. He 
  will beg the charac-
  ters to try and get 
  him out any way they 
  can, even offering 
  everything he owns 
  if they will free him. 
  At this stage, he is a 
  pitiable sight. In truth, 
  he is effectively inno-
  cent of the crimes 
  due to the influence 
  of the Drache. The 
  only problem with 
  this being the Three 
  Canals 
  authorities 
  who would not see 
  things in such a con-
  siderate light. If the 
  characters refuse to 
  help him, he will then 
  beg them to leave 
  him something he 
  can kill himself with as he would rather end it all that be forced 
  to spend the rest of his (probably fairly short) life in the asylum. 
  What the players do at this point is entirely up to them.
  2) Players with contacts in the Provosts or if the players are 
  Provosts themselves, they could try and gain access to the 
  suspect in the few hours that he is held in the Central Bunker 
  before  being transferred to Inferno. If they do manage to 
  meet Langen (promising favours to contacts and extensive 
  negotiation will probably be needed to get anywhere near 
  him), he will essentially tell them the same as noted in ‘1’ 
  above, but in a slightly less distressed state (he doesn’t yet 
  know he’s going to Inferno).
  the prescription 231
  
  3) Perhaps the most foolhardy option is to attack the boat 
  which the Provosts use to transport Langen to Inferno. It’s 
  a clunky but fairly well armoured gunskiff, manned by five 
  Provosts (one pilot, one gunner and three others). It will be 
  travelling slowly up the Grand Canal towards Inferno. 
  Obviously, if the players are Provosts, then this isn’t a viable 
  option, as attacking their own colleagues would be tanta-
  mount to committing suicide. Killing a Provost is a bad move, 
  so the best option would be to try and take the crew by sur-
  prise and incapacitate, rather than kill, them. Players should 
  be encouraged to come up with as outlandish plans as they 
  can for attacking the gunskiff and getting Langen out. The 
  more madcap the scheme, the more fun it will be. 
  The Provosts on the gunskiff are not on the lookout for attack 
  and everyone apart from the pilot is sitting in the rear com-
  partment of the dim little craft drinking tea and playing cards. 
  Langen is trussed up on the floor, his hands and feet bound 
  and mouth gagged. All of the Provosts are family men and 
  will most likely surrender if faced with superior numbers or the 
  threat of violence. If captured, they will be at pains to point out 
  that they have children, wives, pets, aged grandmothers and 
  so on who rely on them for support. Players killing or badly 
  mistreating any of the Provosts at this point should be penalised 
  when IPs are totted up at the end of the game. Should the play-
  ers do something really stupid (like an all out frontal attack on 
  the gunskiff), the Provost gunner will immediately leap to his 
  weapon and open fire. The skiff mounts a hand cranked heavy 
  machinegun (use stats for an Automatic Cartridge Rifle) in a 
  cramped one-person cupola. The other Provosts are armed 
  with sparklock carbines and pistols.
  If the players manage to release Langen, he will reveal infor-
  mation as noted in ‘1’ above.
  We don't like being lied to.
  All in all, the characters have a good chance of being pretty 
  pissed off at this point, having been lied to by Clausewitze and 
  her colleagues and generally put upon by different groups. 
  The most obvious next stop is Longshore University, to confront 
  Clausewitze and friends with the evidence, hand Langen back 
  over to them and find out what the hell has been going on!
  During the daytime, it is fairly easy to slip into the sprawl-
  ing, dark, looming edifice that is Longshore University. The 
  massive main gates are wide open, allowing easy access 
  through the twenty foot high black iron fence which surrounds 
  the entire campus. Students wander in and out all day and 
  the Portreeves on duty seldom pay attention to who is going 
  in and out. The Shift Studies Faculty is located in a massive 
  building at the back of the university, its ancient stones black 
  with age, its windows all bricked over or covered with thick 
  plates of iron. There are only two entrances into the faculty: 
  one is the small personnel entrance which connects with the 
  rest of the university, the other is the service entrance.
  The personnel entrance is a six foot high, foot thick iron door 
  which is controlled by a small dingin mechanism built into 
  an adjacent wall. The service entrance uses a similar mecha-
  nism, but the twin doors are both twelve feet high and six feet 
  across. Those wishing to get in or out must use a punched 
  copper card which fittings in to a slot by the door. The dingin 
  reads the pattern of holes on the card and allows the user in 
  if they fitted the allowed patterns (which change on a regular 
  basis). Given time, a competent flowghost could probably 
  lever the reading mechanism out of the wall and attempt to 
  convince the dingin to open the door. This would be a Very 
  Difficult Mechanical Computing task (requiring the use of the 
  flowghosts own dingin) and take up to an hour to complete. 
  During the daytime, there is a good chance of students and 
  staff wandering by and asking what the players are doing. 
  Alternatively, the could just press the large brass button on 
  the door which rings a bell inside the faculty.
  Ringing the bell will cause (after a suitably irritating delay), 
  a small, barred hatch to be opened in the door and a voice 
  to emanate from the hatch asking what the players business 
  is here. They will be given the impression that they are not 
  going to be allowed in under any circumstances. Mentioning 
  Dr Clausewitze will result in a tetchy "Wait here." And then 
  a period of about fifteen minutes hanging around. The same 
  voice will then emanate once more from the hatch and 
  announce that the Doctor does not have time to see them. 
  This should suitably enrage the PCs. The GM should actively 
  encourage any hare-brained schemes that the PCs might 
  come up with in order to get in. After all, there's nothing play-
  ers love more than coming up with hare-brained schemes to 
  get into places where they have no right to be.
  About a minute after the players have been told that they are 
  not welcome, the hatch will open again and a slightly more 
  pleasant voice will announce that Dr Clausewitze would 
  actually now be happy to see them. If they are at the service 
  entrance, they will now be directed round to the personnel 
  entrance. The door will swing open with an audible thump and 
  the group will be led into a small ante-room, with walls of damp, 
  dark stone. The only exit is another iron door similar to the one 
  they have just been brought through. A small, balding Portreeve 
  will politely ask them if they would care to deposit any and all 
  weapons they might be carrying into a steel box which is at his 
  feet. His voice should indicate that should they choose not to 
  do this, they will travel no further into the faculty.
  the prescription 232
  
  Inside the faculty
  Once through the iron door, the scene could not be more 
  different. The group will find themselves, led by the small 
  Portreeve wheeling the steel box, in a hallway lined with old, 
  but clean white tiles. The hallway is approximately square 
  and contains a framework lift shaft around which curves a 
  staircase. Looking up, they will see this extends up three stories. 
  The roof appears to be made of iron plates. Leading them to 
  the lift, the Portreeve will open the sliding door and usher them 
  in. They find themselves transport up to the second floor and 
  led out of the lift by a sliding door on the opposite side to the 
  one they came in on. They will now be in a small hallway with 
  a short corridor lined with doors extending in from of them. At 
  the end of the corridor there appears to be some sort of  glass 
  walled viewing gallery. It is here that Dr Clausewitze greets 
  them. Nervously. Extremely nervously, in fact.
  The players will note that the viewing gallery extends round 
  a large sunken area in which sit a variety of complex and 
  somewhat sinister looking machines constructed of glass, iron, 
  steel, brass and copper. Even through the glass, the clicking 
  of dingins rapidly processing information fills the air with an 
  irritating vibration. The viewing gallery extends right round the 
  sunken area on all sides and various individuals in white coats 
  can be seem monitoring dials and verniers, taking notes or tap-
  ping instructions into brass dingin keyboards. The centrepiece 
  of the sunken area is a massive machine at least twenty feet 
  tall. It consists of a thick glass tube surrounded by what look 
  like black obelisks (they are in fact huge electromagnets) and 
  a web of cables and wires. The entire construction appears to 
  be connected to two massive macroscale dingins at one end of 
  the sunken area which, at the moment, appear to be quiet and 
  inoperative. Emphasise to players the disquiet that this room 
  generates, noting that even though it is brightly lit, there always 
  appear to be shadows lurking at the edges of their vision.
  Clausewitze will be pleased to see Langen again, but be 
  somewhat wary of him. She will nervously answer the play-
  ers questions, admitting the involvement of Trilhoeven and 
  the nature of the experiments. Observant characters might 
  notice that sunk into the floor of the sunken area are a 
  number of what appear to be thick windows, hinged at one 
  side. Looking careful, a character might notice that these are 
  in fact cells containing a single human being each. If ques-
  tioned, Clausewitze will explain they are criminals sentenced 
  to death who volunteered for the experiment in return for their 
  sentence being commuted. At this point, Sennett will appear 
  round a corner and start yelling at Clausewitze to stop lying. 
  Sennett, all the while being shouted at by Clausewitze, will 
  claim that the people in the cells are innocent and were sim-
  ply poor unfortunates grabbed by Trilhoeven and brought 
  here to provide the faculty with experimental subjects. 
  Once he has finished his declamation, both Sennett and 
  Clausewitze will fall silent.
  Showdown
  At this point, a sharp cry, followed by silence will be heard 
  from the lift shaft end of the corridor. If the PCs have any 
  sense, they will notice that the Portreeve has left the box con-
  taining their weapons and gone back to his post. Particularly 
  aware characters will hear the sound of booted footsteps 
  coming from the stairs.
  The Grauschjager have taken the decision to terminate the 
  experiment and all those involved with it. The two sinister 
  figures have entered the faculty determined to kill anyone 
  they find in the experimental facility, including the characters 
  (who they are already aware of). The Grauschjager are well 
  armed, tough and supremely skilled. Such is there reputation, 
  the mere knowledge that they are present should be enough 
  to inspire fear in almost anyone. They will open fire on any-
  one with cool, calm precision, shooting to kill. The players 
  will require a considerable amount of luck, skill and good 
  judgement to defeat these two men.
  Consequences
  If the players manage to defeat the Grauschjager and save 
  the lives of SSF staff, they will have made valuable allies in 
  Longshore University. If the Grauschjager attack turns in to a 
  massacre, then there is a good chance they will need to flee 
  pretty quickly. 
  On the other hand, Trilhoeven and the Grauschjager will be 
  rather annoyed if they kill two of their officers. Although they 
  won’t have concrete details on who the players are, they will 
  have suspicions and could prove to be a very serious men-
  ace at some point in the future.
  Appendix: Improvement Point Awards
  GM’s should award points for role-playing as they see fit, 
  according to the guidelines given in ‘The Players’ chapter. 
  Further specific IP awards can also be made if the characters 
  have done particular things during the adventure (note: only 
  characters who were directly involved in the events listed 
  below can get the IP awards):
  5IP: 
  Reassuring Mrs Lupton and her family.
  5IP: 
  Visiting Mrs Lupton and family after solving case.
  5IP: 
  Freeing Foyle Langen from Inferno.
  5IP: 
  Uncovering Trilhoevens plan, thereby forcing them
    
  to stop.
  10IP: 
  Freeing the test subjects held at Longshore.
  10IP: 
  Helping the test subjects to get back to their 
   
  previous lives.
  the prescription 233
  
  Adventure Nuggets
  Cabaret of Horror
  Deep beneath the northern edge of Bankside, something rot-
  ten lurks. In vaulted chambers deep in the earth, in brick cells 
  which have never seen the light of day, unspeakable acts are 
  performed for titillation and pleasure. This is the Cabaret of 
  Horror, a sinister, exclusive entertainment which preys on the 
  weak, dissolute and vulnerable. 
  The Cabaret is, approximately, a form of entertainment. 
  Through hidden underground passages, wealthy residents 
  from Clearwater Break come to indulge their basest fan-
  tasies. A brick arena allows the viewing of staged fights 
  between, men, women, children and animals, all kidnapped 
  from various places around The City and forced to fight for 
  their very lives. Sometimes displays of torture or surgery 
  without anaesthetic are carried out for the delectation of the 
  audience. In more secluded chambers, private showings and 
  displays can be arranged, ranging from simple whippings 
  and beatings to slayings and worse. None who are dragged 
  kicking and screaming into the holding cells of the Cabaret 
  ever see The City again. The corpses are used to feed the 
  fighting dogs and other, less identifiable animals. 
  This entire sick enterprise is run by Natalie Heron, only 
  scion of the wealthy and somewhat frivolous Heron family. 
  The family made its money from ironworks in Burningfell but 
  has, in recent decades, had more than its fair share of phi-
  landerers, dilettantes and gadabouts spring from the family 
  tree. Natalie is the last of the line and is, in her own specific 
  and very directed way, quite, quite mad. In fact, she is an 
  extreme sociopath, appearing quite pleasant and normal 
  on the surface but being a writhing cesspool of insanity 
  underneath. She initially began the Cabaret as an entertain-
  ment for a select group of friends, hiring some cripplecut 
  fighters from Bankside to provide a private show. The entire 
  thing snowballed from there, eventually becoming what it is 
  today: a sick, twisted, depraved form of theatre. Invitations 
  to the Cabaret are issued strictly on the basis of a personal 
  recommendation. Invitees can only access the chambers of 
  the Cabaret through a mile long tunnel leading from the 
  basement floors of the Heron residence in Clearwater Break. 
  The tunnel is, of course, booby trapped and rigged with 
  explosives,  should the horrible activities of the Cabaret be 
  uncovered.
  The players could be dragged into the Cabaret in any num-
  ber of ways. A few suggestions are given below.
  1) They notice someone being mugged and dragged away 
  in a dark alley one night. What strikes them as odd is that 
  the muggers, although dressed in shabby street clothes, 
  appear to use some form of hitech stun weapon, a bit 
  strange for impoverished cut-throats. Following the muggers 
  will lead to the old, collapsed Crayker Rendering Works at 
  the very northern edge of Bankside. The works have been 
  abandoned for decades, left to fester and collapse in the 
  their own pools of toxic waste. Even hardened Banksiders 
  don’t dare to come here. The abandoned brick worksheds 
  are filled with tangled iron girders which used to hold up the 
  roof. Corroded vats leak varicoloured liquids and pools of 
  strange hue lie everywhere. If they watch carefully,  they’ll 
  see the muggers disappear into a massive section of rust-
  ing pipe. Concealed in the pipe is a trapdoor (a very well 
  secured trapdoor) which leads, via ancient passages, sewers 
  and pipes, to the holding cells of the Cabaret. See below for 
  a description of the Cabaret chambers.
    
  2) A friend, colleague, relative or some other individual goes 
  missing and it’s up to the brave, resourceful PCs to investigate. 
  Obviously, whoever it is who has gone missing has been 
  lifted by the Cabaret and it’s only a matter of time before 
  they are dead. Or worse. Interviewing people who may have 
  witnessed the disappearance will garner the facts that it was 
  two (or possibly three) men (or maybe women) who accosted 
  the poor unfortunate. However, one vital piece of evidence 
  comes to light, either by interviewing people or by investigat-
  ing the site of the disappearance. One of Herons strong-arm 
  men is getting cocky and has started leaving cards at the 
  site of muggings. They are plain, off-white pasteboard with a 
  stylised skull on them (see picture below). However, what the 
  mugger has not noticed is that each and every card has the 
  address of the printers who made the cards in tiny grey letters 
  on the bottom right hand corner on the reverse of the card. 
  The printers is a high-class establishment in Clearwater Break 
  which mainly makes exclusive greetings and business cards 
  for the well-heeled residents of that area. How the adventure 
  progresses from here is up to the GM.
    
  3) Perhaps the most horrific way to involve the players is to 
  have they themselves kidnapped and used in the Cabaret. 
  They stand a greater chance of survival than most of the 
  people brought into this awful underworld, as most of the 
  subjects are homeless, drug addled or insane. To escape will 
  require cunning, foresight and a good deal of brute force, 
  as the Cabaret employs a large number of well-trained and 
  single mindedly brutal guards. Most of them work under-
  cover as hose servants for Heron but one, going by the name 
  of Keeler Voronetz, is an undercover Provost. He’s spent the 
  last two years infiltrating the Cabaret and will quickly catch 
  on if it looks like the PCs are going to blow the whole thing 
  the prescription 234
  
  wide open. Voronetz has become slightly unhinged by his 
  work and more than a little desensitised to degradation but 
  still retains a strong sense of honour and decency (Voronetx 
  can also feature in situations 1 and 2 above). Should the PCs 
  make an escape attempt, Voronetz is likely to try and per-
  suade them to hold everyone up while he goes and phones 
  for more Provosts. How the players react and where things 
  go from here is up to individual groups.
  In most situations, there will be a final showdown between 
  the players and Heron, who is quite, quite mad and has sev-
  eral well-armed and loyal guards to hand. If cornered, she 
  will attempt to wheedle her way out of the situation, offering 
  money, drugs, sex or whatever in exchange for her freedom. If 
  Heron escapes their clutches, they PCs will have made a pow-
  erful and very insane enemy. If they assist in bringing down the 
  cabaret, they will have gained a Minor Provost Contact in the 
  shape of Voronetz. There is, however, the problem of prosecut-
  ing upwards of one hundred wealthy and influential people. 
  In all likelihood, almost all of them will be fined and given a 
  warning (if that), while if Heron is caught, she will be packed 
  off to Inferno for the rest of her life if the Provosts check out the 
  thousands of hours of films in her residence: Scenes of rape, 
  torture, killing and brutality are captured on grainy colour films 
  and these are enough to convince even the most over-awed 
  magistrate to send her to the nuthouse.
  The Cabaret Chambers: A series of dripping brick tun-
  nels centred around a massive vaulted chamber where the 
  main entertainment’s take place. The main chamber is tiered 
  and can seat approximately 100 people. The tiers look down 
  onto a central pit where fights, displays and demonstrations 
  take place. Radiating from the upper tiers is a series of five 
  passages, each lined with iron doored cells, cells which con-
  tain a mind-boggling variety of surgical, torture and sexual 
  equipment. It is in these private rooms that the paying guests 
  can satisfy their innermost desires. Below these rooms are 
  the holding cells: tiny, damp rooms lit by flickering bulbs. 
  Here the people and animals used for display are held until 
  they are required. The entirety of the Cabaret rooms stinks of 
  damp and corruption, mingled with sweat, blood and fear.
  Disengage The Simulator
  Firefinger Software Development has some strange operat-
  ing practices. Idiosyncrasies, if you will. Some view these 
  practices as downright dangerous or irresponsible, Firefinger 
  just views them as alternative means to an end. However, 
  today things have gone all wrong. One of their many exter-
  nal consultants, a flowghost named Krystyna Lowell, has 
  created something of a problem for them. Lowell was hired 
  to test detailed simulations for Project Verge, a fairly lucrative 
  contract from Gorunna. Lowell locked herself away in one 
  of her safe houses and proceeded to simulate like a woman 
  possessed. Sadly, a day ago, she suffered a massive stroke. 
  She’s now an unconscious, slavering husk who will die very 
  shortly of dehydration. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be too much 
  of a problem. The problem is the simulations for Project 
  Verge. Verge is designed to swamp targets in the dataflow 
  with masses of simulated comms traffic, overloading the 
  receiving stations until they have to shut down. And it doesn't 
  just do it through one channel, oh no. Every conceivable way 
  in to the target is swamped. It even goes so far as to simulate 
  telegrams and phone calls to courier companies who then 
  dispatch couriers to the address of the target. The simulation 
  was running against a department of Firefinger itself and 
  was going fairly successfully until Lowell had her stroke and 
  couldn’t switch off the simulation. The entirety of Firefinger 
  is now  being swamped with dataflow traffic, phone calls, 
  telegrams, couriers knocking at the door every minute, even 
  by random people who have been contacted and told to turn 
  up for job interviews!
  Through contacts, friends or random circumstance (perhaps 
  receiving a job offer via telegram?), the players are con-
  tracted by an increasingly desperate Firefinger to find out 
  where the hell Lowell lives and disconnect the simulation from 
  the Dataflow. And bring Lowell back to explain what in the 
  name of goodness she thought she was doing.
  Finding Lowells home can be as difficult or as easy as the 
  GM wishes. Contacts in the flowghost community would 
  be helpful, as would trawling the Dataflow for some sort of 
  information. Lowell actually lives in Fogwarren, just round 
  the corner from the Firefinger building, something which 
  should irritate players no end. However, when conducting 
  business, Lowell is somewhat paranoid. Her basement rooms 
  are under a seedy, decrepit old towerblock. The block itself 
  is ten storeys of cracked, damp concrete patched with bricks 
  and lath. A few gas lights show in windows and ragged, 
  dirty children scuttle through the corridors and halls, attempt-
  ing to good-natured pickpocketing on the PCs. Lowell has, 
  however, hired members of a local turfgang, The Y-Mob to 
  provide a little extra ‘security’ while she remains locked in 
  her room. The gang have been told not to disturb her and 
  they’ve done exactly that. They’ve also been told not to let 
  anyone into her rooms. And they’re the kind of people who 
  take such a job seriously, especially as Lowell has given them 
  a substantial amount of money in order to keep nosy parkers 
  out of her business. The PCs can deal with the gang however 
  they wish, be it negotiation, violence or more subtle means. 
  The GM should tailor the number of gang members to suit 
  the number of PCs. All are armed with sparklock pistols or 
  blunderbusses.
  the prescription 235
  
  However they manage to gain entrance to Lowell's rooms, 
  they will find her slumped in her chair in front of a stripped out 
  cathode tube screen linked into a whirring, clicking assembly 
  of three dingins. All are processing information at a furious 
  rate. More technically astute characters will be able to find 
  the thick copper cable which links the dingins to the Dataflow. 
  Cutting this will sever the link and stop the assault on Firefinger. 
  Needless to say, Firefinger will be extremely grateful for this. 
  However, Lowell is little more than a vegetable and Firefinger 
  will not really want anything to do with her, essentially leaving 
  the characters to deal with the aftermath.
  The Sculptor
  Dominic Cuthatch is a struggling, hard-up artist. That in itself 
  is not unusual, most artists in The City are struggling and hard-
  up. Unfortunately for Cuthatch, things have recently got a lot 
  worse. He was found a couple of days ago curled up in his 
  sparse room, half dead through shock and blood loss and 
  gibbering madly about nothing in particular. The blood  loss 
  stems from the fact that someone has lopped off his fingers. 
  If that wasn’t enough, his ruined hands were bound in musty, 
  damp cloth and the resultant infection means he will be lucky 
  if he only loses his hands as a result. Scattered around the 
  floor were the smashed remains of his latest work, a bizarre 
  constellation of intertwined iron circles.
  Players can be involved with Cuthatch in whatever way 
  the GM chooses. If they are less than concerned about his 
  well being, have a patron of the arts express an interest in 
  finding who committed this crime, with a possible pecuniary 
  advantage to be gained by those who get to the bottom of 
  the mysteries to be uncovered here.
  1) Cuthatch was very heavily in debt to a local iron mer-
  chant by the name of Brownstaple. He’d taken delivery of 
  a quantity of iron rods from Brownstaple in order to begin 
  his latest project, not realising that Brownstaple expected to 
  be paid pretty damn quickly. Because of Cuthatches unbal-
  anced mental state (see below for reasons), the normal 
  variety of threats failed to have any effect, so Brownstaple 
  sent round some of his ‘boys’ to give the hapless sculptor a 
  ‘bit of a going over’. Sadly for all concerned, they went a 
  bit far and decided to teach the artist a lesson he wouldn’t 
  forget. Being a bunch of sadistic sods, Brownstaples men 
  chopped his fingers off, their low IQ not allowing them to 
  realise that by doing this they were preventing any chance 
  of their boss ever getting paid. 
    
  2) Cuthatch has been teetering on the edge of madness for 
  quite some time. Now, this isn’t an unusual state of affairs 
  for an artist, indeed many consider it part of their idiom to 
  be slightly eccentric. However, Cuthatch was being driven 
  deliberately and slowly insane by the attentions of a Lugner 
  that has decided to derive some ‘pleasure’ (who really 
  knows with The Shifted?) from whispering dark thoughts into 
  Cuthatchs ear and lingering in the corners of his vision. The 
  Lugner will continue to visit Cuthatch, driving him further into 
  the abyss. If the PCs have made contacts in the Longshore 
  University Shift Studies Faculty (see ‘The Prescription’ intro-
  ductory adventure), this might be a good opportunity to give 
  them a call and see exactly how far their goodwill extends.
  Whatever happens, Cuthatch has been hopelessly unhinged 
  by his experiences and has been left as little more than a 
  burnt out shell of a man. How the players choose to treat him 
  is a moral and ethical question that only they can answer.
  You Might Go To The Ball
  "This is John Proudfoot reporting for Sideband Media outside 
  the first Folly Hills charity ball. This major new event is the 
  brain child of one of  the local provosts, Derek Mikelson, 
  who has used his connections within Trilhoeven and Arclight, 
  to persuade the macrocorps into investing in the area. No 
  one knows why the macrocorps have decided to invest in 
  this area, but it seems that they have put aside some of their 
  differences for one night of fun and frivolity in the upper Folly 
  Hills area. A gigantic warehouse has been converted over 
  the last few months, to hold this ball, and I have to say it is 
  one of the most impressive buildings I have seen outside the 
  domains of the macrocorps. Several hundred children, all 
  related to the macrocorps in some way, will  flock here to 
  dance the night away, while the officers of the TMCA and the 
  macrocorps own personal guard watch over them, with their 
  customary enthusiasm for their job. From my vantage point, I 
  can see Derek Mikelson waiting to...."
  (sound of explosion in the distance) 
  "My god, what the hell was that?"
  "John this is Katherine at the studio, is everything OK, what 
  just happened, we saw the plume of flame from here"
  "I'm OK Katherine, we'll have to disconnect our hardline for a 
  few minutes as we move to the scene of the explosion."
  (several minutes of desperate filling in and summarisation by 
  the studios team before the feed from the field team comes 
  back on line) 
  "We have arrived at the scene, it looks as if the front security 
  car was hit from below and is now on its roof, there are 
  several dead bodies nearby, some security guards, some 
  people, possibly gangers, are lying dead along the sides 
  of the street, there is blood and metal everywhere. It looks 
  like the macrocorp transports were trapped by an explosion 
  to the rear, and front of the caravan, and the aerostats that 
  were above were simultaneously shot down. "
  the prescription 236
  
  "What has happened to the children, are they dead?"
  "No, there is no sign of the children, it looks as though this was 
  a kidnapping attempt, though who would carry out such a 
  scheme is as yet unidentified. One thing is sure this was a very 
  professional job, achieved with great timing and precision. 
  The security teams from the macrocorps have just arrived in 
  aerostats, and are cordoning of the area, I'll get back to you as 
  soon as I can. This is John Proudfoot for Sideband media."
  There are many people who would like to get their hands on 
  a bargaining chip as big as the children of the macrocorps. 
  These are the nearest and dearest of some very power-
  ful individuals, even though most of them are spoiled little 
  brats, but there are the few amongst them that do give a 
  fuck about what is happening in The City and are genuinely 
  decent people in their own right. It is these very people that 
  the macrocorps value most highly: their public face is good, 
  while their minds are ruthless. 
  So who would have the audacity to kidnap the children, on 
  the eve of a new era of investment for Folly Hills?. 
  It this scenario, PC's can be locals charged with finding the 
  kids, gang members who have been involved in the kidnap-
  ping, security forces trying to find the children, or maybe 
  even the children themselves.
  1) It is just one of the local gangs out to make some serious 
  money. Maybe it is the Third Syndicate, or maybe a con-
  glomeration of the local gangs who saw an opportunity, took 
  it but will now have no idea what to do.
  2) The Mayor has set the whole thing up in order to capture 
  the macrocorp kids in order to bargain with them and get 
  investment for the Folly Hills region, better waterways etc. 
  He could have either hired the local gangs to do this or used 
  some off-duty Provosts as a handy source of muscle. The PCs 
  could discover the conspiracy slowly, but may decide to help 
  him if they are from the Folly Hills area and think the area 
  should be regenerated. 
  3) One of the security chiefs got fed up carting arrogant little 
  bastards around all the time, and decided to teach them a 
  brief lesson about real life. He arranged the attack, either 
  using his own men, or one of the local gangs, got the kids to 
  dress up in rags and set them on their way down the boule-
  vards and alleys of Folly Hills. They will be harder to find this 
  way, and the PCs could stumble across one in order to get 
  clues to the others. 
  4) The macrocorps have decided to get rid of their unwanted 
  and squabbling offspring all at once. They couldn't quite go 
  as far as killing them directly so have merely discarded them in 
  Folly Hills. Maybe the PCs come across one of these children 
  and sympathise with their sob story, or maybe they are the 
  children themselves suddenly ejected into a cold and hard 
  world. 
  SOMETHING FISHY IN THE AIR
  Fish farm owners in Bankside are being killed. And nobody 
  has a clue who or what is doing it. Over the past few weeks, 
  several prominent fish breeders have been found dead, 
  killed in a variety of unsavoury ways. One was injected with 
  homebrewed parasite repellent, one was fed through a fish 
  food mincer and another was found suspended headfirst 
  in a breeding tank, his face nibbled away by his own fish. 
  Needless to say, even in the hardened, violent confines of 
  Bankside, crimes
  like this are not exactly going unnoticed. The residents are 
  getting restless, as this is something which strikes at the very 
  heart of the way of life. The perpetrators of these crimes must 
  be found and brought to justice. The killings are, in fact, part 
  of a rather dubious and secretive TCMAA scheme to gradually 
  bring Bankside to it’s knees and bring it back into the fold. The 
  killings are being carried out by a three person team made up 
  of former Provosts. Their plan is to make the Banksiders believe 
  that it is all internal, that one fish farmer is trying to wipe out the 
  opposition. The TCMAA hopes to create such an atmosphere 
  of paranoia a mistrust that Bankside will literally tear itself 
  apart, thereby leaving the way open for the Provosts to march 
  in and take control.
  GUNS IN THE SKY
  A ripple of excitement is running through the scavengers who 
  infest the peripheries of the Contested Grounds. Rumour has 
  it that Arclight troops have very recently shot down a large 
  Hirplakker Aerial Gun Platform. Even more exciting is the part 
  of the rumour that states the Arclight troops were all killed 
  when the AGP crashed. The race is on to find the AGP and 
  strip as much as possible from it before Hirplakker get to it to 
  claim what is rightfully theirs. The scuttlebutt seems to indicate 
  that the crashed craft is located somewhere in the western end 
  of the ‘Grounds and large numbers of scavengers are loading 
  up and heading out in that direction. 
  The rumour is true, an AGP has been shot down over the 
  western end of the ‘Grounds. However, in crashing, the aircraft 
  has punched into the ground and cracked open ancient toxic 
  waste tanks. The waste is already beginning to well up out of 
  the ground, forming a shallow lake around the craft. Worse 
  still, several injured members of the crew are still trapped 
  inside. Hirplakker would no doubt be very grateful for the safe 
  return of  a highly skilled gun platform crew. Aside from this, 
  parts stripped from the platform could prove to be very lucra-
  tive on the black market.
  the prescription 237
  
  A GRAND DAY OUT
  It’s that time of year again, when the Grand Canal 2000 
  ekranoplan race takes place, to the delight of thousands 
  of citizens.  Unfortunately for the characters, their usual 
  favourite viewing spot has been cordoned off by the Provosts 
  and reserved for the use of invited guests only. Not only that, 
  but they need to meet a contact inside the cordoned off area 
  to get some money that she owes them in order to pay off 
  another debt to some rather serious 3rd Syndicate hoods. 
  There are several options for trying to get in: through the sew-
  ers and cellars, over the roofs via walkways and ziplines or 
  simply trying to blag their way through the cordon. The race 
  starts in forty five minutes, their contact is getting impatient 
  and the 3rd Syndicate are sharpening their knives. Better 
  think of a plan!.
  STUCK IN A HOLE
  Markus Gregor is a man on the way to the top. As one 
  of the rising stars within Arclight, he’s a man with a future. 
  Unfortunately, that future could be very short if he doesn’t 
  watch out. After an assignation with a young lady of nego-
  tiable affection, his chauffeur failed to pick him up in his 
  personal aerostat. Oh dear. But, being a young man of wit 
  and ingenuity, he decides to make his way back to Luminosity 
  Tower on his own. Attempting to dodge the fare on a train, 
  he has been chased by the Transit Militia and has ended up 
  in Bankside. Arse! At night. Desperately jamming cash into a 
  public phone, he screams that he is in mortal danger (which 
  is quite correct) and demands an assault team be sent to get 
  him out. Because of the poor quality of the line, things get a 
  bit garbled and the Brigade of Light over react. A little. Well, 
  quite a lot actually. An aerostat is on it’s way with a platoon 
  of  armoured Tentenel troopers, supported by a couple of 
  gunships.
  The characters could either be part of the Arclight rescue 
  force or residents of Bankside who have found Gregor and 
  figured that he could be worth a lot of money. The Tentenel 
  troopers are amongst the best equipped warriors in The 
  City, but are they ready for Bankside? And is Bankside 
  ready for them? Let the showdown commence.
  the prescription 238
  
  Most of the information contained within this timeline is 
  not known to the bulk of the population in The City. Most 
  people have a hazy (at best) knowledge of history and are 
  more concerned with where the next meal is coming from 
  than pondering the mysteries of the past. The only way 
  for players to find out this information is to trawl through 
  the archives of such places as Longshore University or the 
  Cathedral or, if they wish, trawl the dataflow for years on 
  end to dredge up snippets of information.
  -999
  The Shift and The Bombardment
  -998 to -900
  The Wasted Years. The first rumours of Shifted beings begin 
  to circulate.
  -958 to -948
  Most of the macrocorps are assumed to have been founded 
  at some period during this decade.
  -940 to -600
  The Rebuilding Time. Under the influence of the macrocorps, 
  The City undergoes something of a revitalisation. The macro-
  corps allow the common populace access to very low levels 
  of technology in return for their labour and loyalty. This repre-
  sents the beginnings of the domination of the macrocorps. It 
  is during this time that the appearance of the Simils is noted.
  -650
  First appearance of the sect which would eventually 
  become the Mortal God Church.
  -500
  The Third Church of God the Architect grows out of the 
  warfare between the First and Second Churches, both of 
  which have radically different views on the nature of God, 
  The City and the ultimate fate of man.
  -350
  Founding of Longshore University as a bastion of knowl-
  edge and learning.
  -300 to -290
  The Ancient and Honourable Guild of Fulgurators begins 
  the construction of what would eventually become 
  Dreamingspires. The massive cost of the project brings 
  about the downfall of the original guild and creates the 
  guild as it is recognised today. For fifty years after this time, 
  the railway system falls into disuse and disrepair.
  -284
  Scientists at Longshore University confirm the existence of 
  the Lost Places through trial, error and at times totally ran-
  dom and bizarre experimentation.
  -270
  With the railways no longer operable to any great 
  degree, small transport companies and barge owners band 
  together to form the Water Trade Guild. There follows an 
  intense period of low level war between the guild and the 
  macrocorps, who see the organisation as a major threat to 
  their dominance over trade and the distribution of resources 
  within The City.
  -240
  The revitalised Fulgurators Guild begins to rejuvenate the 
  railways, challenging the might of the Water Trade Guild.
  -235
  Under pressure from the Fulgurators and the macrocorps, 
  the Water Trade Guild finally collapses into tens of squab-
  bling factions. Over the next few years, their influence dies 
  away altogether as they succumb to factional infighting and 
  internecine conflict.
  -200
  The Wasser Strasse Schism within the Mortal God Church. 
  This splits the church into four groups, each claiming to be 
  the arbiters of true faith.
  -160
  A number of local councils in the area of the Grand Canal 
  unify to form the basis of the Three Canals Metropolitan 
  Area Authority.
  appendix 1: timeline 239
  
  -130
  The TCMAA formally adopts its current name and begins 
  a five-decade period of expansion throughout the burghs 
  bordering the Grand Canal.
  -125
  The TCMAA creates The Provosts as its police and security 
  service.
  -100
  Appearance in Shore Ditch Warrens of the Shining Sky 
  religion.
  -80
  Founding of Arclight as a small manufacturing company 
  which grows over the decades into a sizeable economic 
  entity.
  -63
  Macrocorporate, religious groups, business interests and 
  civil authorities form The Council in an attempt to exert 
  some control over the chaos of The City. It is regarded a 
  failure almost from day one.
  -20
  Councillor Rhilfele takes control of The Council, a position 
  he holds until the present day.
  -3
  The Hundred Block War between Hirplakker and a strong, 
  emergent Arclight.
  -2
  The Hundred Block War ends, but a formal peace agree-
  ment is never signed between Hirplakker and Arclight. The 
  war continues in the Contested Grounds.
  0
  The present.
  appendix 1: timeline 240
  
  3rd Syndicate, the
  Largest, most powerful and influential criminal organisation 
  in The City.
  Ack-ack
  Soldiers term for anti-aircraft fire.
  Ack-am
  Soldiers term for anti-armour fire.
  Aerial Gun Platform
  A heavily armed and armoured aerostat, generally used as 
  an airborne artillery platform.
  Aerostat
  Originally, an aerostat referred to an object (normally some 
  sort of balloon or fan powered observation platform) which 
  remained static in the air above a point on the ground. It is 
  now a general term which refers to the many disk or oval 
  shaped VTOL platforms used in The City.
  Appfel Plants
  Common fruit bearing plants.
  Arclight
  One of the eight macrocorps. Specialises in very high tech-
  nology items, including communications and laser systems.
  Bleeders
  Endemic, blood-sucking insects, feared for carrying disease 
  and parasites.
  Bombardment, the
  Devastating event which stuck The City shortly after The Shift. 
  Fire rained from the sky and large tracts of The City were 
  devastated.
  Brigade of Light, the
  Military arm of Arclight.
  Broken
  A dialect of common, very compressed and difficult to under-
  stand.
  Burgh
  Any area of The City with a defined boundary and (general-
  ly) some sort of controlling authority (civil, military, economic, 
  criminal or otherwise).
  Cant
  A dialect of culture, the official language of the Third Church 
  of God The Architect.
  CATCH Team
  Heavily armed and armoured members of the elites Assault 
  Division of the TCMAA Provosts.
  Cathedral, the
  Home of the Sideband Media macrocorp.
  Commerce
  One of the three main language groups of The City. 
  Commerce is the language of trade and industry.
  Common
  One of the three main language groups of The City and the 
  most commonly spoken tongue. Almost everyone in The City 
  can speak common to a greater or lesser extent.
  Community Service Board, the
  Part of the Three Canals Metropolitan Area Authority. Deals 
  with such things as tax, employment and social services.
  Council, the
  City-wide group made up of representatives from most major 
  interest groups. Nominally in charge of lawmaking and such-
  like within The City. In reality, it is little more than a glorified 
  talking shop.
  Cripplecut
  A popular underground spectator sport, where armed par-
  ticipants attempt to cripple but not kill their opponent.
  Crypt, the
  A quasi-mythical organisation, reputed to covertly run every-
  thing in The City.
  Culture
  One of the three main language groups of The City. Culture 
  is the language of art and high-society.
  Dataflow
  The computer and communications network which spreads 
  through the entire city.
  Daylight
  Sinister and violent organised crime group.
  appendix 2: glossary 241
  
  Dingin
  A mechanical computer. Can be macroscale (large, visible 
  components), microscale (components can be seen with a 
  powerful magnifying glass) or nanoscale (components can 
  only be seen through the most powerful microscopes).
  Dinginsmith
  Someone who manufactures dingins.
  Dirigible
  A powered airship, usually made up of a gas bag (either 
  rigid or soft) and a gondola slung beneath. Lifting power is 
  provided by hydrogen gas and motive power by engines of 
  varying types.
  Dollymop
  A prostitute, generally of the female variety.
  Drache
  Mysterious, ethereal Shifted beings who can manipulate 
  electrical fields.
  Edge
  Drug. Heightens perception and increases creative ability.
  Escape
  Drug. Has hallucinogenic properties.
  Ekranoplan
  A ground effect plane which ‘flies’ 2 to 5 metres above the 
  surface of a canal. Popular racing vehicles.
  Electrospeak
  The internal language of the Ancient and Honourable Guild 
  of Fulgurators.
  External Order Cadre, the
  External security force of Gorunna Logistics macrocorp.
  EyEwiRE Corps
  The military arm of the GRID macrocorp.
  Fighting Talk
  A dialect of commerce, spoken very fast and favoured by 
  those who earned their living through combat.
  Flowghost
  A data-retrieval and cryptological specialist who trawls the 
  Dataflow for information.
  Forbidden City, the
  Home of the Nakamura-Yebisu macrocorp.
  Fulgurator
  A member of the Ancient  & Honourable Guild of Fulgurators, 
  a group who maintain decaying power networks and railway 
  systems throughout The City.
  Furies
  Deformed, mutated, insane creatures that live under The City. 
  They are not a single breed, but are a variety of creatures 
  lumped into the one group.
  Gadgie
  A person (as in “That gadgie over there.”)
  Ghostfighter
  Stealthy knife fighters, found to be popular as bodyguards.
  Gorunna Logistics
  One of the eight macrocorps.
  Grauschjager, the
  The secret police, internal security agency, intelligence 
  gather arm and covert operations force operated by the 
  Trilhoeven macrcorp.
  Great Demolisher, the
  Main demon-figure in the pantheon of the Third Church of 
  God The Architect.
  GRID
  One of the eight macrocorps. GRID are primarily concerned 
  with power production.
  Gunskiff
  Any small, flat-bottomed boat with mounted weapons.
  Hager
  Tall, pale, faceless Shifted beings.
  Hirplakker
  One of the eight macrocorps.
  Hohler Gang, the
  Second largest organised crim group in The City. Fierce rivals 
  of the 3rd Syndicate.
  appendix 2: glossary 242
  
  Hundred Block War
  Conflict between Hirplakker and Arclight, during which Arclight 
  asserted its status as a macrocorp and subjected Hirplakker to 
  a humiliating defeat.
  Huyzel Vine
  Tough plant which grows almost anywhere.
  I-LOK
  One of the eight macrocorps.
  Internal Order Cadre, the
  The internal security force of the Gorunna Logistics macro-
  corp.
  Konkret
  Home of the Trilhoeven macrocorp.
  Iron Bastion, the
  Home of the Hirplakker macrocorp.
  Lay Reserves Martial
  Military arm of the Third Church of God The Architect.
  Lithograph
  A primitive photograph.
  Llive
  Common name for knives and short swords made out of lami-
  nated layers of steel and diamond sheet. Very, very sharp.
  Lostfinder
  Community-based private investigator who works not for 
  money, but for the goodwill and assistance of the people.
  Lugner
  A shifted being.
  Luminosity Tower
  Home of the Arclight macrocorp.
  Macrocorps
  A group of eight mercantile organisations who are in almost 
  complete control of all resources within The City.
  Magnetic Repeater
  Hitech projectile weapon which uses stepped magnets to 
  accelerate iron flechettes to very high velocities.
  Media Break
  The security arm of the Sideband Media macrocorp.
  Menace
  Dialect of common, full of hissing and low tones.
  Mikefighter
  Tiny, one-man aircraft used for combat in the skies above The 
  City.
  Minger
  An unpleasant or ugly person.
  Mortal God Church, the
  Religion. Believes that God has died (for a variety of rea-
  sons).
  Nakamura-Yebisu
  One of the eight macrocorps.
  Nebelweed
  Common plant which can be dried and smoked, producing a 
  mildly narcotic effect.
  Outlands, the
  Anywhere outside the limits of The City. Those within The City 
  are prevented from reached the Outlands by unknown forces.
  Parish
  Any area of The City controlled by a religious group or the 
  area that an individual priest, propagator or other religious 
  figure is responsible for.
  Portreeves, the
  Porters and security guards who work at Longshore University.
  Powerbike
  Any powered, two wheeled vehicle. Most often the toys of 
  the rich.
  Powerhouse, the
  Home of the GRID macrocorp.
  Provost
  A member of the police force of the Three Canals Metropolitan 
  Area.
  Radstrip
  Industrial area owned by Gorunna Logistics.
  RCCR
  The Red Canal Collectivist Republic, a group of burghs on the 
  east bank of the Red canal controlled by a local government 
  subscribing to the political ideology of collectivism.
  appendix 2: glossary 243
  
  Scrape
  Drug. Invariable lethal narcotic with horrible side-effects.
  Scurts
  Endemic, six-legged vermin.
  Shift, the
  Event which occurred nearly one thousand years ago, cut-
  ting The City off from everywhere else and giving rise to The 
  Shifted.
  Shifted, the
  Beings which rose out of the chaos of The Shift. Scientists are 
  unsure of their exact origins; folk tales and speculation abound.
  Shining Sky, the
  Religious organisation that believes The City is an experiment 
  in a crystal bubble, watched over by sinister Observers.
  Simils
  Humanoid Shifted creatures made of black iron, brass and 
  glass. They are surmounted by a human head, twisted in untold 
  agonies.
  Skiff
  A small, flat bottomed canal boat.
  Skinners
  Those who live on the outer ‘skin’ of Project 97, nearest to the 
  light and air of the outside world.
  Sparklock
  A common, primitive muzzle-loading firearm using capacitors 
  or superconductors scavenged from hitech sources or pains-
  takingly built clockwork mechanisms to electrically ignite a 
  charge of propellant.
  Streethealer
  Wandering doctors and apothecaries who tend the sick and 
  injured.
  Stringer
  A gutter journalist, working freelance or for a variety of news-
  papers, publishers or even for Sideband Media.
  Swedge
  To hit someone (as in “I gave him a right good swedge!”), or 
  the fight itself (“He’s a mean guy in a swedge!”).
  TCMA
  The Three Canals Metropolitan Area, a large aglomeration of 
  burghs clustered between the Red and Green canals.
  TCMAA
  The Three Canals Metropolitan Area Authority, the local gov-
  ernment which controls the TCMA.
  Tentenel Armour
  Powered armour used by Arclight’s military arm, the Brigade 
  of Light.
  Third Church of God The Architect, the
  Religious organisation. Believes The City is a testing ground for 
  the souls of the faithful before they ascend into His Heavenly 
  City.
  Transit Militia
  Paramilitary arm of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of 
  Fulgurators. Responsible for policing on the railways.
  Trenevier
  Home of the Gorunna Logistics macrocorp.
  Trilhoeven
  One of the eight macrocorps. The premier manufacturer of 
  armaments in The City.
  Troot
  Most common vegetable in The City.
  Tyrants
  Legendary, quasi-mythical creatures said to live deep under 
  The City.
  Ubel
  Dangerous and deadly Shifted creatures, the psychopaths of 
  the Shifted world. They walk creaking through The City on 
  bones of wood, dragging rags behind them.
  Warcrawl
  A heavy armoured fighting vehicle, usually running on caterpil-
  lar tracks.
  Weapons Division, the
  Military arm of Nakamura-Yebisu.
  Zipline
  A cable or rope slung between buildings, over canals and 
  suchlike. Used to go from place to place at speed by sliding 
  down the cable using a length of dogskin or hoop of metal 
  slung across the cable.
  appendix 2: glossary 244
  
  Skill Modifiers
  Difficulty 
   
  Modifier
  Absurdly Easy 
   
  +80
  Very Easy 
   
  +60
  Easy 
   
   
  +50
  Simple  
   
  +40
  Routine   
   
  +30
  Complicated 
   
  +10 
  Challenging 
   
  0
  Difficult  
   
  -10
  Very Difficult 
   
  -30
  Extremely Difficult  
  -50
  Formidable 
    
  -70
  Impossible 
    
  -90
  Melee Combat Area To-hit Modifiers
  Area 
   
   
  Penalty
  Head 
   
   
  -20
  Chest 
   
   
  -10
  Abdomen 
   
  -10
  Arm 
   
   
  -15
  Upper Leg 
   
  -10
  Lower Leg 
   
  -15
  Fire Combat Range Modifier
  Range  
   
  Penalty
  Close 
   
   
   00%
  Medium  
   
  -20%
  Long  
   
   
  -50%
  Extreme  
   
  -80%
  Fire Combat Situational Modifiers
  Situation 
   
  Modifier
  Walking  
   
  -10
  Jogging  
   
  -20
  Running  
   
  -30
  Sprinting  
   
  -40
  Poor Light 
   
  -10
  Bad Light 
   
  -30
  Near Dark 
   
  -70
  Mist 
   
   
  -20
  Fog/Smog 
   
  -40 
  Light Rain 
   
  -10
  Heavy Rain 
   
  -30
  Poor Footing 
   
  -10
  Restricted Movement 
  -10
  Aiming (1 second) 
  +10
  Aiming (2 seconds) 
  +20
  Aiming (4 seconds) 
  +30
  Aiming (8 seconds) 
  +40
  Laser Targeting 
   
  +20
  Fire Combat Called Shot Modifiers
  Area 
   
   
  Penalty
  Head 
   
   
  -40
  Chest 
   
   
  -20
  Abdomen 
   
  -20
  Arm 
   
   
  -30
  Upper Leg 
   
  -20
  Lower Leg 
   
  -30
  Sample Armour Values
  Cover Type 
   
  AV
  Brick Wall 
   
  10
  Plasterboard Wall  
  03
  Reinforced Concrete 
  40
  Table 
   
   
  02
  Wooden Door 
   
  03
  Hit Location Table
  D10 Role 
   
  Location
  1 
   
   
  Head
  2,3 
   
   
  Chest
  4 
   
   
  Abdomen
  5 
   
   
  Right Arm
  6 
   
   
  Left Arm
  7 
   
   
  Upper Right Leg
  8 
   
   
  Upper Left Leg
  9 
   
   
  Lower Right Leg
  10 
   
   
  Lower Left Leg
  Damage Table
   
   
   
   
   
  Light  
   
  Moderate Serious
  Head  
   
   
  1S  
   
   
  4S  
   
   
  Dead
  Chest  
   
   
  2S  
   
   
  4S  
   
   
  Dead
  Abdomen 
   
  1S  
   
   
  2S  
   
   
  4S
  Upper Leg  
  1S  
   
   
  2S  
   
   
  3S
  Lower Leg  
  Bleeding  
  1S  
   
   
  2S
  Arm  
   
   
  Bleeding  
  1S  
   
   
  2S
  First Aid Situational Modifiers
  Situation 
   
   
  Modifier
  Light Wound 
   
   
  +0%
  Moderate Wound  
   
  -20%
  Serious Wound 
   
   
  -40%
  Using Extemporised Materials 
  -20%
  Working Under Poor Conditions 
  -20%
  (e.g.: in a rain-soaked alley) 
  Working Under Terrible Conditions -40%
  (e.g.: in a combat zone with mortar shells falling all around)
  tables 245
  
  Shock Point Accumulation
  Most Severe Wound Is  Additional Shock Points
  Light 
   
   
   +1 per hour
  Moderate 
   
   +1 per 30 mins
  Serious  
   
   +1 per 10 mins
  Recovery From Injuries Modifiers/Effects Of Care
  Level Of Care  
  Mod 
  Recovery
  Intensive hospital care 
  +20% 
  1 shock point regained
    
    
   
    
  per day
  Hospital care 
   
  +0% 
  1 shock point regained
    
   
   
   
  per 2 days
  In-home care 
   
   -20% 
  1 shock point regained
    
   
   
   
  per 4 days
  Falling Damage
  Height  
   
  Damage Value
  0 - 2m 
   
   
  06
  3 - 4m 
   
   
  10
  5 - 7m 
   
   
  14
  8 - 10m  
   
  18
  10m+ 
   
   
  20
  Vehicle Maneuver Stat Modifiers
  MAN 
   
   
  Modifier
  1 
   
   
  -40
  2 
   
   
  -30
  3 
   
   
  -20
  4 
   
   
  -10
  5 
   
   
  +0
  6 
   
   
  +10
  7 
   
   
  +20
  8 
   
   
  +30
  9 
   
   
  +40
  10 
   
   
  +50
  Vehicle Maneuver Task Modifiers
  Task 
    
   
   
  Modifier
  Drive/pilot in a straight line  
  0
  Shallow turn 
   
   
  -10
  Medium turn 
   
   
  -20
  Sharp turn 
   
   
  -40
  Gentle weaving  
   
  -20
  Violent dodging  
   
  -50
  Sharp braking 
   
   
  -30
  Bootlegger turn (ground vehicles only) 
  -60
  Power dive (aircraft only) 
   
  -40
  Vehicle Fire Combat Range Modifiers
  Range  
   
  Modifier
  Close 
   
   
   00%
  Medium  
   
  -20%
  Long  
   
   
  -50%
  Extreme  
   
  -80% 
  Vehicle Hit Location Table
  D10 
    
   
  Location
  1 
   
   
  Superstructure
  2 
   
   
  Superstructure
  3 
   
   
  Powerplant
  4 
   
   
  Powerplant
  5 
   
   
  Drivetrain
  6 
   
   
  Controls
  7 
   
   
  Sensors
  8 
   
   
  Weapons
  9 
   
   
  Passengers
  10 
   
   
  Crew
   
  tables 246
   
   
   
   
   
  Light  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Medium  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Heavy
  Controls  
   
  MAN reduced by 2 levels. 
   
   
   
  MAN reduced by 5 levels. 
   
   
   
  Vehicle is uncontrollable.
  Crew  
   
   
  1 crew member takes hit at 50%  
   
  All crew take hit at 50% of  
   
   
   
  Crew killed.
   
   
   
   
   
  of penetrating damage. 
   
   
   
   
  penetrating damage. 
  Passengers  
  1 passenger takes hit at 50%  
   
   
  All passengers take hits at 50%   
   
  Passengers killed.
   
   
   
   
   
  of penetrating damage. 
   
   
   
   
  of penetrating damage.
  Weapons 
   
  1 weapon out of action. Repairable.  
  1 weapon destroyed.  
   
   
   
   
  All weapons destroyed.
  Superstructure Holes in superstructure, minor damage, Noticeable damage to superstructure,  
  Catastrophic damage.
   
   
   
   
   
  RES reduced by 10% (round up)  
   
  RES reduced by 30%.
  Powerplant  
  ACC and SPD reduced by 25%  
   
  ACC and SPD reduced by 50%.  
   
  Catastrophic damage.
  Drivetrain 
   
  ACC, DEC and SPD reduced by 25%  
  ACC, DEC and SPD reduced by 50%. 
  Destroyed.
  Sensors  
   
  1 sensor put out of action. Repairable. 
  1 sensor destroyed. 
   
   
   
   
   
  All sensors destroyed.
  Catastrophic damage: The vehicle is totally destroyed. All passengers and crew take damage equivalent 50% of that which penetrated the vehicle.
  Destroyed: The component in question is rendered useless and unrepairable.
  
  SKILLS 
  Mod Level Total
  ADVANTAGES 
   
  Level
  POSSESSIONS 
   
  Weight
  DISADVANTAGES 
   
  Level
  CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
  Height
  Weight
  Eye Colour
  Hair Colour
  Complexion
  CHARACTER NAME & OCCUPATION
  PORTRAIT
  Projectile Weapons 
  DAM 
  PEN RNG ROF REM 
  CLIP 
  MSS Rel.
  Melee Weapons 
  DAM 
  PEN RCH REM MSS 
  Notes
  ©2004 Contested Ground Studios. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.
  A|STATE CHARACTER SHEET 2004.1.g 
  IPs
  Age
  APs
  SPs
  Agility
  Dexterity
  Health
  Strength
  Awareness
  Intelligence
  Personality
  Willpower
  ATTRIBUTES
  AGL
  DEX
  HLT
  STR
  AWR
  INT
  PER
  WIL
  Birthplace
  Origin
  Upbringing
  Associates
  DERIVED 
  ATTRIBUTES
  REA
  RES
  Punch DMG
  Kick DMG
  ENC
  PLAYER
  WEALTH £ 
  . 
  s . 
  p
  Injuries
   
  Location 
  AV 
  Melee Fire
   
  Head 1 
  –20 –40
   
  Chest 2,3 
  –10 –20
   Abdomen 4 
  –10 –20
   
  R Arm 5 
  –15 –30
   
  L Arm 6 
  –15 –30
   Up R Leg 7 
  –10 –20
   Up L Leg 8 
  –10 –20
   Lo R Leg 9 
  –15 –30
   Lo L Leg 10 
  –15 –30
   TRAUMA L (<RES) M (≥RES) S (≥2RES)
   
  Head 
  1 SP 
  4 SP 
  DEAD
   
  Chest 
  2 SP 
  4 SP 
  DEAD
   Abdomen 
  1 SP 
  2 SP 
  4 SP
   
  Arm 
  Bleed 
  1 SP 
  2 SP
   Upper Leg 
  1 SP 
  2 SP 
  3 SP
   Lower Leg 
  Bleed 
  1 SP 
  2 SP
  Shock Points
  1
  2,3
  5
  4
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  DAMAGE
  
  SKILLS 
  Mod Level Total
  ADVANTAGES 
   
  Level
  DISADVANTAGES 
   
  Level
  CHARACTER BACKGROUND/HISTORY
  NOTES
  ©2004 Contested Ground Studios. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.
  A|STATE CHARACTER SHEET 2004.1.h 
  Projectile Weapons 
  DAM 
  PEN RNG ROF REM 
  CLIP 
  MSS Rel.
  Melee Weapons 
  DAM 
  PEN RCH REM MSS 
  Notes
  POSSESSIONS
  INFLUENCE & CONTACTS
  
  A
  A Sense of Common Indecency (Part 1) 
  23
  A Sense of Common Indecency (Part 2) 
  31
  A Sense of Common Indecency (Part 3) 
  39
  Academic (character generation) 
   
  157
  Activist (character generation) 
   
  158
  Advantages (character generation)  
  154
  Aerostat 
   
   
   
   
  22, 214
  Air Travel 
   
   
   
   
  22
  Alekseyev EKR 
   
   
   
  27
  Ancient & Honourable Guild of Fulgurators 20, 93, 130
  Animism 
   
   
   
   
  133
  Antiquities Hunter (character generation) 159
  Apffel Plants  
   
   
   
  47
  Arclight 
   
   
   
   
  87, 118, 119
  Armour 
   
   
   
   
  200
  Artist (character generation)  
   
  159
  b
  Bankside 
   
   
   
   
  48
  Barges  
   
   
   
   
  212
  Barrage Balloon Communications 
   
  25
  Basic Rules 
   
   
   
   
  141
  Basin  
   
   
   
   
  18
  Bioscience 
   
   
   
   
  208
  Black Canal, the 
   
   
   
  19, 63
  Bleeders 
   
   
   
   
  45
  Bombardment, the 
   
   
   
  17, 34
  Brackens, the  
   
   
   
  98
  Brigade of Light 
   
   
   
  120
  Brightlights 
   
   
   
   
  49
  Broken (language) 
   
   
   
  45
  Burghs  
   
   
   
   
  48
  Burningfell 
   
   
   
   
  75
  c
  Cablecars 
   
   
   
   
  21
  Cadre, the 
   
   
   
   
  123
  Calculus Tor  
   
   
   
  51
  Canals  
   
   
   
   
  18
   
  Black Canal  
   
   
  19, 63
   
  Capillary Canals 
   
   
  20
   
  Concentric Canals 
   
   
  20
   
  Grand Canal  
   
   
  19
   
  Green Canal  
   
   
  19, 62
   
  Least Canal 
   
   
   
  19
   
  Nothing, the  
   
   
  19
   
  Red Canal 
   
   
   
  19
   
  Serpentine Canal 
   
   
  19
   
  Trench, the 
   
   
   
  19
  Cant (language) 
   
   
   
  45
  Capillary Canals 
   
   
   
  20
  Card Games  
   
   
   
  29
  Cartridge Weapons  
   
   
  193
  CATCH Teams  
   
   
   
  116
  Cathedral, the  
   
   
   
  80
  Character Generation 
   
   
  153
   
  Attributes 
   
   
   
  153
   
  Concept 
   
   
   
  154
   
  Origin  
   
   
   
  156
   
  Professions 
   
   
   
  158
   
  Rounding Out  
   
   
  164
   
  Skills  
   
   
   
  167
   
  Upbringing 
   
   
   
  157
   
  Wealth  
   
   
   
  164
  Chasegangs  
   
   
   
  36
  City Areas 
   
   
   
   
  48
   
  Bankside 
   
   
   
  48
   
  Brackens, the  
   
   
  98
   
  Brightlights 
   
   
   
  49
   
  Burningfell 
   
   
   
  75
   
  Calculus Tor  
   
   
  51
   
  Cathedral, the  
   
   
  80
   
  Clearwater Break 
   
   
  53
   
  Colsetter Parish 
   
   
  55
   
  Contested Grounds, the 
   
  18,99
   
  CrossBar Terminus 
   
   
  21, 92
   
  Deepdown 
   
   
   
  77
   
  Dog Junction  
   
   
  56
   
  Dreamingspires 
   
   
  18, 58
   
  Fogwarren 
   
   
   
  18, 60
   
  Folly Hills 
   
   
   
  62
   
  Forbidden City, the 
   
   
  18, 82
   
  Forest, the 
   
   
   
  101
   
  Hangside 
   
   
   
  63
   
  Inferno  
   
   
   
  94
   
  Iron Bastion, the 
   
   
  83
   
  Konkret 
   
   
   
  18, 85
   
  Long Pond 
   
   
   
  65
   
  Longshore University  
   
  37, 96
   
  Luminosity Tower 
   
   
  18, 87
   
  Lucent Heights  
   
   
  66
   
  Merryhell 
   
   
   
  18, 68
   
  Mire End 
   
   
   
  69
   
  Powerhouse, the 
   
   
  88
   
  Project 97 
   
   
   
  71
  index 249
  
   
  Shore Ditch Warrens  
   
  73
   
  Smokey Mountain 
   
   
  103
   
  Trenevier 
   
   
   
  90
   
  Train, the 
   
   
   
  78
  City Map 
   
   
   
   
  42
  Clearwater Break 
   
   
   
  53
  Clothing 
   
   
   
   
  205
  Colsetter Parish 
   
   
   
  55
  Combat Rules  
   
   
   
  142
  Commerce (language) 
   
   
  45
  Common 
   (language) 
   
   
  45
  Communications 
   
   
   
  24
  Computing 
   
   
   
   
  24
  Concentric Canals 
   
   
   
  20
  Contested Grounds, the 
   
   
  18, 99
  Council, the  
   
   
   
  33
  Cripplecut 
   
   
   
   
  29
  CrossBar Terminus 
   
   
   
  21, 92
  Crypt, the 
   
   
   
   
  131
  Culture (language) 
   
   
   
  45
  d
  Darrat-Emvax  
   
   
   
  27
  Dataflow, the  
   
   
   
  24
  Daylight 
   
   
   
   
  111
  Deepdown 
   
   
   
   
  77
  Dingin  
   
   
   
   
  24, 203
  Dirigibles 
   
   
   
   
  22
  Disadvantages (character generation) 
  154
  Dog Junction  
   
   
   
  56
  Dogs  
   
   
   
   
  30, 46
  Drache 
   
   
   
   
  37
  Dreamingspires 
   
   
   
  18, 58
  Drugs  
   
   
   
   
  43
   
  Edge  
   
   
   
  44
   
  Escape  
   
   
   
  44
   
  Nebelweed 
   
   
   
  44, 47
   
  Scrape  
   
   
   
  44
  e
  Edge (drug)  
   
   
   
  44
  Ekranoplan Racing 
   
   
   
  26
  Electrospeak (language) 
   
   
  45
  Equipment 
   
   
   
   
  189
  Escape (drug)  
   
   
   
  44
  External Order Cadre 
   
   
  120
  EyEwiRe Corps. 
   
   
   
  122
  f
  Fire Combat  
   
   
   
  143
  Firefinger 
   
   
   
   
  29, 127
  Fish 
   
   
   
   
   
  30, 46, 48
  Fighting Talk (language) 
   
   
  45
  Flora & Fauna  
   
   
   
  45
  Flowghost (character generation) 
   
  160
  Fogwarren 
   
   
   
   
  18, 60
  Folly Hills 
   
   
   
   
  62
  Food & Drink  
   
   
   
  29
  Forbidden City, the 
   
   
   
  18, 82
  Forest, the 
   
   
   
   
  101
  Fungus  
   
   
   
   
  47
  Funiculars 
   
   
   
   
  22
  Furies  
   
   
   
   
  46
  g
  Gangs  
   
   
   
   
  35
  Ghostfighter (character generation)  
  160
  Glossary 
   
   
   
   
  241
  Gorunna Logistics 
   
   
   
  68, 77, 120
  Grand Canal  
   
   
   
  19 
  Grand Canal 2000  
   
   
  27
  Grauschjager, the 
   
   
   
  126
  Green Canal  
   
   
   
  19, 62
  Greenkeepers, the 
   
   
   
  134
  GRID  
   
   
   
   
  121
  Groundcars 
   
   
   
   
  216
  Gun Culture  
   
   
   
  34
  Gunskiff 
   
   
   
   
  211
  h
  Hager  
   
   
   
   
  37
  Hangside 
   
   
   
   
  63
  Heavy Weapons 
   
   
   
  197
  Hirplakker 
   
   
   
   
  118, 122
  Hirplakker Speed Division 
   
   
  27
  Hohler Gang, the 
   
   
   
  112
  Hundred Block War, the 
   
   
  118
  Huyzel Vine  
   
   
   
  47
  i
  I-LOK  
   
   
   
   
  123
  Industrial Areas 
   
   
   
  75
  index 250
  
  Inferno  
   
   
   
   
  94
  Internal Order Cadre  
   
   
  120
  Iron Bastion, the 
   
   
   
  83
  Iron Hand Security 
   
   
   
  128
  k
  Konkret 
   
   
   
   
  18, 85
  Kraken  
   
   
   
   
  27
  l
  Language 
   
   
   
   
  45
  Lateral Canals  
   
   
   
  18
  Law Enforcer (character generation)  
  161
  Lay Reserves Martial  
   
   
  55, 137
  Least Canal 
   
   
   
   
  19
  Long Pond 
   
   
   
   
  65
  Longshore University  
   
   
  37, 96
  Lostfinder 
   
   
   
   
  18
  Lostfinder (character generation) 
   
  161
  Lost Places, the 
   
   
   
  39
  Lucent Heights  
   
   
   
  66
  Lugner  
   
   
   
   
  18, 38
  Luminosity Tower 
   
   
   
  18, 87
  m
  Macrocorporate Domains 
   
   
  80
  Macrocorps  
   
   
   
  17, 34, 118
   
  Arclight 
   
   
   
  87, 118, 119
   
  Gorunna Logistics 
   
   
  68, 77, 120
   
  GRID  
   
   
   
  121
   
  Hirplakker 
   
   
   
  118, 122
   
  I-LOK  
   
   
   
  123
   
  Nakamura-Yebisu 
   
   
  124
   
  Sideband Media 
   
   
  25, 125
   
  Trilhoeven 
   
   
   
  126
  Macrotism 
   
   
   
   
  133
  Magnetic Repeaters  
   
   
  193
  Mapmaker (character generation)  
  161
  Media Break  
   
   
   
  125
  Melee Combat 
   
   
   
  142
  Melee Weapons 
   
   
   
  200
  Menace 
  (language) 
   
   
  45
  Merryhell 
   
   
   
   
  68
  Mikefighters  
   
   
   
  22, 214
  Mikefighter Pilot (character generation) 
  162
  Millenarian Cults 
   
   
   
  133
  Mire End 
   
   
   
   
  18, 69
  Money  
   
   
   
   
  192
  Mortal God Church, the 
   
   
  134
  Mudlark (character generation) 
   
  162
  Music  
   
   
   
   
  26
  n
  Nakamura-Yebisu 
   
   
   
  124
  Nebelweed (drug) 
   
   
   
  44, 47
  Notable Buildings 
   
   
   
  92
  Nothing, the  
   
   
   
  19
  o
  Origin (character generation) 
   
  156
  Outlands 
   
   
   
   
  17, 31
  p
  Pistols  
   
   
   
   
  193
  Place, the 
   
   
   
   
  41
  Players, the 
   
   
   
   
  151
  Poisons 
   
   
   
   
  148
  Politics  
   
   
   
   
  33
  Power, the 
   
   
   
   
  105
  Powerbikes 
   
   
   
   
  216
  Powerhouse, the 
   
   
   
  88
  Precepts, the  
   
   
   
  15
  Pre-Generated Characters 
   
   
  178
  Preface, the 
   
   
   
   
  5
  Procedure, the  
   
   
   
  139
  Product, the 
   
   
   
   
  189
  Project 97 
   
   
   
   
  71
  Provosts 
   
   
   
   
  18, 66, 116
  r
  Railwaymans Bluff 
   
   
   
  29
  Railways 
   
   
   
   
  20
  Rapid Ring, the 
   
   
   
  29
  Red Canal 
   
   
   
   
  19
  Red Canal Collectivist Republic, the  
  33, 113
  Resources 
   
   
   
   
  31
  Rifles  
   
   
   
   
  195
  index 251
  
  s
  Scrape (drug)  
   
   
   
  44
  Scurts  
   
   
   
   
  46
  Serpentine Canal 
   
   
   
  19
  Shift, the 
   
   
   
   
  17, 34
  Shift Worship  
   
   
   
  134
  Shifted, the 
   
   
   
   
  17, 36
  Shore Ditch Warrens  
   
   
  73
  Sideband Media 
   
   
   
  25, 125
  Simils  
   
   
   
   
  18, 38
  Skiffs  
   
   
   
   
  211
  Skill Descriptions 
   
   
   
  167
  Skill List 
   
   
   
   
  168
  Smokey Mountain 
   
   
   
  103
  Soldiers of Change, the 
   
   
  133
  Sparklock 
   
   
   
   
  35, 192
  Special Department, the 
   
   
  33, 114
  Sports  
   
   
   
   
  26
  Straits Raceway 
   
   
   
  29
  Streets  
   
   
   
   
  21
  Stringer 
   
   
   
   
  18
  Stringer (character generation) 
   
  163
  Submachineguns 
   
   
   
  195
  t
  Television 
   
   
   
   
  25
  Tentenel Armour 
   
   
   
  201
  Theatre 
   
   
   
   
  26
  Theories on The Shifted 
   
   
  37
  Third Church of God The Architect, the 
  37, 55, 137
  Third Syndicate, the  
   
   
  110
  Three Canals Metropolitan Area 
   
  33, 115
  Three Canals Metropolitan Area Auth. 
  18, 33, 115
  Time  
   
   
   
   
  43
  Train, the 
   
   
   
   
  78
  Trams  
   
   
   
   
  21
  Transit Militia  
   
   
   
  20, 93, 130, 
  131
  Transport & Travel 
   
   
   
  18
  Trees  
   
   
   
   
  47
  Trench, the 
   
   
   
   
  19
  Trenevier 
   
   
   
   
  90
  Trilhoeven 
   
   
   
   
  126
  Troot  
   
   
   
   
  47
  Tyrants  
   
   
   
   
  46
  u
  Ubel  
   
   
   
   
  18, 38
  Upbringing (character generation)  
  157
  v
  Vehicles 
   
   
   
   
  211
  Vehicular Weapons  
   
   
  197
  W
  Warcrawl 
   
   
   
   
  216
  Wavefront 
   
   
   
   
  27
  Weapon Accessories  
   
   
  199
  Weapons 
   
   
   
   
  193
   
  Melee  
   
   
   
  200
   
  Pistols  
   
   
   
  193
   
  Rifles  
   
   
   
  195
   
  Submachineguns 
   
   
  195
   
  Vehicular Weapons  
   
  197
  Weapons Division, the 
   
   
  124
  Z
  Zipline  
   
   
   
   
  10
  index 252
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/A-State/A-State - Core Rules.pdf