IN-DEPTH WORLD GUIDE
IN-DEPTH WORLD GUIDE
And at the edges of the map, it stated simply: Here Be Monsters.
--- THE SAFEZONE
THE SAFEZONE is a ruined city, broken and left in disrepair by the effects of the Scientists' work with time-space compression.
Living in Adstringendum, even in the so called "Safezone," isn't supposed to be easy; a bit of the challenge (and fun) is adapting to the environment. Naturally, more densely populated areas are better off in terms of livability, while those areas toward the edge of the Safezone (nearer the Wall and the Wastelands) are more in shambles and very likely to have creatures roaming around.
On the other hand, these less densely populated areas are far less looted and thus have more readily attained supplies, while the densely-populated areas have been looted; people unwilling to venture past these pockets of "civilization" would have to rely on each other for the items they need.
(city map)
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE, & THE CELESTIAL BODIES.
The city is primarily flat. There are some hills, but not a great deal. In the Waste are all levels of landmass - mountains and valleys, caves, caverns, cliffs, and the like.
The outer city itself, the Safezone, is oddly quiet, most of the time. It's massive, nearly the size of New Jersey, and populated by the played characters, as well as NPCs. As far as population density goes, there's about five NPCs to every played character. The NPCs inside the city can be interacted with in various ways, but don't really have much information. They're civilians, pulled over from their own original worlds. There are few machine sounds, though the rivers and lakes provide white noise in the form of water movement.
Two moons orbit the planet, the white one rising around 6 pm and setting around 2 am, and the larger, slightly-green moon rises around 8:30 pm and goes down around 7:45 am. The moons have names, but none of the residents in the city know this. The white moon has a lunar cycle of 43 days, while the green one takes 37 days to go through its cycle.
The sky is pale. This isn't because of cold - there's just less pollution here, and thus less coloration. It will still change colors in the evening, which speaks of past industrialization, but there's nothing currently in the city that supports this - no cars, no factories, nothing putting out pollution or contaminants. There are stars and clouds and a sun. The stars, though, don't look the same, since they're viewed from a different place in the galaxy. The climate is Continental Climate what you would find in the Midwest USA, which means Adstringendum has full seasons.
BUILDINGS.
The city looks like it's been through a war, with streets and buildings damaged or in disrepair. Along a single street and through-out the city, structures do not match, having been pulled in bits and pieces from different worlds and countries. The roads don't all connect, nor are they in any sort of good condition. The rubble is piles, cement and twisted metal that looks to have been there for years. Some piles are toppled.
Toward the center of the desolate city lie some tall, though dilapidated, skyscrapers. Moving further out from this central region, the buildings become a bit smaller, and therefore more livable and generally safer. The larger the building and the higher up the floor-level, the more unstable it is for the average human. A ninja or shinigami or other sure-footed and skilled being may be able to easily (or quickly) travel over these unstable regions, but a regular, un-powered human may have difficulty and may want to steer clear of such dangerous buildings (at the same time, an unstable 30 story building is somewhere no one should be in the event it topples over onto the surrounding area).
Finding a place to stay, permanent or temporary, should not be too difficult due to the size of the city. Your character can grab one of the remaining unoccupied houses from the Christmas 2009 building arrival, or there are rooms at the clinics, or there are even plenty of run-down, damaged buildings. Of the buildings not part of the Christmas 2009 add, all need to be fixed up and few have more than one story, but they're workable. The buildings, other than ones already established in the city, are generic. They can look 'Spanish' or 'Japanese,' 'Amestrian' or any other culture, but they are not specific buildings from worlds unless mod permission is given.
Of the City's buildings, there is one blocked off area - the top half of the Minbari Temple. It is closed off and can't be gotten through. Nothing can go higher than this point, either.
ELECTRICITY & POWER OPTIONS.
Given the amount of people around (both playable characters and NPCs) as well as the amount of time that's passed, electricity is possible in areas. Generators can be found and fixed and hooked up by characters with knowledge of such things, and there are probably other things lying around that can be used. However, damaged wiring, blown fuses, and sparking electric wires continue to be a problem. Any attempts at bringing electricity (or other similar things) to a large area should be run by a moderator first. Dr. Horrible's lab, as well as Juke's, and surrounding areas in the Northwest Quadrant, have accessible electricity. However, maintenance has not been done in-game on the equipment since they disappeared, and it is more than likely to fail without attention given to it. No other areas of the Safezone or buildings have electricity.
Be wary of broken gas pipes and natural gas leaks that may lead to explosions. Most of the buildings lack any form of central heating and provide it themselves through the use of fireplaces or small localized bonfires. For cooking, something like a portable propane cooking stove or a wood stove would be the best
Energy sources are rarely available. A limited quantity of coal was found around Christmas for holiday purposes, but gasoline, propane, and the like are not findable. Coal is still around, here and there, along with barbecue-esque briquettes. Every now and then, it's possible to stumble across a couple of batteries, but that's rare, and only a few. They are not common by any stretch of the imagination.
WATER.
Broken water pipes, as well as a lack of any water filtration systems is the biggest hindrance to citywide water-processing, sewage, and plumbing systems. The current sources for fresh water come from the lake or river, but even then the water should be boiled to rid it of germs and other possible health hazards. Collecting rain water during wet seasons is also possible. A few houses in various regions of the city still have some sort of intact water system, and anyone who knows anything about plumbing is free to try to fix up a house. But like electricity, there will be some problems in getting anything stable going (leaks, temperamental systems, etc.).
Currently only part of the Northeast Quadrant, near and including the Hyuuga House Complex, has running water. Houses on the edge of the area have water most of the time, but not always. No other areas of the Safezone or buildings have running water.
SUPPLIES.
Supplies require gathering, and some are easier to find than others. There are many shops that come and go, and the basic clothing needs are always covered - underwear and socks, simple pants and shirts, shoes and sandals. Those are the easy things to acquire. Food is scarce, and almost always dried or in cans, aside from seasonal items that show up due to events. Two greenhouses are running (managed and manned actively by Maes Hughes and Fletcher Tringham), along with a few personal gardens, and there is an orchard, so fresh fruits and vegetables, while not plentiful, can be found. Meat requires hunting, and there are plenty of animals in the Waste to be hunted. The killer rabbits provide decent meat, but they're small so they're not entirely practical. Random items can be found, but they won't be items from peoples' canons unless approved by mod.
Weapons: Traditional weaponry is not available. There were some leftover supplies when people began to arrive, but they have been exhausted. When people vanish, what they had can be found, provided it wasn't on the disappearing person at the time. Other items can be found and used: pruning shears, kitchen knives, pitchforks, and the like. Other things can be made and adapted, like bits of wood being attached with a chain to make nun-chucks. The bullet supply is exhausted.
TRANSPORTATION.
There are cars, motorcycles, mopeds, etc. around the city, but the condition of each vehicle is varying and the biggest issue would be finding fuel to keep them running. The roads are also badly damaged and would be difficult for something large to travel through. However, this is not to say fixing up a vehicle is impossible, especially if your character is knowledgeable in that area and has the tools needed. Bicycles can also be found, but again, condition of the vehicle is a factor to keep in mind. For those who want to get especially creative, there is also the possibility of taming wild animals to ride.
WILDLIFE.
If your character is in the Safezone, there aren't a great many animals. Hellcats and killer rabbits are the most commonly seen, and might actually have a sixth sense that calls them to new arrivals. There are no more wild 'safe' cats, all have been taken in. The rest have fallen prey to the more dangerous creatures of the world. Few things are left that are safe or peaceful; most that wander are dangerous and hungry. There are, however, a few fruit cows wandering around. They can be used for milk and meat, but there aren't a lot of them.
--- THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE WASTELANDS
Originally, the City was separated from the unstable Wastelands by a combination chain-link and electric fence with gates to allow people to move between the Safezone and the Wastelands. Every night between 4 AM and 7 AM, the electric fence would drop for recharging. During this time, things might sneak into the Safezone, either by breaking the fence or sneaking through pre-existing holes.
On the second Christmas "celebrated" in Adstringendum, however, and as a result of a mis-compression (reverse-decompression), the Great Wall of China appeared to take the place of the fence.
This stone wall, like the original fence, is in varying states of disrepair: some is renovated, some very much shows its age by either being broken down, or reduced by erosion to barely two meters high. Battlements line the top of the wall itself, and watchtowers still dot the wall every few miles. Gates still exist to allow residents to leave the city, while keeping the monsters and other oddities from the Wastelands out of the city... The Wall can be climbed over by residents and creatures alike, but the monsters of the Waste are oddly reluctant to cross into the city while the Wall is there. Though some have been known to sneak through the worn places in the wall, few are large, and fewer still make it far into the city before being stopped by an adventurous resident.
--- THE WASTELANDS
The devastated vastness beyond the Safezone is referred to as the Wastelands. Constantly changing as different worlds compress and try to overtake one another, strange beasts have been known to prowl: malformed combinations of species that should have never existed in the same space, Chimeras, dangerous and deadly creatures that are normally benign. Characters enter the Wastelands at their own risk. Realistically speaking, if your character is not trained in any sort of combat, armed with a weapon, or even used to harsh environments, they should not be going into the Wastelands; it could cost them their life.
Within a mile of the city limits, changes to the environment can be felt or seen before a change occurs--minor earthquakes, the appearance of another location fading in, etc.--making this the "safest" and most "stable" (relatively speaking) area within the Wastelands. The walls surrounding the Safezone are visible and serve as a static landmark for anyone who may head outside to travel. Beyond that mile, the Safezone cannot be seen, there are no warnings for when an area might shift, and the monsters are larger, and far more dangerous...
--- THE INNER CITY
The Inner City is a small fortress. This is where the scientists of the Unified Universe Project and the soldiers that are under contract to them live. Unlike the outer city where player characters live, the Inner City has running water and electricity, all of the basics and some luxuries. The perimeter wall is closely watched, and since they’ve been attacked twice both groups are working actively to step up security.
A tall, very smooth fence runs around the Inner City; the gap caused by the earthquake has been repaired. There are guards posted inside it, and one heavily secure gate. The guards are well-armed, well-fed, well-trained, and well-rested.
There is a warehouse that the Animus now consider their own within the Inner City. It’s where the scientists attempted to study them. About a fourth of those scientists vanished, half died, never to come back to life, and a fourth were left witless or insane.
Many of the scientists will talk to characters; they're starting to look beyond their walls a bit. Some are friendly. Some are not. Sometimes the soldiers will talk, but in general they don’t have PCDs.
Entering the Inner City shouldn't be taken lightly, and in fact can’t be. All entries must be mod-approved, with the foreknowledge that the price is high for messing with the scientists and/or the Animus.
(original indepth world guide appears here)
this page last updated: Jan 19, 2010
And at the edges of the map, it stated simply: Here Be Monsters.
--- THE SAFEZONE
THE SAFEZONE is a ruined city, broken and left in disrepair by the effects of the Scientists' work with time-space compression.
Living in Adstringendum, even in the so called "Safezone," isn't supposed to be easy; a bit of the challenge (and fun) is adapting to the environment. Naturally, more densely populated areas are better off in terms of livability, while those areas toward the edge of the Safezone (nearer the Wall and the Wastelands) are more in shambles and very likely to have creatures roaming around.
On the other hand, these less densely populated areas are far less looted and thus have more readily attained supplies, while the densely-populated areas have been looted; people unwilling to venture past these pockets of "civilization" would have to rely on each other for the items they need.
(city map)
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE, & THE CELESTIAL BODIES.
The city is primarily flat. There are some hills, but not a great deal. In the Waste are all levels of landmass - mountains and valleys, caves, caverns, cliffs, and the like.
The outer city itself, the Safezone, is oddly quiet, most of the time. It's massive, nearly the size of New Jersey, and populated by the played characters, as well as NPCs. As far as population density goes, there's about five NPCs to every played character. The NPCs inside the city can be interacted with in various ways, but don't really have much information. They're civilians, pulled over from their own original worlds. There are few machine sounds, though the rivers and lakes provide white noise in the form of water movement.
Two moons orbit the planet, the white one rising around 6 pm and setting around 2 am, and the larger, slightly-green moon rises around 8:30 pm and goes down around 7:45 am. The moons have names, but none of the residents in the city know this. The white moon has a lunar cycle of 43 days, while the green one takes 37 days to go through its cycle.
The sky is pale. This isn't because of cold - there's just less pollution here, and thus less coloration. It will still change colors in the evening, which speaks of past industrialization, but there's nothing currently in the city that supports this - no cars, no factories, nothing putting out pollution or contaminants. There are stars and clouds and a sun. The stars, though, don't look the same, since they're viewed from a different place in the galaxy. The climate is Continental Climate what you would find in the Midwest USA, which means Adstringendum has full seasons.
BUILDINGS.
The city looks like it's been through a war, with streets and buildings damaged or in disrepair. Along a single street and through-out the city, structures do not match, having been pulled in bits and pieces from different worlds and countries. The roads don't all connect, nor are they in any sort of good condition. The rubble is piles, cement and twisted metal that looks to have been there for years. Some piles are toppled.
Toward the center of the desolate city lie some tall, though dilapidated, skyscrapers. Moving further out from this central region, the buildings become a bit smaller, and therefore more livable and generally safer. The larger the building and the higher up the floor-level, the more unstable it is for the average human. A ninja or shinigami or other sure-footed and skilled being may be able to easily (or quickly) travel over these unstable regions, but a regular, un-powered human may have difficulty and may want to steer clear of such dangerous buildings (at the same time, an unstable 30 story building is somewhere no one should be in the event it topples over onto the surrounding area).
Finding a place to stay, permanent or temporary, should not be too difficult due to the size of the city. Your character can grab one of the remaining unoccupied houses from the Christmas 2009 building arrival, or there are rooms at the clinics, or there are even plenty of run-down, damaged buildings. Of the buildings not part of the Christmas 2009 add, all need to be fixed up and few have more than one story, but they're workable. The buildings, other than ones already established in the city, are generic. They can look 'Spanish' or 'Japanese,' 'Amestrian' or any other culture, but they are not specific buildings from worlds unless mod permission is given.
Of the City's buildings, there is one blocked off area - the top half of the Minbari Temple. It is closed off and can't be gotten through. Nothing can go higher than this point, either.
ELECTRICITY & POWER OPTIONS.
Given the amount of people around (both playable characters and NPCs) as well as the amount of time that's passed, electricity is possible in areas. Generators can be found and fixed and hooked up by characters with knowledge of such things, and there are probably other things lying around that can be used. However, damaged wiring, blown fuses, and sparking electric wires continue to be a problem. Any attempts at bringing electricity (or other similar things) to a large area should be run by a moderator first. Dr. Horrible's lab, as well as Juke's, and surrounding areas in the Northwest Quadrant, have accessible electricity. However, maintenance has not been done in-game on the equipment since they disappeared, and it is more than likely to fail without attention given to it. No other areas of the Safezone or buildings have electricity.
Be wary of broken gas pipes and natural gas leaks that may lead to explosions. Most of the buildings lack any form of central heating and provide it themselves through the use of fireplaces or small localized bonfires. For cooking, something like a portable propane cooking stove or a wood stove would be the best
Energy sources are rarely available. A limited quantity of coal was found around Christmas for holiday purposes, but gasoline, propane, and the like are not findable. Coal is still around, here and there, along with barbecue-esque briquettes. Every now and then, it's possible to stumble across a couple of batteries, but that's rare, and only a few. They are not common by any stretch of the imagination.
WATER.
Broken water pipes, as well as a lack of any water filtration systems is the biggest hindrance to citywide water-processing, sewage, and plumbing systems. The current sources for fresh water come from the lake or river, but even then the water should be boiled to rid it of germs and other possible health hazards. Collecting rain water during wet seasons is also possible. A few houses in various regions of the city still have some sort of intact water system, and anyone who knows anything about plumbing is free to try to fix up a house. But like electricity, there will be some problems in getting anything stable going (leaks, temperamental systems, etc.).
Currently only part of the Northeast Quadrant, near and including the Hyuuga House Complex, has running water. Houses on the edge of the area have water most of the time, but not always. No other areas of the Safezone or buildings have running water.
SUPPLIES.
Supplies require gathering, and some are easier to find than others. There are many shops that come and go, and the basic clothing needs are always covered - underwear and socks, simple pants and shirts, shoes and sandals. Those are the easy things to acquire. Food is scarce, and almost always dried or in cans, aside from seasonal items that show up due to events. Two greenhouses are running (managed and manned actively by Maes Hughes and Fletcher Tringham), along with a few personal gardens, and there is an orchard, so fresh fruits and vegetables, while not plentiful, can be found. Meat requires hunting, and there are plenty of animals in the Waste to be hunted. The killer rabbits provide decent meat, but they're small so they're not entirely practical. Random items can be found, but they won't be items from peoples' canons unless approved by mod.
Weapons: Traditional weaponry is not available. There were some leftover supplies when people began to arrive, but they have been exhausted. When people vanish, what they had can be found, provided it wasn't on the disappearing person at the time. Other items can be found and used: pruning shears, kitchen knives, pitchforks, and the like. Other things can be made and adapted, like bits of wood being attached with a chain to make nun-chucks. The bullet supply is exhausted.
TRANSPORTATION.
There are cars, motorcycles, mopeds, etc. around the city, but the condition of each vehicle is varying and the biggest issue would be finding fuel to keep them running. The roads are also badly damaged and would be difficult for something large to travel through. However, this is not to say fixing up a vehicle is impossible, especially if your character is knowledgeable in that area and has the tools needed. Bicycles can also be found, but again, condition of the vehicle is a factor to keep in mind. For those who want to get especially creative, there is also the possibility of taming wild animals to ride.
WILDLIFE.
If your character is in the Safezone, there aren't a great many animals. Hellcats and killer rabbits are the most commonly seen, and might actually have a sixth sense that calls them to new arrivals. There are no more wild 'safe' cats, all have been taken in. The rest have fallen prey to the more dangerous creatures of the world. Few things are left that are safe or peaceful; most that wander are dangerous and hungry. There are, however, a few fruit cows wandering around. They can be used for milk and meat, but there aren't a lot of them.
--- THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE WASTELANDS
Originally, the City was separated from the unstable Wastelands by a combination chain-link and electric fence with gates to allow people to move between the Safezone and the Wastelands. Every night between 4 AM and 7 AM, the electric fence would drop for recharging. During this time, things might sneak into the Safezone, either by breaking the fence or sneaking through pre-existing holes.
On the second Christmas "celebrated" in Adstringendum, however, and as a result of a mis-compression (reverse-decompression), the Great Wall of China appeared to take the place of the fence.
This stone wall, like the original fence, is in varying states of disrepair: some is renovated, some very much shows its age by either being broken down, or reduced by erosion to barely two meters high. Battlements line the top of the wall itself, and watchtowers still dot the wall every few miles. Gates still exist to allow residents to leave the city, while keeping the monsters and other oddities from the Wastelands out of the city... The Wall can be climbed over by residents and creatures alike, but the monsters of the Waste are oddly reluctant to cross into the city while the Wall is there. Though some have been known to sneak through the worn places in the wall, few are large, and fewer still make it far into the city before being stopped by an adventurous resident.
--- THE WASTELANDS
The devastated vastness beyond the Safezone is referred to as the Wastelands. Constantly changing as different worlds compress and try to overtake one another, strange beasts have been known to prowl: malformed combinations of species that should have never existed in the same space, Chimeras, dangerous and deadly creatures that are normally benign. Characters enter the Wastelands at their own risk. Realistically speaking, if your character is not trained in any sort of combat, armed with a weapon, or even used to harsh environments, they should not be going into the Wastelands; it could cost them their life.
Within a mile of the city limits, changes to the environment can be felt or seen before a change occurs--minor earthquakes, the appearance of another location fading in, etc.--making this the "safest" and most "stable" (relatively speaking) area within the Wastelands. The walls surrounding the Safezone are visible and serve as a static landmark for anyone who may head outside to travel. Beyond that mile, the Safezone cannot be seen, there are no warnings for when an area might shift, and the monsters are larger, and far more dangerous...
--- THE INNER CITY
The Inner City is a small fortress. This is where the scientists of the Unified Universe Project and the soldiers that are under contract to them live. Unlike the outer city where player characters live, the Inner City has running water and electricity, all of the basics and some luxuries. The perimeter wall is closely watched, and since they’ve been attacked twice both groups are working actively to step up security.
A tall, very smooth fence runs around the Inner City; the gap caused by the earthquake has been repaired. There are guards posted inside it, and one heavily secure gate. The guards are well-armed, well-fed, well-trained, and well-rested.
There is a warehouse that the Animus now consider their own within the Inner City. It’s where the scientists attempted to study them. About a fourth of those scientists vanished, half died, never to come back to life, and a fourth were left witless or insane.
Many of the scientists will talk to characters; they're starting to look beyond their walls a bit. Some are friendly. Some are not. Sometimes the soldiers will talk, but in general they don’t have PCDs.
Entering the Inner City shouldn't be taken lightly, and in fact can’t be. All entries must be mod-approved, with the foreknowledge that the price is high for messing with the scientists and/or the Animus.
(original indepth world guide appears here)
this page last updated: Jan 19, 2010