u/goop_lizard

On The Districts Of Freeport And Their Proper Duties

To organize the city and keep it functioning properly, Freeport is divided into a number of districts with distinct purposes and functions, which can be organized into a few distinct categories.

The first are those which may be considered segments of the city center, the dense urban core around which the rest gathers. It is composed of the Docks, the High District, the Temple District, the Canal District, and the Merchant Quarter.

The Docks and the area surrounding them are the city's beating heart. In addition to their namesake, a large and impressive agglomeration of dockworks capable of hosting anything from large trade ships to fishing dinghies and ferries across the channel, most of the district is taken up by a mixture of warehouses for goods and provisions and shops and accommodations for dockworkers, sailors, and those captains wishing to sleep in a real bed without straying too far from their ships. Farther north, near the Canal District, smaller, generally cleaner docks cater mostly to small canal boats and pleasure craft to serve a small cluster of high-end shops which use their proximity to showcase newly imported goods, ingredients, and performers, while to the south where it meets the High District and the city's edge are an overgrown mess of fishing piers with the large commercial dockworks mostly in-between.

The High District is in the unusual position of being both the city's greatest feat of engineering and it's largest slum. Nearly a century ago, inspired both by premature predictions of the dominance of flight and a percieved need to increase the city's density, a number of floating boulders, fragments, and small islands were acquired and transported at great expense to what was previously the poorer half of the Artisan's Quarter before the abolishment of the previous Quarter system. Once there they were anchored in place by a complex series of ropes and supports, creating a patchwork "artificial surface" on which new buildings could be constructed, it's height and extent carefully chosen to meet a nearby hill overlooking the city. In addition to allowing buildings to reach new heights, being anchored at both the top and the bottom, it also allowed a needed upgrade to the city's water system. While a network of aqueducts did exist to draw water from nearby mountain springs, it had been implemented when the city was far smaller, and as it expanded the slack had increasingly been taken up by a mess of rain collectors and wells of widely varied sanitation and quality. With the construction of the High District, several new aqueducts were laid from springs and clear streams in the hills along the top, before passing through vertical pipes made from lead or masonry housed inside buildings stretching from the surface to the islands above. Once at the bottom the pressure made distribution to the other districts relatively simple, although it also made leaks a recurring problem. This also provides a form of fire protection - fire stations at the top of each pipe are able to divery the flow of water from inside to outside the pipe, quickly dousing the building below and it's neighbors and slowing or halting the spread of any fires.

While a novel and innovative concept for a city district, the predicted massive uptick in flight failed to materialize, and most residents found the lack of natural light, frequent dampness, and need to travel to and from home via an often-precarious network of ladders, nets, stairs, and bridges undesirable, and the district soon developed into the overgrown slum it is today. The families that spearheaded and funded the project quickly found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy, and while the layer of floating stones are an iconic symbol of the city the district below them is mostly known for housing cutpurses, scams, disreputable practitioners, and the headquarters of 7 of the city's 8 brotherhoods of rag-and-bone men.

The Temple District, a thin central strip that touches every other district in at least one location, was created to solve a particular problem. Religion in Freeport is both highly polytheistic and highly syncretic - finding a god to devote oneself too is a highly personal choice which young citizens are experiencing to make as part of their passage into adulthood, and nearly every god worshipped anywhere in the world is understood to be real in some capacity. Together with the city's focus on international trade, this led to there being a truly enormous number of temples and shrines declared throughout the city, many with only a handful of worshippers, to the point it began to present a genuine problem in terms of land usage. As one's chosen God also frequently intersects with their chosen career, this was exacerbated by many businesses devoting substantial space to their gods and declaring themselves temples which also provided other services, often using the pretense of religious rituals to skirt regulations in the process. This culminated in a scandal in which a temple/smithy was found to have evaded taxes by accepting raw material as donations then distributing the payment as alms, avoiding any record of an official purchase. In response when the new District system was established, formal temples were restricted to a defined area, kept relatively small but close enough to all other districts to allow regular worship, and new restrictions on business conducted by temples were implemented.

Nowadays the Temple District, in addition to being filled with its namesake, also acts as a convenient pedestrian corridor, it's streets well-maintained in large part out of a desire to welcome in new worshippers, and a form of entertainment, as priests and wise men and women debate philosophy and theology both out of a pure desire to understand the universe and, perhaps more often, to attract small donations from the gathered crowds. It's halls also collectively represent one of the largest bodies of scribew dedicated to the preservation and duplication of texts on theology and philosophy, including natural philosophy, which provides a supplementary source of income as scholars pay a fee to peruse their works.

The Canal District sits a short ways north of the docks, and is in many ways a city within the city. It's unclear how exactly it was started, with canals dug into the shore or artificial islands anchored on the shallow seabed, but both have proliferated over the ages and today the distinction is difficult to draw precisely, leaving a district composed of clusters of building separated by water and connected by a mixture of footbridges and small canal boats. The lack of ordinary roads suitable for carts makes living there somewhat more expensive, as do the costs of maintaining a suitable living space while in such intimate contact with the sea, but this has only made the modestly sized district more attractive for wealthier citizens, who's work, most often paperwork or less space- and material-intensive forms of artisanry if not providing services to the other residents, can be placed apart from the constant hustle and bustle of the city's heart. It has also proven a common location for vacation homes and secondary residences of wealthy businessmen from the Merchant's Quarter, with the close proximity to the docks (alongside a personally owned small boat and a messenger and observer to crew it) allowing them to maintain a close eye on new economic developments even as they enjoy their quiet seaside townhomes.

Lastly, the Merchant Quarter makes a notable break from the other districts in terms of both naming scheme and scale, being the only remnant of the ancient Quarter system to survive the multiple waves of districting reforms. Taking up much of the city's north and east, if the Docks are the center of business with Freeport, the Merchant Quarter is the center of business within it. It contains the residences and offices of nearly every notable merchant or well-off artisan, as well as the city's most reputable shops and largest markets. It's scale makes it impossible for the entirety of the district to live up this image, of course - indeed, the presence of most of the city's major breweries and distilleries, along with various brothels and gaming houses attracted by the wealth of its residents, has led to several streets becoming known for their ill repute - but it maintains its place as the area people picture when they consider Freeport in general, and, in possibly the most direct measure of economic activity available, the area most aggressively fought over when it comes time for the city's rag-and-bone men to renew their contracts.

While these comprise all the official districts of Freeport, there are also a few areas which must be mentioned while laying outside the official bounds of the city itself. To the south, adjacent to the High District, lay an area of slums just beyond the city's walls which supply many of the day laborers and other assorted spare bodies on which the city depends. Further out, roughly a day's travel by cart or carriage, lay a ring of minor cities and towns known collectively as the interstitium, providing an interface with the rest of the nation at which goods from the countryside are processed in manners which add insufficient value to afford them a place in the city itself, and in which industries too noxious for the city such as tanning may take place. And, of course, one must not forget Freeport's sister-city of the same name across the channel, legally part of the city but not part of any properly defined district, which provides a vital connection to the mainland through the frequent ferries and internal cargo vessels passing between the two.

It is only through the interactions of all these elements, the many freeholds and plantations outside them, and the nations further beyond, that the Freeport System, as it is so often known, may be maintained, and the glorious city-state maintained for future generations.

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u/goop_lizard — 5 days ago

▲ 88 r/Stellaris

u/goop_lizard — 17 days ago

▲ 8 r/createthisworld

One of the unique quirks of Witness as a species is the presence of distinct biological castes. While individualist, forming family units rather than larger eusocial collectives, a handful of specialized biological roles exist in a similar manner to that seen in ants and bees. These roles, along with the biological sex of the individual, appear during adolescence based on environmental factors in contrast to humanity's two-role system determined largely at birth. These castes are Guards, Runners, Consorts, Speakers, and Sleepers.

While the faceplates of Witness are naturally blank and without patterns, painting them is commonplace, the durable and resistant surface (and lack of molting during adulthood) allowing the use of materials such as natural lacquer that would normally pose a threat to softer, fleshier faces such as those possessed by mammals. The common face-paint styles common to each caste are noted, though by no means universal.

Guards represent a relatively small portion of the population, generally 2-10% of the population, and are large reproductive females, standing at ~7ft tall and possessing by far the greatest physical abilities of any caste. They traditionally act as the leaders and matriarchs of the traditional Witness family unit, and in times before modern civilization served to protect and guide the family through external threats. Common facial decorations, in addition to those related to one's personal trade which are common across castes, include martial accomplishments. In particular when the faceplate is injured in combat, either temporarily in the case of juvenile or adolescent instars or permanently for adults, a spiral or radial pattern emanating from the location of the injury is common, marking it as a badge of honor.

Runners, comprising ~10-40% of the population (dependent on environmental factors), are reproductive females of shorter stature, standing at roughly 4ft tall, comparable to the foxes that make up the bulk of Freeport's population. Traditionally their role was as assistants, hence the name, with the archetypal Witness "family business" consisting of a Guard and a number of Runners acting as her permanent apprentices and assistants. Common facial paintings are depictions of tools or accomplishments showing times they went "above and beyond," although geometric patterns chosen for their aesthetic characteristics are also commonplace. Traditionally, the decorations were chosen by a Runner's associated Guard, but the unregulated and decidedly non-traditional nature of Freeport has gradually eroded this custom. Additionally, Runners working in the service industry often sport "false faces" designed to resemble mammalian species. This is controversial among more traditionalist Witness but remains a common practice for economic reasons.

Consorts, comprising an extremely variable portion of the population (generally larger in times with abundant resources and lower stress), are the only reproductive male caste and are similar in stature to Runners. Traditionally their place was seen as "running the home" but available roles have broadened to some extent over time. They can be distinguished from Runners by their generally broader build, enlarged wing-cases, and thinner abdomen. Common facial decorations include family heraldry or symbols, although there has been some pushback against this in recent times, leading to a growing adoption of geometric patterns more associated with Runners.

When a Witness is born with significant magical talent, they near-universally develop into a Speaker as their latent abilities impact their normal development. Speakers are similar in stature to Guards, and are also reproductive females, but are weaker and more slender in build and possess a larger and more developed syrinx, both accommodating complex spellsong and allowing them to further project their voices. Being relatively uncommon, Speakers hold an unusual role within Witness society - traditionally they acted as leaders and priests, and so the expectation is for them to take whatever family they require. Common facial decorations include specific geometric patterns associated with leadership or power, as well as iconography associated with realms they have learned the associated song for.

Sleepers, non-reproductive males standing at roughly 5-6ft in stature with an extremely broad build, hold an unusual role in Witness society. They are near-universally sterile, and possess both a slow metabolism and an unusually long lifespan. Historically they acted as a sort of collective memory - a dedicated repository of oral tradition - and are extremely rare with only one or two developing per thousand Witness. As such there is little established precedent on common facial decoration or areas of knowledge - Sleepers are expected to take decorations based on the knowledge they most readily accrue, and are to this day raised and cared for communally, outside of any individual family.

With all this in mind, the traditional Witness family unit is as follows. 1-2 Guards acting as the leaders and matriarchs, 2-4 Runners acting as their direct assistants, and 5-20 Consorts performing household labor and assorted low-level tasks and crafts. With increasing urbanization, however, this structure has loosened and dissolved, and alternative arrangements are common. In particular, families without Guards have become a trend in wealthier districts, often seen as a rejection of traditional family hierarchies, and in reaction families comprised of exclusively Guards and Consorts have emerged, both out of convenience and as a way to deride the former arrangement and Runners more broadly as a superfluous element. Through all this Speakers and Sleepers, existing outside of traditional roles (and with the former maintaining a near-monopoly on magical talent), have maintained their roles with minimal change.

reddit.com

u/goop_lizard — 17 days ago

▲ 21 r/createthisworld

**NAME:** The Treaty City of Freeport and its Associated Lands

**FLAG/SYMBOL:** papellony lead and azure, a fox dormant proper

**LOCATION:** See photo

**GEOGRAPHY:** The city itself is exceptionally large and located on the western coast of the island. Another smaller city, legally also considered Freeport proper, is located across the strait on the mainland. The bulk of the land on the mainland is hilly and temperate, suitable for agriculture and providing most of the city-state's non-fish food supply, while on the island itself the north and center a mix of fields and forest cover the mountain and surrounding hills. On the peninsula far south of the city a run of petroleum seeps and asphalt pits have rendered the land useless for most crops but it is still relatively flat, mostly used for salterns, in addition to periodic abortive attempts at proper asphalt mines whenever the price of wood tar spikes.

**BIOLOGY/ETHNICITY:** The majority of the population are foxes, bipedal but capable of walking on all fours. They stand at ~4ft tall and weigh ~60lbs on average, and when on all fours are nearly indistinguishable from a larger-than-average red fox apart from possessing hands. A significant minority are Witness (colloquially referred to as bugs), insectoid bipeds with a birdlike leg structure, two full-length "proper arms," and two smaller arms that are normally folded tight against the torso. They no longer possess functional wings but retain wing-cases used to hold eggs or other objects. The abdomen is heavily reduced, effectively acting as a stiff tail. Their most distinctive feature is their faces, which consist of a single plate of smooth, unbroken chitin with four eyes along the outer edges and mouthparts that fold under the chin when not in use. Their size and strength vary based on caste, as determined during adolescence based on environmental factors, with the smaller castes being similar in size to the foxes and the larger being ~7ft.

**HISTORY:** The mythic history of Freeport holds that the foxes and Witness once belonged to separate empires engaged in a long and bloody war started over a series of trade disputez, nearly destroying both in their entirety. When the monarchs of both empires slew eachother in a dual, the remaining princes and princesses of each side realized that if the war continued much longer neither people would survive, and so a treaty was forged to create a new city-state, free from nobility and internal division, where trade would always flow freely. While countless centuries of exaggeration and distortion mean the specifics of this story are almost certainly false, the city does hold strictly to a central treaty which acts as its constitution (emphasizing in particular the right to free trade) and several ancient battle sites have been found in the surrounding area.

**SOCIETY:** As a city-state Freeport is extremely urbanized, with rural land consisting entirely of freeholds or orchards worked by professional laborers owing to a strong aversion to any form of bonded labor. The city is governed by two primary bodies, The Freeport Merchant Association and The Steering Council. The Merchant Association consists of representatives from various industries and business interests, typically elected by the members of whatever guild or industry association they represent, and is responsible for setting quality standards and legal definitions for goods and services. Given the nature of Freeport's economy it is by far the most relevant to everyday life. The Steering Council, in contrast, has its members appointed through a byzantine assortment of agreements, rulings, elections, and ancient rights, and is theoretically responsible for everything else related to governance. In practice the only power they use with any frequency is creating and appointing smaller bodies to oversee and handle specific issues. This strategy of finding someone competent in the area at hand and letting them make all the decisions, under threat of removal from power if there are too many complaints to the Council, has proven surprisingly effective.

**CULTURE:** Spending centuries as a major trading port has made Freeport something of a cultural melting pot, traditions and superstitions from across the world turning into fads into things everyone "just knows you're supposed to do" as new items and materials make their way through that artisans into the homes of the upper class. Despite this it has maintained a number of unique quirks. One of the most notable is the importance placed on vests among the foxes of Freeport. The average fox wears only two garments, a loose simple duster worn while outdoors, and a vest, which acts as a signifier of wealth, talents, and accomplishments. It is typically made from the finest cloth which the wearer is able to afford, and adorned over the wearer's life with pins, embroidery, trims, and other decorations themed after the individual. While the very poor may wear simple linen with a few crude designs or white metal pins, an accomplished merchant or artisan can convey much of their life's story simply by removing their duster.

**OCCURRENCE OF MAGIC:** The magical tradition of Freeport may be described as a sort of pidgin or vernacular magic - scraps from various traditions are incorporated and layered with superstition, ingenuity, and improvisation. Magic users (called practitioners) produce spells or artifacts (both called workings) mostly to order, slotting firmly into the middle ranks of the artisan class and mostly acting as sole proprieters. Common magical objects include poppets (small and simple animated dolls or effigies, used for tasks not requiring much strength or dexterity) and worn charms or spell-bags meant to convey some minor effect onto the wearer but in general, if it can be done with magic, a shop somewhere in Freeport can do it, albeit less efficiently, less stably, and with a far more slapdash appearance than would come from a dedicated tradition. While broadly integrated into Freeport society, Witness have also maintained their own magical tradition since before the city's founding, which is performed by spell-singers and consists of using particular magically imbued songs to produce a slowly building area of effect. While unprovable, Witness understand this as bringing one of numerous other coterminous planes of existence into reality with their own.

As an example the song of the Lands of Soft Rains and Still Waters will, over the course of several minutes, cause people to become lethargic and apathetic, objects to grow heavy and damp, mechanisms to slow and sieze, and flames to gutter and eventually extinguish. Generally speaking, these songs can only be performed by species with a complex syrinx and lungs which allow speech through all parts of the breathing cycle, preventing incorporation into the broader traditions of the city.

**FADED WONDER:** The city houses 3 wonders, of which two are public knowledge. The first is the last known functional true golem core, believed to have been used for warfare during the fall of the Age of Wonders. When placed inside and magically linked to an object, it is able to animate it, producing a powerful golem able to take even highly complex commands and act with terrifying strength. While it's strength obviously cannot be replicated, study of its inner workings is the basis for the poppets in common use today.

The second is known as the Gentling Projector, and emits a beam that rapidly washes away the capacity for higher thought from those that see its light directly. Those hit are initially comatose, and even after years of rehabilitation are often only capable of responding to simple commands. Due to the danger it presents it is under the strict control of the city, and is used only in defense against piracy or invasion. Like the golem core, it's study has yielded much weaker and less permanent magical tools in the form of pattern-casters, used as stunners or, in their weakest incarnations, to help in clearing one's mind.

The last, and only kept secret, are the Sovereign Needles. Presently six remain functional out of an original set of 108, and are kept under close guard by the remnants of the ancient priesthood of the Witness. They are primed by placing a drop of blood upon them while concentrating intently on a specific thought, and then inserted into the base of the skull of a target. Once there the target will become incapable of noticing the needle, and will find the thought used to prime them inserted seemlessly into their internal monologue whenever they think of relevant topics. No control or direct alteration of thoughts or feelings exists - the words simply appear - but if anything this makes their effect more potent, as if primed carefully the target will simply consider the thoughts a gut impulse and proceed without noticing anything is wrong. As their existence is a closely guarded secret officially no study is possible, and indeed the subtleties of the core enchantment are far beyond the comprehension of any modern wizard, but the sudden appearance of minor attention-shifting charms approximately forty years ago suggest this may not be entirely true.

**IMPORTS, EXPORTS, & MAJOR INDUSTRIES:** As a major trade port, there is very little that cannot be bought or sold in Freeport if one looks closely, but a few industries do stand out. Fruit from orchards and foraged nuts and herbs lead to consistent exports of brandies, spirits, and liqueurs, while fine fabrics and precious metals and stones are imported and subsequently exported as garments and jewelry. Instruments are also a popular export, as are trained performers (although given the strict prohibition on bonded labor, "emigrants" would be more accurate than exports). Additionally, the eclectic congregation of materials and talents makes Freeport a popular destination for repairs of expensive items both magical and mundane. An artifact deemed irreparably damaged in one tradition may be restored to functionality with bits and bobs from half a dozen others, while even the most exotic fabrics and intricate designs are likely to have someone willing and able to restore them, provided one is willing to pay the exorbitant fees.

The ship-building industry is well-developed but used mostly by the merchants of the city itself, with few exports.

u/goop_lizard — 18 days ago