New Crobuzon to HERO

[Curufea]

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[Curufea]

Races

Khepri (named after the Egyptian god) -
Description
Females are tall, skinny, red-skinned humanoids that are sexually compatible (but not fertile) with humans, their heads are Scarab beatles - fully functional beatles about two feet long. Khepri do not have vocal cords. They're speach consists of sign-language with their headlegs, and various chemicals puffed out by their heads. They are able to exude chitin and build objects with it (usually statues or houses). Khepri statues are an artform. All Khepri have enhanced senses.
Males are giant Scarab beatles about two feet in length, and non-sentient. Usually kept secluded in large swarms.
Diet
Khepri are vegetarian, and prefer fruit.
Society
Khepri live in matriarchies (of course). There is a large empire near Bas-Lag. Inside New Crobuzon there is a small community of Khepri living in their own area (ghettoisation happens often in New Crobuzon). Khepri tend towards academic occupations.
One of the two largest (and only) organised crime syndicates is run by a Khepri - Francine 2 (also known as Ma Francine).
Book Reference
The main protaganist of Perdido Street Station has a Khepri lover, named Lin - a reknowned artist.
Khepri Package
Soon....

Vodyanoi
Descrption
Vodyanoi are human-sized frogs and are almost humanoid. As an amphibian, they require regular immersion in ,preferrably clean, water. Witout regular supplies of water they will dehydrate and scar.
Diet
Vodyanoi are omivores.
Society
Most work on the docks of New Crobuzon. Many use a form of "Water Magic" and are able to shape water, and have it sustain its shape for a period of time - manipulating it as you would clay. Great shamans are able to summon Undine - water elementals.
Book Reference
The main protaganist of Perdido Street Station often drinks at the Dying Child whose bartender is the Vodyanoi known as Silchristchek.
The Caucus members are attacked by tribal Vodyanoi in Iron Council.
Vodyanoi Package
Coming soon...

Handlingers
Description
Handlingers are a parasitic race. They appear similar to human hands, but with a tail. The tail digs into the host's flesh. There are two castes of Handlinger - Dextrier (right hand) warrior caste, that is able to fly and breathe fire, and the Sinistrier (left hand) ruler caste, that has psionic powers. Host bodies are effictively dead the moment a Handlinger possesses them.
Diet
As host body. However, Handlingers have been known to maltreat their host bodies.
Society
The Sinistrier caste rules them in a psychic council. In New Crobuzon they are another secret society who has come to an arrangement with the Mayor. The mayor's ex-rival/now second in command - is a Handlinger.
Book Reference
Montjohn Rescue - The Mayor's aid in Perdido Street Station.
Handlinger Package
Coming soon...

Humans
Description
Diet
Humans are omnivores.
Society
Book Reference
Human Package

Remade
Description
Remade are created/modified from the other races. The most common Remade seen is a criminal that has been through the Punishment Factories. However, some are job specialists that have voluntarily been remade. Occasionally animals will be Remade to be more task specific (steam powered legs for horses, or enhanced nasal brain tissue for dogs)
Diet
As original race. And possibly coal if they have steam-powered parts.
Society
Remade are shunned and opressed. The most famous Remade is Jack Half-a-prayer, leader of the fReemade - Remade who have become rebels and bandits. Most people do not realise that Mr Motley, the leader of the other major organised crime syndicate is a Remade. He is, possibly, the quintessential Remade.
Book Reference
Jack is in Perdido Street Station.
Remade Package
fReemade Package

Wyrman
Description
Wyrman are small semi-intelligent gargoyle-like humanoids. They infest New Crobuzon much like rats. They are, however, able to carry messages and talk.
Diet
Wyrman are omnivores.
Society
None.
Book Reference
Wyrman appear in Perdido Street Station.
Wyrman Package

Vampire
Description
As per other genres
Diet
As per other genres
Society
Another secret sub-culture. It is unknown if they have a special arrangement with the Mayor.
Book Reference
A vampire was also susceptible to Slake Moths in Perdido Street Station
Vampire Package
As per other genres

Garuda
Description
Garuda are larger than humans and bear a strong resemblance to humanoid vultures (but with an extra pair of limbs - giving them four humanoid limbs, and wings. That is 2 legs, 2 arms and 2 wings).
Diet
Garuda are omnivores
Society
Garuda are pure anarchists. Their highest crime is to deny another sentient being the ability to make choices. This includes things such as rape (choice of sex) and murder (which denies all future choices).
Book Reference
The segue passages in each chapter of Perdido Street Station are written by one of the main characters - a criminal Garuda name Yagharek who had his wings removed.
Garuda Package

Cactacae
Description
Cactus-men are usually taller and always bulkier than humans. They appear to be a human-cactus hibrid. No two Cactacae look alike - often covered in vegetable scars of healed wounds and random spines. Many pluck their spines in order to work with other races - especially on their hands.
Diet
Omnivores.
Society
Cactacae are a warrior race. Many act as bodyguards for other races. They are difficult to kill with normal weapons - giving rise to "Reaverbows" which shoot large spinning metal disks. The ghetto for Cactacae in New Crobuzon is known as The Glasshouse. And is a large hemispherical construction of metal and glass covering several city blocks. Cactacae prefer the higher temperatures maintained inside.
Cactacae are proud of their scars.
Book Reference
Cactacae appear in all three books.
Cactacae Package

Scabmettlers
Description
A tribal warrior race that lives near the oceans of Bas-Lag. Known for their magics of the blood, which is under a great deal of pressure in their bodies and congeals at an incredibly fast rate into an iron hardness. Scabmettlers are covered in ritual scarring in various patterns. Their name derives from their ability to shape their blood as it leaves their body, forming a kind of armour. Scabmettlers that are hit with edged weapons, which penetrate their body, bleed explosively - the wound spraying the weapon with blood which congeals almost instantly, often trapping it.
Diet
Scabmettler are omnivores.
Society
As warriors they move to where they can fight, often becoming mercenaries or pirates. During their relaxtion time they often drink a special tea that has an anticoagulate effect, as Scabmettlers have been known to suffer from a whole body clotting, turning them into an organic statue.
Book Reference
Some of the pirates on Armada in <em>The Scar</em> are Scabmettlers.
Scabmettler Package

[Curufea]

Magic-
Magic in the world of Bas-Lag is omnipresent. Everyone knows about it and knows someone who has used it. However - skills in the field of magic are rare. While there may be 1 in 10 people capable of minor magics, the more skilled and more powerful occur 1 in 1000 or even less frequently.
Magic is Bas-Lag, like much of life in general, comes at a cost. Puissance (the power for a magic) must come from a source. Either the stamina and blood of the casting mage, the sacrifice of others, or chymical and thaumaturgic batteries constructed for the purpose.
Magic can come from the Gods as well - but the Gods must be bargained with and magic must be bought. For example, in the case of the monks of the Moment of the Hidden and the Secret - a Teshian order that worship the god Tekke Vogu have the powers to find hidden pathways (teleport of a kind), to remain unseen and to learn secrets. For each use they must have something of theirs hidden - they forget a memory, or have a skill removed, lose their native language or have a body part taken away, hidden forever by Tekke Vogu.

Watercraeft
The water magic of Vodyanoi

Grindylow
The magic of the Gryndylow - probably unable to be converted to Hero. The Grindylow have such an alien view of the world that they should always be NPCs. The Grindylow specialise in dimensional magics, and have rather strange versions of offensive and transport spells at the very least (shown in The Scar).

Karcism
Able to contact Hell. In New Crobuzon, you don't summon Demons, you tend to go to Hell and negotiate. Practicing Karcism makes you a Karcist. The mayor of New Crobuzon (Bentham Rudgutter) has an ambassador from Hell in one of the rooms at Perdido Street Station (and a Weaver as well).

Communicaturgy
Able to communicate over vast distances with psychometry. A female of this art is called a communicatrix.

Thaumaturgy
Mixing technology and constructs with magic. All magic is classed as part of thaumaturgy. Fetishes/props/foci for Thaumaturgy often include chymical batteries, charms, animal parts, and clockwork devices.

Somaturgy
The animation and creation of Golem. From simple clay up to shadow and sound golems.

Biothaumaturgy
Mixing technology and biology. Most biothaumaturges work in the Punishment Factories creating Remade from criminals.

Subvocalurgy
Mind control through suggestion and whispers. Powerful Sussurators (or Wordsmiths) can whisper to a specific target over miles.

Geothaumaturgy
Manipulation and sensing of the earth. Turning rock to mud, detecting Smokestone eruptions or finding types of rock.

[Curufea]

Nations-

Bas-Lag
Capitol
New Crobuzon
Politics
New Crobuzon and outlieing regions are policed by The Militia. A secret-police organisation similar to the KGB. Anyone can be a member of the Militia - the only way to tell is if they suddenly pull hoods over their heads and make an arrest. Suspects, as well as criminals have a tendency to disappear . All legal proceedings are secret. After the Construct Wars, however - the Militia come out in the open, and wear uniforms much like regular police. However - they double as both police and the military.
Inhabitants
All races
Book Reference
All three books.
Map
http://www.curufea.com/images/BasLag.jpg
By Kay Johnston

High Cromlech
Capitol

Politics
Necrocrasy (rule by the dead)
Inhabitants
Undead, Humans and Vampires
Book Reference
The Scar

Armada
Capitol
Armada - a floating city of captured ships
Politics
Council of pirate kings
Inhabitants
Pirates and kidnapees and their descendants
Book Reference
The Scar (most of the book concerns Armada)
Map
http://www.curufea.com/images/Armada.jpg
By Kay Johnston

Tesh
Capitol
Unknown
Politics
Tribal
Inhabitants
Tribal
Book Reference
Iron Council (at war with Bas-Lag)

Grindylow
Capitol
Unknown
Politics
Thaumocracy (rule by magic)
Inhabitants
Grindylow
Book Reference
The Scar

[Curufea]

Magic Items-

The Possibility Sword
Found by Uther Doul in the ruins of the Ghosthead Empire. This weapon appears to be a sword made out of plastic and plugged into a powerpack. To use the sword you must learn the Possibility martial arts - which is a technique of creating opporutinites to attack, without making choices.
The sword instantaneously moves in all possible combinations of the wielder's choices, inflicting multiple wounds at the same time. Many of these wounds open and close from then on, as their possibilities change.
This is equivalent to a force wall and damage shield of very high level.

Grindylow Statue
Rather ugly foot tall statue of a deep sea fish that contains the fin of a Grindylow mage. To activate this item, you must tongue-kiss the mouth and feed it a drop of blood.
Transdimensional movement - between molecules (can be treated as desolidification+speed+invisibility+flight). Sideffect - icthythic mutation (you gradually develop sea creature parts/features/mutations). Note - this artifact is also addictive.
In relation to other Grindylow artifacts - this is regarded as a toy by them.

Toro's Helmet
A large heavy brass helmet that sits on the shoulders to which it is strapped. It is shaped like a bull's head. When worn it takes some blood from the back of the neck to power it. It becomes as light as cloth to the wearer, give some lowlight vision enhancement, disguises their voice to sound similar to a bull and the horns can be used to rend space.
Rending space allows two things - to push through a rip and teleport to a new location, or to tear open people's bodies (an HKA with range).
This helmet was worn by the leader of the Toro party - one of the more militant disident groups in New Crobuzon.

One from New Crobuzon, definitely a plot hook-

The Crisis Engine
A conglomeration of thaumaturgic and chymical batteries and difference engines used for the high level calculations involved in harnessing Crisis energy - the energy of changing from one state to another state, of which Potential energy is a subset. This is essentially an unlimited powersource usable for perpetual motion machines and the like. Treat as an unlimited END reserve capable of powering any device or magical spell if you have good enough engineering and thaumaturgic skills. There are sideffects of course - great levels of power are likely to short or overheat the engine unless sturdier materials are found.

Plot Hooks
In New Crobuzon, everyone would want the Crisis Engine if they knew about it, and of those that do, the Construct Council knows about it and desparately wants to understand its working. If you give it to the Council, picture a steampunk version of The Matrix.
In other campaigns - Golems and Constructs or any other magical/technological being that relies on energy sources to live would be willing to do anything to get their hands on this device. To them it is immortality at the very least.

[Curufea]

Living in New Crobuzon
New Crobuzon, the biggest city in Bas-Lag is 11 miles from east to west and 8 miles north to south. Sitting on the rivers of Canker and Tar where they join to form the Gross Tar. The city is northeast of Rudewood.

Days of the week

• Shunday
• Chainday
• Dockday
• Skullday
• Blueday
• Dustday
• Fishday

Money

• Pennies (similar to Stivers)
• Stivers (at least 20 Stivers to a Shekel)
• Marks
• Shekels (1 Shekel = price of good meal for 2)

Getting around town
The streets are so crowded that there are only a few methods regularly used to travel:
Walking, getting a carriage (usually pulled by a Remade, occasionally by engines), or using one of the trains - either the normal trains or the skyrails (much like monorails). The ever present, slow moving dirigibles are not used by normal citizens.

The Militia
Citizens of New Crobuzon in particular, but even the farms and other settlements throughout Bas Lag, live in a constant state of fear of the Militia.
They are a cross between secret police and the military, and will use any method to achieve their ends. They have been known to use Thaumaturges and Remade.
Anyone can be a Miltia member - teenagers, to old ladies. The only identifying mark of a Militia member, is the hood - which is pulled over the face to hide their identity when they are making a raid or arrest.
There are various official buildings of the Militia as well - to have them accessible to the general public if they wish to report a crime. The omnipresent dirigibles that drift around New Crobuzon skies mostly contain Militia and are capable of dropping numbers of them by rope as the need arises. Other dirigibles are used for various government purposes.
The Militia should be treated as a "Hunted" that increases effect within certain areas, or if there have been notable crimes happening.
After the Construct Wars and during the time of the war with Tesh, the Militia cease to be undercover and patrol with uniforms, like regular police. However - there may still be undercover operatives.

[TheQuestionMan]

Awesome, I am borrowing the series from the Purple Library Guy.

Cheers

QM

[Curufea]

He writes like Willam Gibson meets Lovecraft

I should have time to go through the books again soon and actually derive system specific rules and stats.

[Curufea]

Unique individuals

The Construct Council
A virus in the card and valve programmed constructs used throughout New Crobuzon as cheap labour caused a spark of self awareness. Not enough to have an independant intelligence of the equivalent of a human being in a construct however - but enough for a seed. This seed replicated to other constructs with the help of human techno-worshippers. There is a conglomeration of intelligences in one of the city dumps - various construct parts gained sentients and self awareness to levels well beyond human understanding. The various constructs of the city, once the seed of the virus, implanted by the technicians, has grown - are drawn to the Council and become one with it. Acting as mobile parts to itself - going out, coming back and reporting/being reprogrammed.
The Council is a rational amoral survivor willing to make deals in order to continue to exist. It has the ability to vast thaumaturgical calculations at high speed, and to build new task-specific constructs that are many times more efficient than human built equivalents. However it must remain undiscovered at all times. It knows if the Militia become aware of its existance - it is dead.
Note - By the time of the third book, Iron Council, the Militia were aware, there were the Construct Wars and the Council was destroyed (probably). Which lead to Golems becoming the new cheap labour force.

Bentham Rudgutter
Mayor of New Crobuzon and Head if the Fat Sun Party. A driven man, who has forged alliances with races and creatures that were thought impossible. His various secret dealings, much like the legal system and life in general in New Crobuzon, are shady at best. His second in command, likely to take over his position, was killed and possessed by a Handlinger because he was becoming too much of an annoyance by Rudgutter.
Rudgutter is on negotiation terms with the demons of Hell, Handlingers and Weavers.
On a personal note - sometime in the past Rudgutter lost his eyes, and has nothing but empty sockets. It is never explained how this happened. He is able, through thaumaturgy, to use other people's eyes though. Once they have been inserted, that is. One of the rumours often circulating the streets of New Crobuzon is about "The Eye Killer", who removes victim's eyes. This happens whenever the Mayor's current eyes decay too much to be useful any more.

Eliza Stem-Fulcher
Mayor of New Crobuzon after Bentham Rudgutter. Also a member of the Fat Sun Party. She was assassinated during the revolution of the Collectivists by Ori, a Toroan.

The Weaver
Possibly the least understandable creature and one of the greatest individual powers in New Crobuzon. Currently there is only the single ambassador in the city - but there are many others "out there"
Weavers are huge transdimensional spiders. Their concern is their art, and their art is the weave of the world. They will occasionally do odd, inexplicable, bizarre and/or violent things to improve the weave. They are able to move between dimensions - their home being a dimension where the web of the world can be perceived. Weavers do not possess names as we understand them.
The Weaver is an excellent McGuffin - and will get players to do things, or help them at the GMs whim. However - there is always a price (in Perdido Street station, the heroes discovered the price for being helped, and to set the weave correctly, was their left ears).

Toro
An insurrectionist and leader of the dissident group who call themselves Toroans. Cecile is a Remade woman whose crime of the manslaughter of her baby has sentenced her to have her baby's arms attached to her face in the Punishment Factories by the magister as a permanent reminder. She had the Helmet of Toro constructed to give her powers and disguise her identity in the pursuit of revenge. First mention of her occurs in the first book, but the group does not form until the third book <em>Iron Council</em>. After the assassination of Mayor Stem-Fulcher and killing the mayor's lover - the magister who sentenced her, Cecile passed her Toro helmet to Ori.

Spiral Jacobs
A seemingly homeless derranged old man that was in Jack Half-A-Prayer's gang of fReemade back before Jack was captured (20 years ago). He wanders around the city offering information, advice and occasional funding to various dissident groups throughout the city.
In actuallity he is the Tesh ambassador and a Hecatomage - one who knows magic of many different styles. He wanders the streets of New Crobuzon laying down spiral glyphs in a long ritual designed to bring destruction to the city during the Tesh War. His aid to dissidents is a red herring, a way of keeping the government and citizens busy so they don't realise his intent.
The final spell calls forth a non-corporeal life force that will give the city a tremendous ablife intent on killiing its inhabitants. The ritual itself causes killing illusions (called Haints) to appear randomly throughout the city as it nears completion.
While Spiral Jacobs is casting the ritual, he cannot be hurt with physical weapons of any sort - including magical physical weapons. All such attacks will miss.

[gewing]

Khepri sound kind of disgusting... like the Chessmen of Mars.


The Garuda sound interesting. but then I like the idea of 4 arms.

Think of the possibilities...

[Curufea]

Ah well - they don't have 4 arms. They have 2 arms and 2 wings...
Angels are another 6 limbed creature, for example.

But in general, if you look at anything from this genre (New Weird), your immediate reaction is nearly always going to be "disturbing"

[Curufea]

Flora and Fauna

North of New Crobuzon-

Prey Tree
This is a large, carnivorous tree similar in appearance to both a willow, and a skeleton. Animals are captured with its bone-like tentacles and dragged to its trunk, where the mouth is located. Parts of digested animals are used to adorn the tree as "Prey Fruit" to attract other animals. These parts are organically and thaumaturgically preserved for long periods of time (and are actually nutritional).
(from Iron Council)

Vinehogs
A species of pig on which grow symbiotic grapes. These parasitical vines are highly valued for the wine they produce. The grapes rippen when the pigs rut. The Vineherds, the clannish tribes that shepherd these pigs and harvest them, are very agile and strong due to the nature of harvesting - they need to get in and take the grapes quickly without taking injuries.
(from Iron Council)

Giant Turtles
Huge land turtles that wander the countryside. Many have towns built on their backs.
(from Iron Council)

Stiltspears
An uncivilised people living in swamps of Bas Lag. They appear to be a cross between humans and stick insects. Their name derives from their hunting methods, of waiting completely still in water, before spearing a fish with their hands. Their hands have tough, radial fingers with sharp nails that can be folded together to form a sharp point. Stiltspear also practics a version of somaturgy that enables the children Stiltspear to create small golems to play with, and the adult hunters to paralyze large prey. They also have a natural thaumaturgical ability to camouflage themselves as trees. Stiltspear communicate with clicks.

[Curufea]

Various update edits to previous entries made - and now unique locations outside of New Crobuzon

The Scar
The impact rift where the Ghosthead Empire colided with the world creating a dimensional rift. Full of Torque energies. Located in the far northern sea. No one has ever returned from it.

The Stain
A permanent Torque area north of New Crobuzon. Torque is a dimensional "wrong" chaotic storm of magic. Occasional Torque storms wander throughout the world. The Stain, however is a large, permanent area. The cacotopic zone between the high Torgue areas and the healthy land is navigable by the very determined and was the passage taken by the Iron Council. The Militia will not enter the cacotopic zone of the Stain without great provocation. Random Torque energies that wander the zone will occasionally change non-living things to living, and vice versa. It will also warp and mutate. It can be implied that many of the "standard" races throughout the world are the result of Torque.

Smokestone Fields
Between the swamps and fields of New Crobuzon and south of the Stain are the Smokestone Fields. An area of variegated swirls and flows of grey rock. Smokestone may turn gaseous or can remain solid permanently. It's usual state is solid and it can be destroyed with explosives normally for mining. However occasionally a fault in the earth will open releasing new gasseous smoke-like Smokestone that can ossify the unwary - smothering, choking and finally permanently encasing.

[Curufea]

Political groups-

New Crobuzon is such a totalitarian city that many dissident groups (often called Neuvists) have formed in it over the years. Here are a few of them, as well as the Mayor's party.

Fat Sun Party
Currently in power. In the time of the Perdido Street Station and The Scar books - Bentham Rudgutter is mayor. During his time the Militia is a hidden secret police, Handlingers are rumours, a war with the Grindylow was rumour, there was the Season of Nightmares, the Construct Wars and an attack on Armada. Wrightby starts his company to put railroads across Bas-Lag.
Almost twenty years after this, in the book Iron Council, Bentham is dead and Eliza Stem-Fulcher is Mayor. She is also of the Fat Sun Party. Under her leadership, the Militia wears uniforms and walks openly, but are more like Military Law than a normal police force. Handlingers are recognised and given condemned prisoners for hosts. Golems replace constructs as cheap labour (aside from Remade of course). There is a major revolution from the Collective, war occurs with Tesh and the Iron Council returns.
Note - none of the New Crobuzon books so far have ever dealt with the upperclasses. So how the city is run, and how those who don't have to struggle for a living survive in it is a mystery. All the books have been street-level.

Runagaters
Also known as Double-R's and Doublers. A number of dissident groups that get together and discuss (much like a book club) the various news items that occurs in Runagate Rampart, one of the most famous illegal free press newspapers in New Crobuzon. Runagaters are generally non-violent although they may protest. They are occasionally recruited by the more militant dissident groups. The newspaper was briefly shutdown, and its editor caused to disappear by the Militia during the time of Rudgutter, however it recovered and the hidden reporters for it returned.

Toroans
Toro is the leader of this very select and small group of very militant dissidents. All their missions have been well planned, all the members loyal and all the missions succeeded. Toroans arise sometime between the two mayors. Their final act was the assassination of Stem-Fulcher. Toro herself, is a Remade.

Iron Councillors
The Iron Council was formed towards the end of the Wrightby rail enterprises. The camp following prostitutes, the Remade labours and the skilled human and xenian workforce rebelled from lack of pay and poor working conditions. Stealing the train they took it through The Stain's cacotopic zone and settled on the far side creating a commune that treated all races equally. There were many losses on the journey and many losses on their return to New Crobuzon. During the time of the Tesh War, the Militia managed to free the straits leading to the north coast of Bas-Lag and circumvented The Stain by sending a force after the Iron Council via the sea, instead of overland.

Collectivists
The Collective was formed from all the dissident groups and many volunteers just before the mayor was assassinated. Thousands of citizens throughout New Crobuzon rose up against the government in a revolution that lasted weeks. Many others stayed at home, or fled the city. Towards the end of the Collective, the Iron Council returned to New Crobuzon.

Member names
Many of the dissident groups took great pains to hide the identity of their members, due to the nature of the Militia. The would often refer to each other as Chavrim, or Chavers, or even Jack (after Jack Half-A-Prayer the fReemade). Iron Councillors refer to each other as Sisters (as almost a third their number were prostitutes, and did not like the assumption made they should be called brothers).

[TheQuestionMan]

Keep up the good work

Cheers

QM