Adventure Location: New Alexandria

[Pariah]

Verbosity warning: I had this idea for a "lost world" city called New Alexandria.

 

In the first century of the Roman Empire, a group of scholars at the library in Alexandria became convinced of the coming decline and eventual fall of the Empire. When the Empire fell, they reasoned, a millennium or more of knowledge and discovery would be lost in an age of darkness. They resolved to keep that from happening.

 

They undertook an enormous project. Working in secret, they copied and cached all of the library's most important works - philosophy, literature, science, mathematics, all of it. They quietly but diligently recruited people to carry on the work when they were gone, because they knew this was a project that would take generations. They commissioned and crewed ships in cities around the empire. They gathered and stocked supplies, always careful to make sure they didn't bring unwanted attention to themselves.

 

After 40 years, they were ready. They sent the directive to gather the people, load the ships, and sail for Gibraltar. Once the ships all arrived - there were more than 50 of them - they undertook a journey to the west. They didn't know exactly where they were going, but they knew that there were lands beyond the Roman Empire where they might settle and preserve their culture and heritage.

 

After weeks at sea, they were greeted by a jungle coast. They explored the coast and eventually found a great river leading inland. They traveled upriver as far as their ships could take them. When they could no longer sail, they unloaded their ships, took them apart, and used the materials to build rafts and barges, upon which they continued their journey. In time, they made their way to the headwaters of this great river, a land that was rugged and uninhabited. Here they decided they would build their new library, and a new city to support it.

 

Free of the military and political struggles of Rome, the new colony prospered and grew. With no Dark Ages to slow their progress, the spirit of scientific discovery and invention flourished. They quickly became the most technologically advanced civilization on earth, hundreds of years beyond their counterparts in either the West or China. 

 

Knowing the potential for outside intervention, they maintained a strict isolationism. Very few ever found the city in the nearly 2,000 years since its founding. Those occasional outsiders who stumbled upon the city were either absorbed into its population or executed. No one who looked upon the city and its wonders could ever be allowed to leave.

 

In the face of colonialism and world wars, New Alexandria remained safely hidden and prosperous through the centuries.

 

The existence of New Alexandria was not known to anyone in the outside world until the early 21st century. Even now, the existence of the city is classified top secret by the handful of world governments who know about it.

[DShomshak]

I presume the "great river" is the Amazon, and your Alexandrians end up in the Andes as with Marvel's "Nova Roma," home town of the New Mutants' Magma? A classic, to be sure, but I hope I can intrigue you with at leasttwo other possibilities.

 

If circumstances forced the Alexandrians to turn off the main Amazon channel into the Rio Negro, and from there into the Rio Branco, they could end up in the rugged border between what are now Brazil and Venezuela. This is where Arthur Conan Doyle placed the Lost World. Various explorers and crackpots such as Percy Fawcett and Marcel Homet thought it was the location of Manoa, the Lost City of Gold, last surviving outpost of Atlantis. So maybe the Lost City is New Alexandria instead!

 

(Dinosaurs optional.)

 

A couple tributaries of the Orinoco also lead to this region.

 

The trade winds would naturally tend to blow the Alexandrians to South America, but if they didn't go far enough south they might have entered the Gulf of Mexico -- in which case the great river is the Mississippi. (Swamp rather than jungle, though.) If they then turned up the Missouri, their new mountain homeland could be the American Rockies. (Or just over the border in Canada.) A lost city in the US? Well, the region is still plenty rugged, and the super-science of the New Alexandrians could shield them from view. Could have been some pretty intense Cold War espionage and negotiation as the US tries to get New Alexandrian technology to use against the Commies.

 

Further north is less likely, but if the explorers had actually aimed for Britain they could have been blown across to enter, say, the Chesapeake estuary. Up the Susquehanna River, so the Lost City is in... Pennsylvania? Well, if they stayed isolationis for 2,000 years and still had the tech t hide themselves, it might wig out players who think Lost Cities must be in distant and exotic foreign lands.

 

Dean Shomshak

[Christopher R Taylor]

Essentially, that's what monasteries were: depositories of the world's knowledge, philosophy, literature, etc.  Not intentionally mind you, they just loved books and reading and kept everything they could.  But it makes for an interesting concept.  "Lost world" Roman civilizations seem to work for some reason.

[Mr. R]

One thing to do is allow the co-opting of a native tribe, that started as labourers, but now after 2000 years have interbred with the original Romans to the point that the people are effectively Native American.  This also eliminates the colony of white people who have kept themselves PURE AND the great white tribe trope.

 

I will say I LOVE THIS IDEA.  A Wikanda of South America.  Will we get a Black Jaguar?

[death tribble]

What about meddling with the water life so that they have even nastier piranha or river dolphins with that little bit extra.

[Lord Liaden]

What do you see as the philosophical perspective governing this society? Is it democratic? Totalitarian? Meritocratic? Factional? What's its perception of the wider world? What do you see as New Alexandria's impact on the world after its existence becomes known, and the world's impact on NA? Those questions are crucial to the city's use as an "adventure location."

[steriaca]

56 minutes ago, Lord Liaden said:

What do you see as the philosophical perspective governing this society? Is it democratic? Totalitarian? Meritocratic? Factional?

Me? I see the society being lead by a council of elders who value wisdom and knowledge over everything else. If you look at their home culture (Rome), it started as a Democratic Report (if your male and of Grecan decent and is not a slave you can vote), to Totalitarian (what Ceaser says, you do). So an ancient group of wise men are actually a good middle ground. 

56 minutes ago, Lord Liaden said:

What's its perception of the wider world? What do you see as New Alexandria's impact on the world after its existence becomes known, and the world's impact on NA? Those questions are crucial to the city's use as an "adventure location."

If it like anything in the Roman Empire, anything bot them are barbarians to be feared and loathed. But I don't see them as racist. It has to do more with the accumulation of new knowledge and the ability to understand it.

 

By the way, they been to the moon in 1875. They made a space shuttle in 1910. Which is a good enough excuse to fake a public moon landing cause USA doesn't want to show evidence that someone other than them landed there before. 

[Mr. R]

So basically tech that is about 100 to 150 ahead of us.  Cool!

 

Are you going to use this to justify certain tech advances that seem to have leap frogged in the greater world?

[steriaca]

32 minutes ago, Mr. R said:

So basically tech that is about 100 to 150 ahead of us.  Cool!

 

Are you going to use this to justify certain tech advances that seem to have leap frogged in the greater world?

If I would create this, yes. More for keeping the city hidden, but if it fits in, then it is so.

[Mr. R]

After thinking about it a bit, you need to categorize how advanced they are in the science fields

 

Engineering---

Mechanics---

Computer Science--- True AIs?

Electronics--- Nano

Cybernetics--- Rifts eat your heart out

Medicine--- Who needs cybernetics when we can regrow limbs

Pharmacology--- All the benefits of heroine none of the addiction

Optics--- 

Zoology--- 

Botany--- With a limited land area, they need very effective crops and crop rotations

and of course

Armour and Weapons--- 

 

Just off the top of my head

 

 

[Pariah]

I have to say, I am loving these suggestions. I could see a Champions supplement coming of this, given enough time.

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Pariah said:

I have to say, I am loving these suggestions. I could see a Champions supplement coming of this, given enough time.

Why not? I would buy this.

[Pariah]

I wish I could confidently say that I could write it.

[steriaca]

Reminds me, in one game I was in, one of the PCs was Deliverance, a brick with an inbred mystical bent which came from a hidden village called Mystic Mountain  somewhere in the Aplucation mountain range. It is deep in the mountains and guards gateways to other realms. Men are mostly bricks, women are mostly mystical energy blasters, othoe variations are not unheard of.

 

Also, othoe they seem like sterotypical hillbillies, they predate the founding of the United States and may even predate the Native Americans/First Nation people. My favorite member was Granny Whamie, Deliverance's great grandmother who is an extremely powerful spell caster and made Deliverance's Granny Whamie's Whamie Bag (an excuse for Deliverance to have a 15 or 30 point Variable Power Pool, used mostly to augment his existing powers or give him some new protection when he needed it).

[DShomshak]

On 2/7/2022 at 12:56 PM, Mr. R said:

One thing to do is allow the co-opting of a native tribe, that started as labourers, but now after 2000 years have interbred with the original Romans to the point that the people are effectively Native American.  This also eliminates the colony of white people who have kept themselves PURE AND the great white tribe trope.

 

I second this suggestion. If this were pulp, of course they would still be lily-white (even though as Greco-Egyptians, they wouldn't be.) But I assume you're not doing a period piece. So go all in on the cultural fusion. Native American-looking people who speak Greek and worship Sarapis and Hermes-Thoth!

 

Speaking of Hermes... just tech, or does NA have magic, too? Or a fusion? Clockpunk magitech might be fun. Clockwork or steam-powered automatons carrying lightning arcoballistae? Though you might intend to keep a more traditional Kirbytech, if you intend this to be a source for PCs. That's probably more accessible to most players.

 

(Though if you go magitech, I recommend stealing liberally from White Wolf's Exalted game. Books of Sorcery, Vol. 1, whose name I unfortunately forget and is currently in the basement.)

 

Or maybe there are rival factions, tech and magic. If in opposition, Kirbytech versus Ebyptian-themed super-sorcery, automatons versus mummies!

 

Dean Shomshak

[Mr. R]

7 hours ago, DShomshak said:

I second this suggestion. If this were pulp, of course they would still be lily-white (even though as Greco-Egyptians, they wouldn't be.) But I assume you're not doing a period piece. So go all in on the cultural fusion. Native American-looking people who speak Greek and worship Sarapis and Hermes-Thoth!

 

Speaking of Hermes... just tech, or does NA have magic, too? Or a fusion? Clockpunk magitech might be fun. Clockwork or steam-powered automatons carrying lightning arcoballistae? Though you might intend to keep a more traditional Kirbytech, if you intend this to be a source for PCs. That's probably more accessible to most players.

 

(Though if you go magitech, I recommend stealing liberally from White Wolf's Exalted game. Books of Sorcery, Vol. 1, whose name I unfortunately forget and is currently in the basement.)

 

Or maybe there are rival factions, tech and magic. If in opposition, Kirbytech versus Ebyptian-themed super-sorcery, automatons versus mummies!

 

Dean Shomshak

 

 

I say no to the magic idea.  This is a legion of scholars and scientists, lets keep it high tech.

 

There is enough magic from other sources and not many high tech havens.

[steriaca]

17 hours ago, Mr. R said:

 

 

I say no to the magic idea.  This is a legion of scholars and scientists, lets keep it high tech.

 

There is enough magic from other sources and not many high tech havens.

Don't forget, the source CAN be high technically, BUT it can appear to be magical. Anyone outside the community might think it is magical...but you and the community knows better. 

[Pariah]

On 2/11/2022 at 3:40 PM, steriaca said:

Don't forget, the source CAN be high technically, BUT it can appear to be magical. Anyone outside the community might think it is magical...but you and the community knows better. 

 

Clarke's 3rd Law and all that.

[steriaca]

8 minutes ago, Pariah said:

 

Clarke's 3rd Law and all that.

Pretty much correct. 

[Mr. R]

At first the citizens of New Alexandria were fine with all their advanced knowledge and their continues progress over the decades.  Then came the Spanish and the leaders of NA realized that the world had progressed over the last 1000 years.  They were still more advanced but they needed to get caught up with all the new knowledge.  So a set of Special Operatives were set up to go out and gather any new knowledge and bring it back to NA to be incorporated into the Library.  At first progress was slow as they had to go through Spanish and Portuguese Colonies which limited their movements.  But soon there was a steady stream of information coming back into NA and they were making regular advances in Science, Math, Philosophy and Engineering beyond that found outside in the world.  Now the Library at NA has copies of EVERY BOOK EVER PUBLISHED regardless of country.  And the Librarians still go out and gather today.

 

This was inspired by The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman.  It is a good series and the Librarians come across as a mix of savant mixed with a large dose of James Bond and Sherlock Holmes .

 

These librarians should be similar to a HIGHLY trained Until Agent (200 pts +) with similar equipment.  Some would even be close to Super Hero levels!

[death tribble]

What about the enemies or rivals of the city ?

 

People who are anti-tech are not new. There is also the magic vs technology trope which is an ongoing one in fiction.

 

You xould also have people who want the past to be sacred so the creation of New Alexandria is blasphemy to them.

[steriaca]

3 minutes ago, death tribble said:

What about the enemies or rivals of the city ?

For enimies, they need to know that the city exists, and some reason to keep the existence of the city to themselves. As for rivals? Humm...want to dip into the Hidden Lands supplement?

3 minutes ago, death tribble said:

 

People who are anti-tech are not new. There is also the magic vs technology trope which is an ongoing one in fiction.

 

You xould also have people who want the past to be sacred so the creation of New Alexandria is blasphemy to them.

Again, those people need to know about the city before being so hated against the city. Who knows about the city? Why would they still want the existence of the city they hate to be secret? Once you answer those questions, then you know.

[Mr. R]

Enemies

 

M&M Atlas Of Earth Prime had an idea that might fit.  In it there was a city from another dimension called Dominion, fleeing from a war torn world.  When the city showed up above a rural area in Canada, it attracted the attention of Canadian Heroes.  Which was good as the city was VERY high tech, and one person on the council and guard though they should as a result take over this planet.

 

Lets adapt this to NA.  The tech in NA is anywhere 100-200 years ahead of modern times, and as a result there are some who feel that this allows them the right to rule others (for their own good).  One member of the Council went even further and stole many items of tech and engineering and went into the outside world with the idea of taking it over for its own good.  Since then he has been banished (and the nanites in his body have been tuned so he can not return).  

 

Now he tries to capture Librarians so he may take their learning as well as stealing tech from the outside world.  Right now he is building his power base, but one day he will return to take over NA and then bring the world into the paradise it can be under his guidance!

 

Bonus marks if you can tie this to Prof Muerte!

[steriaca]

On 2/24/2022 at 10:48 AM, Mr. R said:

Enemies

 

M&M Atlas Of Earth Prime had an idea that might fit.  In it there was a city from another dimension called Dominion, fleeing from a war torn world.  When the city showed up above a rural area in Canada, it attracted the attention of Canadian Heroes.  Which was good as the city was VERY high tech, and one person on the council and guard though they should as a result take over this planet.

 

Lets adapt this to NA.  The tech in NA is anywhere 100-200 years ahead of modern times, and as a result there are some who feel that this allows them the right to rule others (for their own good).  One member of the Council went even further and stole many items of tech and engineering and went into the outside world with the idea of taking it over for its own good.  Since then he has been banished (and the nanites in his body have been tuned so he can not return).  

 

Now he tries to capture Librarians so he may take their learning as well as stealing tech from the outside world.  Right now he is building his power base, but one day he will return to take over NA and then bring the world into the paradise it can be under his guidance!

 

Bonus marks if you can tie this to Prof Muerte!

I would probably name him El Concqestdor del Rojo ("The Red Conqueror"). He is primarily a tech theith guy, as he needs "primitive" technology to adapt to his own knowledge and needs.

[Mr. R]

If there is a villain, then it needs a Hero.  The Hero for NA is the second in command of the Librarians called The Seeker.  Always an extremely well trained human, in the more modern age he also has a collection of items and tools to help him in his gathering.

 

Max normal Characteristics 

Large Gadget Pool that he can only change at between adventures (No Gadget Skill as he has little experience in modifying, but a large collection to match what he may encounter)

Some he always has: Energy pistol, Body Armour, Jet Pack, HUD with Secure Computer link to NA database, Palm computer

Skills: Since some of their operations involved appropriating certain books, anything common to thief, spy.  Also any type of social skill like High Society, Persuasion.  Also Martial Arts as they won't always have access to their toys.

Perks:  Money.  NA has found ways to cash in on many trends and has credit in almost all the major banks on the planet.  Cash the Seeker can use if necessary!