The Most Fair City of Urbem Ascalon
Worldbuilding by Highfort/Agymnum and Northwest Slobovia
What's this? Why, it's a world-building post! Ah-ah, don't scroll past this just yet. We've got fun, games, and a wealth of new locales to explore in the fine city of Urbem Ascalon (and accompanying ghettos and subsidized housing and industry)!
Below is a list of locales in Urbem Ascalon. The city is divided into districts, as can be seen on the new, updated
city map. Each one has its own general theme, its own price range, and its own unique available spots to hang out, shop, and explore.
As a general note, Urbem Ascalon is meant to be a place where players can conduct light stories as well as do political intrigue. The political stuff will be firmly in the background acting as flavor if players choose to hang out for fun, and no one will be forced to do anything unpleasant if they don't want to. It's up to players and characters if they want to explore the layers beneath. So long as laws are obeyed and pleasantries observed, Urbem Ascalon will welcome any Resident of any stripe.
THE UPPERS is the entrance for Urbem Ascalon from the north, which is where the highways from the Burrows and the Building feed in. A depressed housing and commercial district, it features cheap eateries and pubs for the less-than-discerning palette. Most residents are outcasts from the main city, so anyone is welcome to pass the time provided they don't mind the smell or the lack of branded handbags.
General Political Background: Home turf of several poorer mob families and gangs (who provide many goods and services like alcohol, brothels, weapons, etc)
Price Range: Dirt Cheap: A good meal will cost you Rs 15, cab fare is around Rs 1.00 a mile, and booze flows freely at around Rs 2.50 a pint.
Available Transportation: Mob-run taxicab service, Uppers-Littles-Glasstown-Burrows city buses, car-friendly, pedestrian-friendly
Discrimination: Near Nil: As the majority of Uppers residents are unwelcome anywhere else, discrimination is generally not found here provided you are friendly to most everybody and keep out of people's business
Weapons Availability: Freely Available: Provided you pass inspection at the border checkpoint (don't piss off the guards and be nice), you can openly carry any weapons in the Uppers. Bringing things that are too flashy might attract the ire of the mobs, but they won't do anything if you don't shoot anyone.
Acceptable Currency: White, Black, and Barter: The official crypto-currency of Urbem Ascalon is welcome here, as are physical Demens runes. The mobs also pay and accept their own form of crypto-currency that's separate from the city, and bartering with goods like alcohol, weapons, or even food is not unheard-of in this part of town.
Notable Spots:- Judge's Palace: The fortress of the most powerful mob boss in the Uppers, the Judge sits as the Uppers' primary protector and legal arbitrator. He's available to listen and decide on any local disputes or to get missions from if you're low on money.
- Kov's Junkyard: Run by the friendly if somewhat-eccentric mechanic Kov, the junkyard is where you can pawn off any cheap mechanical stuff you don't want and get your car fixed up for real cheap. It won't be pretty, but it'll be cheap. He also sells an assortment of junk weapons and armor he builds himself in his spare time.
- Lumba's Emporium: The only place in the UA outside of the Main City where future-tech weapons and equipment is sold, expect stiff prices and for the convenience of not needing to shop in the main city or in the Outermark.
- Uppers Market: Where Lumba's is located, the Uppers Market borders Glasstown and presents a wealth of shopping opportunities for those on a low budget. Clothing, supplies, weapons, food, drink, and even vehicles are available in the main shopping area. Adjacent to the shopping huts and shacks is the fueling station, a four block long space dedicated to fueling up all sorts of vehicles that pass through Urbem Ascalon - whether gasoline, diesel, electric, biofuel, coal, or even the odd hydrogen fuel cell.
GLASSTOWN is the small industrial district to the south of the Uppers. Some would call it an extension of the Uppers, and it shows, though it's not quite as embroiled in gang politics due to having its own elected government. Though poor, its artisans and workers take pride in producing much of the glass used around Urbem Ascalon and in Alessio. Though not much of a place to hang out, it does have its share of spots - notably, a huge public pool open to everybody.
General Political Background: Small-town vibe, run by a mayor and with a small city council that decides on matters pertaining to the residents who inhabit the homes above the glass shops.
Price Range: Dirt Cheap: A good meal will cost you Rs 15, cab fare is around Rs 1.00 a mile.
Addendum: Glass can range from cheap to VERY expensive, depending on what you want. The artisan-made pieces can go for up to Rs 2,000 depending on what you're looking for.
Available Transportation: Uppers-Littles-Glasstown-Burrows city buses, car-friendly, Glasstown Unionized Taxicab Service, NOT pedestrian-friendly (hazardous chemicals and fumes from glass production)
Discrimination: Fairly low: While many Glasstown residents are also outcasts of the Main City, they don't take kindly to people who are too haughty. Take care not to flash too many riches around Glasstown and be polite - they still haven't forgotten the government that kept them down.
Weapons Availability: Freely Available: As an extension of the Uppers, any weapons that make it past the border checkpoint there would be welcome here. Local police will not be happy if you go shooting anyone, as usual.
Acceptable Currency: White and Barter: The official crypto-currency of Urbem Ascalon is welcome here, as are physical Demens runes. There's no black market currency here, as the local government doesn't have the right tech specialists, but they do welcome bartering for goods.
Notable Spots:- Art Glass Street: A small neighborhood where all Glasstown's artisanal glassworkers live and work. They make everything from fancy wine-glasses for Ascalon's wealthy to stained-glass windows to purely decorative and artistic objects for display. All of these products are considered some of the finest in Galli.
- The Carlos Maria Escudero Technical High School and College: Better known as Glasstown High and Glasstown U., the two schools making up this cluster of buildings provide vocational education and training for many of Ascalon's trades, not just glassmaking. Two-year associates degrees are offered; mainly, this would be of-interest to Residents seeking vocational training in job skills rather than a well-rounded college education.
- Glasstown Park and Public Swimming Pool: The most notable attraction in Glasstown, it has a wooded area several blocks long, a few grassy sports fields, and the area's public pools. There's a pair of shallow kiddie pools; a large pool for general adult swimming; a long, narrow pool for lane swimming and racing; and a deep pool for high diving. The last two are indoors. The Park is in excellent shape, even by Main City standards, and both are fenced off from the rest of Glasstown, have a couple of rent-a-cops to maintain order, and are open from dawn to dusk year-round.
THE LITTLES represents the bridge between the Uppers and the Main City. Located geographically between the two, it features more upscale ethnic dining and shopping. The location of Nouveau Havre - the Francophone ethnic district - it also contains the UGA, the University of Gallimaufry - Ascalon. This is the largest college in the Urbem Ascalon area with full degrees in the arts, sciences, social sciences, and engineering. If your pocketbook isn't quite deep enough for the Main City but you're looking for something a little more exotic and discerning than the Uppers, the Littles might be more your style.
General Political Background: A coalition council made up of representatives from the various ethnic districts and from the student union at UGA runs things in the Littles. They're very friendly, but wary of those who would seek to subvert their way of life.
Price Range: Middling: A decent meal will go from Rs 25 - 50, and taxis charge Rs 1.75 a mile. You're looking at Rs 5.00 - 6.00 a pint for beer here.
Available Transportation: Littles Unionized Taxicab service, Uppers-Littles-Glasstown-Burrows city buses, Main-Littles city buses, NOT car-friendly (hard to find parking), pedestrian-friendly
Discrimination: Middling: Expect some to look down on you if you lack money, though depending on where you go many of the underground insurgents are charitable and willing to lend a hand to a fellow comrade. Also, expect a lot of tension if you brag about being from or having contacts in the Main City - no one likes them here, especially after what happened a few centuries ago. Old grudges die hard. Anglophones will find discrimination in Nouveau Havre, given the French background and bitterness toward the UK.
Weapons Availability: Somewhat Restricted: Open carry is not permitted in the Littles, and particularly exotic weapons like plasma guns will be confiscated and stored for the duration of one's visit. Displaying any weapon without provocation is grounds for a citation by local authorities - firing on someone without provocation is grounds for arrest.
Acceptable Currency: White and Black: The official crypto-currency of Urbem Ascalon is welcome here, as are physical Demens runes. Black market currency is run by the underground resisting Main City's influence and is also welcome here. No bartering is allowed in order to protect merchants and customers from abuse.
Notable Spots:- Le Joyau de la Bretagne: An acclaimed crêperie in Nouveau Havre, the Jewel of the Bretagne serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch until 3 PM in an upscale dining setting. Local fruits and sauces are available along with imported juices from Alessio to accompany your meal.
- UGA Arts and Letters Library: Requires UGA ID for entry: Home to all the classics from on Earth and a few more exotic options from faraway worlds, the UGA Arts and Letters Library is an excellent spot on-campus for studying, research, or just a quiet chat. Overlooking the walkway and gardens, it's a restful and idyllic place.
- UGA Natural Sciences Tower and Library: Requires UGA ID for entry: A research hub with network access and a library full of biomedical, physics, chemical, and engineering texts, the Natural Sciences Tower is a boon for anyone looking to brush up on the latest research done in UGA. Laboratory access is provided along with requisite access to free chemicals and other materials for experimentation purposes.
MAIN CITY is considered the crowning jewel of Urbem Ascalon. The city's southernmost portion, it represents the finest in shopping, dining, and entertainment that the UA has to offer. Populated mostly by middle-class workers and upper-crust socialites, the Main City offers everything one could want in an urban center - for a price. Costs are steep, the people are unforgiving, and the government is watchful for any slip-up. Manage to avoid all of that, and you'll find yourself planted deep within the heart of a metropolis that never sleeps and always aims to please.
General Political Background: A city council elected from among aristocratic mob families in the area runs Main City, along with a burgeoning bureaucracy headed by the appointed city comptroller and his associates.
Price Range: Expensive: A decent meal will go from Rs 50+, and taxis charge Rs 2.50 a mile. You're looking at Rs 7.00 a pint for beer here, and that's cheap.
Available Transportation: Main City Unionized Taxicab service, Main-Littles city buses, car-friendly, pedestrian-friendly
Discrimination: High: Fitting in is not optional. The socialites that occupy Downtown will openly insult you in a variety of witty ways if you choose to show up looking poor or disheveled. Workers will be more friendly, but they'll call the police if they suspect your intentions aren't pure, and everyone's prone to putting their nose in your business if you look suspicious. In other words, don't try anything slick here. Be on your best behavior, obey all the laws, and don't act like you sympathize with the Littles, Glasstown, or the Uppers. At least, don't do any of that in public.
Weapons Availability: Restricted: Open carry is not permitted in the Main City. Additionally, all weapons not chipped and registered in the city network will be confiscated and their user charged administration fees to get them converted to be street legal. Drawing a weapon in public without provocation is grounds for arrest. Doing so and attempting to fire on a civilian or law enforcement officer is grounds for lethal force. Anyone found with an unregistered weapon will also be subject to arrest, regardless if the weapon is drawn or not.
ADDENDUM: All weapons, phones, cars, and other electronic or mechanical devices in the Main City must be chipped and registered at all times. If you are found driving a car, using a phone, or possessing a weapon that is unchipped and/or unregistered, the offending device will be confiscated and you will be arrested. Chipped and registered devices can be overridden and shut down by the government or law enforcement if you are suspected of committing a crime and are resisting arrest.
Acceptable Currency: White: The official crypto-currency of Urbem Ascalon is welcome here. Demens runes are accepted by some establishments, but others will insist on an account. No black market currency is acceptable and no bartering is allowed.
Notable Spots:- Khan's: Upscale bar and nightclub with rotating themes every weekend. Khan's is the crown of the downtown nightlife scene. Access requires contacts with someone already on the white-list. There's a stiff entrance fee - Rs 500 - but you get free drinks and snacks for the whole night and access to the dance floor and the stage (when there isn't someone booked to play that hour).
- Demens' Plaza: A beach-side square in the middle of Downtown, Demens' Plaza is known for being the hub where local musical talent that can't get a gig at Khan's shows off. Additionally, fireworks shows play on holidays and there's a light/hologram show that plays every night set to music.
- Refract Jewelers and Galleries: A jewelry shop and art gallery located within a Downtown high-rise, Refract sells to the discerning buyer with expensive taste. There are two different art gallery levels - the lower for cheaper art and the higher for masterpieces - and a jewelry level that also offers temporary tattoos with purchase.
MORE TO COME