Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Adepticon 2013 Preparations Part 2 - A Look at Fluff

Marienburg - City of the Bay - a town where all can be had and seen, for a price.

Marienburg is often called the City of Gold.  It is the wealthiest city in the Empire, and perhaps all of the Old World, because of it's strong trade economy and connections to the rest of the world.  Any port can be reached by water from Marienburg, and the goods sold in the city reflect that. Ships from the Talabec-Urskoy route in the Reik bring Kislev goods such as meat, fur, and exotic weapons, while traditional Imperial goods come from direct links with Nuln and Altdorf. There is always something new to see, and purchase if one is privileged enough to walk the Marienburg streets with a purse of gold.


The city is comprised of a large number of islands of various sizes.  These islands are all connected by bridges, but the most traffic is seen in the canals that run between them.  Like a lazy version of today's highways, the canals are packed with ships all in various stages of travel, size, and repair. As much as the ships themselves vary, the canals are each in different states and status.  The Doodkanal (Dead Canal) was once the main thoroughfare in the city, but is now a clogged and unused slum which is best avoided if one values their life and valuables.

The canals are the roads, the Wards are the city blocks as it were.  Each "island" (or group of islands in some cases) is a Ward, which is in all essence is a smaller city.  Each Ward can elect officials, pass laws, and collect taxes. Ward politics is a business in itself, often used as another means of lining a head merchants pocket.

Also similar to the canals, each Ward is a small ecosystem of different people and cultures.  Crossing a bridge in Marienburg is like stepping into another world.  For example the quiet Kleinmoot houses the halfling population of Marienburg and is home to the Bakers Guild,while the bustling Handelaarmarkt is a busy trading area full of bright young businessmen looking to make their name.

Next time I will go into detail on the specific Ward I will be modelling and writing around.