The Sanctus was designed in 'Cells', each one approximately 50 feet tall and (varying on location) up to 2 square miles in area. For all the genius needed to create the Sanctus, perhaps some of the most work had to be done making sure it was possible to move from one place to another.
The Lifts are the lifeblood of the Tower. Considering that most Cells are their own little nations in many ways, with one floor being the urban living areas, the next the farm and livestock space, possibly a third one for nobility, etc., being able to move back and forth is vital.
All but the most destitute cells have their own internal Lift system (they were designed in each cell, but if the people living there let it fall into decay and can't pay for repairs...). This is used to move back and forth within the Cell. This is the "morning commute" for the labor pool, walking through the city square to the lifts, and then down to the farmland or workshops for the day. These are normally just big boxes with a lift operator and (if you're lucky) four walls. This normally costs at least a few coins to ride--if you're broke or thrifty, there's always the stairwell. Of course, these are rumored to be where vagabonds and other terrible things dwell, so it's not a bad idea to be armed...
At least once a day--sometimes more, depending on the Cell your in and the trade that flows between floors--there's normally an express elevator. These run through the Cells, connecting at least 2 or 3 different Cells. These are run exclusively by the Lifter Guild, responsible for operating the lifts and maintaining them. These are run on weight and far too pricey for the common man--but then, the common man won't be using these all that often. Time tables are strict, and missing your ride means another day or two at least.
Express cars tend to be closer to small restaurants or train cars--there's chairs and amenities in the good ones, and enough space for a head of cattle in the cargo drives.
Finally, there are the Bulk Cars. These are massive multi-story affairs (get on the car through the entrance, walk up stairs, etc). and can hold massive amounts of people and goods. Of course, these are slow--The gear work needed to move a multi-story house is built for strength and reliability, not speed. These move slowly like clockwork up and down the Grand Shafts, By the time it takes them to stop, unload, reload and close the massive doors, they only get roughly a floor a day. This means it's literally a decade from the top floor to the bottom (although with two cars normally working, you'll get one every five years or so). These are small moving apartments, with floors of bulk space and sleeping space--about as luxurious as a WWII sub, but at least you have a bed...
Finally, there are private cars--the ones used by the rich and powerful to move themselves and their own private armies. These can range from functional to opulent, and if the owner can pay for a clear shaft, they can move themselves from top to bottom in a few hours.
All of this is controlled by the Lifter's Guild, Dealing with the repair, operation and timing of the lifts is a vital job, and one they get paid well for. Having a monopoly on transportation makes them powerful and unforgiving to those that cross them--being banned from the Lifts essentially traps you--sure, you can get to the stairwells, but where are you really going to go? Respectable places will kick you out, and going down to the Midnight Floors means finding the disreputable and desperate and hoping the vagabonds you find aren't mad or worse...
Finally, if one is desperate, there are rumors of ghost cars--illegal and mostly just tall tales, but there are some signs that perhaps illegal lifts are operating. Most would simply say you have corrupt lift operators making a few extra coins during a slow period in the Shafts, but others say entire companies of vagabonds, madmen, and renegade engineers are running lines in the dead of night and just outside the shadow of legal lifts. Such an act--assuming it was real--would jeopardize lives and property, but it's not like there aren't desperate people with money...
Adventure Ideas:
Basically, anything that would be "on a train" can be done "-on a lift".
1. A Lift has gotten stuck in one of the secondary Shafts. Even worse, it's carrying both a Baron's daughter and a number of violently unstable alchemicals. From here, it can delve as deep into "Die Hard" as you want--maybe there are anarchists or cultists or...
2. A floor has been reporting disappearances of late--first it was a few sheep, but now children are missing. The floor is tight nit and everyone has an alibi. However, there have been...sounds...coming from the Shafts. Has something from the Midnight floors come up the shaft?
3. A Bulk Car isn't stopping--it's thrown the entire schedule off and threatens entire floors with economic failure and/or starvation. The Guild is hiring you to get into the car and stop it--now. Did the engineer just have a heart attack, or is something more terrible going on?
No comments:
Post a Comment