In this second sketch diary I will be sharing a very quick part of the wider world. Many settlements are still in a creative infancy but they are coming along strongly and as other features of the setting get the stamp of finality I can lockdown parts for release and make more certain strides on the way some settlements work or serve the PC and NPCs alike.
The Steamshaft is broken up into three segments, the Delvus Minor, the Crux Delvus and the Delvus Major. Within these segments there are large regions that have acquired names of their own from the peoples that call them home. The blacked criss-cross near the middle was originally intended to be of no consequence but I have now written in a very interesting bit of background and information about what is hiding there. I will say only that it ties in with the larger story and is likely to feature in any large campaign, though a GM may opt not to use it.
The above does not feature the thousands upon thousands of outward digs, with the exception of a few specific areas I am writing, these oft-dangerous outward regions are at the discretion of the GM who can create as many as he/she needs.
While this is an early concept I am likely to leave it unchanged, beyond making it visually stronger.
Furnace Town is likely to be the base camp of early adventuring as the only large settlement in the deeps and one of the most important in the Delvus Major region of the Steamshaft. In this map (My first attempt to visualise the settlement) it should be noted that the central section containing the dead furnace is raised above the outer sections. Underneath this central plate are the last eight districts of the settlement… I’ve sketched a layout for one of these districts. The section jutting out on the top-right is a prison of sorts. Furnace town sits at the heart of a chasm of steam and can only be reached by three supply tunnels, or (at grave risk of death) by the five pipelines to the east.
Furnace Town, The starter settlement for most campaigns.
The next settlement was the result of a day dream on the way back from work (I normally do this, most walks home consist of dreamed worlds, stories and adventures.) while I was pondering a region called, ‘The Creaks’ named because of the instability of the area and the frequent collapsing/sliding of settlements or travel routes… I knew I wanted/needed a settlement in such a risky zone and so we get Shakes Town… the only place that has a surface cow herd (Yes, Milk Shake… I did think it at the time and it does allow room for roleplay group collapse, though nowhere near the standard of ‘The River Kok’ Incident from Titan. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Fighting_Fantasy]). Shakes town is still in note form and nowhere near Furnace town in terms of development but I harbour a soft spot for it based on the chaos it sits atop/within.
Shakes Town, not the easiest place to reach...
I should say that (as with much else) this is only intended to suggest how the area looks rather than a ‘to scale’ rendition, I was trying to get a fix on how the collapsed regions might look. I actually day dreamed travel upto the town and around ‘The Creaks’ in general so I could work out how goods and people traverse the madness, let alone live in it.
I won’t get much sketching or writing done on Thursday, Friday and Saturday because I’ll be baking bread at 3am in the morning and come midday I will be far too knackered to do anything useful with my brain or body. Sadly as much as I’d like to spend all my time doodling, writing and dreaming I must grunt my way through reality even when it strikes a chill to the noble soul within.
-Tom
Tags: concept, Furnace Town, Map, Pen & Paper RPG, Roleplay, Shakes Town, The Steamshaft Chronicles, World setting
