DMs Only: Floating City History

THE FLOATING CITY Politics, Intrigue, and History by Galisapp Hissup Underlord of Pillars

10-02-02

Article I: Underlying Archeology

To understand the current situation in the Floating City, it is necessary to look into the history of this unique city. It is assumed by most that the Teucri built this city during what the sages call “the occupation.” This was the time from 200A#, after the 3rd Cataclysm, until the 4th Cataclysm, 1,100 years after, when the Teucri sealed off the plateaus from otherkind and lived in isolation. Many recent excavations, however, which are ongoing and highly secret, point toward an existence of a City of Pillars before the time of the Teucri. In fact, one ancient pottery shard, dated by mages as being pre-A3, depicts a four-level city sitting on dry land in a battle with giants. The implications of this find are incredible and point toward a history long hidden in the distant past.

When the Elennians arrived as refugees in year one of A4, several significant events served to shape the dual city of Sabba and Jubtah into the infamous Floating City that it now is. First, was a unique appearance of Domi to his assembly on Godsday blessing their occupation of the city and commissioning the monks there to the recording of the history of the 5th Age of The Wold. He gave to the Twin Overlords of the towns Sabba and Jubtah the artifact known as “The Quill of Shemesh” which is the quill with which the Jericho drew the gods.

Article II: The Turtle Tragedy

The settlement of the 1st Plateau began with two communities on the shores of Turtle Lake: Sabba and Jubtah. These communities struggled together and made themselves allies and equals in all things: including their fear of the mysterious Teucri City of Pillars which floated in the crater that is Turtle Lake.

This all changed when the two Teucri appeared at the Jubtah docks one foggy morning offering to explain the secrets of the City of Pillars to them. The overlord of the town made no mention of the other settlement in his excitement. The Teucri took the town council over to the City of Turtles by summoning a Turtlebarge. That day, the Teucri showed them the top level, the arena and the “house of the keeper” now known as the Overlord’s Citadel. Somehow, the citizens of Sabba were informed of the Teucri offer. They rejoiced, for Sabba and Jubtah always shared everything and sent a garrison of 50 men and a representative of their mayor to Jubtah to congratulate them on their mutual good fortune. When they arrived, the acting Lord of Jubtah mistakenly thought they were being attacked and launched a counter attack. When the confusion ended, the garrison from Sabba had taken control of Jubtah. When the mayor of Sabba was brought up to speed, he sent assassins by boat to the Pillar City to kill the remaining leaders of Jubtah. By some tragic mistake, however, the assassins killed the Teucri instead. So the mayor of Sabba had both towns under his control and the Lord of Jubtah had possession of the knowledge of the City of Turtles. In this way the stalemate began...and continued.

Meanwhile 100s of refugees began to arrive wanting to settle in the City of Turtles. The stubbornness of the remaining lords remained and the stalemate continued. For weeks this situation continued. In fact, it lasted until the High Lord Mayor of New Elenna arrived escorting a Teucri and leading the remaining 500 heroes of the Elennian army. With the aid of the Teucri, Yatimir and his forces, “turtled” out to the Big Turtle only to find the assassins and the Lord and Council of Jubtah turned into stone statues with the name of Domi on the base as the author. Yatimir proclaimed the site holy and the Temple of Domi exists there to this day.

The following peace did not come easily. Yatimir told the representatives from the two towns to come to an agreement. When they failed to accomplish this, the High Lord Mayor stepped in and declared that the City of Pillars would “float” from one port to the other. The City of Turtles would bear the name and ruler of the town it had last docked at. The Teucri, realizing the foolishness of the New Elennians, created two crowns: one for the “Overlord” of each town which would impart the knowledge of how to move, float, define, etc. the City of Pillars. Two strategic places existed in the City that were appropriate for an Overlord’s keep: The Citadel that was over the Arena, and the Bunker which housed all the machinations that floated the city. And thus, the twin city of Jubtah and Sabba was settled. Visitors who became citizens or were born under one Overlord’s flag were forever considered citizens of that town for life. Each overlord taxes his citizens and others if he could get away with it. People who committed crimes were judged by the overlord in charge when the crime was committed. Several guilds and organizations had different hierarchies, depending on which Overlord was in power at the time. The Big Turtle took five days to go from port to port. Every year on the last day of summer the Overlords would switch palaces: Overlord to Underlord, Underlord to Overlord.

Article III: The Resettling of The Gods

As the crowds settled in, the rich and powerful very quickly laid claim to the upper two levels and the poor and crime elements of society sought out the lower levels. Massive reconstruction began above and below. Temples to Alemi, Domi, Gargul, and Caeroldra are commissioned with other temples on each level. Jails and Barracks for each town are built and the dock area was redesigned for turtle barges and fishing ships. Gargul’s temple was the first completed. When it was consecrated, Gargul manifested himself warning the citizens to never forget him or they were doomed as individuals and as a city. Those who attended left the temple with their faces frozen as in death. This reminder lasted for five days. When Caeroldra’s temple was finished, all attending the dedication service found true love within six days. When Domi’s temple was finished, every person in attendance at the ribbon cutting service was healed of all sickness and deformity within seven days. When Alemi’s temple was finished, the strangest manifestation of all occurred. All the faithful soldiers and civilians who died in the invasion returned from the Isle of the Dead and floated around their patron temples and a spell of mercy fell upon the city. Every citizen told the truth and served their fellow man selflessly for eight days.

Article IV: Dependent Independence

The City of Turtle’s relationship to New Elenna is a confusing one. From the start, the City of Pillars claimed to be an independent city-state. In the same way, the High Lord Mayors always claimed that every town and person living on and around the plateaus were sovereign to the nation of New Elenna. The Big Float interprets sovereign as meaning that they can do what they want and still be under the protection of the High Lord Mayor. As the three plateaus were being settled, Sabba and Jubtah, the Twin City, being so ready made and modern quickly became the center of New Elennian society. Many lobbied for the Twin City to become the new capital. However, the High Lord mayor Yatimir had several things against the City of Pillars being the capital of New Elenna. First, he was unwilling to participate in the Overlord/Underlord tradition or to share power with those two “god” appointed stations. Second, the city wasn’t willing to consolidate to a single city, preferring the uniqueness of two cities in one. So Yatimir selected another Teucri site for his capital on the top plateau. Construction began on Plateau City and taxes were levied to cover the expenses. The independent folk of the Floating City called for a vote concerning this tax. The vote was overwhelmingly against the tax. This was followed immediately by a vote declaring their independence from New Elenna. Their reasons included that since it was now new Elenna instead of Elenna, it was a different country altogether. They would stay loyal to the former country of Elenna. They also disputed the position of the High Lord Mayor which was according to them “an attempt to rise to power by the rich common people.” And so things remained: New Elenna claiming the Twin City and the Twin City claiming an independent city-state status.

When King Claudia I was restored to the throne as regent, The Twin City accepted her as the King of Elenna, not New Elenna, with open arms. They said they would pay taxes to the King, but not the new kingdom. They would go to war for the king, but not the new kingdom. A celebration of one week was announced by both Overlord and Underlord, and a vote was called. In honor of the restoration of the King, the Twin City would finally become one! The city officially changed its name to The Floating City and ceased changing its ruler every 5 days. All debts were canceled and all citizens and businesses were allowed to change their names as well. Over 5,000 names and businesses changed names. Recently for the first time, the King’s jewels and symbols of power were put on display in the Floating City, despite the objection of the royal families whose displays were refused. In honor of this monumental show of loyalty, King Claudia declared the guard of the Floating City the Elennian, not New Elennian, guard causing her to be eternally popular with the Big Float and creating a schism between the king and the other royal families. May King Claudia and her descendants wisely rule forever!

Sjo who actually rules the Floating City: the Overlord, Underlord, the King of Elenna, or the Kingdom of New Elenna? The answer according to King Claudia: the people of the Big Float. And how long does an Overlord or Underlord continue to rule? Current Turtle Law states that their terms last until an Overlord or Underlord retires, dies, or is impeached, continuing to exchange titles and locations every year as long as they rule. However, the longest any pair of lords has retained office is 31 years, because when one Lord leaves office, the other Lord must also abdicate as soon as an election campaign can be completed. Anyone can run for Overlord, but must either have backers to pay for the campaign or pay for it themselves. The first place candidate becomes Overlord and the second Underlord for the first year after which they switch.

Article V: The Big Sink

The Floating City continued to evolve into the most modern city in the Wold through the year 400A4. On this day Zephur the Underlord for unknown reasons died on day two of his reign. The Big Float began to sink. Ruhpez the Overlord, called on his new “adventuring group in residence” the Floating City Irregulars to investigate. Then strange things began happening. Daphne the Giggling Ghost, an attraction at a tavern of the same name, began to prophesize the end of the city. A thief was possessed by a spirit of unknown properties and began to preach doom and destruction from the docks. Then dragons came from the east. Dragons were supposed to be unable to approach the plateaus, due to the wards of the Teucri that kept them in Dragon Bay. They flew above the Big Sink like vultures in desert. Then came the Magic Dragonmouth Floating above the temple of Caeroldra saying, “Submit to the new rulers of the Big Float: The Frog Island Consortium of Beleaguered Dragons of Color. The Floating City Irregulars eventually discovered that the president of this new “dragon-club” was none other than the infamous red dragon “Flame.” This dragon had possession of a magic amulet which allowed his presence on the plateaus possible by aligning their inherent magic with the projected magic of the wards. Flame then, somehow, gained entrance through the Underramp to the Undercity where he slaughtered all of the Scribes of the Mask, the Bureaucity, and the Underlord. The Irregulars declared their intentions to take back the Undercity and save the Big Float. They spoke the command word, given them by the Overlord, to open the door and stepped in. Before they could open the second door with its command it opened of its own accord and there waiting for them was Flame. He breathed instantly while the Irregulars stood open-mouthed in surprise. The two who survived the breath attack were cut down where they stood with his claws. The city continued to sink and sink. By the end of the day, level six was underwater.

The Overlord forgot his pride and called on the King for help. Her royal highness commissioned the Dragon Consortium’s Red Dragons Adventuring Ensemble to deal with the invasion. They teleported to the Big Sink at first light. Levels 5 and 6 were already underwater. They descended, surrounded by the energy of their preparatory spells. Then the battle began. The City of Pillars shook and rocked with the force of the battle joined. The Red Dragons took everything Flame could dish out...and returned the blows. One hour later, Flame surrendered, was enchanted to the size of a cow, and was led out on a leash. Later it was discovered that he had focused the Teucri artifact known as the Jegujah, which translated means “Cornerstone of the Wold,” upon the Dragon Sentinels and reversed their field of protection. This had the effect of allowing dragons from Dragon Bay to crossover to the Elennian Peninsula while preventing them from leaving the peninsula for Dragon Bay. How Flame focused the Jegijah is a mystery till this day; however, its effects are still felt. Since Flame’s attack, the City of Turtles has not moved from the center of the lake.

Article VI: Holidays and Politics

King’s Day

This day is considered a lucky day to start a new business or enterprise. It is also known as Children’s Day. All children wear paper crowns and pretend to be their parents by running their businesses. Every parent regardless of station takes their children under 16 years of age to work and officially turns the business over to them until sundown. As will all grand ideas, some problems have developed from the implementation of this holiday. Limits were established when the infamous Prisoner of Razz demanded that his daughter take his place in prison for the day. He escaped, she was forgotten and was found dead a month later. She was killed by Giant Rats. The Overlord’s son responded the next year by using his father’s money to raise her from the dead, but she refused to come back. Her ghost haunts the prisons till this day. Additional limits were established when Fishbone, a former member of the Black Dragons, had his son to fight in his place in the arena. He also was killed. A fireball caused his head to explode in front of 10,000 literally screaming fans and their children. Contessa, daughter of the current Overlord declared that is was heretofore unlawful to put children in a dangerous situation and had the former Black Dragon hung on the spot.

Day of Masks

This day is celebrated by several cultures on the peninsula in different ways. In the Floating City, it is the most important day of the year. For most cultures it is a “fun” day, It’s meaning lost in the annals of time. In the Big Float and for the People of the Turtle, it is a matter of freedom and captivity, youth and old age. On this day, all citizens wear masks to hide their identity. For if they are one of the twenty chosen, their lives are irrevocably changed. On this day at mid-morning, the Underlord and the twenty Undercrats whose twenty years of service are completed, form a grand procession up through the city levels their way paved with flowers. These flowers are grown for a whole year with loving care by the citizenry in window boxes, due to a lack of land, just for this day. When the procession arrived on the top level, it enters the Temple of Caeroldra where a service is conducted by the Chief Servant known as the Evocation of Youth is held. There the twenty Undercrats are laid upon with hands and are transformed back to become the age of their choice, with or without their previous memories. From there, the procession makes the rounds of the other Big Four Temples and then enters the Arena. There a tournament takes place with both the Underlord and Overlord presiding. This begins with a speech from the Overlord concerning the status of the city and to thanks the Underlord for his service. This is followed by an address from the Underlord where he confirms the security of the realm and thanks the Twenty for their service. The procession of the Overlord then commences, forming on the Arena floor and led by the day’s champions. The mood of the day then sobers when twenty trumpets sound announcing the Choosing. The crowd exits hurriedly to find a place along the procession route. The procession heads down through the levels and the difference in the demeanor of the crowd is marked. No one talks. The shuffling feet of the turtles as they proceed bearing the Overlord, can always be heard. Occasionally the droning of various religious groups can be heard as they give thanks for not being chosen. During the descent, the Crown of the Overlord glows green and sends a ghost-like image of itself to float above the crown where it settles on someone’s head. And thus are the chosen selected. Eventually the procession disappears down the Underramp and the crowd explodes in celebration at not being chosen for another year. The masks are torn off and the celebrating continues far into the night. Those who are chosen spend twenty years working for the Underlord as an Undercrat. Reputed jobs done by Undercrats include: 1) acting as The Seekers writing the histories of the Wold’s past and present via the Time Seeing Stones; 2) acting as the Custodians who monitor the floating of the city; and 3) working as the Preservers who monitor Dragon Bay and other interests that the Teucri left behind.

For most Citizens of the Float, the Day of Masks begins weeks and even months earlier. First, all citizens order or commission a mask. Those who order, go to a mask display store and select from the hundreds of masks of tradition, i.e. masks with proven track records of nonselection. You see, the Floating Citizens are very superstitious about their masks. They select their masks by multiple criteria which include: 1) the track record of the mask; 2) how many people have purchased this mask this year, because some thing that there is safety in large numbers and some the opposite; 3) cost; 4) station in life, for some buy masks above, on, or below their station); 5) the year, month and day of someone’s birth, possibly theirs; 6) and a multitude of other criteria. Many also spend huge sums of coin to design or commission new masks which could be one of a kind or later become a common design. All of this is done to avoid being chosen as one of The Twenty, or in unusual cases in an effort to be chosen. Second, all citizens either change identities with someone or pretend to. This is usually done with a friend or with someone who has the same occupation so that the cover is believable. Sometime, days or hours before the Choosing, they arrange the switch. Some reveal afterward who they switched with, some do not, some choosing to exchange with the same person every year. It is considered rude to ask someone of their specific plans or strategies for mask day. Even families, kin, and spouses don’t talk of their plans. Many use this opportunity of animosity to swap-wives by switching identities or to pull off a crime or slick business deal. Even though specifics are considered anathema, what happened last year and, who’s reemerging this is the talk of the town.

Past experience has created law-customs that are followed by everyone. First, no citizen under age 16 can be chosen. Second, once the trumpets sound announcing the choosing, no one may change masks, alter their current mask in any way, put on a mask, or remove one. Third, visitors to the Floating city are eligible as well as citizens. Fourth, those chosen must be alive at the time of their choosing.

Election Day

This day celebrates the freedom and level of civilization that the Floating City enjoys. As all the people of the Big Float know, the Overlord and Underlord rule over our fair city with a noble and productive eye; however, not many know that in recent years, in order to give the people a stronger voice, a backup system was added called The Jury. The Jury is made up of twelve people who serve for one or two years. Six of those people are drawn randomly from a pool of people wishing to have the opportunity to serve their city. These Jurists serve for one year. The second six are elected. Each level votes for one Jurist who represents their interests. These people serve two years.

The duties of The Jury are actually quite simple. They serve as a check and balance for the Over and Underlord. Any law or ruling proposed by the Lords may be overturned by The Jury by a unanimous vote. Anything less than unanimous and the ruling of the Lords passes. The Jury may also force a ruling or a delay of a ruling, by a unanimous vote. The final duty of The Jury is to listen to the voices of the people on their level of the city and to bring problems and proposals to the Overlord for consideration. The Jury creates an agenda of items that must be looked and ruled on every ten days. An item may make the agenda if it passes a simple majority vote.

[Jerry [2022-02-09]. This is not accurate. They are not called the Jury, but simply The Council. In addition, the Underlord has nothing to do with ruling the city. He oversees the task of recording all history in the Wold, pretty much right after it happens. Teucri elements are involved in this task. Remember that the Teucri built Floating City.]

Other Holidays

Many holidays are celebrated in the Big Float. Turtle Day occurs during the spring. This is the day that the new giant turtles are hatched. There is not set date for this event. It is announced by the Turtles’ Call itself as they gather at the docks to present the eggs to Donyra with the Song of the Turtles. The glorious harmonies that proceed from the mouths of these ugly creatures are one of the wonders of The Wold. Another significant festival is the Day of Cleansing. On this day, all the inhabitants of the lowest two levels leave to participate in a day and night of revelry on the top level while the Big Float floods level six to clean it of all refuse. After draining, this level drips constantly and is very humid for about a week, but the citizens are so glad to get rid of the smell that they move back in immediately.

Article VII: And Justice For Some

The Big Float does not allow any guilds, believing that such things take away from the freedoms of the citizens. Therefore, such guilds that exist are thinly disguised as clubs or individual businesses. The most prominent of these are the three distinct groups of thief organizations. These are the Rogues’ Fellowship, the Black Blades, and the Lord’s of Diamonds. The first groups of thieves ever in the Twin City were the Rogues of Steal and The Red Light Gang. The reason for the two groups was of course the fact that the Twin City had two governments that took turns every five days, depending on whether Sabba or Jubtah was the government in power at the time. So also the two groups took turns being the official thieves organization. A thief could only become a member of one or the other, so competition was heavy and underhanded. One would pull a job or blame an accidental failure on the other side and the other would retaliate. This argument and feuding continued joyfully for several hundred years until the Day of Unification when the king was restored to the throne. On that day, the two groups combined. Of course, one of the thiefmasters had to be killed, but that was to be expected.. The new combined group was called the Steal Gang. This union lasted about six months when the thiefmaster died and a woman was left in charge. The men wouldn’t stand for it. Especially when she had the top two men thieves killed and replaced with women. So the men caused a split in the organization separating themselves from the women of the guild. The men cleared the Steal House of the women in a bloodbath that destroyed the building. Both groups had to relocate. The men took on the name “The Black Blades” after their leader Throndius the Black. The women arguing for public sympathy took on a defensive posture and named themselves “The Rogues Fellowship.” The women left their membership open to men and women, at least on the surface. And thus it remains that in The Big Float, The City of Free Thinking, that the men and women thieves continue to be a throwback to former times.

The Lords of Diamonds is the third group of thieves in the Big Float. Named after an unknown aristocrat who was known as the Lord of Diamonds, this loose and secretive organization is made up of only the very rich from old families who steal only the expensive and the impossible for fun, prestige, and adventure. There are fifty Lords of Diamonds at any time. If any are revealed they are found dead and replaced. If any quit or retire, they are found dead and replaced. Recent accomplishments include: stealing the Winners Cup out of the hands of the Overlord at the end of the Tournament of Knights; stealing the King Of Elenna’s crown jewels when they were on tour in the city which they returned in exchange for a letter of commendation from the King; and the key to the mythical elven City of Dragons, again returned in exchange for a Letter of Eternal Friendship from the high elves of the City of Circles, wherever that is. There is a standing offer from the Overlord of a reward of 1000gp for conclusive evidence that any citizen is a member of the Lords of Diamonds. However, the three times that Nikar the Obstinate had provided that evidence, the information has been tampered with or lost in the Undercity bureaucity.