WiP: Burning VI - Galena
Hi all,
I've been very...absent...lately. My co-GM and I picked up the Burning Empires RPG a while back and we've been working up a two-player game (not recommended, according to the author). The world we're "burning" is called Vi (VI, as in the Roman numeral for 6) and I've sketched out a map of its capital city, Galena. Vi is a resource-rich world nearish the Karsan League border with the worlds of Vaylen-conquered space. It's a low-index world but maintains some vestiges of its high-index past, notably a still-functioning "beanstalk". The world exports high-value ores, radioactives, and, most profitably, refined coltane - used as a catalyst in the matter-antimatter reactors that power distortion drive starships. Vi is ruled by a chartered corporate league (endorsed by the Tirkahn to provide resources to neighboring noble enclaves) and protected by Hammer and Anvil assets seconded by those enclaves. Probably, none of this will make much sense unless you're familiar with Christopher Moeller's Iron Empires graphic novels or the Burning Empires RPG...that's okay, because I'm posting a map!
This is drawn on bristol using pencil and then inked with Staedler fine-tip pen in light grey. I wanted to get the basic lines down so I could scan it for coloring in Photoshop and also so I could mess with maybe coloring it with Prismacolor markers or colored pencils or something. It's a pic from my phone, so could be a bit more clear, and it's rotated, so picture north as pointing left. The capital city is in the center. The citadel is to the northwest, surrounded by ground-based Q-beam launchers and the inevitable shanty town that follows military establisments. The little thing to the northeast is a small starport (mostly shuttles) and the thing to the east is the base of the beanstalk, its west half being a passenger terminal and its east half industrial. To the south are the estates of the corporate magnates (and a few of their right-hand executives) that rule the world.
A few details: Vi is a geologically active, fairly young, world, which is why it's so rich in easily mineable rare elements. Though its dryish (about 20%-30% water) it has a thriving ecology. At the top of the food chain is a creature akin to the velociraptor in function, so it's a bit dangerous in the outback. Corporations rule the world and manage its exploitation. Those corporations have mines around the globe but Galena is the only major settlement outside of corporate-controlled mining towns.
The workers are local independents who provide much of the experience and brain power and temporary contract workers, who often end up staying on Vi much longer than they expected after the hock themselves to the company store. There's very much a dichotomy of class on Vi. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The poor stay in the mining towns or ship back to wherever they came from when their contracts expire or they pay off their debts. The rich stay in Galena, or the estates of the wealthy, or up on Tian (the port at the top of the beanstalk).
The Hammer and Anvil, under the Forged lord Vladimir Lobocek, keep mostly to themselves. There's not a lot to do on Vi, at least until the Vaylen come (and they're on their way), so they train and prepare. Lobocek is also the boss of the militaries of a handful of other chartered resource worlds.
The government is provided by the Corporate Congress, in which corporations are allocated votes based on their contribution to GPP. The top corporations have seats on the Board of Directors and essentially make the law, sometimes with the consent of the Congress. The only real monkey wrench is the Independent Mining Guild, to which all of the indies and local contract laborers belong. They're pushing to unionize and the leader has adopted a Rosie the Riveter persona runs an underground pirate vidstation. She's backed by a Southern Poverty Law Center sort of guy, who happens to also the the disgruntled son of one of the Directors.
Anyway...that's probably more than you wanted to know about the world!I'll post an update when I've got it. Critiques and suggestions welcome, though I can't really do much to change the ink that already exists! I'll post an update when I've got it. Thanks!
M
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