[written by Jacob, who plays Sesel the Voice and his associate Raoden]
The Facility
Somewhat different from most Cothon-Gadeed Services, in that it is not physically present within the Dual Cities, nor even the surrounding area of the Tel, it is nevertheless available to citizens and barbarians alike as a location for learning and research.
Access to the Facility is available only by appointment, through the Bani Dawr. They charge a monthly premium of 100 dinars for a character to access the Facility for their own research, in addition to the character agreeing to share any discoveries they make using the Facility’s resources.
A barbarian can utilize this service by sending notice to the Bani Dawr, along with the required payment. They would then meet a representative of the Bani Dawr at the Processional Gate, be escorted through the long walk, Gadeed herself, and into the Dawr estate. Citizens of Gadeed need only send the notice and coin, meeting at the estate itself at the appointed time.
Once at the estate visitors are guided into a small, well appointed garden and served a calming green tea (which every guest is expected to consume immediately upon being served, in full, as the consumption of it is part of the process for accessing the magics used to travel to the Facility). They are then guided through a short pair of corridors, up some steps to a balcony overlooking the previous garden, and instructed to step onto a small dais and place their hand on a pedestal.
At that point visitors find themselves in a strange metal room, well lit and with plush looking chairs and couches scattered throughout. Throughout the Facility one might see researchers of several denominations, but especially Bani Dawr, notable in that they all wear nearly identical, simple looking gray clothing each with a small pin upon their left breast. Researchers are often huddled over a project, or interacting with one of the various magical mirrors seen all over the Facility, and sometimes just hanging out and having a break (as is most frequently the case in the common room where visitors enter). At that point a Facility representative will be assigned as your escort and research assistant, and you will be allowed to visit and use the various services and features of the Facility, though some require additional fees.
Each new visitor is greeted by the lead researcher, Adnaan al-Dawr, an historian with cropped, curled, purple-dyed hair and blue eyes. She is always enthusiastic of anyone looking to research, though even more so when that research relates to the fantastical things of which the Facility is capable.
Services and Features of the Facility
All throughout the Facility is the omni-present spirit 47. They can be called upon to aid in directing or answering questions, providing interface guidance, and limited access to the more general Facility features.
The Common Room
Available to anyone visiting or staying within the Facility, and the main entry point. The room is capable of holding nearly a hundred individuals comfortably, and includes several tables as well as a full kitchen and chef to provide meals, as well as several (though common) drink options. Though the food quality won’t be that of a fine-dining experience, it is far above standard rations and hard-tack barbarians might be accustomed to when out of the city. Of note in the room, a magic seems to be present within the room that dampens conversational noise, and any given circle of chairs/tables/etc seems to be it’s own pocket of noise, without causing the room itself to be a cacophony at all hours.
The Barracks
Available at an additional fee of 500 dinars per month, and only as rooms are available, a visitor can stay within the Facility itself for their researches. Providing a private room, with remarkably soft and cushy cloth bedding, a sturdy metal desk with plenty of writing implements, and a small wardrobe. Purchasing this, and remaining within the Facility for the month (other than to adventure) grants a +1 to your research/work being done within the Facility.
The Library
While 47 themselves will refer to the location as “Command” most of the time (they are still adjusting to the renaming) the Library is a large room with several seats, some built-in and some clearly imported from Gadeed, sat around various magic-mirror paneled tables. Additionally, any non-magic-mirror surface here is lined with books (some open to various entries and in-use, others stacked not-so-neatly), in addition to the (obviously recently added) shelves of books scattered throughout the room.
The basic 100 dinars grants usage of one of these tables for several hours a day. An additional 200 dinars grants priority access to these panels, allowing you to reserve as much time in a day as you need, and granting a +1 to any research/work being done.
Like the Libraries of the taverns, the Facility’s Library has certain specific topics of information present within. Alas, at this time there are only mundane books available in this collection, no spellbooks.
History, especially as it relates to fantastical legends or stories
Stories or epics written about legendary adventurers of the past
Tomes relating to the translation of ancient languages to more modern variants
A small selection of freshly written, unique tomes, documenting the researches of the Bani Dawr within the Facility, its features and mechanics. These are only available to guests who have some agreement with the Bani Dawr to share in their knowledge.
The Simulator
As part of the library here, one can purchase time with the Simulator. This costs 100 dinars per use, but grants access to the portion of the Facility that was previously adventured within. This access can include designing custom scenarios, or to select an existing scenario and accompanying settings, to run through as an adventure. Note that nothing can be taken from the scenarios, so no practical treasure is available. However, the researchers note that they believe there are still things to be learned about those who built the Facility through the exploration of these scenarios, and anyone returning with new information from a scenario is granted not only their 100 dinars back, but the rights to a room in the barracks, and priority Library access for the following 1 month.
Scenario
settings:
Time of day:
Mid-Day, Sunny
Night, moon rises after 1 hour
Mid-day
Weather:
Heavy rains
Freezing cold, snow covers the ground, water is ice, clear sky.
Burning hot, little water, forrest become deserts, early morning (with full sun-rise in 1 hour)
Color of the sun (it is always approximately nickel sized):
Yellow
Blue
Red
Green
Scenarios that can be selected:
Enemy Base Assault
The enemy maintains a small fort at this location. You are to secure the structure, and drive out or slay all enemy combatants.
Base Defense
The enemy is advancing a sizeable troop on one of our surface emplacements, and you’re the last line of defense. They will press a strong attack, but you will have the fort's defenses to your advantage.
Pyramid Assault
The enemy is bringing a warship to bear upon us, and you have snuck aboard. Your mission is to stop the ship from reaching it’s destination.
Cavern Assault
This cavern is occupied by local primitives who support the enemy. They have captives they intend to brainwash to their side. Free any captives you can, and destroy their encampment.
Forest Camp Ambush
Our intel suggests that the enemy will be attempting to make slaves or soldiers of a local primitive caravan. Your job is to stop that from happening, at any cost.
Cavern facility defense
The enemy has discovered one of our secret mountain forts. The structure is to be protected at any cost, and if the control room is breached the facility will self-destruct. Your goal is to beat out the enemy before that happens.
The Research Rooms
Available only by paying an additional 100 dinars, and by getting prior approval from the lead researcher of the Facility. Perhaps not what most residents of the great Mother of Cities would expect in a ‘research’ room, these large open rooms contain only a single chair, and a small magic-mirror panel. However, upon making a selection on the magic-mirror half the room changes to suddenly reveal one of the 4 specimens for research sealed behind an impenetrable glass wall. Note that no direct physical interaction is allowed with the specimens without prior approval, and additional negotiated fees. However, some limited interactions can be had with the specimens, including speech, as well as placing or removing objects within the space.
An ancient looking creature with sickly pale white skin, long white hair, and strange blue leather clothing.
A very well-built looking man, shirtless with a clear X shaped scar on his belly and a brand on his forehead.
A strange 3-eyed “cat” like creature:
A blood-red humanoid creature that strikes around the room violently with strange tendrils and white eyes:
The Infirmary
Available to all who visit the Facility, this large room contains several metal slabs to facilitate medical research, each with a small metal cart to hold tools, and a directional light above the table.
Additionally within the room is (as defined by 47) a Sarcophagus. Only one of these is present in the room, and is only available with an additional 1000 dinar payment, and approval from the lead Facility researcher. Use of the sarcophagus provides significant healing capacity, as well as strengthening anyone who uses it. However, 47 cautions against regular use. There may be other features, but they are yet to be discovered.The “sarcophagus”:
The Ring
Noted here as something the various adventurers of the Facility are aware of, but which is not a generally available feature for research. This “room” lies behind several large metal doors. Access to this room requires a unique code, known only to a select few. Within the room, at the end of a ramp, is a large metal ring with symbols embossed into the face of it:
There is also a small box of the same metal built into the floor to the right side of the ring, the lid can be removed revealing an empty metal box.
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