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World #10025 - Barbary Grove

Mission Status: Open

World #10025's gate is located on Earth. It is similar to most Earths in makeup, history, and cultures, with a slightly larger metahuman and supernatural population than most average Earths. The year matches with most chronometers set to Omphalos time, but the technology in World #10025 skews sharply towards what was available in the 90s with some small exceptions that are not yet relevant here.

World #10025's Gate is located in Barbary Grove, and it is strongly suggested that agents do not travel far from city limits. World #10025 may have unique connections to the Corruption that we do not fully understand yet, and while threats thus-far may be low, that may change if we stir the pot before we are fully prepared.

Barbary Grove is a small city in northern California. To the average visitor, its just another small town, cute, but ultimately forgettable. It's known for its poppy fields and pomegranate groves, and outside of a few seasonal campers, acts as a passthrough town to other, more exciting destinations. There's a café, a little bar, and a locally owned hotel known as the Starling.

It also has a sizable vampire population, a group of which have been around since the days of ancient Egypt. They are considered allies to the AotM, and aid can be sought from them in emergencies, but it is rarely given without price. Beware.

The supernatural populations of Barbary Grove have not yet made themselves public yet to the local human population, nor is most of World #10025's aware of the supernatural elements they share their world with. We have been asked to respect this choice, and so agents who cannot pass easily as human must utilize their image inducers and be extra cautious while they are visiting.

There is a small enclave available to stay in at the edge of town for visiting agents. Please leave it better than you found it.

Tech Level
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Magic Level
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OOC Notes
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Local Species
If you would like to create a vampire from Barbary Grove to play within the Grove or with the AotM, hit me up! You can find their information here. The wolf-folk are also up for play, but I have less info written about them currently, so if you're interested in one of those, we'll have to chat a little more extensively.

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Gate Status: Security Level One
Barbary Grove is safe to visit for most agents. It is inadvisable to make any deals with the local vampire population, but they are not considered actively dangerous or aggressive. Traveling outside of Barbary Grove raises the security level requirements, and is not currently allowed outside of emergencies or special permissions. Agents with Clearance Level

One or higher may visit recreationally if they are cautious and respectful during their time here. Agents with Level Two Clearance or higher who are on good standing may own permanent residences or businesses here if they remain discreet.


Dominant Trade System: Earth Typical
Since Barbary Grove is located in the US, the dominant currency is dollars.


Sapient Species: Humans, Metahumans, Various Supernatural Species
The dominant species in World #10025's Earth is humanity, with a scattering of metahuman populations, and a larger supernatural population thriving beneath the veil, so to speak. In Barbary Grove, there is a significant vampire population, and a smaller population of creatures akin to lycanthropes. You will likely see metahumans mentioned on the news on occasion, but no known population of metas exists in Barbary Grove itself at the moment.


Transportation: Earth Typical
Downtown Barbary Grove is very walkable, and has a small trolley system. The areas around it are not widely developed, and so a car is recommended for travel outside of the downtown area, though there are plenty of walking trails as well for those willing to use them.


The Grove on the Hill
The pomegranate grove just at the edge of town belongs to the local vampire population. They are not considered actively dangerous, and you may visit the grove if you wish. However, it is not recommended to make deals with or ask favors of the vampires unless absolutely needed, or to go inside the temple in the center of the grove. They are aware of the AotM and you may speak freely with them as long as no outside visitors are currently at the grove.


The Wolf People
The wolves that can sometimes be seen within the woods around Barbary Grove are more often than not members of a lycanthrope-like group of shapeshifters that call the area home. Unlike the Psi-Wolves of Sanctuary, many of them are not friendly towards visitors. They are not typically aggressive unless provoked, but they may try to intimidate agents within their territory. However, there have been notable exceptions, particularly where male agents are concerned. A particularly large member of this group lives within the north-west sector of forest outside of the city. She is to be avoided.


Notable Locations: Garden Square, Barbary Zoo, Stone Park Cemetery, Barbary Grove Botanical Gardens, The Whistling Cafe, The Winged Lion, Riverview Campgrounds, Merrybell Bridge, The Starling Hotel, Barbary Grove's Enclave, The Grove Upon the Hill

Barbary Grove has plenty to do! Their main shopping and arts center downtown is called Garden Square, for all the decorative micro-gardens scattered around the area. It has a popular farmer's market every week, and an old fashioned movie theater at the end of the square. The Barbary Zoo and the Botanical Gardens next door are also popular outdoor activities, though if you're looking for something more mysterious, there's the Stone Park Cemetery and its famous stone lions. These winged lions are scattered all over the graveyard, and no one knows who carves them, but it seems that another one appears seemingly overnight every few years.

The Winged Lion, a 80s themed nightclub (and in fact, Barbary Grove's only nightclub), was named after these lions. It boasts an arcade to play around in, and of course, drinks and dancing, but if you'd like something a little quieter, The Whistling Cafe serves up sandwiches and ghost stories, and The Starling Hotel has a brunch that is near famous. If you need to walk off lunch, the hiking trails at the Riverview Campgrounds go all the way to Merrybell Bridge, where it has become tradition to hang a bell for luck for a loved one off the side of the bridge.

The Grove Upon the Hill is also occasionally open for visitors on select days, and offers pick your own pomegranates. Though local visitors are asked not to go off trail, the AotM has been welcomed into the full extent of the Grove's facilities, including their library, which holds many rare books and scrolls. Though the Grove has freely welcomed AotM agents in, it is still inadvisable to venture into the temple in the center of the grove. The property offers a large kitchen, a common hall, and courtyard to relax in, but many of the resident vampires live on site, so please conduct yourselves respectfully and avoid prying into their personal homes.

The Barbary Grove Enclave is free to use for visiting agents, located just at city limits. Please do not bring non-agents back to the enclave without the proper authorization outside of emergencies.


Local Trade Goods
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Flora & Fungi
The pomegranates from The Grove Upon the Hill are particularly large and sweet, and the grove offers a discount to visiting agents. Barbary Grove is also famous for its beautiful, golden, Barbary poppies, which grow both wild around the area and within the local botanical gardens. They aren't edible, but many people like to purchase them for flower arrangements. You will also find the usual forage for northern California, such as blackberries, figs, pecans, thimbleberries, and choke cherries.

Fauna
Deer and elk are plentiful in the area, as are quail.

Live Animals
Nothing currently of note.

Other
Nothing currently of note.


Notable Wildlife
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Mostly earth typical. Please consult your 'Many Earths' guide within your handbook's database for further details. In addition to the local shapeshifter population, there are also the more mundane 'Barbary Wolves' native to the area. They are somewhat larger than the typical specimen of wolf, and are incredibly smart. There may be a supernatural element to these wolves, but as of yet this theory is still unproven. Do not, under any circumstances, kill any of these wolves unless you are forced to defend yourself. Like the wolves in Sanctuary, the local lycanthropes take it personally.


Hazards & Important Notes
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The vampires of Barbary Grove take their deals very seriously. For the most part, if you are in dire need, you can trust them to keep their word if you seek aid with the group from the Grove Upon the Hill. Please be very aware that they will hold you to your end of the deal, however, and that they are shrewd negotiators. If you find yourself having entered into a deal that you did not anticipate, please alert your team leader as soon as possible. The AotM will do its best to do what it can for you, but understand that we will not break any deals that are not life threatening. Uncomfortable or otherwise, if you choose to ignore all warnings and make a deal with these beings, you will likely have to see it through.



Research Files & Mission Logs

Research Files
Nothing Currently

Mission Logs
Picking Pomegranates - Completed by Agents Douglas and Zhou

Maps & Enclaves
Nothing Currently

People of Interest
Ven Versonii

Art & Artifacts
Nothing Currently




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