World #33221 - Harbor
⚠️Harbor is not a location known by the 'good guys' just yet. If your character knows about it, please have them keep the 'masquerade' until this plot is done cooking and Harbor has enough fire power to hold their own. Please and thank you in advance! 'Harbor' was the only discernible bit of print left on a bit of burnt map found within the tunnels beneath Sanctuary. Though some effort was needed to decode it, the map eventually showed the way through those winding tunnels to what seemed to be paradise. They led out onto a sheltered island, around which sprawled lush jungles in one direction and crystal clear waters in the other. Above, the sky was a startling blue, distorted by some sort of prismatic, shifting dome. Past the sandy shores, one could just make out the hazy shape of a great wall, its rune carved, bronze surface shining brightly in the warm, tropical sunlight. The first denizens of Sanctuary to find this place must have thought that they had died and gone to heaven after the cold and desolation of the wintery landscape they had become so accustomed to. That illusion only lasted until they stepped outside of the protective bounds of the little island the tunnels let out onto, of course. The Dome was anything but. The dinosaurs picked off the first three, two foolish enough to wander into the vegetation unawares, and the third who made the error of trying to rescue them. Another was lost in the maze of jungles’ ruins, never to be heard from again. Two survivors made it to the spot marked on the map, however. It was indeed what looked to once have been a harbor, and most of its buildings were still standing too. Sturdy stone walls kept out the worst of the reptiles, which seemed uncannily intelligent but unable to cross the boundary into the city itself unless taken in deliberately, and there were even gardens still, ripe with tropical fruits and vegetables, if perhaps having grown a bit wild. The two agreed not to tell the AotM, or the higher ups at Sanctuary. Instead, the location of Harbor and the dome was passed via word of mouth to those who could keep a secret, and those who couldn't, quickly found themselves never worrying about having to worry about secrets again. Harbor, it was decided, would belong to the scoundrels and monsters, free from the rules and restrictions and 'leashes' of their rescuers. Now it was simply time to make a horrible house a horrible home. There was, and still is, lots to be done. It's worth noting that most of the prehistoric wildlife here seems to be from the Jurassic period, though there are clear exceptions, like the spinos. All have been seemingly genetically adapted to live in harmony with their surroundings and the more modern species they share their home with. Tech Level  Magic Level OOC Notes (Select to Learn More)
Locals Harbor is not for the faint of heart. It's run almost exclusively by the riff-raff that Sanctuary and the AotM either banished to the wastes or deemed too dangerous to be left to their own devices. Many of the AotM's 'lease protocol' dropouts find their way here if they can manage to escape stasis. As a result, one often finds themselves among those with less than innocent intentions in mind for their fellow sapients, though you may occasionally run across the odd soul who simply wasn't intent on following someone else's rules as well. That freedom often appeals, even if it does come with the occasional side of murder or arson. Keep in mind that the location of Harbor is secret right now until it's better established and can fend off nosy do-gooders. If your character tries to blab to someone they're not supposed to, expect them to receive a (NPC) visitor rather violently reminding them to keep their mouths shut or else. Getting back and forth to the dome itself is also a challenge-- it's easy to get lost inside those tunnels, though there are marked passageways for those who know what to look for, or if you’re brave, you can follow the mammoths in the late fall. The Tunnels The tunnels leading to Harbor can be found through a few secret entrance points around Sanctuary's city, as well as the mountain caves past switchback forest, but you have to know which ones to take to get to the dome. They're big enough to fit full grown mammoths, and you'll often find yourself sharing space with these behemoths and other animals during late fall and early spring as they migrate through to overwinter in the warmth of the dome or to return to Sanctuary in the spring. The dinosaurs– the genetically altered ones, at least, do not seem to be able to leave the dome or enter into the tunnels. Laws & Security Harbor doesn't have any, not officially anyway. Instead, the city is well known for its ever shifting hierarchy, one often violently established and disestablished on a daily basis. It's good to know whose ring to kiss at any given time in order to avoid finding yourself staked out as entertaining 'dino bait'. Be polite until you know who the bigger dog is, or be really good at running. Art Credits Spino artwork borrowed from the comic Age of Reptiles! Check it out, it's pretty cool! Questions & Answers (Select to Learn More)
Have a question about this world? Ask Jabber for an answer! ❔ If the route to Harbor and the Dome is secret, how does my character find out about it? ❗If your character acts in ways that visibly do not align with the AotM's way of doing things, then chances are high that they will eventually be approached by a mysterious stranger who will offer to guide them to, 'a place more aligned to our values'-- for a price, of course, and the promise of silence. Whether your character can afford that price or not depends on them. Alternatively, when fall comes, they can follow the mammoths through the caves. This is risky, however, and few have ever made it all the way through. In the future, when Harbor is more established and less likely to be stamped out by the good guys if discovered, we will make it more accessible to more types of characters. If you would like to speed up that process, then help them build up their defenses and dig their evil little claws in better! ❔ Can my character drive a vehicle in Harbor? ❗Sure! The dinosaurs love meals on the go, particularly when those meals find themselves stuck in mud or jungle vegetation! As for the city itself– anything but the smallest vehicles probably won't fit without seriously pissing someone off. ❔ Are there Crackle Storms in Harbor? ❗The storms that make Sanctuary so dangerous are kept out by the dome that covers the area. Harbor has hyper-intelligent murder dinos instead. There's still a frozen wasteland outside though, and you can occasionally watch Crackle Storms break across the surface of the dome at night in beautiful, glowing displays. Whatever landscape lies outside of the dome, it seems to be ravaged by the storms near daily. 
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Gate Status: Security Level 0 - Area Hidden Harbor is accessed via Sanctuary's tunnels, so anyone who can enter Sanctuary can, with some luck, or by knowing the right people, find Harbor too. The tunnels in Sanctuary itself are usually within the basements of certain residents in the know, but one can also follow the Mammoths through the mountain tunnels in the late fall. The AotM is currently unaware of the existence of Harbor. There are no Gates. You'll have to hoof it. Dominant Trade System: Bartered Goods, Precious Metal Coins Most locals prefer to trade directly for goods, but will also take any sort of coin or small object, as long as it is gold, silver, or copper. Weaponry is also very popular. Sapient Species: Harbor's population tends to be just as varied and wild as Sanctuary's. Transportation: Horses, tamed dinosaurs, hired sapient mounts, foot travel, carts & carriages, boats Travel by dino is pretty popular here, if you can manage to nab and tame yourself one. It's seen as a bit of a status symbol. Horses are also sometimes seen, though they have a habit of getting eaten or bolting fairly frequently. Harbor, thus its name, also has a functioning harbor, one free of the monsters that lurk beyond the walls in the colder waters. However, those with smaller boats are advised to be cautious, as there are still plenty of prehistoric beasties beneath the waves that would love to munch on an unsuspecting rowboat or kayak. The dome and Harbor itself don't have much in the way of roads. Notable Locations: Harbor proper, the tunnels, lily island, sharktooth bay, thunder meadow, the ruins, the jungle, pillar lake, the devil's swimming hole One starts their journey to the dome via the tunnels leading from Sanctuary-- dark and twisting passageways often filled with beasts and villains alike. Many of Sanctuary's more unsavory sorts like to conduct their business within these spaces. Eventually, the tunnels will lead you out into a modest, octagonal building that some theorize may have once been some sort of lab. The island this building sits on is called Lily Island, named for its smattering of small ponds filled with water lilies. There is some sort of invisible barrier here that keeps the worst of the predators out. Beyond the city of Harbor itself are vast swaths of unspoiled jungle full of all sorts of dangers, and possibly treasures too. To the east and the southeast of Harbor sharktooth bay stretches out all the way to the icy seas beyond, so named for the hundreds of shark teeth one can find lying along the warm white sand. One can choose to traverse this instead of the tangled, buggy jungle, but it's important to note that predators large and small often scavenge the beach for washed up morsels, particularly after storms. Within the jungles, beyond hungry dinosaurs, you'll also find old stone ruins, their purpose and peoples now long lost to time and weather. To the southwest the jungle opens out onto Thunder Meadow, where many of the large sauropods tend to gather, as well as the mammoths during the winter season. One can also find pillar lake-- the large lake directly behind Harbor, so named for the ruins that poke out from beneath the water's surface. Its reasonably safe to swim here if you are vigilant, unlike the aptly named devil's swimming hole to the far south, which is famous for its marine menaces-- but also plentiful freshwater fish big enough to feed armies. Housing: Harbor, Unclaimed Ruins, The Wilds Most who make it to the dome choose to live within Harbor itself. The walls keep the predators out, and as of right now, there are plenty of unclaimed buildings for the taking-- though all of them are 'fixer uppers'. The architecture itself is a bit hodge-podge, but bamboo structures tend to be the most common and undamaged, along with a handful of stone buildings, which tend to be prone to leaking. Those who feel more adventurous or who don't want to deal with their fellow citizens may decide to risk the jungle and forge a home within one of the many ruin sites within the dome, though the dangers there are far more numerous than just the dinosaurs. Many of the ruins seem to go deep into the earth, and there's no telling how structurally sound any of them are. Others may opt to simply build out in the jungle itself. Tree houses are popular, though it's recommended to avoid building anywhere near Thunder Meadow or the sauropod's daily migration paths if you are incapable of being stealthy. Local Trade Goods (Select to Learn More)
Flora & Fungi Bamboo, moringa, fiddleheads, butter beans, sorghum, collard greens, wood sorrel, spinach, indian cherry, spiny gourd, elephant apple, figs, mangosteen, waterleaf, lotus, white trillium, castor beans, yucca, bananas, green plantains, woodear mushrooms, cacao, brazil nuts, coconuts, cashews, vanilla orchids, coffee, avocados, grapefruit, guavas, pineapples, cinnamon, açaí berries, cassava, tucumã, and cupuaçu. Any plants or fungi that can be found in the amazon river basin can be found within the dome, as well as many species found in parts of india. It seems that many have been modified to live in harmony with species they don't normally encounter. Fauna Meat, Fur, Eggs ,& Feathers (Caiman, picuro, red brocket deer, tapir, capybara, iguanas, black agouti, porcupine, rhynchocephalia, apatosaurus, barosaurus, brachiosaurus, camarasaurus, camptosaurus, chaoyangsaurus, chirostenotes, diplodocus, europasaurus, othnielia, brachytrachelopan, yinlong, castorocauda) Seafood (Pacu, piranha, matrinxã, tambaqui, tucunaré, pirarucu, jaraqui, arowana, river turtles, river prawns, giant snails, mangrove crabs, plesiosaurus, leedsichthys, belemnites, kayentachelys, peacock bass, tuna, sailfish & marlin, mangrove snapper, tarpon, snook, mahi mahi, king mackerel, cobia) Insects (Chontacuro, leafcutter ants, tarantulas, meliponine bee honey and larva) Live Animals Rhynchocephalia, agilisaurus, apatosaurus, archaeopteryx, camarasaurus, camptosaurus, ceratosaurus, chaoyangsaurus, chirostenotes, chungkingosaurus, coelurus, compsognathus, dryosaurus, europasaurus, gargoyleosaurus, guanlong, marshosaurus, ornitholestes, othnielia, piatnitzkysaurus, brachytrachelopan, emausaurus, eustreptospondylus, gasosaurus, monolophosaurus, shunosaurus, yinlong, volaticotherium Araçari, water buffalo, boa constrictors, tarantulas, coati, capuchin monkeys, capybara, tamarin monkeys, emerald tree boa, harpy eagles, iguanas, margays, marmoset monkeys, hyacinth macaws, ocelots, ospreys, parakeets, scarlet macaws, scarlet ibis, sloths, tucans It's mostly the smaller dinosaurs generally captured and tamed for sale rather than the enormous sauropods or aggressive, large theropods. Typically, most captured dinosaurs aren't too much bigger than a large cow, though you'll occasionally find the odd giant here and there. Bigger dinosaurs just don't fit well within the city walls, and they tend to be hard to manage overall. Plated dinosaurs, such as stegosaurus, tend to also not be terribly popular. While interesting to look at, they're nearly impossible to ride, and they tend to have a temper. While Sanctuary frowns at capturing and selling live wildlife for the most part, there are no such reservations in Harbor, and you will find all sorts of rare, and often dangerous animals up for sale here. Other Dinosaur leather is a very popular material in Harbor, as is jewelry made from the bright wings and carapaces of the local insects. Notable Wildlife (Select to Learn More)
Just like Sanctuary, Harbor is an incredible kaleidoscope of species and eras. The most notable is perhaps the presence of dinosaurs. Most of the specimens within the dome seem to be from the Jurassic period (though there are exceptions), and are all somewhat smaller than their historical counterparts, though by no means tiny. It is rare to find any species over the size of an elephant, however. They also seem to have been genetically altered in other ways too. Many species who might have had trouble adapting to sharing their territories with foreign species, such as mammals or modern plant species have been engineered to better do so. Many of the dinosaurs also seem to have had their intelligence enhanced, and while certainly nowhere near sapient, are keenly intelligent. This makes the carnivores in particular incredibly dangerous, but also loyal companions if they can be tamed. Like parrots, some of the smaller theropods seem to be able to mimic speech and have learned to use it for hunting tactics. Be careful answering cries for help within the jungle. You will find the waters around the dome similarly well populated, by species of marine life both prehistoric and modern. Ichthyosaurs are common, as are plesiosaurs, and some small species of liopleurodon. You will also find amphibians such as siderops present in freshwater bodies. You won't find too many flying reptiles within the dome however, as there are limited places for these species to roost, but dimorphodon and dorygnathus can both be found within the ruins. Along with the dinosaurs, you will also find a smattering of species both from Earth's India, seemingly, and the Amazon Rainforest, both plants and animals alike. Much of the dome is dense jungle, thinned out only by the roving sauropod herds here and there. The smaller herbivores seem to favor the ruins for grazing, as well as the vast field known as Thunder Meadow, which they keep fairly clear of overgrowth, while the bigger herbivores happily snack on the various species of trees and ferns within the forests. From winter to early spring, you will also see a few of the mammoth herds hanging out in Thunder Meadow as well, though not enough to nearly account for all of them. It would seem that some mysteries with these giants continue to remain. The mammoths that do remain seem unbothered by the heat and humidity somehow. Only the animals that travel to the dome from Sanctuary every fall seem to be able to leave it again. So far no living specimens of the animals native to the dome have been able to enter the barrier that protects the tunnels connecting the two areas. Hazards & Important Notes (Select to Learn More)
Though smaller than their historic counterparts, the dome's many carnivorous dinosaurs should not be underestimated. They're very intelligent, and very curious, and will chase just about anything that moves. The waters of the dome do not hold the sea monsters that are much feared in Sanctuary unless one is foolish enough to venture beyond the barrier. They do, however, hold plenty of prehistoric predators from plesiosaurs to giant marine crocodiles. The herbivores are also fully capable of being just as dangerous as the carnivores, it should be noted, particularly around their young and nests. Outside of dinosaur related threats, one must also be cautious in navigating the jungle itself. It's easy to get lost, and many of the ruins have been overtaken by vines and leaf litter, so it's easy to put one's foot in the wrong place and fall into some forgotten hole somewhere. The dome may also not have Sanctuary's Crackle Storms, but it certainly has vicious thunderstorms from time to time, and high winds and flood risks can both become a problem to unwary adventurers. At the end of the day though, Harbor's worst threats live within the city itself in the form of its own citizens. This is not a place to wander around unguarded. If you’re lucky you’ll only lose your valuables. If you’re unlucky, it may be your life. Research Files & Mission Logs Research Files Nothing Currently Mission Logs Nothing Currently Maps & Enclaves Map of the Dome - (not to scale) People of Interest Nothing Currently Art & Artifacts Dinosaur Intelligence Scale Chart by Meeko |
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