Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 6:AN EPICSETTINGTravelTravel within in the city is by foot, wagon, or via personalaerial transport above the mundane foot traffic. The thoroughfaresare wide and smoothly paved, though in certainplaces the crowds slow traffic of all types to a crawl.Even aerial traffic can become somewhat hazardous ashundreds of flyers, carpet-riders, and griffin messengerscan occupy space above each island. Wide bridges andbroad stairs connect each of the quarters; the effect is notunlike a city crisscrossed with canals and stepped promenades.The bridges and stairs connecting the islands arecarefully patrolled and maintained to prevent either naturalwear and tear or sabotage. Fliers can and do ignorethe bridges when moving between islands, if anotherroute is shorter.Getting into and out of Union is almost as easy asmoving between the city’s quarters. Three main gates,each on its own island, connect Union to other places inthe multiverse. One of them is a permanent link to a specificlocation: the Staircase Gate, which connects to theInfinite Staircase (see below), and two others have variablelocations: One that always connects to a specificMaterial Plane world, although the specific location inthat world changes on a regular basis, and the other gatecycles through many different planes on a regular basis.Each of these gates is a broad portal as wide as the avenuethat leads up to it, and it functions virtually like a regulartown gate, guarded by sentries but flung open for allmanner of traffic to pass through.POPULATION AND ASSETSThe “core” city of Union houses about 5,000 residents;however, that accounts for just the twelve directlylinked islands. At least one hundred unlinked islandsfloating free from the core contain residences, magicallymaintained farms, warehouses, factories, andother concerns. In sum, the greater population ofUnion easily surpasses 100,000 residents. Union is amajor trading center that serves the denizens of a hundredsof planes, and the number of visitors in the city atany given time swells the total population to half againthat number during peak trade days or rare festivals.Some quarters are much more tightly packed (theTavern Quarter and the Market Quarter, for example),while others seem sparse by comparison (the TempleQuarter and the High Quarter).As a planar metropolis (see Chapter 3), Union’s goldpiece limit is nominally set at 600,000 gp; however,during a yearly month-long crossplanar arcane convention,the gold piece limit increases to 1,000,000 gp. Theassets of the city are likewise fluid, but the low end iseasily in the tens of millions of gold pieces.LAW AND ORDERThe city of Union is protected by the mercanes whorun the Union Council. Of course, they don’t performthis task themselves, but rather employ able-bodiedsecurity forces to handle the task for them. That’swhere the Union Sentinels come in. The Union Sentinelsfunction as a paramilitary organization, dedicatedto patrolling the streets of Union and enforcingthe laws. If ever a task is too steep for even the vauntedUnion Sentinels, the council calls on private enforcementteams made up of epic adventurers willing to stepin for the generous sums of gold and magic the mercanespay them for this service.Half a hundred units (each unit made up of three regularsand a captain) normally patrol the city. The UnionSentinels are easy to spot, in their magically enhancedadamantine breastplates over navy shirts with graybreeches and black boots. Even during patrol, theUnion Sentinels make it a point to remain visiblewhenever possible; their very presence tends to invokeorderly commerce and discourage would-be thieves.Long-time residents consider the patrols a normal partof the city landscape.When the Union Sentinels must act, they try toavoid lethal measures whenever possible, using theirunique skills to disarm and take into custody any andall potential threats. If this proves ineffective, or if thepatrol members find themselves outclassed, they call onreinforcements. When particularly dangerous situationsarise, the patrols adopt a defensive stance, attempting tocorral the offenders while other members begin evacuatingthe threatened portions of the city.Guards escort the accused to the Union SentinelHeadquarters in the Military Quarter for incarcerationand trial. It is not the job of the patrols to judge orcarry out sentence; that is left to the court. The court islocated in the Military Quarter and is presided over bya trio of Union Sentinel special judges who handleboth trials and sentencing. The table below gives someof the most common crimes and their sentences. Thislist is far from complete, nor is it absolute in terms ofpunishments. A judge always considers many factors,including prior criminal record, extenuating circumstances,and severity of the crime, in determiningfinal sentence.CrimeUnlawful murderMind controlSentinel assaultAssault, generalTheftForgeryBribery, fraudVandalismUnlawful trade(trade without writ)First Offense PenaltyAll assets seized, permanentimprisonment in temporal stasis30% of assets seized, forced laborfor 1 month20% of assets seized, forced laborfor 2 months, followed by 6 monthsof exile from the city5% of assets seized, forced labor for1 month1% of assets seized, 6 months ofexile from the city1% of assets seized1% of assets seized, 6 months ofexile from the city2% of assets seized, forced laborfor 2 months1% of assets seized252