Barrensburg
Barrensburg is a large city of sprawling buildings, located on the coast of the Quiet Sea. It is a city of secrets, intrigue and mystery, monsters and villains, heroes and story. It is a city that has seen tragedy and triumph in its time, and is currently rising again as a major powerhouse in the Southland.
Government
Barrensburg is ruled by a Duke, but he really isn't that interested in the day to day politics of the city. He would rather be off, hunting and feasting with his friends and court.
He leaves the day to day running of the city to the Lord Mayor and the Small Council. The Small Council takes reports and testimony from the Grand Council, made up of District Representatives, called Wardens, and enacts decrees which are codified into laws by the Grand Council. Additionally, any decree by the Duke will be enacted into Law. The Laws are divided into two sections, City, and Royal.
The Small Council issues all Royal Decrees and Laws, while the Grand Council issues all city laws.
Defences
Barrensburg has multiple layers of defense that it can call up when needed.
1. The Gollarian Wall.
First and foremost, the city walls, the Gollarian Wall. These massive, Dwarven walls have withstood seiges, attacks and the march of time, continuing to stand strong and proud.
2. The City Guard.
The guard force of Barrensburg is a paid, trained, and stable guard force that patrols the city and man the walls. While strictly a defensive force, the guard force can be utilized for crowd control, riots, fire control, and guarding important places within the city.
3. Arcane Warriors.
Several Guilds and Factions have magical or powerful individuals within their organization who can be called up by the city in time of need. These individuals bring years of combat expertise and magical arts to any crisis.
4. War Machinery.
The Artificer Guild and its members build and maintain several war machines for the city, including catapuls, ballista, arcane launchers, and other contraptions meant to defend the city from invasion.
5. Guild Warriors.
Several organizations have highly trained warriors in their ranks that can be utilized as shock troops or specialized units.
Industry & Trade
1. Maritime Industry
The bay is the lifeblood of Barrensburg’s traditional economy, with its deep harbor and proximity to abundant fishing waters.
Fishing and Seafood:
Fishermen ply the bay and nearby coastal waters, providing fish, shellfish, and other marine goods for local consumption and export.
Specialty goods, such as Saltwind Crabs and Pearled Clams, are delicacies sought by neighboring regions.
Shipbuilding:
The Lower Wharf houses several shipyards specializing in sturdy merchant vessels and swift naval ships.
Riftwardens commission reinforced ships with magical enhancements, capable of withstanding planar anomalies during voyages. The Bay provides calm and stable water for building, testing, and floating ships in both dry and wet docks.
Naval Trade:
Merchants ship textiles, crafted goods, and Rift artifacts to distant ports. In return, Barrensburg imports luxury items like spices, silks, and exotic animals.
2. Craftsmanship and Artistry
Barrensburg’s Artisan’s Ward is renowned for its high-quality goods, blending traditional craftsmanship with the magical and exotic.
Blacksmithing:
Smiths produce weapons and tools infused with Astral Ice or salvaged Rift materials, making them prized for their durability and unique effects.
Armor for Riftwardens and elite guards often incorporates planar alloys, offering protection against extraplanar creatures.
Enchanting and Alchemy:
Enchanters integrate Rift-born artifacts into everyday tools and luxury items, from self-lighting lamps to rings that enhance stamina.
Alchemists specialize in potions crafted with Rift substances, including tonics for resisting planar corruption or enhancing magical abilities.
Jewelry and Fine Goods:
Artisans craft intricate jewelry using rare materials like Astral Ice shards or gemstones altered by Rift energies, highly sought after by wealthy patrons.
3. Rift-Related Trade
The Flux has created a lucrative, if dangerous, market centered on the artifacts, materials, and energies it produces.
Rift Salvage:
Scavengers, known as Flux Divers, retrieve artifacts and fragments of the spacecraft as well as rare planar items deposited during tides.
These artifacts are sold in the Flux Bazaar and shipped across the world for study or incorporation into magical technologies.
Astral Ice Trade:
Astral Ice is mined and sold as one of Barrensburg’s most valuable commodities. It fuels the city’s economy through exports and local use in alchemy, magic, and crafting.
The Astral Exchange, a small but highly protected market within the Artisan’s Ward, regulates prices and oversees major deals.
Planar Creature Parts:
Hunters harvest exotic components from planar creatures, such as scales, hides, and ichor, used in everything from potions to armor.
4. Agriculture and Livestock
Despite its urban character, Barrensburg relies on the Greenfields District for much of its sustenance.
Terraced Farming:
Crops like wheat, barley, and potatoes are grown on the terraced hills outside the city walls.
Magical fertilizers derived from Rift materials are used sparingly, as their effects can be unpredictable.
Orchards and Vineyards:
Fruit orchards and vineyards in the Greenfields produce Fluxfruit, a unique crop mutated by low-level Rift energy, known for its unusual flavor and faintly glowing juice.
Livestock:
Herds of cattle, sheep, and Rift-touched goats (with faintly shimmering coats) are raised for meat, milk, and wool.
5. Textiles and Manufacturing
The Stacks District is the heart of Barrensburg’s industrial output.
Textiles:
Factories process wool, cotton, and Flux-touched fibers into durable fabrics.
Rift-touched silk, known as Etherweave, is used in luxurious clothing and ceremonial robes.
Heavy Industry:
Forges in the Stacks produce mundane tools, construction materials, and components for Rift containment structures.
Planar-powered machinery enhances productivity but requires skilled maintenance to avoid dangerous surges.
6. Knowledge and Arcane Research
The Scholar’s Quarter is home to Barrensburg’s academic and magical research institutions, supported by the city’s trade in rare materials.
Academy of Planar Studies:
Scholars study the Rift and its effects, working closely with scavengers and Riftwardens to analyze artifacts and develop containment strategies.
Research papers and magical blueprints are exported to universities worldwide.
Arcane Laboratories:
Labs conduct experiments on Astral Ice and Rift-born substances, driving advances in planar magic and alchemy.
Major Trade Partners
Barrensburg’s position as a Flux-adjacent city makes it a hub for both local and international trade.
Neighboring Kingdoms
Export Rift artifacts, Astral Ice, and enchanted goods in exchange for raw materials, luxury items, and food.
Planar Traders
Planar entities bring exotic goods like Eversilk Threads, Nethersteel Ingots, and Dreamshards, bartering for Astral Ice or mundane commodities.
Fort Redspire
The military stronghold across the bay relies on Barrensburg for supplies, while protecting its trade routes and enforcing maritime law.
Economic Challenges
Flux Dependency
The city’s reliance on Rift artifacts and Astral Ice poses a risk if tides shift unpredictably or the Flux destabilizes further.
Piracy and Smuggling
Astral Ice and Rift artifacts are high-value targets for pirates, smugglers, and rogue scavengers, requiring constant vigilance by Barrensburg’s navy and Riftwardens.
Resource Scarcity
Overharvesting Rift materials or excessive use of Rift-touched substances risks destabilizing the city’s ecosystem.
Infrastructure
1. The Gollarian Wall
Description:
The Gollarian Wall is a monumental feat of engineering, built centuries ago by skilled dwarven craftsmen and enchanted by master arcanists of the Kingdom of Stars. It looms 125 feet in the air, 150 feet wide at its base, 75 feet wide at the top, and said to descend 250 feet below the ground.
Its sheer size and magical reinforcement make it impervious to most conventional attacks, including siege engines and elemental forces.
Key Feature
Watchtowers:
Spaced every 500 feet along the wall, these towers house archers, mages, and lookout crews.
Each tower is equipped with signal beacons and siege engines capable of firing enchanted projectiles.
Gates of Gollaria:
Massive, reinforced gates allow controlled access to the city. These gates are warded against planar breaches and feature concealed murder holes for defense.
Warding Stones:
Embedded at intervals along the wall, these arcane stones project a protective field that repels weaker planar entities and reinforces the wall’s structure.
Maintenance:
A specialized guild, the Stonewardens, oversees the upkeep of the wall, ensuring both its physical and magical integrity remain intact.
Dwarven engineers are occasionally brought in to inspect and reinforce the wall’s foundations.
2. Roads and Transportation
The King’s Way:
A central road running from the main gate of Barrensburg to the Royal District. Paved with smooth stone and lined with lanterns fueled by magical luminescence.
Trade Routes:
Well-maintained roads connect Barrensburg to neighboring regions, designed for heavy trade carts and military movements.
Rift-resistant wards are installed along routes leading to the Rift District to ensure safer passage for scavengers and merchants.
City Streets:
Narrow cobblestone streets wind through residential and market districts, designed to manage the flow of both pedestrians and carts.
Elevated walkways in the Merchant’s Quarter allow for easier movement above crowded streets.
3. Water Supply and Sanitation
The Azure Aqueduct:
A vast system of aqueducts and underground channels brings fresh water from the Starspire Mountains into the city.
Magical filtration systems ensure clean water for all districts, even during high tides.
Sewage System:
A network of stone tunnels beneath the city carries waste to treatment areas near the coastline.
The system is enchanted to prevent clogging and reduce pest infestations, maintained by the Guild of Cleansers.
4. Lighting and Energy
Ethereal Lamps:
Streets and public areas are lit by Ethereal Lamps, fueled by Rift-derived energy crystals. These lamps provide consistent, soft illumination that adjusts to the time of day.
Artificer Power Stations:
Located in the Artisan’s Quarter and Riftward Watch, these stations convert planar energy into power for the city’s enchantments and industry.
5. District-Specific Infrastructure
Rift District:
Containment Barricades: Secondary walls and barriers divide the Rift District into zones, isolating areas of high Flux activity.
Emergency Escape Tunnels: Hidden passageways allow residents to flee to safer parts of the city during high tides.
Dockside:
Sea Gates: Reinforced gates control access to the harbor, protecting against naval threats and high tides.
Shipyards: Equipped with cranes and magical tools, these shipyards build and repair vessels for the Starfleet and merchants.
Royal District:
The Spire of Stars: A tall, crystalline tower serving as a combination of observatory, mage’s guild, and symbol of royal power.
Garden Terraces: Verdant parks and fountains provide both beauty and a place of respite for nobles.
6. Arcane Defenses
The Gollarian Wards:
Arcane runes inscribed into the Gollarian Wall project a defensive field that blocks teleportation and weakens planar incursions.
Tidal Alarms:
Magical sensors connected to the Tidal Clock alert the city when the Flux intensifies, giving residents time to seek safety.
Barrier Fields:
Temporary energy shields can be raised over sensitive areas during high tides, powered by the Artificer Power Stations.
7. Public Amenities
Markets and Trade Halls:
Covered marketplaces and open-air stalls provide spaces for merchants to sell goods from across the kingdom.
Specialized markets near the Rift District trade in planar artifacts and rare materials.
Temples and Shrines:
The Temple of Celestial Radiance is the largest religious structure, dedicated to Chantea and other deities. Smaller shrines are scattered throughout the city.
Education and Research:
Institutions like the Arcane Collegium and the Rift Institute train scholars and adventurers in magic, science, and Rift studies.
Districts
Royal District (The Duke’s Seat)
Houses the Duke’s Palace, government buildings, and the city’s elite.
Features opulent architecture and is surrounded by high walls with heavily guarded gates.
Rift District (The Chaotic Core)
Walled off and home to the Flux, as well as scavengers, Riftwardens, and desperate residents.
Trade Quarter (The Merchant’s Hub)
A bustling district of warehouses, markets, and merchant offices located just downhill from the Royal District.
Features expansive plazas where traders from all over the region display their wares. The Flux Bazaar operates here during calm periods to sell goods salvaged from the Rift.
Artisan’s Ward (The Crafting District)
Located on the hill’s middle slopes, this district is home to blacksmiths, alchemists, enchanters, and other craftspeople.
Known for its skilled artisans who integrate Astral Ice and Rift-salvaged materials into high-quality goods.
The Lower Wharf (The Waterside District)
At the base of the hill along the bay, this district is a hive of activity, with docks, shipyards, and fisheries.
The Saltwind Market offers fresh seafood, imported goods, and naval supplies.
The Heights (Residential District for the Wealthy)
A posh residential area on the upper slopes, home to wealthy merchants, high-ranking officials, and successful artisans.
Features wide streets lined with flowering trees and elegant townhouses.
The Hollow (Residential District for the Common Folk)
A dense, working-class neighborhood located near the Artisan’s Ward and the Trade Quarter.
The homes are modest but well-kept, with small courtyards and communal spaces.
The Stacks (Industrial Zone)
Located near the Lower Wharf, the Stacks are filled with smoke-belching factories, forges, and textile mills.
This district produces goods for both local use and export, with much of its output tied to maritime trade.
The Garrison (Military District)
Positioned near the Rift District for rapid response to tides or incursions, the Garrison is the base for Barrensburg’s standing army.
It includes barracks, training grounds, and storage for weapons and supplies.
The Greenfields (Farming and Grazing District)
Located on the city’s outskirts, this district provides much of Barrensburg’s food supply.
It features terraced farmland, orchards, and small villages, as well as grazing land for livestock.
The Scholar’s Quarter (Knowledge and Academia)
A quiet district near the Royal District, home to Barrensburg’s renowned Academy of Planar Studies and various libraries.
Scholars and mages study the Flux here, often venturing into the Rift District to collect data or artifacts.
The Underspire (Subterranean Ecology)
Aa sprawling labyrinth of ancient dwarven craftsmanship, natural caverns, and otherworldly remnants that stretches beneath Barrensburg’s streets and districts. Iit is a place of shadowed grandeur and peril, where treasure and terror lie entwined in the dark.
Guilds and Factions
Guild's and Major Orders
Rift Diver’s Guild
Scavengers and explorers specializing in retrieving artifacts, Astral Ice, and resources from the Rift District.
The Tidal Guild
The Tidal Clock requires constant maintenance and observation. A dedicated group of engineers, artificers, and mages oversee its operation.
Astral Exchange Consortium
Wealthy merchants and alchemists controlling the trade, refinement, and pricing of Astral Ice, the city’s most valuable resource.
Riftwarden Order
A semi-military group responsible for containing the Flux, combating planar threats, and maintaining order in the Rift District.
Artificer’s League
Innovators and craftsmen who integrate Rift-derived materials into magical and technological creations.
Mariners’ Brotherhood
Sailors, dockworkers, and shipbuilders overseeing the city’s maritime trade, shipyards, and coastal defenses.
Alchemists’ Circle
Potion-makers and experimenters crafting substances using Rift materials, specializing in powerful tonics and volatile creations.
Shadow Veil
A smuggling network trafficking Rift artifacts, Astral Ice, and other contraband through illicit channels.
Planar Compact
Advocates for peaceful coexistence and treaties with non-hostile planar beings that emerge from the Flux.
Weaver’s Spindle
Textile artisans producing Etherweave and other luxury fabrics for the city’s elite and foreign trade.
Philosophical Factions and Minor Orders
The Seekers of Convergence
Believe the Flux is a divine or cosmic event meant to unify dimensions and elevate humanity to a higher existence.
The Fractured Path
View the Flux as a symbol of chaos and entropy, embracing the inevitability of disorder and rejecting structured authority.
The Tidal Guardians
Advocate for absolute containment of the Flux, considering it a threat to the natural order that must be tightly controlled or eradicated.
The Harmonists
Seek to coexist with the Flux, studying its rhythms and attempting to align human life with its patterns for balance and prosperity.
The Purists
Reject all Rift-derived technologies and materials, viewing the Flux as an unnatural corruption that endangers the city’s soul.
The Opportunists
See the Flux as a means to wealth and power, prioritizing personal gain from artifacts, Astral Ice, and trade over any philosophical stance.
The Luminaries
Pursue enlightenment and innovation through Rift-derived knowledge, believing the Flux holds the key to unlocking humanity’s potential.
The Eternalists
Argue that the Flux represents an eternal cycle of creation and destruction, urging people to accept its tides as natural and inevitable.
The Ascendants
Believe individuals can use the Flux to transcend mortal limitations, often experimenting with planar magic or body modification.
The Bound
Warn against the ethical dangers of exploiting the Flux, believing humanity’s interference risks apocalyptic consequences.
History
The city of Barrensburg was once a beacon of prosperity, built atop the Convergence, a rare and naturally occurring nexus where ley lines met. This convergence saturated the region with boundless magical energy, fostering extraordinary advancements in arcane technology, alchemy, and planar studies. Scholars, mages, and inventors flocked to Barrensburg, transforming it into a hub of magical innovation.
However, a single catastrophic event changed everything. One fateful night, the heavens lit up as a meteor streaked across the sky, crashing directly into the Convergence. Upon impact, the meteor was revealed to be an ancient spacecraft of unknown origin, carrying the remnants of a civilization lost to time. The collision annihilated the ley line structure, but not before warping it into a gaping, pulsating rift that scholars later dubbed The Fluxing Aperture of Rhythmic Temporal and Interdimensional Nexus Glitches (The Flux).
The spacecraft's energy core, combined with the disruption of the ley lines, created a reality-defying wound. This Fluxing Aperture now ebbs and flows with intensity, opening periodically like cosmic tides and spilling chaos into Barrensburg.
Points of interest
The Fluxing Aperture of Rhythmic Temporal and Interdimensional Nexus Glitches (The Flux)
An area within the Rift Disrtict where the walls between reality and other planes of existance weakens, letting in entities and other phenomena. Here, Astral Ice can form during a high tide.
The Tidal Clock
An enormous device constructed in the city square, the Tidal Clock attempts to predict the rift’s surges. While not always accurate, its warnings are enough to send the populace into lockdown during high tide.
The Shattered Plaza
Once the heart of Barrensburg’s cultural life, the plaza is now a desolate expanse where tides frequently deposit Astral Ice. Scavengers and Riftwardens patrol it constantly.
The Rift Bazaar
A sprawling market where anything can be bought—for the right price. The Rift Bazaar is notorious for its cutthroat merchants and high-risk deals, especially involving Astral Ice.
The Cradle
A central area near the Flux itself, named for its warped, spherical landscape resembling the bottom of a crater. It is the most dangerous zone, filled with planar entities, Astral Ice deposits, and reality glitches.
The Royal Grounds
The palace of the Duke sits high on the bluffs overlooking the city, and has many gardens and views, open to most of the public most times, for viewing, walking, or just enjoying the well maintained parks and lawns. Some people come from miles away just to walk on the well manicured grasses.
Tourism
The Tidal Clock
“When the Clock chimes, you prepare. When it rings thrice, you pray.” -- Old Barrensburg Saying
The Tidal Clock is the most recognizable and essential structure in Barrensburg. Towering high above the city walls, it serves as both a protective warning system and a testament to the ingenuity of Barrensburg’s Riftwardens and artificers. A blend of ancient arcane craftsmanship, salvaged planar technologies from the crashed spacecraft, and masterful engineering, the Tidal Clock is more than a machine—it is a lifeline for the city.
Construction and Design
The Structure
Height: Standing nearly 200 feet tall, the clock is visible from almost every corner of Barrensburg and the surrounding countryside.
Appearance: Its exterior is a blend of metallic spires and gilded arcane runes etched into blackened stone. Gearwork is exposed in some places, with shimmering magical conduits running between the clock’s key components.
Central Dial: The face of the clock is a massive, glowing disc divided into concentric circles:
The outermost circle tracks standard time.
The middle circle displays the “flux timer,” counting down to the next predicted tide.
The innermost circle pulsates with a color-coded warning system (green for calm, yellow for mild tides, red for high tides).
The Bells and Chimes
A series of resonant planar bells hang inside the clock tower. These bells are tuned to specific frequencies, designed to vibrate in harmony with the rift's activity.
The clock’s loud chimes ring out across the city, their tone carrying for miles.
The Gears and Planar Mechanisms
The gears themselves are made from salvaged alloys found in the spacecraft, imbued with ley line energy.
Embedded within the clock are shards of extraplanar crystals, which pulse faintly with energy from the rift, allowing the clock to attune to the Flux's cycles.
The Arcane Core
At its heart lies a powerful planar artifact recovered from the spacecraft, referred to as the Resonant Focus Crystal. This crystal is believed to be partially sentient, “sensing” fluctuations in the rift’s activity and synchronizing the clock’s mechanisms with the ebb and flow of the tides.
Functionality
Rift Monitoring
The Tidal Clock is attuned to the Flux’s tidal cycles, allowing it to predict surges with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
As the flux builds, the innermost circle on the clock's face begins glowing brighter, shifting from green to red as the rift reaches its peak.
Intensity Indicators
Each level of intensity corresponds to a unique harmonic vibration detected by the Resonant Focus Crystal, which triggers the appropriate number of chimes.
Emergency Response
When a catastrophic tide is imminent, the Tidal Clock not only rings but also projects a magical barrier glyph high into the sky above the city. This glowing glyph serves as a beacon for Riftwardens and citizens alike to prepare for evacuation or lockdown.
Cultural Impact
Symbol of Hope and Fear
The Tidal Clock is both revered and feared. While it has saved countless lives by warning of incoming tides, the sound of its chimes brings unease, a grim reminder of the city’s fragile existence near the Flux.
Superstitions
Some citizens believe the clock’s chimes carry a hidden message from the other side of the rift, foretelling doom or salvation.
It’s common to leave offerings at the base of the tower—small tokens or charms to "appease the tides."
Festivals
Despite its ominous role, the Tidal Clock is central to Barrensburg’s Day of Convergence, an annual festival celebrating the city’s resilience and honoring those lost during the rift’s creation.
The Chimes of the Tidal Clock
The chimes of the Tidal Clock are the city's lifeline, warning of the level of intensity of an incoming flux tide. The number of chimes indicates the severity of the surge and the scale of interdimensional threats the city can expect.
Chime Levels and Their Meanings
One Chime – Minor Ripple
Description: A minor flux barely noticeable to most citizens.
Effects: A few harmless entities slip through, such as small, curious creatures or ephemeral beings.
City Response: No action required; considered routine. Locals treat it as a curiosity.
Two Chimes – Slight Surge
Description: A mild tide that brings a manageable number of interplanar visitors.
Effects: Entities crossing over are typically benign or easily contained, such as mischievous sprites or passive elementals.
City Response: Riftwardens patrol the Rift District to prevent minor incidents.
Three Chimes – Moderate Flux
Description: A more noticeable tide, with a significant increase in interdimensional crossings.
Effects: Small groups of entities, some potentially hostile (e.g., rogue imps or aggressive predators), emerge. Subtle reality glitches, like brief auditory distortions or flickering lights, occur near the Rift District.
City Response: Rift District lockdown; citizens in nearby areas are advised to stay indoors.
Four Chimes – Elevated Tide
Description: A surge large enough to affect the city at large.
Effects: Hostile creatures such as planar beasts or low-tier fiends emerge in moderate numbers. Rift glitches extend beyond the district, causing faint echoes of foreign landscapes or strange sounds.
City Response: Citywide alert; Riftwardens mobilize to contain threats.
Five Chimes – High Flux
Description: A dangerous tide that overwhelms the Rift District and spills into other parts of the city.
Effects: Groups of formidable entities, including lesser demons, aberrations, or alien creatures, spread across the city. Some localized reality warping occurs, such as sudden temperature shifts or cracks in the air revealing glimpses of other dimensions.
City Response: Evacuations initiated for neighborhoods bordering the Rift District.
Six Chimes – Riftwide Breach
Description: A major surge that tests the city’s defenses.
Effects: Coordinated waves of intelligent entities emerge, including planar invaders like marauding devils or alien warbeasts. Rift glitches cause minor structural instability (e.g., walls bending slightly or brief spatial overlaps).
City Response: Citywide lockdown; Riftwardens deploy full forces alongside military aid.
Seven Chimes – Cataclysmic Event
Description: A tide of overwhelming intensity, threatening the city’s survival.
Effects: Large groups of highly dangerous planar entities (e.g., demon lords, elder aberrations) flood into the city. Glitches include temporary gravitational anomalies or small areas permanently affected by planar bleed-through.
City Response: Total evacuation order; surviving Riftwardens attempt desperate measures to stabilize the rift.
Eight Chimes – Dimensional Siege
Description: The rift begins spilling entire legions of hostile entities into the city.
Effects: Warlike entities organize incursions, taking control of city districts. Planar glitches expand, with streets subtly shifting layout or faint ghostly landscapes overlaying parts of the city.
City Response: Abandonment of major parts of Barrensburg; coordinated military and Riftwarden efforts focus on containment.
Nine Chimes – Interplanar Invasion
Description: The rift reaches its peak intensity, drawing large portions of Barrensburg into connected dimensions.
Effects: Entire sections of the city are transformed into battlefields between planar factions. Glitches include planar overlaps where parts of Barrensburg briefly exist in multiple places at once.
City Response: Full retreat to fortified zones; Riftwardens attempt last-ditch efforts to collapse the rift.
Ten Chimes – The Planar Cascade
Description: The rift fully destabilizes, creating a permanent gateway between dimensions.
Effects: Entire dimensions spill into Barrensburg, leaving the city permanently altered and dominated by extraplanar forces.
City Response: Total abandonment; Barrensburg is lost, becoming a planar nexus.
Chime Details and Variations
Harmonic Chimes: Each chime resonates on a different frequency, warning the Riftwardens and the public of the tide’s nature. Higher chime counts have deeper, more resonant tones, unsettling all who hear them.
Tidal Countdown: The clock emits single chimes at regular intervals leading up to high tides, serving as reminders for citizens to prepare.
Cultural and Practical Impacts
Community Preparedness
Citizens have learned to interpret the chimes and react accordingly. For example:
One or two chimes: Markets remain open, and children play in the streets.
Three Chimes: Maybe best to keep an eye on your children and avoid entities.
Four or five chimes: Shops shutter, and families retreat indoors.
Six or more chimes: Entire neighborhoods flee to predesignated safe zones.
Superstitions
It’s said that those born during a six chime event are cursed to bring chaos wherever they go.
Some believe the clock’s chimes are echoes of battles waged in the rift, warning of incoming enemies.
Rift-Adapted Economy
Merchants sell charms tuned to the clock’s tones, claiming they repel lesser planar creatures.
Certain guilds specialize in "chime-accurate" forecasting, offering additional insights into tide patterns.
Founding Date
1066
Alternative Name(s)
The Twisted City
Type
Metropolis
Population
400,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Barrens
Location under
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Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
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