Ribcage

Upward mobility - climb the ladder through the ranks, but don't break the rules unless you won't get caught. Or better yet, fix the blame on someone else. That's the way the world really runs, but in this burg just outside Baator there's no illusion that life is any other way.

Government

Lord Quentill Paracs, Baron of the Great Pass, Guardian of the Gate, and Lord of Ribcage rules the burg, and every law that's passed is loudly done in his name. Paracs makes sure the militia remains loyal to him, holds the key to the treasury, and sees that rising stars on the Council owe him for their continued success. He's master of the town because he's master of the politics it takes to rule

Defences

There's only one militia in Ribcage: the household guard of Baron Paracs. The guards are easy to spot, lounging on nearly every street in their black and gold livery. Most folks fear them because the Blackguard (as they're called) has pretty much unlimited powers. They can arrest anybody for any cause they care to invent. The best way to stay out of Paracs's dungeons is to keep the Blackguard happy — with payoffs, favors, or information. Such deeds are semi-secret, as a Blackguardsman's only concern is being charged with corruption by an enemy. A typical patrol is made up of two troopers, while a raid'll have six guards led by an officer. While Paracs has the only official army, every senatorial family and most of the wealthy merchants hire bodyguards to protect their lives and properties. These groups are no better than the Blackguards, extorting and muscling the commoners. There's also standing mercenary companies that'll fight alongside the Blackguards in times of trouble. 'Course, every high-up man's careful not to let himself get either too weak or too powerful. Either'd attract the attention of his enemies.

Infrastructure

Ribcage's not noted for its cheer, but the town does sport a number of excellent hot baths just outside of town. These are built over volcanic springs that bubble up through cracks in the stone slopes. The best run of these is The Gymnasium of Steam, run by Shandrala, a priestess of Sung Chiang. An ordinary bath costs 100 gp, and healing baths can cost 1,000 gp or more. The healing baths are magical in nature, able to cure any disease of the skin. Those customers angering Shandrala are sent to a special spring where he water's filled with toxic minerals.
Ribcage's also the best place to look for guides to Baator. A berk who's barmy enough to want to go there can either try for an official visit or he can slip in unannounced. Ribcage's got guides who handle both. Official visits require a written pass, which is a warrant of safe passage, from one of the Lords of the Nine. The advantage of this method is that the baatezu'll not harm a berk carrying such a warrant — usually. However, getting that sheet requires: 1) a sound reason for going (by baatezu standards), 2) knowing the right fiends to contact, and 3) lots of jink to garnish the right palms. There's folks in Ribcage who'll help in this (for a good fee, or course). The smoothest of the lot is Barius Sharpsplinter, a quick-tongued and satirical poet who somehow has managed to not lose his head yet.
Sneaking into Baator requires a whole different set of skills. The best man for the job in this case is Surefoot, a bariaur. The ranger's got no love of the fiends next door, and he'll take any job with good pay and a reasonable chance of hurting them

Assets

the gate in within a separate compound somewhere within the rulers citadel. witch means you gotta right under the ruler of ribcages nose if you want to get inside. the gate itself is a spinning pillar of red light filled with dancing motes of silver (some say its the disintegrated remains of those that tried to cross the lords of the pit.) people don't call this the cursed gate for nothing berk.

Architecture

Actually, Ribcage doesn't look like such a terrible burg to live in. The streets are paved with stone and are fairly clean, the layout's orderly, and most of the houses are well tended, if a little dour. The bodies hung from the gibbets over the main gate serve as notice to the criminal element, so a bubber's not likely to get thumped in an alley. In general, folks speak well of their neighbors.

Type

Town

Population

5,000

Location under

Outlands