The company's premises
The first thing you need to understand is that the premises are the manifestation of the Shards. Sometimes they gather freely, forming whatever suits their nature. Sometimes, they take the shape of what we need or enjoy. Given the varied nature of the people around and the shards themselves, you will see all kind of inconsistent objects, creatures, weather, buildings... Don't try to make sense of it, is almost impossible to figure out which tree is there because an employee likes pears and which is there because a kid fell from a broken branch in some other world.
Industry & Trade
The business it's easy to describe, and hard to explain: we give our almsmen a way to recover what should be impossible to recover; they pay with what they can't appreciate. Each case is different, and rules seem to be too tight, or to loose, but that's how they can be applied almost all the time. What we do, exactly, depends of the situation. What the client gets, what they give, depends on their nature.
Once in a while someone changes their mind, because they learn the value of what they gave as payment. Or a client is unable to give good use to what we provide. Employees have personal issues. Lots of people that cannot be helped, because is not in their nature. Those cases are all different too.
Districts
Officially, the premises are divided in three areas:
There is a second layer to this order, though. There are forbidden sectors in apparently random locations. Places where nobody, not even administrators should ever step in. In most cases there is a physical barrier that keeps people away, and there are always signs and warnings.
Some people argue that the odd distribution of this locations indicates that they have uncontrollable conditions that made them dangerous in a way the rest of this world isn’t. Others talk about secrets, or treasure, that the Granter wants to keep safe, out from the wrong hands.
Meanwhile, others say that is not random, that all this places are related by their height. I could assure you it isn’t true, and if there is any relation between those places, it’s nothing people is aware of.
I should also tell you that there is nothing in those places that you should see, but—as usual—it’s your decision. Just don’t expect me to open the doors to let you in, I wouldn’t know how.
main building
The lowest floors are designed to welcome potential clients, and to help them as they pursue their goals. The rest are the home for most employees. It has a very strict code of behavior and plenty of signs to remind everyone about it.The village
Where some of the employees live and all the commerce, recreation and cultural events take place. Clients are allowed to visit the area too. Each establishment has each own rules, but they are always the basic of human interaction.The "forest"
A necessary danger, where the only rule is to never leave the path. Unless their job demand it, employees are not interested in this area and clients are discouraged to visit it unless they have a good reason to.Assets
We have all that's needed to live a peaceful and comfortable lives and do our jobs.
The latter is simple: office supplies, furniture, computers and a reasonably good network that gives us permanent access to a database with all there is to know about all our almsmen, rejected clients, cases in progress and employees. That kind of stuff. All safe in the main building, or assigned to an employee for convinience.
The former is the tricky one. The means for peace and the definition of comfort are different for each employee, because they lived quite different experiences and even if some—too many—of them didn't like their world and their previous life, those things still shaped them. Therefore, some have vaults and fences while others have a big open yard or a bicycle. Some have freezers while others have a plant that will either provide them with food or eat them, depending on its mood. Those things are different in each private space or public establishment.
What we don't have, is storage rooms. I guess some employees may keep old useless things, but that fulfills a need for them, right? Anything that doesn't serve a purpose goes back to the shards. We have plenty, obviously, but is better to let the energy flow and keep the space for other things...
Of course, in a way, the Shards are our only real asset, but it doesn't feel right to say that we own them. We need them, we use them, but we wouldn't dare to do more.
Tourism
Outsiders only ever come because they need our services—even if sometimes it hard to figure out how.
It doesn't mean they can't enjoy the view as they wait for their case assessment. After all, no matter how impatient they can be, until they sign for a wish, they have all the time in this world, because that's not an instant in theirs.
There is the [lake], and the [houses], the Mines, the Mountain of the Hopeless... all kind of things in the forest. The visitors are the only ones who go there for fun. They never come back before the day restarts, and sometimes there are scars and trauma, but they have great stories to tell.
However, I would recommend the Market instead. It's at the east of the village, and there is all kind of things there. Food, tech, toys, dance... you name it. If you are more into cultural tourism, you may prefer the park, tough. That's where people gather to remember the ways of the place they came from, or to celebrate and share their values and history with like-minded people.
To be alone with your thoughts while you enjoy the view, with have the garden in the balcony. Not the roof; and I don't say it just because it's forbidden. You may think it has the best view, since it's the highest point in the populated area, but it's not true. There is just fog and... well. How can I say this? The roof is where the Granter goes when he want's a glimpse of the worst possible horrors; I don't think he should be there, let alone an outsider. The garden is breathtaking enough.
Map in construction |
Founders
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Related Professions
Related Materials
| Guilds and Factions | We don't need those things. The Granter knows what he's doing, which is more than what I could say about the former... ehem. Never mind. The point is, the Granter leads, we follow. Is a very vertical company. Any kind of organization the employees have, is for their own personal growth; you know, they way to make friends, have fun, keep their beliefs alive and chase happiness. There are rumors, I'm pained to admit, of some people organizing themselves to take control of the Shards. Plotting against the Granter. They don't go with a name, they are just some shady group and their leader won't show themselves even to their own followers. I'm pretty sure is just some coward guy misguiding some confused employees. |
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