Upper City Life
Upper City Life is very different from that in the Lower City. The surface of The City is dotted with the derelict remains of the pre-Descent civilization. Much of these remains have been either flattened for new development, in the case of The Tower and the surface of Topal District, or left to decay. Few dare to live in the Upper City, especially on account of the endless void of black created by the fog above The City. Most citizens, who are used to living under a ceiling, cringe at the idea of a roofless place.
Even among these conditions, a few individuals eke out a living among the dark streets of the Upper City.
Shadowers
Shadowers. Assassins for hire. These individuals live severely isolated lives apart from all others. Each one functions independently out of an advanced hover bike. These hover bikes provide not only transportation, but food, shelter, and some manner of companionship through their limited artificial intelligence interface. It is a hard life, and one not entered into lightly.
Most Shadowers begin as children involved in an Upper Gang. On the rare occasion, a child from the Lower City can end up involved in an Upper Gang, though most often it is a child born in the Upper City. If a child, before they reach 15, leaves the gang, there are three potential
Under Shadows Game Design Document 1.0
©2015 Caleb Duane Eno. All Rights Reserved. - 26 - December 24th, 2014 outcomes: The child joins another gang, the child dies, or the child encounters a Shadower. Depending on the quality of Shadower, the child might be left alone, killed on the spot, or
brought to an Operator. The Operator runs the child through a specialized aptitude test and, upon passing with the desired traits, the child becomes a registered Shadower. At this point, the new Shadower is provided with a standard issue hover bike and assigned simple tasks.
Shadowers do not attend the School of Ages. Because of this, they are only somewhat informed of the Laws. They have a great deal of independence and Elites typically do not interfere as the Shadowers form an important element of society. The only Law emphasized is the third Law, Remain. Shadowers must remain in The City, never to attempt crossing the Bridge, and must not enter the Lower City. This second option is occasionally broken, though usually with extreme consequences.
Shadowers are toughened by the conditions of their upbringing. They do not like the competition the others provide which creates strong rivalries. If young Shadowers attempt to compete on the same level as those with experience, a mistake could be fatal.
Occasionally, gang members attempt to break off from the gang to become Shadowers. They try to kill Shadowers and steal their targets from them. These Renegades are considered scum by Shadowers who will kill the Renegades at the first opportunity.
Operators
Operators are unique elements within the Upper City. At one point, every Operator was a citizen of the Lower City. If certain markers are indicated on aptitude tests, the citizen is marked for potential Operator advancement. An analysis of the individual is then conducted at age 35. If there is a need for an Operator in the Upper City, and the individual passes the analysis, they are quietly removed from the Lower City and promoted to an Operator.
Operators are the go between for the Judges and the Shadowers. Most Shadowers remain oblivious to the source of their targets either through lack of interest or intentional ignorance. When a citizen is Judged and found guilty a Serious Infraction, the information about this citizen is passed along to an Operator. The Operator then assigns the target to a Shadower.
Because they are removed from the standard system of status within the Lower City, Operators are granted luxurious living quarters with all of the food and flourish they desire. It is a lonely posting, so one of the points tested for is the ability to exist independently of others.
Upper Gangs
Upper Gangs, like their Lower Gang counterparts, are considered official, sanctioned organizations within The City. As with all Upper City citizens, they are removed from the status ranking of the Lower City. These gangs usually form based on territory. Depending on the area they occupy, the gang might take residence inside a block of buildings, alleyways, old tunnels, or camp in open space. Upper Gangs compete for life and death, unlike the entertainment value often provided by Lower Gangs. They have internal ranking systems.
Upper Gangs tend to be formed around certain ideals. For instance, the Heart’s Ashes Gang is built around the acquisition of knowledge. Some Gangs are built around physical strength or skill with a hover bike. This creates a circle of competition where each Gang has strengths and weaknesses towards the others.
Under Shadows Game Design Document 1.0
©2015 Caleb Duane Eno. All Rights Reserved. - 27 - December 24th, 2014 The main form of transportation for Upper Gangs, like the Shadowers and Elites, is the hover bike. Occasionally, certain engineer-minded individuals construct larger vehicles out of cannibalized hover bikes.
Elite Patrols
Elites silently patrol the Upper City. The only Elites who serve in this capacity are Guardians. Upper City Guardians are highly trained in the use of hover bikes and pilot the most advanced bikes. Wakers are also occasionally allowed to travel the Upper City but only under special dispensation.
The Elite Guardians have the primary objective of preventing anyone from crossing The Bridge. Patrols are always on watch near The Bridge. If anyone attempts to cross it who is not being pursued by a Shadower, the Elites chase and destroy them.
The Bridge
The Bridge is the only way in or out of The City. To anyone’s knowledge, no one has ever attempted to enter The City. Many have attempted to cross it but have been killed by either a Shadower or Elite Guardians. Across the Bridge is the New World, a place cared for and watched over by the Founder, the Architect, and the Engineer. The Founder watches over the New World. The Architect guards the bridge and acts as the guide to the New World for anyone who would renounce the Judges and claim the Founders as their rightful rulers. The Engineer works within The City, guiding individuals into the understanding of the Founders so that they might one day cross The Bridge.
A massive stone stands before the Bridge at the entrance to The City. It is the Founder’s Stone and on it is etched images of the Founder, Architect, and Engineer along with the three Laws.
The Tower
The Tower extends high into the sky above the Upper City. It is home to the Order of the Wakers, the Council of Judges, and the training facilities for all branches of the Elites. The general population is not allowed to enter the Tower. Hovering above the Tower is a large geodesic sphere called the Overseer. This is the main power source of The City. The Overseer is designed to absorb the fog. As it does so, it splits the fog into its two base substances. One substance, a light, highly charged gas, is released into the power grid providing for all of The City’s electrical needs. The second substance, a thick, black, nearly liquid gas, is brought into processing plants designed and maintained by the Order of Wakers. From here, the substance is converted into raw materials used for all production in The City.
Judgment
When an individual is brought before a Greater Judge and convicted of a Serious
Infraction, they are declared a Law breaker. The citizen is removed of their status, position, and declared dead to The City. They are then provided with a standard issue hover bike and sent to the surface. The Judges then pass on a message to the Operators indicating that a new target is
Under Shadows Game Design Document 1.0
©2015 Caleb Duane Eno. All Rights Reserved. - 28 - December 24th, 2014 available. The Operators pass on the target’s information to Shadowers who being a hunt for the target.
The target, depending on skill with the hover bike, might last for weeks before being caught. If a target encounters a Gang, the gang will have nothing to do with them. Harboring a target could result in the disbanding of the gang and be possible ground for total extermination.
Once the target is caught, a cat and mouse game ensues. Some Shadowers prefer to end it quickly while others enjoy the sport of the chase. In the end, the Shadower wrecks the target’s bike and then kills them through their preferred means. If a target takes The Bridge, it is a guaranteed death. On the rare occasion, a target can be very skilled. Targets have been known to get the better of Shadowers and kill them instead. In such occasions, Shadowers will forgo their differences and band together to kill the target. No target has ever lasted for more than a few months.