By Georgie R.
Art by CLOUD
Shrouded in mists rising from the triple-moated ring canals which surround it, Emerta is just north of the Emerta Plateau in the region. Split into three districts, Limoni, Sonoran, and Noviganto, the distinctive city filled with the promise of knowledge and treasure is ready for visitors who are brave enough to make the journey.
The main city of this region was once home to millions of people, living in a paradise of tech and art until becoming damaged by mech attacks and bombings during the War. It survived much of the damage, still having access to power for lighting, automated clean-up mechanisms, and the kinetic walkways can even still detect and be powered by movement. A lot of the tech here survived, but the city itself has become a mere shadow of what it was. The Builder left a vacuum here after the attacks and life has filled the void. Hundreds of nano-geists still function in the city, but seasoned visitors know they cannot be trusted to act without malice. The Dark City even has a small presence here, with Thralls living under the surface. Will the threats of Thralls beneath the surface compel player characters to act? Emerta is losing its war with nature and time, but still holds true to its promise of knowledge and treasure, if you know where to look. With the promise of both of these, player characters will be able to seek out what matters most to them, will their adventures in the other locations impact this? You can shape the campaign around this and bring in adventures from other locations in Emerta-Valo to tie the story together.
One of the biggest problems facing the city is in the east where an underground reservoir of industrial chemicals has bubbled close to the surface, creating a toxic floodplain which has begun to erode critical infrastructure. After it began mixing with the canal overflow, the flood has spread further whilst eating at the ground and buildings unlucky enough to surround it. Most of the buildings have collapsed from erosion, but the Emertan Library of Art and Science is still standing; adventurers can take advantage by exploring here. Will player characters seek out the knowledge confined to these walls before the library joins its fellows in the polluted sinkhole making up the majority of the floodplain?
To the eastern side of this chemical nightmare are numerous giant insect burrows which have become more frequent of late. Fed a steady diet of corrosive waters, this complex network of craters is home to human-sized insectoids known as Magpies. With their sharp and bristled claws to make easy work navigating the amber-like substance used to make these tunnels, their victims are never heard from again. What if someone important accompanying the player characters was taken down this nexus of tunnels, would they be brave enough to try and rescue them?
To the west of the floodplain lies the once bustling wildlife park that was used for conservation of Old Earth and Everan life to live together in areas separated by biomes. Species such as lions, tigers, and wolves from Old Earth can be found alongside bioengineered prowlcats, shuffletails, and silent snappers native to Evera Prime. These creatures have assimilated a natural balance between each other where each species will hunt the other, but what if they strayed further afield? Could communities on the outskirts of the city lose their livestock if predators start roaming away?
Similarly to Padrol Tower, Emerta has its own water processing facility, known as the Aquifer-Vault, which is woven into a multitude of architectural feats across the city. With its water sumps doubling as lakes dotted across the city, coupled with pumping houses and control systems which are hidden between giant statues and landscape features all over the three districts. It doesn’t, however, function properly and currently sits bone dry and covered in overgrown plant life. If the player characters have visited Padrol Tower before exploring Emerta, will they investigate this facility and could it be repaired like the tower? Would there be consequences in getting running water moving across the city again with so much of the canal infrastructure damaged by the floodplain?
The (concrete) jungle of Emerta-Valo is awaiting new adventurers to test their mettle and discover the secrets, treasures, and knowledge lurking within its three mist-shrouded districts. Gamemasters will have the ability to focus on what player characters want to get out of exploring the city and plan accordingly, they could use Hexploration to create maps tailored towards exploration and discovery for the player characters. Are you ready to explore the City of Sighs?
Until then, you can ready yourself for your own adventures in Emerta-Valo by pre-ordering the Dreams and Machines: Setting Guide - Emerta Valo today!
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