Pirates Places

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=Places of Interest=
The Bashmu
The Bashmu is a multi-decked skyship of Nidhogg class, with a crew of over 3000. The ship is decked with large banners and colourful signal flags which announce that it is the Bashmu in the area, though the size alone would be hint enough of the ship's identity. The Bashmu's hull is painted bright pink, using a thick lacquer derive from jelly hides, partially to protect the superstructure and the hull from damage, but equally to look all the more impressive.
The quarter deck has a moderate sized gas balloon fore, and two landing strips forming a V-shape to the aft. The aft lower decks house drop craft chutes, for rapid deployment of gliders and fighters. The main hangars are just below the landing strips, and just above the drop craft chutes. The auxiliary hangars are aft of the main hangars and include large, rear-facing bay doors that can allow thopters or light corvettes to land within the Bashmu.
The engine rooms and workshops are near the bottom of the ship, while at the front of the Bashmu is are several agricultural zones, where a variety of plant life is maintained in an attempt to supplement the rations that the Bashmu can hunt, scavenge or trade for. The centre of the ship holds the med bay, for safety and conveniences sake. Scattered throughout the ship are various barracks, rec rooms, mess halls and storage spaces. The captain’s quarters are, as is typical, near the bridge, for the convenience of his duty.
The Citadel
The Citadel is a fortress of immense renown and home to the Myrmidons. It is built on a plateau on the side of the great volcano Galt Uul, with a walled city backed up against the slope of the volcano, and a palace carved deep into the volcano itself. The Myrmidons who live in the Citadel tend to keep to themselves, but trade via a fortified port, built proud of the immense wall that surround the settlement.
Lore 4+ OR Race: Myrmidon
At the heart of the Citadel, deep within the side of the volcano, in a natural cavern behind the city, is the palace of the Khans, Ikh Ordun. In the center of Ikh Ordun sits Uur Sentiin, the Throne of Steam, an enormous quartz formation which continuously spews steam and gases high into the top of the cavern. It is not actually a chair, but instead represents the authority of Galt Uul above even the Khans. The thrones of the Triad sit around Uur Sentiin, facing the giant crystal.
Splayed out in front of the palace, across the plateau, is the main residential area, sometimes referred to as the Warrens, is a labyrinth of buildings that have been constructed from stone hewn from the nearby slopes. Most buildings are at least three stories tall. These narrow-laned communities are sporadically expanded to make room for market squares, militia barracks, taverns, storehouses, or other municipal buildings.
All of this noble masonry is then barricaded behind the Walls of Ügüi, solid walls with enough room to stand five deep atop the crenellated battlements. The Great Gates of the Citadel bears the iconography of the Triad; a crest containing a Boar standing upon a blossom with Galt Uul behind it.
Crevice
A pirate town based in a rent in the shoulder of a mountain. A natural berth for many a skyship, there is always an interesting mix of captains and cutthroats ashore. Once you've paid your slip fee to the domineering harbour master, you're free to drink in the delights of the town. Anything can be yours in Crevice, provided you have the coin. All manner of "service providers" make their home and living inside. In particular Crevice is known for its spectacular shops where every kind of delicacy and luxury can be bartered into your possession.
Subterfuge 4+
Discerning travellers of Crevice will have heard of the Midnight Bazaar. A secret market that provides both the most twisted and illicit of products. The prices are obscene, but then so are the prizes. Of particular note in the Bazaar is the Grape Vine. Operating out of a heavily guarded tent this shadowy group are both information brokers and contractors. There is little that cannot be found out, nor job that will not be taken, but every transaction will incur a hefty toll.
Blasted Peak
Built out of the largest ship's graveyard in the Jagged Peaks, Blasted Peak is the scrapyard capital. Resembling a bird's nest of fractured ships and splintered metal scattered in and around a mountain top, if you need something it can be bought here, at a price. Home to the most suicidal scrappers and criminals across the Jagged Peaks, it's not always the the shard pools and smokes storms that you should be wary of. Lead by Kayagdal the scrap Khan and her ruthless mercenaries the Nailed Fist, Blasted Peak is almost impossible to steal from, should you manage to do so you can expect to be hunted to the ends of the earth.
Subterfuge 4+
Aside from Kayagdal, several independent scalpers and cutters operate out of Blasted Peak, offering even less legitimate trading opportunities. They will buy and sell any captured ships or significant functioning parts without question of where they are from. Additionally, for a price, a good cutter can rig a vessel so that it's Empire "official", at least enough to pass as such at a distance. However they have a tendency to take an extra cut on top of their price, in parts shaved from vessels, that only the most discerning of engineers would notice … before it's too late.
 
Captain Blister's Jelly Farm and Emporium
A hollowed out and partially smoke-filled caldera, Captain Blister's jelly farm and emporium is the largest natural corral in the world. It outfits the Jagged Peaks and beyond with the vast majority of quality jelly goods ranging from cured hides to flavoured preserves. Home to a breeding colony of nearly 200 gargantuan jellies, the farm is often heard before it is seen on the horizon, the prevailing jelly drones harmonising and echoing peak to peak for miles. Lead and run by the infamous Captain Blister, so called for the ruthless jelly-stinger whip he employs as a weapon, there are in excess of 20 harvester and shipwright operations that run out of the Emporium. 
New Haven
Built from the ground up by Persefoni Giannopoulos, a pioneer in the field of horticulture, New Haven was to be a bountiful place open to all who believed in community and safety. After a few years of growing kosmima fruit the settlement became a new stop on the migratory route of the Bhrill. Since trawling of the delicious crustaceans began, the town has boomed in prosperity and population. New Haven is also home to the largest flower garden in the Peaks, its range of blooms and bells is nothing short of incredible and is said to be Persefoni's pride and joy.
Valhalla
A ring of small peak tops connected with bridges and struts make up the body of Valhalla, a Tannite only sanctuary for exiles and renegades. Valhalla is militarily structured and is designated a rebellion stronghold by the Empire. The buildings in Valhalla are all squat conical fortresses, designed with maximum fortification against bombardment and skytroop deployment. Patrolling the ring are the four Valkyries, the rebel frigate fleet and first line of defence. Lead by Ex-OberKommandant Klaas Inger, the community is tight knit and heavily screens new arrivals and non-Tannite trading opportunities. 
The Temples
There are seven temples in the peaks that are large enough for small communities of gurus and pilgrims to live and travel from. Each one is thought to be older than the Smoke. They are all carved from the tops of mountains, the stone work appearing completely natural in most cases, as though made without tools. The temples are all circular and are comprised of one large room surrounded by several smaller rooms, the main room containing a central focus, seemingly at the very heart of the temple, a massive, beautiful, white-stone carving of a lotus flower, known as a Lotus Vessel. Each Lotus Vessel is actually hollow, one can reach between the petals to find a large hollow within the vessel, into which gurus often place incense burners and other perfumes.
As well as these the peaks are scattered with many smaller shrines, just about large enough for two people to sit in meditation side by side. Each is a room carved into a small cave or crevice. Inside is an inscription of the seven precepts and a small Lotus Vessel.
Lore 4+ OR Empathy 4+
The seven major temples all have unique features which can be viewed from outside and often at a distance, features that they are mostly named for.
*Gateway temple, so called for the large burnished metal arch that protrudes from the ceiling of the temple. It is also seen as the traditional starting place for a pilgrimage to all the temples.
*Skypiercer temple, named for the tower that it is built under. The tower is built on the tip of the highest peak in the region and is itself nearly 100ft tall. The tower is called the sun's finger.
*Temple of the Lady, the temple is built next to a massive statue. The statue, known only as the Lady, is feminine and has four arms. She carries a shield, a sword, and a flower, with her fourth hand empty and open. She is carved from the same stone as the Lotus Vessels.
*Temple of the Five, this temple is surrounded by five stone obelisks. Each a rusty copper coloured stone, they form a perfect pentagon around the central point of the temple.
*Living temple, built beneath the roots of a great ancient tree atop a mountain. The species of tree is unknown but it is the oldest living thing in the Peaks, perhaps the world. The tree is large enough that many gurus live amongst its branches, its the largest religious community in the Peaks.
*Haven temple, uniquely named for an event rather than specifically a feature. The temple protected pilgrims from an imperial bombardment, thanks to it's armoured dome the temple was all but unscathed in the attack and the imperial frigate soon lost interest and left.
*Song temple, atop this temple sits a huge round bell. The bell is rung when a pilgrim has completed the journey between the each of the temples in the Peaks.
Imperial Outposts
While the empire's borders are many miles away, these early warning stations and guard posts are common targets for piracy and raiding. There are three classifications of station in the peaks each with different defences and functions. All three share a combination of metal anti-bombard walling surrounding bunkers. The majority of each outpost is underground and tends to consist of featureless corridors and prison-like open halls.
Lore 4+
Lagerung-class are storage depots, they exist entirely as food and resource points to refuel and maintain the corvette patrols in the peaks. These locations are defended primarily with anti air howitzers and ground troops. There are rarely as many as 40 personnel on site at any one time. They don't carry significant stocks of munitions or arms however.
Standort-class are small military emplacements. These act as hubs for patrols to fall back to if need be, and as communications relays for other outposts in the region. Much more heavily defended than Lagerung-class they often sport a compliment of fighter planes (both fixed wing and ornithopter) as well as a troop ornithopter. This is on top of the Lagerung-class defences. There are significant quantities of arms and ammunition stored here, both for defence and re-supply.
Steuerung-class are enforcement outposts. They act as supervisory emplacements to volatile acquisitions. Primarily they control mines, "owned" by locals, but sometimes are attached to villages and scrap yards if they are worth the cost of operations. These outposts don’t have much in the way of supplies themselves but their worth lies in the local resources that they are oppressing. Unlike other outposts they sport significant ground troops, often two full platoons of 30 (for pacification purposes) but no air defences at all, instead using the locals as hostage-shields against aerial bombardment.
=== These areas exist outside the campaign area===
The Empire
The Empire (more formally "The Great and Glorious Empire of the Tannhaus Dynasty") is a well oiled oppressive regime that seeks to control the world's remaining resources and eliminate those that would impede the march of progress. The Tannhaus Dynasty, which controls the Empire, has been responsible for most of the technological leaps in skyship history, and gives its name to the race of people that make up its empire, the Tannites.
The Shimmering Isles
The Shimmering Isles is a land of snow, waterfalls, and a cold sun that makes the surface glitter. Above the snow is a forest of sap-dripping evergreens, in the branches of which, the people of the Isles make their homes. The sap and the fruit of these trees take the form of precious gems, mainly diamonds, which send shards of light across the surface of the snow. The gems are gathered to be used as ornaments in the Laiki's clothes and as decorations in their homes.
Lore 4+
The Laiki have an elaborate and intricate court structure here. At the top sits the Basilios, who is the sovereign and the head of all government institutions, whose heir is known as the Symbasileus. The current Basilios is named Spyridon XI and his heir is Andronikus. Below him are those he selects and names as his direct advisors and lawmakers, known as the Magistres (sing. magistros), lead by the chief advisor, the Koropalates. Below the advisors sit the regional leaders, Kephales or Doukes, and there are other positions besides. Most positions, by convention, are hereditary, but those who anger the Basilios can find themselves without an official position very quickly, to be replaced with someone more "pleasing".
Like most Laiki, the courtiers of the Shimmering Isles are obsessed with appearances and as such they have clear rules on clothing, materials and colours. The darker one's attire, the higher their rank. Only the Basilios himself may wear true black clothing, and his family may wear lesser shades. Blue is the colour of the court, and white is a colour accessible to all. The lowest ranks are expected to wear more coarse materials such as calico, whereas those in the upper ranks wear finer materials such as silk and satin, accessorised with beautifully-cut gems and jewels.
In the Laiki court, there are long-winded and precise ceremonies which must be adhered to at all times - any slip up is seen as a faux-pas at best and a heinous crime at worst, and more than one Laiki has seen themselves fall suddenly down the ranks after such an incident. The annual First Harvest of the Trees is a long and complicated ceremony that starts at the first ray of dawn and ends when the sun disappears behind the trees, casting a multi-coloured shadow on the snow through the variously coloured jewels.
The Highlands
The Highlands are a series of windswept islands, so called for their unique property; the islands float in the sky at high altitude. They appear to be grassy plains that are scattered with trees and other plant life. The most notable of which is the famous boyante tree, the Highlands’ most lucrative export. The coniferous boyante tree is noted for their pale yellow colour, tall thin trunks and the absence of branches. The few branches and leaves they do have are clustered at the top of the tree. The homes of the Altatierrans are similarly scattered across the countryside, eschewing the formation of close knit towns preferring their own space. The Highlands are generally pleasant the only hazards are the strong winds which bring low temperatures. These can chill the unprepared to the bone or worse, hurl them off the edge.