The Commons

## Background

> *Founded by RunEndless, after stumbling upon a village center. There, at their common well, he founded the Commons, as a tribute to the feudal concept he hoped to foster.*
>
>

### Residents

1. RunEndless
2. Andreous\_North
3. DeathReccon
4. jzhang79
5. TheBoog
6. ubdmstimb
7. ibrown11
8. JonSaulle
9. AxDinoCramp
10. Dr\_Bugman

## Major Events

### The Cog's Rebellion

*Spurred by the election and a mysterious figure, Andreous\_North rose to speak for the people, decrying the treachery of RunEndless.*

* RunEndless: "There's an election? Someone else is running? Wait, who enabled PVP?!"
* Andreous\_North: "Vote North! We demand larger pens for the animals!"

### Tragedy of the Plains

*A dark night on the expansive plains, in a greedy bid to claim the treasures of nighttime horrors.*

RunEndless, Perry on his shoulder, fought on the plains just outside the Commons, searching for Enderpearls to bring newfound fortune to the homeland. As the battle devolved into a grassland brawl, RunEndless desperately retreated from a hoard of zombies, before pivoting to face a hissing Creeper. As he jumped back, his parrot fell from his shoulder, and the Creeper exploded, taking the Perry with him. Perry, in his final moments, dropped to his side and screamed a final "POLLY!", leaving the heartbroken RunEndless behind.

## Major Structures

### Central Vault

*A tribute to capitalism*

The **Central Vault** is the first location encountered upon arriving at the Commons. It consists of a high ceiling,

Unique Features:

* **Requests Board**: Residents can post requests resources, information, or building jobs here.
* **Residential Vaults**: Residents reserve their vaults here, enabling them to interact with the economy.
* **Residential Shops**: Entrepreneurial residents may set up shop, selling items of their choosing.

### The First Tower

*A monument to the Commons*

**The** **First Tower** was the first location constructed at the Commons. It is a multi-layer tower, with a blocky, rectangular opening and large viewing windows.

Unique Features:

* **Library**: A small library is available, where residents can enchant their equipment.
* **Underground Fields**: Just beneath the floorboards exists a quiet farm, safe from the threats of night.
* **Deep Mines**: There's a one-way trip to the bottom of the world, where miners plunge several stories into knee-deep water, before rushing into the dark in search of the earth's treasures.
* **Armory**: Atop the tower is an armory; in the event of a battle, it provides a resupplying station, and in the event of tragedy, a defensive chokepoint.
* **Stockpile**: Leading towards the river is the stockpile, home to the majority of the Commons' material wealth.

### Ascended Fields

*A tribute to automation*

The **Ascended Fields** are the vertical fields that provide the basis for the economy. It is a semi-automated set-up, allowing for crops to be washed into collection bins, before being replanted.

### The Catacombs

*Everyone has a secret*

The **Catacombs** are the formal underground expansion to the town. It is overcrowded with villagers, and houses some of the Commons more... *colorful* contraptions.

Unique Features:

* **Automated Fields**: A pumpkin / melon farm harvested by pistons and collected by hopper-minecarts. Each harvest is accompanied by a note-block's chirp, which can be heard across town.
* **Trading Square**: A comfortable space for residents to perform their daily exchanges with the imprisoned laborers.
* **Labor Tube**: Generates a stream of villagers, collecting them in a clean-glass tube for future use.
* **Library**: A relic of the Commons past - or perhaps its future? Buried underneath the weight of the ever expanding
* **D^%ms#\*y Device:** *ERROR - Undisclosed*

## Environmental Risks

### Vulnerable Systems

#### Food supply

The people of the commons eat freely and vigorously. Due to the wealth of resources and productive lands we have settled food has never been in doubt. Our bursting larders give our people food security for the long haul. With advancements in agriculture and diversified plots we are ready. With a variety of fields and ample herds of both cattle and sheep we will persist. Listed below is our primary food sources as well as potential vulnerabilities. Note that we have prepared for disruption and though not ideal, we have the means and wherewithal to keep the cogs spinning.

* **Automated Fields**: This project is entombed in stone and wrapped in glass. It should be resilient to environmental changes from the world above, and suffer little risk of flooding. If it were to flood, the intricate rails system below would wash away, leaving the system dysfunctional. The melons from here could allow the populous to subsist, albeit in a less-than-desirable manner.
* **Ascended Fields**: This project is exposed to the natural elements, and thus is liable to shifts in weather patterns. Being several stories tall, it is not liable to flooding, and even partial flooding would still permit a significant portion of the fields to operate. This can be cycled to provide wheat, carrots, or potatoes to the populous.
* **Reserves**: Located in **The First Tower**, this is our stockpile of beef, mutton, and other high-quality foods. The reserves are deep, and could last the Commons months under current operations, without relying on creating new food.

#### Regional trade

The Commons prides itself on self sufficiency! We have adapted to meet our own needs. Aside from a few villagers who we assure you LOVE their current living conditions. We can supply all of our own goods. We have sent several trade caravans to City Haraway along our aqueduct, and have frequently fueled their lust for industry with our abundant natural resources. City Haraway has been the primary patron of the Commons fiscal solvency, but prior to our... engagements... we were capably supplying the humble Commons with our mines, outposts, and farms within reason.

Several attempts were made to communicate and trade with the surrounding cities. Unfortunately, their lack of respect and sheer ignorance to our profound offers led them to ignore our offers of wool, emeralds, and diamond equipment. We will survive without them. We do not need them. We, the cogs of society, will survive on.

### Hazard Assessments

#### Fire risk: Moderate

* **To vulnerable populations: Low**
* **To food supply: High**
* **To regional trade: Low**
* **Vulnerable locations and populations**:
	+ Residential housing
	+ The Ascended Fields
* While the Commons is fairly resistant to fires due stone-related materials being a popular choice of construction, our primary food source, the Ascended Fields, may prove to be vulnerable to fires. The Ascended Fields are a tall, open, and unprotected structure, predominantly built of wood, rendering it a magnet for potential fires. Loss of the Ascended Fields will see a massive shortage of goods that fuel the continuity of our populations. On the other hand, structures like the Central Vault and the First Tower, which house our most valuable resources and populations, are encased in layers of stone. Likewise, the aqueduct which promotes trade between the Commons and Haraway, exhibits resilience to the heat. Thus, fires are not a primary concern in the Commons as long as our stockpiles remain untouched.

#### Flood risk: Moderate

* **To vulnerable populations: High**
* **To food supply: Moderate**
* **To regional trade: Low**
* **Vulnerable locations and populations**:
	+ The Library
	+ The Automated Fields
	+ Animal Pens
	+ Residential Housing
* The Commons is located near a river which provides access to fresh water, fish, and other desirable resources that allows our town to thrive. However, in certain areas there is very little difference in elevation between the town and the river which means that there is potential for flooding to occur. If water were to make it all the way to the center of town if would likely flood the underground portion of our library, which houses numerous villagers. This would not only result in the villagers being trapped and likely drowning, but also render our automated fields completely unreachable as we currently have no way to drain the water out of the area. The livestock would also likely be swept away by the rising water level which takes away another food source from the residents. However, through the use of the Ascended Fields it would be possible for the people of the commons to sustain themselves during the process of rebuilding as they would sustain little to no damage as a result of flooding.

* The Commons publicly states it is well prepared for all disasters; statements to the contrary are false propaganda. Please enjoy free samples of water while visiting, and enjoy the lovely boating opportunities.

#### Contamination risk: Low

* **To vulnerable populations: Low**
* **To food supply: Low**
* **To regional trade: Low**
* **Invulnerable locations and populations**:
	+ Trading square residents
	+ Surrounding waterways
	+ Water tables
* **Likely impact of climate change:**
	+ Climate change will have very little impact
* The Commons is a center of food production and export. To meet demands, we totally *do not* employ the use of synthetic fertilizers to feed our crops in the Ascended Fields. Furthermore, the water which nourish the fields totally *does not* carry such fertilizers in surface runoff which *does not* cause the eutrophication of our surrounding waterways. Conveniently, the Ascended Fields' foundations, the Catacombs, which houses most of our residents, *does not* experience any poisoning in the form of leaking contaminated crop water from above. To add on, we assure that the population density in the Trading Square is in *full compliance* with federal standards to ensure safe distancing between individuals. Also, being housed and socially isolated indoors provides an additional safety net from possible viral contaminants from the outside world.

#### Geological Risk: Moderately High

* **To vulnerable populations: High**
* **To food supply: High**
* **To regional trade: Low**
* **To mining operations: Low**
* **Vulnerable locations and populations**:
	+ Trading Square residents
	+ The Catacombs
	+ Automated Fields
	+ The Ascended Fields
* With a majority of the population bound to our underground locations, geological disasters could result in their entombment, wiping out the possibility of the exchange of emeralds for goods. Along with such population, our automated fields, being downstairs neighbors, would suffer a similar fate. While the Ascended Fields are above ground, they were founded directly atop the Catacombs, whose collapse will ruin the Ascended Fields. In short, our food production and supply are extremely vulnerable to geological events. Luckily, trade will be minimally affected since our trusty canal to Haraway is reinforced in stone and supported by the natural landscape. As for mining, we often venture out to caves of the wilderness in search of gold and diamonds to fuel the souls of our residents; mining operations are unaffected by the town's geology.

#### Thermal Risk: High

* **To vulnerable populations: Low**
* **To food supply: Moderate**
* **To regional trade: High**
* **Vulnerable locations and populations**:
	+ The Ascended Fields
* **Likely impact of climate change:**
	+ Climate change that brings about a higher global temperature could see drier seasons, which increases the chance of drought and wildfires
	+ Lower global temperatures may bring a halt to food production and trade
* The Commons being surrounded by a dense forest would be devastated by potential forest fires. Not only will it diminish our source of wood, which is much coveted for fuel and construction, it may prove to be a danger to our much vulnerable Ascended Fields. The Ascended Fields being of great height and of wood construction, will burn down easily in drier seasons. Additionally, fields' water will dry up, resulting in the loss of yields. Fortunately, our Automated Fields are more resistant to the heat, and can provide us an emergency source of carrots. Cold weather is just as unforgiving and can be equally devastating. Freezing of water not only ruins our crops, it obstructs trade with Haraway, who may be an ally in our times of need. Therefore, we kindly ask everyone on the server to help maintain an acceptable global temperature. Thank you.

### Likely disaster scenario

**FIRE**- Due to the dense forest areas surrounding our town a fire could cause some major problems. While most of our major structures are made from stone, there are still risks to a major fire. We have several crops surrounding the town which would certainly be destroyed. There fumes and smoke could cause serious air quality issues. And the sheep and cattle may have a difficult time finding shelter if they are stuck in their pens.

**FLOOD -** We are somewhat well prepared to handle a flood. Much of the surrounding area is dense with foliage which could slow any advancing water. There are also many streams and valleys and bodies of water which all appear to be well under their capacity and could theoretically handle some large surges of water. If the flood is bad enough the central vault may have a problem. There are many lower levels which may be susceptible to flood waters. A quick response from the local civilians would be vital to prevent mass damage.

### Adaptations

By settling in a well drained region and building most of our major structures from stone, we have mitigated many risks very quickly, We have active an responsive townsfolk that all take a great deal of responsibility in the care and maintenance of the Commons. With traditional, elevated, and covered gardens, we have adapted and prepared for many different possible events. Elevated buildings give us a good view of the surrounding region and a place to take refuge if necessary. We are well stocked with most supplies and have an elevated aqueduct to safely travel to Haraway if needed.

### Disaster plan

The most import thing that we can do is a quick response. Being able to identify and react to any threats, whether real or perceived could be the most important factor. We have strong central leadership and a communal sense of stewardship. With those things combined we can handle whatever is thrown at us.