World Design (Ruairidh Thompson, 1700658)

**Setting**

 With
Amsterdam being a relatively new city (only being granted City Status at the
beginning of the 1300’s) around the time that the Silk Road was prominent, the
supernatural beings paid little attention to the city pre-freeze. Now that they
have been released back into the world, the supernatural beings simply forgot
the city existed, striking around the city but never attacking it directly.
This allowed Amsterdam to flourish in the post-apocalyptic world, becoming an
advanced hub of sorcery and recreation, with the more experienced of The Gifted
experimenting new ways to use their abilities. It also allowed Amsterdam to
become a safe haven, taking in any travelling Gifted with untamed powers. Most
of the city’s infrastructure remained the same while a few areas adapted to the
times, becoming arenas for sorcery tournaments and training grounds for Gifted
to hone their skills.

**Advancements**

 Amsterdam became
heavily involved with the development of Disenchanters after the Re-Enchantment
with the high volumes of Gifted entering the city. The drug started out very
rudimentary, only just moderating Gifted’s powers and amplifying the side
effects to a point where there were more costs than benefits. However, the
desperate Gifted persevered, refining the drug into the world’s purest version
of Disenchanters, some strains removing the side effects completely, some
boosting the individual’s other senses, and others giving it a recreational use
to non-enhanced individuals.

Due to how
under-the-radar Amsterdam was during the Re-Enchantment, practically all of the
city survived and still hasn’t been attacked. This has allowed scientists to
create a magic resistant material for buildings to be built out of/reinforced
by, in preparation for an attack and against any Gifted accidents.

**Politics**

  The people
of Amsterdam are very open and forward thinking; however, their Government
isn’t quite so. The Re-Enchantment created opportuning for Gifted individuals
to step up to positions of power, but like most bodies of power, some think
inward and only about how they can benefit. The borders of Amsterdam opened
with open arms – but only to Gifted. But this wasn’t out of kindness, the
Gifted in power saw visions of a Gifted only utopia, and while this slowly
became a reality, training accidents were frequent, leaving a demand for more.
Some Gifted just wanted to lead a normal life however, and sought out the
city’s advanced Disenchanters. Once this because widespread the Gifted members of
government cracked down hard, making all Disenchanters which had a lasting
effect on individuals illegal and forced the creation of a watered down,
heavily taxed version which had little effect on Gifted’s, it was also able to
be used recreationally by non-enhanced individuals. This was all in an effort
to push the drug out, however, this only created a rift between the Gifted.

Anyone who
wasn’t enhanced with powers had to provide something to offer in exchange for
asylum, be it technological prowess, raw materials, or notable strength. Those
in the latter category were forced to fight with others to earn their spot, the
winner would be enrolled into the hub’s non-enhanced military. This helped keep
the population count at bay in relation to the resources the city had, and it
also kept the city from becoming too big and coming onto the supernatural’s
radar.

**Key Features**

  While
Amsterdam’s canals and vibrant houses survived the Re-Enchantment, places like
the Red Light District and many of its “coffee shops” were adapted to the
times. The Red Light District was completely changed into the Sorcery &
Combat circle (the S&C). Becoming home to a variety of forgeries, sorcery
training centres, fight schools and the Infamous Red Light battle arena. This battle
arena was frequently used for gladiator matches for entertainment, and it was
seen as a great honour to fight and die here. While the arena was mainly used
for fights, there were also special occasions where it would play host to
various forms of art (i.e music concerts and plays) in an attempt to maintain
culture and happiness, while some missed the charm of the Red Light District,
the crowds longed for a good fight.

While some
“coffee shops” remained, they were overshadowed by the swell of Disenchantment
Venders which had come in. At first these shops sold all kinds of varieties on
the drug, but as laws tightened up, the venders typically sold the watered down
version at a government mandated price, however some venders were sympathetic
to the plight of the Gifted and offered reduced prices, some were even able to
source the illegal version, but this had to be very well kept from the
government.

Following
their survival of the Re-Enchantment, the people of Amsterdam elected for a
wall to be created around the city for security. In which there is only one
heavily guarded entrance to the city, this entrance processes all who seek
asylum in the city and evaluates what they can bring to the population.