Sagus Cliffs

**Sagus Cliffs** is a city housing between 90,000 and 100,000 people, and the capital of the Sagus Protectorate. It is located on the south-east of the Ninth World supercontinent. The city is ruled by a council. Its name originates from that of an early settler, Sagus.

## History

Sagus Cliffs is a city built upon a great crag, winding its way down to the water
through switchbacks and cutout caverns. The city is vast, both vertically and
horizontally, sitting atop the ruins of preceding generations and prior worlds. At the
base of the cliffs, the ocean crashes and swirls around a reef of ancient technology
from ages past.

Centuries ago, Sagus Cliffs was the heart of a respectable kingdom, controlling
a vast region that it called the Sagus Protectorate. Its fortunes – and territory
– waxed and waned over the years, until a slave revolt spilled from the depths
of the nearby Bloom, toppling the power structures of the city and marking the
end of its empire. Though the people of Sagus regard themselves as the rulers of
the old Protectorate, they now control little beyond the city limits. Still, the city
remains a vibrant hub of culture and conflict, with a population of about 100,000.

Centuries before the present day, Sagus Cliffs was invaded by the Tabaht. They sought to destroy or enslave every people they came across, but when they attempted to take the city, they were broken. Taking advantage of the advanced defenses and weaponry, the first denizens of Sagus Cliffs drove back their enemies. The Changing God played a pivotal role in the defense of the city, unmooring it in time at a critical moment and cutting the bulk of the Tabaht forces off from their command and supply lines.

Ultimately, the Tabaht destroyed themselves and Sagus Cliffs soon become the major power in the area, leading to the creation of the Sagus Protectorate. Situated on a strategic position as a trade hub between the sea called Garravia Sound and the western territories (like Augur-Kala, the Beyond and the Steadfast), and by enforcing a fee on Numenera and other merchandises traveling through the city, it accumulated an important treasure, leading to territory expansion. This was put to a stop two centuries ago when a slave revolt erupted. After those events, the former aristocracy managed to survive the rebellion and merged in secret with the Slave Families, the new power established by the former slaves. Now, the Slave Families do nothing more than fighting for power, and the Sagus Cliffs is now the only thing they have authority upon.

## Description

The city is very old and show signs of several architectural styles stacked upon each other, extending both vertically and horizontally. Some buildings can even be found under the sea surface, protected under a crystal dome or flooded, and a vast pumping machinery can be found there. Bridges of energy link the different part of the city and are essential to its infrastructure and economy.

Three walls surround the city. The first one is a small wall made of synthsteel, and contains the most recent part of the city, where most of its factories are located, built on the plain. The second is much more ancient and can be qualified as a Numenera: it is an energy shield looking like a scintillating mist. This shield can protect the inner city against threat like an Iron Wind and the Aeon Priests who operate it can even increase its power when needed. The last one is a great physical wall who protects the city center and who is covered with artillery weapons who can strike several kilometers in every direction.

The Bloom can be found in a canyon next to city, to the north-east. Several outcasts from the Sagus Cliffs live there. The strange place also welcomes the city merchants, who use the Bloom ability to reach other worlds and dimensions to bring back exotics merchandises, increasing even more the wealth of Sagus Cliffs. The city also send most of its detritus through the Bloom's portals.

## Districts

The city is divided between several districts:

* Barracks
* Bluffs
* Caravanserai
* Circus Minor
* City Center: The governmental, cultural, learning and economic center of the city. - Government Square
* Cliff's Edge
* Grand Circus
* Lower Tanningstone: The city slum.
* Manufactories
* Reef of Fallen Worlds
* Sagus Harbor
* Shorepickers: A beach full of wreckage.
* Terminus: The city dump as well as a public grave.
* Underbelly
* Warehouse District
* Winding Stair Market

## Behind the scenes

The city is a major hub in the *Torment: Tides of Numenera* video game. Not all districts are represented in the game.

## Gallery

* Prototype screenshot of the Sagus Cliffs
* A sketch of a map of the city, by Colin McComb

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