Post by Kai on Feb 7, 2010 11:55:40 GMT -5
Information on the Other Tower Cities
Central City: The appropriately named Central City is located on the western tip of the Earth’s central island. Nicknamed the ‘City of Gold’, Central City is noted for being the most self-centered of the cities of Earth, with the majority of its population fully believing that ‘the world revolves around them’ and that the decisions of CC’s parliament ultimately influence the decisions made by each of the seven other cities. (Never mind that the majority of items on the legislature’s ‘to-do’ list were dealt with a decade ago in most other cities.) As mentioned, CC is the ‘City of Gold’, with many buildings existing in full gold coloration as the predominant decoration. Though the environment around the city is tropical, CC’s government has made it a point to keep foliage/flora/fauna out of the city proper. What results is a very ‘metal’ city, which makes the city quite sparkly… at the cost of increasing inner city heat to sometimes unbearable conditions during the day. (During the night is a different story.) There is no such thing as ‘winter’ in Central City, but the exchange for that is that it is always hurricane/typhoon season for the equator-based city as well. Economically, Central City is tourist hot spot, is known for metal-working (jewelry) and computer components (primarily memory), and has the distinction of having the highest percentage of religious-based groups and buildings of any city on the planet. Although Central City has only a single Star Spire, it is enormous – easily the largest Star Spire on the planet. Despite this, it is one of the least-advanced cities when it comes to the ‘Space Race.’ Legal notes: 21 is the official age for consumption (with very strict laws on legal substances for consumption), 18 is ‘adulthood and voting’, individuals as young as 16 may enter the military (and military service is the primary form of capital punishment.) Central City is one of the tower cities that does not have any form of legal prostitution, primarily due to the large concentration of religious related groups in the city. Final note: due to the extreme heat (which is mostly self-imposed), Central City runs on a ‘different’ day-night cycle than most other cities, with much of the ‘normal’ activity occurring at night.
Champagne: The eastern, river-city of Champagne, located in the curl of the ‘Scorpion’s Tail’ of the Howling Fangs tri-pronged mountain chain, is thought of as the ‘capital of debauchery’ on Earth. The Fangs, as the mountains are referred to colloquially, are volcanically active and have an extremely high concentration of precious metals and useful minerals that ‘taint’ the multi-pronged Champagne River system, giving the water its signature golden color and ‘carbonated’ nature. A resort and tourist town first and foremost, Champagne’s major export industries revolve around alcoholic beverages (made with the signature Champagne water) and ‘illicit’ (depending on the destination city) substances. Although it has two Star Spires, Champagne is dead-last amongst the cities of Earth when it comes to space technology and, in truth, the city seems to have issues with even commonplace technology, such as the district-to-district teleporters. This is thought to be due to an as-yet unidentified geothermal or geomagnetic interference caused by the volcanic activity from the nearby mountain chain. Note that the volcanic activity gives Champagne a very pleasant yearly weather and temperature pattern as well. The populations of most other cities tend to believe that it is the ‘party first’ attitude and subsequent inability to focus on tasks or be responsible that keeps Champagne at the low end of the tech totem pole. Still, it is the number one vacation destination on Earth, and, due to the prevalence of casino/brothel combination resorts, sometimes called the ‘Black Hole of Credits.’ Although the general ‘feeling’ of Champagne implies that it is a city for youthful individuals, ‘Champagne Hot Spring’ resorts, existing primarily in the northeastern section of the city, are advertised as the ‘perfect spot’ for elderly individuals that are in need of rest, relaxation, and recovery. Transports from Asherah’s medical ward district of Opera are quite common. Legal notes: Technically the official adult age is 18 and there is no age requirement for voting, consumption, or ‘legal’ prostitution. Law seems very… slack in Champagne, the military is weakly organized and disheveled, and if it were not for ‘militia’ – more appropriately thought of as mercenary units hired by the ‘high rollers’ of the city – Champagne probably would have succumbed to invasion many years ago.
Kestral: The island city of Kestral, located west/southwest of Asherah and the Halcion Mountains, is a temperate city stuck in the ‘elbow’ curl of the Siren Mountains between the Lustra River (which flows down the mountains, emptying into the Fox’s Cove) and the Green Salt Forest. Kestral enjoys a mild 7/5 split of fall-to-spring months with little normal fluctuation of temperature over the course of the year. The city reflects its environment, with its western portions predominantly brown and ‘rock’ based in design, the northern portions green with a focus on tree-like decorative design and lots of ‘plants in the street’, and with the southern and eastern portions enjoying the blues and ‘flow’-like design of water. A rather ‘mundane’ city in terms of its economic impact, Kestral does not have any one industry that stands out. The only exception to this rule comes from the Green Salt Forest, named because the majority of plants within the vast forest are petrified, yet somehow maintain their ‘living plant’ look. A resin produced by the extremely rare ‘Urus’ tree has proven an exceptional compound for ‘sealant’ technology, with probable use in space flight. Unfortunately, it has proven ultra resistant (so far) to replication and, as such, remains only a footnote on Kestral’s economic ledger. Additionally, collection of the plant is difficult, as the Green Salt Forest has a very high percentage of a host of unique monsters. Kestral also has only one Star Spire, but ranks somewhere in the middle in terms of the ‘space race.’ Legal notes: Adulthood legal age is 16 and there is no age requirement for consumption. The Kestral military is not a volunteer force, with all citizens required to give service to the city for at least 4 years once they turn 18. Kestral actually has a higher concentration of older individuals than any other city, though the population curve has begun to shift more in ‘youth’s’ direction over the last decade. Like Asherah, Kestral is said to have been set upon the ruins of some historically important cities, but excavation information is extremely limited.
Mirror Lake: Located almost directly south of Asherah and almost directly north of Central City, the seemingly calm, complacent city of Mirror Lake is the common ‘midpoint’ stopping place for travelers moving between the City of Ice and the City of Gold. ‘Caught in the middle’, and despite the ease of transporting goods between cities, Mirror Lake exists as a mercantile or merchant-first city and is known to produce extremely shrewd (and sometimes cut-throat) business folk. Wheeling and dealing on the trade market is what defines Mirror Lake, and although the city has a very poor set of research and development establishments, the city’s ability to ‘stumble across’ technology from other places has it near the top of the space race totem. Mirror Lake has four Star Spires, ranking it second among the tower cities in number of the space-focused buildings. The primary tourist focus for Mirror Lake revolves around the grand lake to the east of the city (and also its namesake), with water sports, general boating, swimming, and fishing ranking high among the popular attractions. The lake is exceptionally still and placid, hence the name, and has an interesting distinction of having a host of ‘sunken’ ruins, and is the second largest fresh-water body on Earth. Decorative architecture style varies greatly within the city, and the ‘theme’ varies depending on whatever the ‘hot commodity in trade’ happens to be in any given month/season. The military is volunteer-based and very well paid, with service in its ranks as the second most-popular career choice after the merchant classes. Mirror Lake’s climate is very similar to the current day middle-eastern coast (North Carolina/Maryland/Virginia-ish.) Legal notes: Adult age in Mirror Lake is 21, consumption is also 21. Laws are, overall, somewhat harsh in terms of punishment for crimes committed, and as such, Mirror Lake is a very ‘safe’ city overall. Despite this, the ‘Black Market’ thrives in Mirror Lake like nowhere else on Earth. Due to its connection with Asherah, legal prostitution does exist… but due to its connection with Central City, it is an extremely small part of the economic makeup of Mirror Lake… at least on the calm surface.
Sumeral: If you ask the citizens of Sumeral about the southern continent’s ‘central’ city, they will reply that it is ‘paradise.’ Caught between the massive Sidewinder Desert and the abnormally tropical Tiger’s Stripe Rain Forest, Sumeral is a latitudinal enigma. By its location, the city should be like Asherah – with severe winters, a predisposition to blizzards. The rain forest, though, hosts a unique phenomena beneath its roots, in which an expansive geothermal ‘bubble’ regularly produces expansive heat and moisture ‘waves’ that result in Sumeral’s climate and also function as the city’s primary energy source. Though no evidence has yet been found, it is believe that this ‘phenomena’ is actually man-made – a surviving relic from the catastrophe of 1000 years ago. Regardless of the cause, Sumeral, located on the bank of the Isis River (sourced from Lake Coral) is a ‘Caribbean island’ that isn’t an island at all. Known for a severe lack of ‘processed’ food, the culinary style of Sumeral is as ‘raw and fresh’ as one can get, though it has a significant lack of seafood. (Almost all sea-based imports come from Asherah, ironically.) Tourism is a primary economic concern, despite a rather isolated location, and, oddly enough, it is a hub of scientific research and development. (The scientists apparently like doing experiments while wearing grass skirts and drinking cocktails.) Though stuck dealing with both desert and rain forest-based monsters, Sumeral is weak militarily and under constant stress due to its location as the ‘closest city to Vespar.’ It hosts two Star Spires, but much of its space-related technology is exported (primarily to Asherah as a trade for the sea imports.) The city features numerous bright colors in terms of its decorative architecture, is second only to Champagne in ‘perceived’ debauchery, and lacks a heavily organized social and manufacturing infrastructure. It is also the youngest and smallest (in terms of both space and population) of the eight tower cities. Legal notes: Follows Asherah’s example almost exactly, giving some credibility to the theory that it was originally founded by individuals from Asherah that were ‘sick of the cold.’
Telemnos: The great western plains city of Telemnos on the Earth’s southern continent is, perhaps, the most mundane city on Earth. Nothing stands out in Telemnos – everything is flat, a light green or sandy yellow, and the pace of life is like that of a never-ending metronome. Originally founded as a farming and agricultural based city, replicator technology has made this mostly obsolete (though the city is still thought of as the Earth’s ‘bread basket’ and is known for culinary expertise.) With only two Star Spires, Telemnos hovers somewhere in the middle of the space race, has a rather standard military, and is moderately successful in general technological research and development. It is one of the few cities on Earth that maintains some slight focus of Earth-based ruin excavation, though this has severely waned over the last two decades due to a significant lack of undiscovered excavation sites nearby. The population of Telemnos has attempted to push their economic focus into the arts – metal-working, painting, entertainment such as music, literature, television and movies – but the trend, to their dismay, is that the city has become the ‘retirement capital’ of the planet. The dry, temperate climate the city enjoys is perfect for aging individuals and this combined with a serenely low concentration of monsters in the area make Telemnos the ‘safest city on Earth.’ Laws in Telemnos are rather slack and the city does not even have an identifiable ‘legal age.’ Because of the city’s inability to redefine itself after the discovery of replicator technology, the government has become decentralized and the districts of the city tend to operate in more of a loose confederation than the standard practice employed by the other cities (except Vespar.) What is ‘legal’ in one district may be ‘illegal’ in another, though enforcement of anything beyond theft and assault/murder seems to depend on the whim of the individual’s investigating and prosecuting the cases. Telmnos has the highest concentration of wind-based allergens, due the flora of the plains, than any other city on Earth. (Which is somewhat counter-intuitive for the aging population, but lack of monsters outweighs sneezing.)
Vespar: The draconian city of Vespar, located on the southeastern Tortoisehead Peninsula, is a city of extremes. Located in a harsh desert environment, survival in Vespar depends on discipline and ‘making the most out of nothing.’ The entire city exists almost exclusively as a military compound, has 5 Star Spires (the most of any city on Earth), and is the leading city in terms of space and military research and development. Like Central City, Vespar’s day-night cycle is reversed from the ‘normal’ style of activity, with the population avoiding the extreme heat of the day in favor of the more-manageable extreme cold of the desert night. Isolated like no other city on Earth, entry into Vespar is a rare ‘privilege’ for visitors and a veritable nightmare for those brought in against their will. Economically, Vespar is known for exporting raw materials and ‘out-of-date’ (to them) military and excavation equipment. Additionally, although a branch exists, Vespar is exceptionally anti-IVO, and gives the education organization the most trouble of any city. As military is the focus in Vespar, individuals from the city are battle-hardened (desert monsters are more than common) and always armed to the teeth. How, exactly, Vespar keeps its population stable is unknown to outsiders as the practice of ‘exporting individuals past their prime’ to other cities is the rule. It is thought by most other cities that Vespar’s parliament is merely a front and that the city actually operates under a full military doctrine. Fortunately for the other cities, even teleportation technology makes it very difficult for Vespar to mobilize its military might. Once in space, however…. Legal notes: The adult age is 14, which is when individual’s begin their official military training. Coming across any individual from Vespar that is below the age of 35 is a very rare exception in other cities and usually implies that they are ‘on the run.’ The Vesparian officials do not take kindly to ‘deserters.’ Alcohol, illicit drugs, ect., are utterly illegal in Vespar and it has been rumored that even a first offense can result in a death sentence for citizens caught breaking those laws.
Central City: The appropriately named Central City is located on the western tip of the Earth’s central island. Nicknamed the ‘City of Gold’, Central City is noted for being the most self-centered of the cities of Earth, with the majority of its population fully believing that ‘the world revolves around them’ and that the decisions of CC’s parliament ultimately influence the decisions made by each of the seven other cities. (Never mind that the majority of items on the legislature’s ‘to-do’ list were dealt with a decade ago in most other cities.) As mentioned, CC is the ‘City of Gold’, with many buildings existing in full gold coloration as the predominant decoration. Though the environment around the city is tropical, CC’s government has made it a point to keep foliage/flora/fauna out of the city proper. What results is a very ‘metal’ city, which makes the city quite sparkly… at the cost of increasing inner city heat to sometimes unbearable conditions during the day. (During the night is a different story.) There is no such thing as ‘winter’ in Central City, but the exchange for that is that it is always hurricane/typhoon season for the equator-based city as well. Economically, Central City is tourist hot spot, is known for metal-working (jewelry) and computer components (primarily memory), and has the distinction of having the highest percentage of religious-based groups and buildings of any city on the planet. Although Central City has only a single Star Spire, it is enormous – easily the largest Star Spire on the planet. Despite this, it is one of the least-advanced cities when it comes to the ‘Space Race.’ Legal notes: 21 is the official age for consumption (with very strict laws on legal substances for consumption), 18 is ‘adulthood and voting’, individuals as young as 16 may enter the military (and military service is the primary form of capital punishment.) Central City is one of the tower cities that does not have any form of legal prostitution, primarily due to the large concentration of religious related groups in the city. Final note: due to the extreme heat (which is mostly self-imposed), Central City runs on a ‘different’ day-night cycle than most other cities, with much of the ‘normal’ activity occurring at night.
Champagne: The eastern, river-city of Champagne, located in the curl of the ‘Scorpion’s Tail’ of the Howling Fangs tri-pronged mountain chain, is thought of as the ‘capital of debauchery’ on Earth. The Fangs, as the mountains are referred to colloquially, are volcanically active and have an extremely high concentration of precious metals and useful minerals that ‘taint’ the multi-pronged Champagne River system, giving the water its signature golden color and ‘carbonated’ nature. A resort and tourist town first and foremost, Champagne’s major export industries revolve around alcoholic beverages (made with the signature Champagne water) and ‘illicit’ (depending on the destination city) substances. Although it has two Star Spires, Champagne is dead-last amongst the cities of Earth when it comes to space technology and, in truth, the city seems to have issues with even commonplace technology, such as the district-to-district teleporters. This is thought to be due to an as-yet unidentified geothermal or geomagnetic interference caused by the volcanic activity from the nearby mountain chain. Note that the volcanic activity gives Champagne a very pleasant yearly weather and temperature pattern as well. The populations of most other cities tend to believe that it is the ‘party first’ attitude and subsequent inability to focus on tasks or be responsible that keeps Champagne at the low end of the tech totem pole. Still, it is the number one vacation destination on Earth, and, due to the prevalence of casino/brothel combination resorts, sometimes called the ‘Black Hole of Credits.’ Although the general ‘feeling’ of Champagne implies that it is a city for youthful individuals, ‘Champagne Hot Spring’ resorts, existing primarily in the northeastern section of the city, are advertised as the ‘perfect spot’ for elderly individuals that are in need of rest, relaxation, and recovery. Transports from Asherah’s medical ward district of Opera are quite common. Legal notes: Technically the official adult age is 18 and there is no age requirement for voting, consumption, or ‘legal’ prostitution. Law seems very… slack in Champagne, the military is weakly organized and disheveled, and if it were not for ‘militia’ – more appropriately thought of as mercenary units hired by the ‘high rollers’ of the city – Champagne probably would have succumbed to invasion many years ago.
Kestral: The island city of Kestral, located west/southwest of Asherah and the Halcion Mountains, is a temperate city stuck in the ‘elbow’ curl of the Siren Mountains between the Lustra River (which flows down the mountains, emptying into the Fox’s Cove) and the Green Salt Forest. Kestral enjoys a mild 7/5 split of fall-to-spring months with little normal fluctuation of temperature over the course of the year. The city reflects its environment, with its western portions predominantly brown and ‘rock’ based in design, the northern portions green with a focus on tree-like decorative design and lots of ‘plants in the street’, and with the southern and eastern portions enjoying the blues and ‘flow’-like design of water. A rather ‘mundane’ city in terms of its economic impact, Kestral does not have any one industry that stands out. The only exception to this rule comes from the Green Salt Forest, named because the majority of plants within the vast forest are petrified, yet somehow maintain their ‘living plant’ look. A resin produced by the extremely rare ‘Urus’ tree has proven an exceptional compound for ‘sealant’ technology, with probable use in space flight. Unfortunately, it has proven ultra resistant (so far) to replication and, as such, remains only a footnote on Kestral’s economic ledger. Additionally, collection of the plant is difficult, as the Green Salt Forest has a very high percentage of a host of unique monsters. Kestral also has only one Star Spire, but ranks somewhere in the middle in terms of the ‘space race.’ Legal notes: Adulthood legal age is 16 and there is no age requirement for consumption. The Kestral military is not a volunteer force, with all citizens required to give service to the city for at least 4 years once they turn 18. Kestral actually has a higher concentration of older individuals than any other city, though the population curve has begun to shift more in ‘youth’s’ direction over the last decade. Like Asherah, Kestral is said to have been set upon the ruins of some historically important cities, but excavation information is extremely limited.
Mirror Lake: Located almost directly south of Asherah and almost directly north of Central City, the seemingly calm, complacent city of Mirror Lake is the common ‘midpoint’ stopping place for travelers moving between the City of Ice and the City of Gold. ‘Caught in the middle’, and despite the ease of transporting goods between cities, Mirror Lake exists as a mercantile or merchant-first city and is known to produce extremely shrewd (and sometimes cut-throat) business folk. Wheeling and dealing on the trade market is what defines Mirror Lake, and although the city has a very poor set of research and development establishments, the city’s ability to ‘stumble across’ technology from other places has it near the top of the space race totem. Mirror Lake has four Star Spires, ranking it second among the tower cities in number of the space-focused buildings. The primary tourist focus for Mirror Lake revolves around the grand lake to the east of the city (and also its namesake), with water sports, general boating, swimming, and fishing ranking high among the popular attractions. The lake is exceptionally still and placid, hence the name, and has an interesting distinction of having a host of ‘sunken’ ruins, and is the second largest fresh-water body on Earth. Decorative architecture style varies greatly within the city, and the ‘theme’ varies depending on whatever the ‘hot commodity in trade’ happens to be in any given month/season. The military is volunteer-based and very well paid, with service in its ranks as the second most-popular career choice after the merchant classes. Mirror Lake’s climate is very similar to the current day middle-eastern coast (North Carolina/Maryland/Virginia-ish.) Legal notes: Adult age in Mirror Lake is 21, consumption is also 21. Laws are, overall, somewhat harsh in terms of punishment for crimes committed, and as such, Mirror Lake is a very ‘safe’ city overall. Despite this, the ‘Black Market’ thrives in Mirror Lake like nowhere else on Earth. Due to its connection with Asherah, legal prostitution does exist… but due to its connection with Central City, it is an extremely small part of the economic makeup of Mirror Lake… at least on the calm surface.
Sumeral: If you ask the citizens of Sumeral about the southern continent’s ‘central’ city, they will reply that it is ‘paradise.’ Caught between the massive Sidewinder Desert and the abnormally tropical Tiger’s Stripe Rain Forest, Sumeral is a latitudinal enigma. By its location, the city should be like Asherah – with severe winters, a predisposition to blizzards. The rain forest, though, hosts a unique phenomena beneath its roots, in which an expansive geothermal ‘bubble’ regularly produces expansive heat and moisture ‘waves’ that result in Sumeral’s climate and also function as the city’s primary energy source. Though no evidence has yet been found, it is believe that this ‘phenomena’ is actually man-made – a surviving relic from the catastrophe of 1000 years ago. Regardless of the cause, Sumeral, located on the bank of the Isis River (sourced from Lake Coral) is a ‘Caribbean island’ that isn’t an island at all. Known for a severe lack of ‘processed’ food, the culinary style of Sumeral is as ‘raw and fresh’ as one can get, though it has a significant lack of seafood. (Almost all sea-based imports come from Asherah, ironically.) Tourism is a primary economic concern, despite a rather isolated location, and, oddly enough, it is a hub of scientific research and development. (The scientists apparently like doing experiments while wearing grass skirts and drinking cocktails.) Though stuck dealing with both desert and rain forest-based monsters, Sumeral is weak militarily and under constant stress due to its location as the ‘closest city to Vespar.’ It hosts two Star Spires, but much of its space-related technology is exported (primarily to Asherah as a trade for the sea imports.) The city features numerous bright colors in terms of its decorative architecture, is second only to Champagne in ‘perceived’ debauchery, and lacks a heavily organized social and manufacturing infrastructure. It is also the youngest and smallest (in terms of both space and population) of the eight tower cities. Legal notes: Follows Asherah’s example almost exactly, giving some credibility to the theory that it was originally founded by individuals from Asherah that were ‘sick of the cold.’
Telemnos: The great western plains city of Telemnos on the Earth’s southern continent is, perhaps, the most mundane city on Earth. Nothing stands out in Telemnos – everything is flat, a light green or sandy yellow, and the pace of life is like that of a never-ending metronome. Originally founded as a farming and agricultural based city, replicator technology has made this mostly obsolete (though the city is still thought of as the Earth’s ‘bread basket’ and is known for culinary expertise.) With only two Star Spires, Telemnos hovers somewhere in the middle of the space race, has a rather standard military, and is moderately successful in general technological research and development. It is one of the few cities on Earth that maintains some slight focus of Earth-based ruin excavation, though this has severely waned over the last two decades due to a significant lack of undiscovered excavation sites nearby. The population of Telemnos has attempted to push their economic focus into the arts – metal-working, painting, entertainment such as music, literature, television and movies – but the trend, to their dismay, is that the city has become the ‘retirement capital’ of the planet. The dry, temperate climate the city enjoys is perfect for aging individuals and this combined with a serenely low concentration of monsters in the area make Telemnos the ‘safest city on Earth.’ Laws in Telemnos are rather slack and the city does not even have an identifiable ‘legal age.’ Because of the city’s inability to redefine itself after the discovery of replicator technology, the government has become decentralized and the districts of the city tend to operate in more of a loose confederation than the standard practice employed by the other cities (except Vespar.) What is ‘legal’ in one district may be ‘illegal’ in another, though enforcement of anything beyond theft and assault/murder seems to depend on the whim of the individual’s investigating and prosecuting the cases. Telmnos has the highest concentration of wind-based allergens, due the flora of the plains, than any other city on Earth. (Which is somewhat counter-intuitive for the aging population, but lack of monsters outweighs sneezing.)
Vespar: The draconian city of Vespar, located on the southeastern Tortoisehead Peninsula, is a city of extremes. Located in a harsh desert environment, survival in Vespar depends on discipline and ‘making the most out of nothing.’ The entire city exists almost exclusively as a military compound, has 5 Star Spires (the most of any city on Earth), and is the leading city in terms of space and military research and development. Like Central City, Vespar’s day-night cycle is reversed from the ‘normal’ style of activity, with the population avoiding the extreme heat of the day in favor of the more-manageable extreme cold of the desert night. Isolated like no other city on Earth, entry into Vespar is a rare ‘privilege’ for visitors and a veritable nightmare for those brought in against their will. Economically, Vespar is known for exporting raw materials and ‘out-of-date’ (to them) military and excavation equipment. Additionally, although a branch exists, Vespar is exceptionally anti-IVO, and gives the education organization the most trouble of any city. As military is the focus in Vespar, individuals from the city are battle-hardened (desert monsters are more than common) and always armed to the teeth. How, exactly, Vespar keeps its population stable is unknown to outsiders as the practice of ‘exporting individuals past their prime’ to other cities is the rule. It is thought by most other cities that Vespar’s parliament is merely a front and that the city actually operates under a full military doctrine. Fortunately for the other cities, even teleportation technology makes it very difficult for Vespar to mobilize its military might. Once in space, however…. Legal notes: The adult age is 14, which is when individual’s begin their official military training. Coming across any individual from Vespar that is below the age of 35 is a very rare exception in other cities and usually implies that they are ‘on the run.’ The Vesparian officials do not take kindly to ‘deserters.’ Alcohol, illicit drugs, ect., are utterly illegal in Vespar and it has been rumored that even a first offense can result in a death sentence for citizens caught breaking those laws.