Spazzu, the Port of a Million Eyes

Spazzu - 

The Seeking Port, located on the 6th Layer of the Abyss, the Realm of a Million Eyes. 

Alignment and Type - CE Small City (+1 to stats)

(A chaotic component increases its crime modifier by 1. An evil component increases its corruption modifier by 1.) (Double these for Theocracy)

Time - Time is regulated in the city by a large magical water clock located in a cave entrance 40 feet up on the cave wall. Water droplets fill a container which slowly pulls down a handle, representing the time until the container hits the bottom and a lever dumps the water, shooting the container up and causing a massive Gong sound. Then the new day begins and the water fills again. The clock is protected by magic wards and defended by a Ancient Beholder. The Gong also symbolizes when nearby Beholders come out to gather offerings and inspect the city for the signs of Tanar'ri or Good do-ers.  

Corruption +4 (+1 Small CIty, +2 Evil, +1 Decadent ) Spazzu's corruption is mostly centered on Sect advancement. One Sect may pay another to eliminate a smaller Sect without appearing complicit. Many Sects pay fealty to the larger Sects. Historically, every time one Sect has become too powerful, a cleansing occurs (see disadvantages, below). 

Corruption measures how open a settlement’s officials are to bribes, how honest its citizens are, and how likely anyone in town is to report a crime. Low corruption indicates a high level of civic honesty. A settlement’s corruption modifies all Bluff checks made against city officials or guards and all Stealth checks made outside (but not inside buildings or underground).

Crime +6 (+1 Small City, +2 Chaotic, +1 Decadent, +2 Free City) Crime in Spazzu happens regularly, but usually never within the confines of a particular Sect. Places of business and common areas are particularly safe, however. As any Sect follower who attempts to steal or bring violence to such a place is often met with harsh reaction from all others. 

Crime is a measure of a settlement’s lawlessness. A settlement with a low crime modifier is relatively safe, with violent crimes being rare or even unknown, while a settlement with a high crime modifier is likely to have A powerful thieves’ guild and a significant problem with violence. The atmosphere generated by a settlement’s crime level applies as a modifier on Sense Motive checks to avoid being bluffed and to Sleight of Hand checks made to pick pockets.

Economy +3 (+1 Small City, +1 Decadent, +1 Abundant) Slaves are the true import commodity in Spazzu. Citizens earn money by traveling abroad and kidnapping slaves, returning and selling them to Beholders through their Ocular Adepts. Slaves are used to gather food resources in the caves, assist in building equipment at the forges, or mine out new Caverns to find precious materials. 

As for exports, some weapons and armor are traded throughout the Planes, but its the Material of their make that earns the most money. Abyssal Bloodiron, which is a sort of enhanced Coldiron, is common to the 6th layer due to the Magical machinations of the Beholders in its infinite depths. This is important to the Cultists of Spazzu to gather this material and use it to defend against Demon incursions. If the inhabitants of Spazzu cannot contain Demonic incursions, a cleansing will almost certainly occur (see disadvantages, below). 

A settlement’s economy modifier indicates the health of its trade and the wealth of its successful citizens. A low economy modifier doesn’t automatically mean the town is beset with poverty—it could merely indicate A town with little trade or one that is relatively self-sufficient. Towns with high economy modifiers always have large markets and many shops. A settlement’s economy helps its citizens make money, and thus it applies as a modifier on all Craft, Perform, and Profession checks made to generate income.

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Abyssal Bloodiron - In the Abyss, cataclysmic battles have raged for eons, laying down a sediment of iron, blood, and spent magic. Abyssal bloodiron is mined from thin deposits of mixed blood and ferrous mineral, compacted over the years, then forged at a low temperature to preserve its innate powers. Weapons forged of the metal usually appear dark except for their cutting edges, which are as red as freshly spilled blood.

A weapon forged of Abyssal bloodiron is treated as a cold iron weapon, except that its wielder gains a +4 bonus when rolling to confirm a critical hit.

Abyssal bloodiron has the same weight as iron or steel. A weapon made of Abyssal bloodiron costs an additional 10,000 gp, and any magical enhancements cost an additional 2,000 gp, just as with cold iron. (The price includes 300 gp for the masterwork component.)

Abyssal bloodiron has hardness 10 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness.

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Law -1 (+1 Small City, -2 Free City) There are a few rules in Spazzu, but no laws written. The Ocular Adepts of each Sect provide direction to their Sect, and coordinate with other Sect leaders for specific ends. They provide tormentors or guards for the slaves based upon the size of the Sect. Some Sects are so powerful they push their worker numbers unfairly down. But might makes right in Spazzu. Too much unlawfulness, like widespread rioting, will cause a cleansing (see disadvantages, below).  

Law measures how strict a settlement’s laws and edicts are. A settlement with a low law modifier isn’t necessarily crime-ridden—in fact, A low law modifier usually indicates that the town simply has little need for protection since crime is so rare. A high law modifier means the settlement’s guards are particularly alert, vigilant, and well-organized. The more lawful A town is, the more timidly its citizens tend to respond to shows of force. A settlement’s law modifier applies on Intimidate checks made to force an opponent to act friendly, Diplomacy checks against government officials, or Diplomacy checks made to call on the city guard.

Lore +1 (+1 Small City) The true sources of knowledge in Spazzu are the Ocular Adepts, who retain anything useful in their memory. Treatises are often broken, so they are rarely written down. In fact, when an Ocular Adept dies, all treatises with their Sect or made via their Sect are lost. 

A settlement’s lore modifier measures not only how willing the citizens are to chat and talk with visitors, but also how available and accessible its libraries and sages are. A low lore modifier doesn’t mean the settlement’s citizens are idiots, just that they’re close-mouthed or simply lack knowledge resources. A settlement’s lore modifier applies on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Knowledge checks made using the city’s resources to do research when using a library.

Society 2 (+1 Small City, +1 Decadent) Spazzu's society is fairly open minded. Racially, anyone is allowed, but worship of the Great Mother is a requirement. This is usually shown my marking the skin with a tattoo or brand. Additionally, the Great Mother's symbol is marked upon buildings and personal possessions, including Weapons and armor. 

Beholder - the unseen leader of a Sect. Each Beholder believes themselves to be the actual physical representation of the Great Mother, and hate all other Beholders because of this. Beholders issue orders to a singular Ocular Adept. Because Beholders are at constant war with each other they use Ocular Adepts to manage their affairs, keeping safe deep in their Territory, only venturing forth during a cleansing if one should be necessary (see disadvantages, below). Open war with other Beholders is crude and very dangerous to their longevity, so Beholders contend with each other through their followers, playing a very careful and thought-out game, meanwhile reaping riches and powerful artifacts to increase their status and power. A Beholder cares about a Ocular Adept as a farmer does a sow, and its followers as handfuls of hay. More than anything, a Beholder favors it's life and well being. This means Slaves often are building defensive trap laden fortresses, designed by the more skilled cultists, to keep the Beholders safe. When a Beholder dies, its Sect is turned into slaves or used to some other vile end. 

Ocular Adept - the religious leader of a Sect. Ocular Adepts gains power and status for their Beholders by the number of followers they can convert, who in turn perform specific tasks for the Beholder. They cause their followers to follow their Beholder fanatically and ensure this by casting Detect Thoughts to ensure loyalty to the Sect. Any questionable thoughts would cause the the followers to be slain or otherwise offered to the Beholders by being caged and left in the streets at before Spazzean Midnight. Adepts show status by having Slaves entrusted to them by their Beholder, though this is rare. These slaves, after careful conditioning, are sometimes, though rarely, converted to evil and then made followers. When an Ocular Adept is slain, a new Ocular Adept is usually chosen from their followers. It is not unheard of a follower or group of followers murder their Adept and a new Adept is chosen. The Beholder cares little about his Adept, just that there is one, and the loss of one Adept usually means replacement by a stronger one. 

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Ocular Adept (Faiths and Pantheons Excerpt) - Each beholder believes that it represents a state of true perfection. Among the desperate wastrels of decadent cities and debased explorers of the subterranean Underdark can be found humanoids who agree, and who have entered into a surgical pact with the beholder race in an attempt to achieve even a sliver of that perfection. These so called ocular adepts, outcasts of their own society,
have pledged their services to one or more eye tyrants and pledged their religious devotions to the alien entity known as the Great Mother, the deity matron of all beholders. Though  Ocular adepts often lead cells of degenerate cultists and fancy themselves important in the schemes of their masters, most beholders view them as self-important pawns at best, and mindless chattel at worst. During the ceremony in which the character becomes an ocular adept, a beholder surgeon cuts the central eye from an eyeball beholderkin (a tiny beholder-like monster described in Monsters of Faerûn) and places it into a partially disintegrated niche in the supplicant’s forehead. A blasphemous incantation grants the
eye functionality, opening new vistas of sight to the supplicant. Thereafter the character takes on a more detached, alien demeanor, as the vestiges of the dying beholderkin’s personality taints his troubled mind. Surviving the ritual requires a hardy body and spirit. Clerics who have fallen out of favor with their deity are the most common ocular adepts (disgraced clerics of Bane, whose worshipers often use beholders as allies, are particularly common), though some fighters and barbarians have been known to fall victim to the allure of the spheres of many eyes. Adapting to the psychic imprints of the eyeball graft takes the type of focused concentration common among the spellcasting classes; most wizards, bards, and sorcerers, however, usually are either too weak, too chaotic, or too image conscious to live amid hostile monsters with an alien eye grafted to their skulls. Ocular adepts often are calculating, mad cult leaders who plot against surface nations according to the whims of their eye tyrant
masters. They negotiate the purchase of slaves, defend access points to beholder hives and lairs, and accompany correspondence and trade from one beholder outpost to another. Using their charm person and charm monster abilities, ocular adepts amass a group of
followers to aid them in their duties. Ocular adepts occasionally are used as intermediaries between powerful beholders and heads of state at such times when the personal appearance of a beholder would be dangerous or undiplomatic. Rarely does a beholder create more than one ocular adept at a time, so these beings rarely see another of their
kind. They share their masters’ hatred of “imperfect” beholders and their “tainted” servants, so ocular adepts of rival beholders never work together.

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Cultist/Follower - The Cultist or Follower of a Sect is the skilled worker, usually performing a duty to his Sect that a slave could not, or otherwise would not perform. They may be a merchant, slaver, or artisan of some degree, more often then not they are simply a skilled warrior. Living as a Follower in Spazzu costs nothing. Once you belong to a Sect housing and food is afforded to you, as well as any number of ways to keep a steady income. Some skilled cultists of one Sect may have more wealth than an Ocular Adept of a lesser Sect. The more fanatical of a follower, the Ocular Adept will make this known by gifting better equipment, special pay, or incentives. 

It is important to note that the citizens of Spazzu also make up it's army when the city is attacked. 

Slave - Slaves are the lowest form of life within Spazzu. Any person who travels here that is not a protected member of a Sect risks being enslaved immediately. Slaves are sent to the caverns where they perform the most grueling labor that a Beholder requires. A slave that shows particular skill may be elevated to a follower, thought his is very rare. 

Society measures how open-minded and civilized A settlement’s citizens are. A low society modifier might mean many of the citizens harbor prejudices or are overly suspicious of out-of-towners. A high society modifier means that citizens are used to diversity and unusual visitors and that they respond better to well-spoken attempts at conversation. A settlement’s society modifier applies on all Disguise checks, as well as on Diplomacy checks made to alter the attitude of any non-government official.

Danger - 20 (+5 Small City +10 Decadent +5 Free City)

Base Value - 5,000 (Small City 4,000 gp, +25% Decadent)

Purchase Limit - 64,000 (25,000 gp Small City, +25% Decadent, Double for Abundant)

Spellcasting - 6th Level (6th level Small City)

Minor Items/Medium Items/Major Items - 12/8/0

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Qualities - 4 (Small City)

Decadent - The slave trade in Spazzu has allowed the inhabitants that live in the city basic necessities such as housing, food and drink. When not attending Sect Ceremonies, they can usually be found getting tattoos, piercings, or simply lounging around. If in need for any spending money, they will ask their Ocular Adept to go to the caverns where they can guard or torture slaves. Extra income is usually spent on jewelry, eating rare foods at the local Inns, or getting 'entertainment' at one of the local pleasure houses. 

(Special Restriction Evil communities only)The settlement’s vast wealth and proud, ancient heritage has made it a haven for corruption and sin. Increase Corruption +1, Crime +1, Economy +1, Society +1, Danger +10. Increase Base Purchase Limit by +25%

Free City - The average inhabitant of Spazzu usually belongs to a Sect. Attacking Sect members usually leads to Sect warfare, but Ocular Adepts have to be cautious not to instigate a cleansing (see disadvantages, below). While killing off a rival Sect might seem fun, instigating Rampaging Beholders is usually not worth it. 

(Special Restriction Chaotic communities only) 

The city’s libertarian laws make it a haven for fugitives and outcasts of all kinds, from runaway children, serfs who escaped their lord’s lands, criminals and escaped slaves alike. Foreign adventurers and bounty hunters cannot arrest or capture fugitives within the settlement’s borders. Increase Crime +2, Danger +5. Decrease Law -2.

Abundant - Plane-traveling Slavers gather slaves from throughout the Planes, but usually stay to the meekest of races, Humans particularly though other mortal races work the caverns. Ocular Adepts send out worshipers to capture slaves and trade in materials such as Abyssal Bloodiron. Free labor allows every inhabitant of Spazzu to do what they want, when they want (as long as their Ocular Adepts allow it). 

The settlement has access to extraordinary natural resources: rich farmland, a deep lake, excellent hunting grounds nearby or even a convenient source of magical sustenance. The local food surplus makes the settlement a major exporting hub, and increases the standard of living for its inhabitants. Increase Economy +1. Reduce the purchase price of most forms of locally-grown food and livestock by 25% or more.

Trading Post - Basic Goods and services aside, all trading in Spazzu is overseen by Ocular Adepts. Often, travelling slavers or merchants will meet with a particular Ocular Adept and try to work out a trade deal, where slaves will be ferried in for the precious materials Spazzu provides. This meeting is set usually on another Plane or layer of the Abyss, and the visitors are protected by their Sect.  

The settlement’s primary purpose is trade. Merchants and buyers from all over the world can be found within the settlement. Double the Purchase Limit for the settlement.

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Disadvantages- 

Monster Cohabitation - Ocular Adepts provide their Beholders with Slaves, who work the Caverns and generate wealth for Spazzu. The Beholders requests for their Sect may vary, but usually involves plane travelling for an exquisite artifact that would make the Beholder worthy of the Great Mother. Once per day, Beholders venture into Spazzu from a the caverns to ensure it is in compliance with the Great Mother. The Water clock gong sound symbolizes Spazzean Midnight when those Beholders come out to gather offerings and investigate the city.   Any dead bodies on the streets are disintegrated or eaten, and living creatures are usually taken away as offerings into the caverns for vile purposes. To not draw particular attention, citizens of Spazzu dim their lights during this time. 

Beholder Cleansing - Countless Beholders exist within the infinite caverns of the Realm of a Million Eyes. Whenever times would call for a Cleansing (as mentioned earlier), 2D3 Beholders come out and begin to destroy all life within Spazzu for 20 minutes. If any Beholder is slain, 2D6 more will arrive within an hour. If there are Demons attacking, and the Spazzean Cultists cannot hold them off, the Beholders will still cleanse as above, but with priority to Demons then as punishment, they will still cleanse the inhabitants.  

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Government - Theocracy - Spazzu is managed by about 50 Ocular Adepts who each worship a separate local Beholder. Their Beholders give them orders and (sometimes lofty) goals, and the Adept is duty bound to carry these orders out. The Ocular Adept is king of his Sect, and his word is law. The Ocular Adepts despise one another, as they all believe their Beholder was created in the image of the Great Mother and must be superior. And its not that they do not want to kill off all other Sects, they spend particular time preventing a Cleansing, which has not happened in some years. The Ocular Adepts are the spiritual leaders of their Sects, but also manage trade of Abyssal Bloodiron and Slaves. Ocular Adepts measure wealth in followers and grandstand by displaying numerous slaves they their Beholder has allowed them to personally own. 

The settlement is ruled by its patron faith: secular and theological power are one and the same here. Priests, clerics and oracles decide every facet of life in the settlement. Double the modifiers for the settlement’s alignment. The settlement gains any one of the following qualities as a ‘bonus’ quality: desecrate/hallow, Holy Site, Pious, Racial Enclave, Racially Intolerant, Unholy Site.

Population - 

City 6000 (5700 Citizens, 300 slaves); 

Citizens - Human (plentiful), Orc (common), Half Orc (uncommon), Drow (rare), Elf (rare), Dwarf (rare), Bugbear (rare) Hobgoblin (rare) Goblin (rare). 

Slaves - Human (plentiful), Elf (uncommon), Dwarf (rare), Aasimar (rare), Tiefling (rare), halfling (rare), gnome (rare) 

Caverns, 17000, (2000 Soldier-Citizenss, 15,000 slaves)

Notable NPCs -