Ogidi Ato
Mar 1, 2019 22:58:15 GMT
Post by sapperzz on Mar 1, 2019 22:58:15 GMT
Sprawling across three towering plateaus, Ogidi Ato rests high above the canopy of the twisting jungles of Qud. Elders weave stories of a band of exiled botanists from a faraway arcology that spent decades taming semi-sentient vines, and coaxing the growth of softwood trees, creating great bridges and walkways that span three spires of rock that pierce the mulched earth of the jungle floor. A haven was borne within the twisting wilds of the jungle, and with time and nurturing, a congregation of qudfolk settled the wild lands, knowing the safety of the three pillars. Though the botanists have long since passed on, their legacy remains in the form of a cacophony of living paths that weave their way through earth and air.
Ogidi Ato is a jungle community composed of three districts that lie safely tucked away on the tops of three pillars of earth that stretch beyond the straining reach of the flora below. Connected by bridges of vines and softwood trees that were grown into the sides of the pillars, the village is as vibrant and teeming as the jungle below. A massive, sentient grapevine named Aestival guards entry into the village, dropping down soft vines to the grounds below to pick up visitors, or cascading a barrage of caustic, fist sized grapes to those would seek to bring harm to the inhabitants. Ogidi Ato is a generally welcoming place, but due a vocal group of inhabitants, refuses entry to any and all Fungi sympathizers.
The Low Pillar
The lowest of the plateaus breaches the jungle canopy and comes to a rest 25 feet above the sea of leaves. Aestival’s roots carve into a blister of earth the juts from the southwest side of the pillar. An aquifer bubbles mineral tinged water to the surface of the plateau, forming a small stream that winds northwards, terminating in a waterfall the must constantly be cleansed of encroaching thirst thistles, which desperately lap up the mist that breaks upon rocks as water spills into the jungle below. This district is dominated by sentient plants, many of whom are members of the Consortium of Phyta. Saplings play in the stream as elderplants bask and socialize under the warm rays of the Sun. Adolescent human retainers fret about, performing tasks not suitable for a self-respecting photsynthesizer. Consortium agents are notorious for their fondness of commerce, and the denizens of thorn pillar are no exception.
The Mid Pillar
A grand bridge of tangled vines and wood suspends through the air towards the next pillar, resting half again higher than the last. The south facing side of this plateau forms a bowl-shaped trough that shields the earth from the harsh rays. Enterprising farmers tend to domestic mushrooms that flourish in the damp, musty pseudo-cave, serving as the main food source for non-plant inhabitants of the village. The north side serves as housing for farmers and pens for the few docile prey species that can be used as cattle. At the request of the Consortium, the plant bridge passes directly over the mushroom grotto, so travelling sentients can always look down on the fungi.
The High Pillar
The final pillar dwarfs the two others, piercing through foliage to end in a spear tip twice as high as the second pillar. A thick rope bridge spans the gap horizontally from the second pillar, ending as the base of a carved stairway that will take one up to the peak. Thin, wispy vines root themselves to the peak, allowing quick descent for travelers unconcerned with safety or wits. Surrounding the pillar in ascension are juts of flat rock the hold the majority of the inhabitants of Ogidi Ato, vines resting at each junction for rapid descent. At the peak of the spire lies a metal shell of a structure, a great cylindrical protuberance staring out at the vast expanse of sky and stars. Superstition cows most villagers form approaching the ancient fort, but an eccentric Cyberneticist and his small band of Arconauts have been granted leasing privileges so long as they provide services to the locals.
Government and Security
The Orunga family claim to be descendants of the original band of botanists that settled Ogidi Ato, but the role of leadership largely falls to the Consortium Delegate Philodendron, an extremely poisonous flower with a penchant for designer pots. Philodendron is as enigmatic as any member of the consortium, but his administration is considered very egalitarian, at least towards plants. Of course, Philodendron will see eye to eye with any qudfolk, so long as the plea is accompanied with the standard bribe consortium agents are known to divulge in.
Ogidi Ato operates outside the jurisdiction of the Fellowship of Wardens, however it hosts a fledgling order of fierce hunters that claim descendency from the stock of Ekuemekiyye. With the aid of Aestival, they maintain the borders of their land, and protect the village from the horrors that lurk in the Jungles below. Ekyma, a True Kin, coordinates defense and security of the village.
Technology
Kalim the Gazer and his small assortment of understudy’s roost in the gutted remains of an Eater-era building, nestled on the peak of the third pillar. Kalim buys scrap and artifacts from ruin skimmers and services the village with technomantic improvements. His handiwork can be seen upon the rooftops of wealthier houses, which don whirring tri-blades that catch the high winds to spark life into old tech. Kalim lives a ascetic life, in contrast to the vast sums he pays for rent and artifacts. Kalim’s moniker derives from his constant gaze towards to the sky, an odd habit to those who are so concerned with what lurks in the jungles below.