Settlements 101

Subject: Standard Settlement Design & Foundational Principles
File ID: ID:SOC-CIV-SSD-8910432
Issuing Authority: Dryzor Corp. - Civic Planning & Infrastructure Division
Document Category: Civilization Studies: Urban Development: Foundational Settlement Principles
Security Classification: Level 1: Public Access

  Introductory Overview: The establishment of any successful settlement in Anogwin is predicated on two fundamental principles born from the nature of the world itself: Defensibility and Self-Sufficiency. The vast majority of the global landscape consists of dangerous wilderness and ruins, necessitating robust protective measures for any population center to survive. Concurrently, the inherent risks of travel and reliance on external supply lines mandate a high degree of internal independence for any community to prosper long-term. These two principles govern the design and operation of virtually all forms of civilization, from small villages to sprawling cities.
 

//>_ Hacker_Override_Initiated... Karckess on how to not die in a town. //>_ Two rules for building a town in this world. Rule One: Build a damn wall. Rule Two: Grow your own food. Everything else – trade, fancy laws, art – is a luxury that comes after you've figured out how to stop things from killing you and how to not starve to death when the supply wagons get eaten. Screw up either of those two, and your town's just another future ruin for some Adventurer to pick through.

  Section: Defensive Paradigms Settlement defense is a multi-layered discipline employing a wide spectrum of methodologies. Physical fortifications range from simple wooden palisades to highly complex structures such as subterranean cities, aquatic barge-settlements, arboreal towns, or even magically sustained flying skylands. Beyond static defenses, settlements have historically relied on specialized personnel, retaining or garrisoning @Mages and registered Adventurers for active defense. In more recent ages, technology has augmented these efforts with automated systems, including Mystech-powered energy shields, wall-mounted turrets, and other automated defensive emplacements.
 

//>_ Hacker_Override_Initiated... //>_ The fancy defenses – flying cities, city-wide energy shields – that's for the rich and powerful. Most places are lucky to have a sturdy wall and a few Adventurers on retainer who haven't skipped town yet. The ASOB and the corps love it, of course. A world full of things that want to kill you is great for business when you're selling swords, spells, and mercs.

  Section: The Mandate of Self-Sufficiency The isolated nature of most settlements necessitates a high degree of operational independence. A viable community must internally manage the majority of its critical infrastructure, including power generation, water supply, waste removal, local food production, and security. Any reliance on external supply lines for essential goods, such as food or medicine, introduces a critical vulnerability. Disruption of these supply caravans—whether by disaster, political strife, or attack—can lead to the rapid decline and potential collapse of a dependent settlement. For these reasons, banditry and piracy targeting vital supply routes are considered severe crimes across most nations, often carrying the penalty of execution to ensure the stability of civilized networks.
 

//>_ Hacker_Override_Initiated... //>_ 'Critical vulnerability' is putting it mildly. If your town doesn't grow its own food and a couple of supply wagons get hit, you starve. Period. That's why they'll hang you for knocking over a grain shipment. Civilization in a lot of these places is always just three missed meals away from becoming a ghost town full of angry, hungry people. Never forget that.