The Bottoms

The game is set in the city of Pumpossa, the capital of the Imperial province of Actina. It is the closest city of any importance to the Artain Mountains. For the last several centuries, it has been a rustic provincial city at the ass end of the Empire, but with the reopening of the pass to the Sassina Peninsula, trade has been vigorous with the iron rich former province. Pumpossa has grown quickly, and its growing pains are apparent.

The political and legal structure of the Empire is . . . complicated, and as a result, there are a number of jurisdictions that compete, or simply coexist. The result is that the City Guard has limited authority, and only is some areas of the city. It’s primary mission is to keep the peace within the city, which it does by investigating crimes, and arresting criminals and turning them over to city authorities for prosecution. In some parts of the city, they are not especially welcome; Guildtown has its own mercenary guards who answer to the Guild elders who pay them, and most of the noble families on The Hill have their own household guards.

The ward that the characters are assigned to is in a neighborhood called The Bottoms, so named because it is the low point of the city and tends to get swampy, even flood, when it rains. The Bottoms is the home to the poorer working class, mostly honest and hard working, but often willing to seize any advantage that comes their way, legal or not.

The west is defined by the city wall between the Brass Gate and Priest’s Gate, though the ward also tries to police the shantytown outside the wall as well, even though it is not technically their responsibility. To the north of Beggar’s Way is the Court of Miracles – beggar’s quarter – where the blind can see, the lame can walk, and all manner of infirmities are cured – until sunrise, when it’s time to go back to work. To the south of Blackbriar Road is The Maze, home to less honest (and often more violently so) poor, largely under the control the ostensible “Thieves’ Guild,” where the Watch does not go, even in force. To the east of Friar Street is Guildtown, home to some of the lower class guilds.

Notable locals in The Bottoms:

• Ward Captain Diego Amato.
• Auntie Ghita, proprietor of the Goat's Head tavern
• Pippo the Smith
• Ennio Fabbro
• Tazio the Leatherworker
• Nuzio Vespucci, the moneylender
• Albertus Malchus, the alchemist
• Father Dato, the priest
• Friar Tura