GH Logo
filler filler Home filler filler
Setting filler History and Archives filler Game
The Protectors filler News of the World filler Gameplay and "Turns"
Other Heroes filler Issue #41, Good Saruva Hunting, Part IV, And So It Begins (6/2005) filler GH Rules on the web by the author
A Rogues' Gallery filler Issue #40, Good Saruva Hunting, Part III (5/2005) filler Game Aids
Prominent Citizens filler Issue #39, Good Saruva Hunting, Part II (3/2005) filler Mailing List
The City, Port Alexander filler Older Issues filler House Rules and Interpretations
Nearby Sites of Interest filler A Timeline filler

Nearby Sites of Interest

  1. Castle Immergrün
  2. Goldwood Springs
  3. Lake Godluch
  4. Para-Normal Detention Facility
  5. The Protectors' Fortress
Castle Immergrün

Castle Immergrün is an impressive subterranean complex of old steam tunnels, abandoned sewers and half-completed and long forgotten subway tunnels. No other area of the Duchy was built with the sole focus of defensibilty. The Market is located within the boundaries of the Castle, as are the "official" offices of the Duchy. When Max holds a public court, he does so in the large Courtyard that sits next to the Market. A large chair, built from the remnants of a large Lazyboy recliner, is brought in and set upon a makeshift platform so all could see their leader. Hand painted banners are displayed, bearing the heraldric arms of the Duchy, the Duke and all the Nobles and Knights present. Many of the Tradesmen of the Duchy carry their stall's banners from the Market. At other times, the Courtyard is used as a public gathering place, school room, and cafeteria.

Private courts are held in the Duke's "Throne Room." Max hates that term, but the others insist on calling it such. Max simply refers to it as his Study. Here he has a few of the trappings of office displayed for his personal edification. A smaller version of his banner hangs on one wall, while most of the wall is covered with a reproduction of the Bayeux Tapestry and a portrait of a German Landsknecht. A map of the Baronies of Port Alexander share wall space with the banner. A few book shelves hold his personal library, collected with care. His old particle board desk is in a corner, holding the few momentos of his past life. A new, hand crafted oak desk sits before the book collection. Behind that is a high backed office chair, salvaged from the dumpsters behind a flagging dot-com. The desk is usually covered with papers detailing the different aspects of the Duchy. Mounted on a stand on the desk is the dagger Max had brought back from his adventure in the distant past.


Goldwood Springs

Some hundred miles west of Port Alexander and some small ways up into the low mountains, lies the resort town of Goldwood Springs. The town takes its name from the mineral hot-springs that bubble to the surface in the area, and they form the basis for the town's tourist economy.

In the late 1800s, the town was a popular destination for those "taking the cure", and many famous people came to the small town to rest and bathe in the pool which were advertised as a panacea for everything from consumption to acne.

These days, a number of modern hotels have been built up around the largest of the hot-springs, and an exclusive spa around a small cluster with unusual concentrations of trace minerals. Water from the spa is available in bottled form, and sells well in Port Alexander.

The town sprawls at the base of Mount McKenndra, one of the highest peaks in the state, with a summit at 5,700 feet. No roads lead to the top of the mountain, but a rather strenuous hiking trail does. Very near the summit is another smallish hot spring, and those few who do make the effort to climb to the top often relax in the pool for a while before descending. Not many make the climb, and even fewer make the attempt during winter.


Lake Godluch

For those who find Goldwood Springs too crowded or too expensive, there is Lake Godluch. Situated in a national forest, the large lake is accessible on one side by car, and has picnic and camping facilities as well as boating - powerboats of any kind are forbiddden, though.

The distant side, however, is inaccessable save on foot or by boat, and is for all practical purposes wilderness.

Once away from the lake, the forest becomes dense, and the mountains difficult. Every few years, hikers are lost in the backwoods, and sometimes they are never found.


Para-Normal Detention Facility

The Para-Normal Detention Facility (PNDF) is the premiere penitentiary and high-security hospital for super-powered criminals and para-normals.

Despite the resources devoted to the PNDF, breakouts and escapes are common, since "super-villains" are by their very nature difficult to quantify and counteract. Still, the PNDF does a better job than any other institution in the world.

The PNDF is located in the mountains East of Goldwood Springs. It is hidden away in an inaccessible region, and is not listed on maps. Military style checkpoints guard the only land access route.

The PNDF is administered by the International Paranormal Activities Committee (IPAC -- pronounced "Eye-Pack")


The Eagle's Nest

Originally the headquarters of the famous hero group, the Eagles, the "Nest" was abandoned after a catastrophe destroyed the groups effectiveness and most of their membership. Fervor, The White Knight, Iron Maiden and the Wanderer thwarted the plans of Overlord to take over the base, and found themselves the de facto masters of the base instead. (A more detailed version of these events is in Issue 10 and Issue 11.)

When Defender, Ka-Sador, Sting and the Wanderer formed the Protectors, they renamed it the Fortress

The Fortress is located approximately 6 kilometers out to sea, on the ocean floor, and is accessible through three primary means.

The Fortress consists of five domes and the submarine pen.
Layout of the Fortress

The Control Dome

The control room houses the central security, computer and communication equipment. It is equipped with comfortable and ergonomically correct chairs. The lounge and kitchenette is provided for the convenience of those on duty in the control room. The detention cells are quite sturdy and capable of restraining even some superstrong prisoners. The card-key pressing equipment is here as well.

The Residence Dome, Lounge Level

The top level of the residence dome serves as a lounge, living area and dining area. One side has a fully equipped kitchen with a long bar/counter area. There is some furniture about, but room for more or for redecoration. Parts of the dome are transparent, and lights are attached outside for viewing the underwater life. A spiral staircase in the center leads down to the apartment level, and has an open shaft in the center to allow fliers or jumpers to bypass the stairs.

The Hall of Heroes
Actually more of a Wall of Heroes. Ka-Sador constructed display cases along the walls of the lounge and transferred personal effects of the fallen Eagles into them to honour these departed warriors. Each of the Fallen Heroes cases bears the nameplate from the Hero's apartment. The trophy cases contain other trophies of interest.

The Residence, Dome Apartment Level

This level is actually set into the rock of the ocean floor. There are seperate showers/bathing facilities for men and women and seven apartments. Each apartment has private restroom facilities and some configurable walls allowing the tenant to partition the room. Each has some basic furniture - a bed, table, desk and chair.

When the Protectors took over the Fortress in Issue Eleven or so, they discovered that three of the apartments seemed to have been occupied. The other four were vacant. The occupied apartments were locked and were left untouched, unsearched and intact until Issue 21 when Ka-Sador transferred some of the contents to the Hall of Heroes cases in the Lounge. Each occupied apartment had been customized slightly as to layout, and had been furnished according to its owner's taste.

The Utility Dome

The utility dome features a surprisingly modern gymnasium, modified for use by superhumans, and a sickbay which contains many advanced kinds of surgical and medical equipment, although the medicines are almost all expired. The reactor room contains a fusion reactor of stunningly innovative design, which uses seawater as reaction mass. The reactor powers the entire complex, as well as a small desalinization plant which provides fresh water and an electrolysis unit to extra oxygen from seawater for use both in life-support and to power hydrox fuel cells for the vehicles.

The Gardens

The use of the large empty area is open to speculation. As of Issue 35, all the remaining equipment from the destroyed labs in the Research Dome has been moved here.

The Research Dome

This area was pretty well destroyed when the Protectors took over. It has been cleaned up, and, as of Issue 35, the equipment moved into an empty room in the Utility Dome. The labs were designed to be reconfigurable with movable partitions.

The body armour belonging to Howitzer was returned to her room and later relocated to the Hall of Heroes.

As of Issue 35, it is being used as a team training facility; still just an empty space, but large enough to move in and practice tactics.

The Vehicle Dome

Sometime in the past, this dome had been ruptured and flooded. It has been patched and pumped, but most of the vehicles were badly damaged by their long immersion.

The edges of the dome are filled with vehicle bays, facing outwards, and the entire dome floor rotates, so that a given vehicle can be brought to the launch area and shot down and out into the ocean, or recovered the same way.

Several vehicles have been repaired with the aid of the Round Table's Squires: a jet, a half-track and a mini-sub. The half-track has to been designed for underwater use as well as use on land, and the plane can function for short periods of time underwater as well. The sub has no other capabilities.

The famous EagleWing flying sub is not in the vehicle inventory. Its wreckage was discovered underneath The Floating Island, in Issue 32.

Vehicles

EagleJet
The EagleJet can function for short periods of time underwater; long enough to surface and get airborne after being launched from the dome or to land and reenter the dome. It is VTOL and capable of water landings and takeoffs. Top Speed: 900 mph (roughly Mach 1.25), Cruising speed: 800 mph (roughly Mach 1.2). Range: 4,000 miles at cruising speed.
The EagleJet was destroyed and sunk in Issue 32.
The UN JumpJet
In exchange for training Merlynne, the Protectors got some concessions, including transport. In this case, a cute little JumpJet which is hangared at PA Airport.
MiniSub
The minisub seats four and is capable of operating underwater for extended periods of time. It has a top speed of 25 mph submerged, 35 mph on the surface. It is equipped with two sets of gripper claws. There is no airlock, but a hatch in the bottom opens to allow access to the sea - just don't turn the sub over with the hatch open. Travel with the hatch is strongly counter-indicated.
Amphibious Half-Track
The half-track has 12 seats and room for ample cargo. It is not very fast, maxing out at 30 mph on land and 15 mph underwater. It will, however, function perfectly well underwater with the rear hatch serving as an airlock. The half-track has no grippers but does have a single turreted MASER blaster which functions equally well in water or air. On wide dispersion it is more likely to stun a person than kill them, and the narrow focus is suited to mining or boring activities. (WC2, either 2d6HTC/1d6HTK, or 1d6HTC/2d6HTK, -1 to dividers)