I am requesting help in making a make shift permanent village on what would be a island where the empire leaves many types of criminals, political opponents, or those that they need to disappear.
I just need a better hive mind filtered understanding of what types of buildings and stores and other things would be at this clear cut prisoners drop off.
I am requesting help in making a make shift permanent village on what would be a island where the empire leaves many types of criminals, political opponents, or those that they need to disappear.
I just need a better hive mind filtered understanding of what types of buildings and stores and other things would be at this clear cut prisoners drop off.
So, first thing is to consider why they are using a village and not just throwing them into the ocean whilst Mr-Chains gives them a great big hug. Presumably they want them to be safe, secure and accessible. Maybe they don't like killing people, or perhaps they are a sacrifice pool for a demon that the owners of the prison are feeding to gain themselves power. Depends how sinister you want it to be.
Secondly, they will probably want to use them as labour. There will be exports from this island; perhaps a mine, or farming, or perhaps the prisoners have been sent there for specific purposes, EG one prisoner found the secret to making healing potions, but only he can do it (blessed by a deity, perhaps), so has been imprisoned to make a production line, which the owners of the island then export. Anyone with abilities that can turn a profit for the owners "disappears".
So the opening aspect of this island will be that it has an incoming dock, which would be best made within a steep gorge - the ship sails in, and there's one path out - all other routes are through turbulent seas or up sheer cliffs. So there's no escape when they arrive. The path out should be a tunnel, so it's easily guarded and the guards can't be bypassed.
There should also be a second tunnel which is closed by thick doors. This is where the exports come out to be loaded onto the ship for the journey back. This can play a key part in any escape plan.
The ship should be notable sturdy and solid, perhaps twin-hulled like a catamaran, to cope with the harsh currents in the ocean around the island (which prevent escape attempts).
Further to preventing escape attempts, the only security patrol necessary for keeping inmates in would be around the coast, looking for boats - no boat light enough to be carried there will survive, so they are looking for boats being built. Anyone leaving in flimsy boats is left to the oceans. The patrol might be in a series of small craft with light harpoons, which are designed to catch escaping boats which look like they will survive.
The village will need the basics, as a minimum:
• Food • Water • Accommodation • hospital, for emergencies
food would be farms for basic food. The guards and governor, if there are any, would have imported fine foods, to make a power difference between the guards and the prisoners.
Water could be gathered rainwater, which tastes bad, but the guards have a freshwater spring, again making the "us and them" divide.
Accommodation is the same, basic bunks for the prisoners, nice beds for guards, small mansion for the governor.
Hospital is basic, and may be reserved for guards. There might be an "underground" hospital run by a doctor who's imprisoned there, and they might need supplies destined for the other hospital.
A port. This could be as simple as a small jetty where skiffs/row boats can dock to off load new arrivals or allow messengers/visitors to move to and from the isalnd to ships at anchor.
Outside the initial port you'd have some sort of military outpost as a way to stop the criminals from trying to swim to the ships. This could be combined with some natural blackade such as coral reefs, shark invested waters and strong currents which means trying to swim is a very dangeous affair. This outpost would have a basic palisade/wall with watch towers to keep an eye on the criminals settlement. This would also include a baracks for soldiers to be stationed on land.
The settlement would be largely a tent "city", lots of rmashakle buildings of poor design that are cobbled together from whatever material is available. I like the idea that one of the criminal transport ships has been beached and dismantled for material. Basic amenities would include a small smithy to make/repair tools, a farmstead to maintain any animal stocks (likely goats) that were sent along, a well for drawing water and an area set aside farm farming basic food and a smaller palisade/wall for protection and probably some small chapel from a missionary that hopes to save the souls of the criminals.
The town starts off as a barter system as they have no money, soldiers go off on scouting expeditions and eventually the criminal elements are allowed to also go out to forage for food and hunt the local wildlife which leads to them being armed, albeit with very basic weapons.
As a basic camp it would not have any form of drainage, hospital, taverns or shops. If the camp keeps going then eventually free settlers arrive (some 5-10 years after the camp is established) to set up these aspects but a lack of money maintains a barter system.
Things just get more "civilised" the longer the settlement is in operation.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
Possibly if you have air-ships the Port is the top of a peak.. and the Island is surrounded by vicious coral reefs. Also think about the fact that first edition had many settlements smaller than villages that 'weren't civilized'. thorps, dorfs, hamlets, even great family single dwellings.
for your party to do anything might require they figure how to move around the island IN Spite of official rules forbidding it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Itinerant Deputy Shire-reave Tomas Burrfoot - world walker, Raft-captain, speaker to his dead
Toddy Shelfungus- Rider of the Order of Ill Luck, Speaker to Friends of Friends, and Horribly big nosed
Jarl Archi of Jenisis Glade Fee- Noble Knight of the Dragonborn Goldcrest Clan, Sorcerer of the Noble Investigator;y; Knightly order of the Wolfhound
It all depends on what type of criminal they are leaving here and what sort of outcome the authorities hope to achieve. If the authorities want a drop-em-off-and-forget-em spot, but they don't want a death sentence on their conscience, then you would only need a port and a small village of guards with a proper palisade. The prisoners would be dropped off and let loose on the other side of the palisade, never to return. The village would only need a storehouse, a handfull of tradesmen necessary to sustain the few buildings, a few dwellings for the tradesmen, a barracks for the guards, and possibly a larger building for the governor of the penal colony. They could have a chapel, a smith, an apothecary, a furrier, a tailor, a dry goods shop, a butcher, a cobbler, a tent maker, a carpenter, a cabinet maker, a water carrier or two, a few teamsters, a small tavern and a stable. Most of the goods would be delivered by ships for the consumption by the villagers. The convicts could be left to their own devices on the other side of the wall. The convicts could learn to trap game, gather berries or other productive pursuits that would be traded at the town in a trading post outside the palisade. The trading post operator could bring the bartered goods inside each day at lunch and again in the evening, lock the door and return in the morning. Expeditions outside the palisade would need an armed guard to gather wood or other pursuit, and the guards would have full authority to simply kill anyone they found while they were "outside." All the rules could be laid out for the convicts when they arrive. Convicts might trade for various metal tools, but nothing as substantial as a dagger; only 4" or smaller camp knives or a hatchet. They could trade for a frying pan or something as utilitarian as that, new trousers, or a canvas tent or other things they would find meaningful. The furrier would treat the furs and they could be sent back home for credits for supplies.
If the intent is to provide the convicts a rehabilitation opportunity and they were low risk convicts, such as folks that went as debtors and not as violent offenders, then the town could be more substantial and should have "four parts". The first part is the Upper Ward of the freemen. This would be a proper village with folks coming and going as they wished. It would have a palisade and guards. So the aforementioned tradesmen would be there along with a great number of guards. There might be a few taverns and at least one inn for sailors (or the officers) that stayed for a few days. Outside the Upper Ward there would be the Men's Ward, with tents on platforms inside a gated area where only men were allowed. The single men would live there. There would be a Women's Ward, with the same accommodations for women only. There would be a Mixed Ward for "married" couples, generally where a woman became pregnant and was moved to the Mixed Ward with her new husband. Finally there would be a Common Ward where interaction was allowed by convicts and they essentially ran there own village here under the control of the governor. The Common Ward would have no residences, only shops and storage. The economy of the Convict Wards would be almost exclusively a barter economy, but the economy of the Upper Ward could be both. As in the previous idea, a single trading post would exist in the Common Ward where the goods from this village could be traded with the Upper Ward, and then the Upper Ward is allowed to trade the goods with the outside world. The Common Ward should also have a Chapel as a measure of the rehabilitation plan.
However, in addition to the accommodations being better, the area around the Wards would be arable land where the convicts could begin to farm the land for their own benefit. They would be permitted to construct dwellings outside the Wards and keep animals as they were able to earn the privileges through hard work. They would be permitted to write back to home in hopes of securing their release by having someone pay their debts. But many of them might find that they prefer life here than they did "back home", so they just stay and live out their lives here.
A plot element could be that the governor profits at the expense of convicts (and possibly the regular residents). Or there could be overseers that profit from the convicts. It is unlikely the trading post operator would be allowed to be in a position to profit from the convicts outside the limits allowed by the governor. The governor or his scribes might be able to work the system, depending on how closely the governor chooses to watch over the scribes and overseers.
The sea captains could also play some shenanigans because they could simply press released convicts into service with forged documents. They can charge high prices for goods being brought to the settlement, or they could pay lower prices for goods coming out of there. The Governor has to be mindful and keep on good terms with the captains or establish alternate communications with the outside world to stay informed about outside events.
Good luck. The theme of this setting is a bit dark, but it certainly has a lot of ways to make it interesting.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
as a ps to my previous post, you could also look up a map for Nassau from Assassins Creed Black Flag or the TV series Black Sails, they give a pretty good example of am island shanty town.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
Hello all
I am requesting help in making a make shift permanent village on what would be a island where the empire leaves many types of criminals, political opponents, or those that they need to disappear.
I just need a better hive mind filtered understanding of what types of buildings and stores and other things would be at this clear cut prisoners drop off.
so like a island that the prisoners are released on to do what they will? escape from new york style? or is this more of an Alcatraz contained prison?
Kinda a Australia. For the brit empire
So, first thing is to consider why they are using a village and not just throwing them into the ocean whilst Mr-Chains gives them a great big hug. Presumably they want them to be safe, secure and accessible. Maybe they don't like killing people, or perhaps they are a sacrifice pool for a demon that the owners of the prison are feeding to gain themselves power. Depends how sinister you want it to be.
Secondly, they will probably want to use them as labour. There will be exports from this island; perhaps a mine, or farming, or perhaps the prisoners have been sent there for specific purposes, EG one prisoner found the secret to making healing potions, but only he can do it (blessed by a deity, perhaps), so has been imprisoned to make a production line, which the owners of the island then export. Anyone with abilities that can turn a profit for the owners "disappears".
So the opening aspect of this island will be that it has an incoming dock, which would be best made within a steep gorge - the ship sails in, and there's one path out - all other routes are through turbulent seas or up sheer cliffs. So there's no escape when they arrive. The path out should be a tunnel, so it's easily guarded and the guards can't be bypassed.
There should also be a second tunnel which is closed by thick doors. This is where the exports come out to be loaded onto the ship for the journey back. This can play a key part in any escape plan.
The ship should be notable sturdy and solid, perhaps twin-hulled like a catamaran, to cope with the harsh currents in the ocean around the island (which prevent escape attempts).
Further to preventing escape attempts, the only security patrol necessary for keeping inmates in would be around the coast, looking for boats - no boat light enough to be carried there will survive, so they are looking for boats being built. Anyone leaving in flimsy boats is left to the oceans. The patrol might be in a series of small craft with light harpoons, which are designed to catch escaping boats which look like they will survive.
The village will need the basics, as a minimum:
• Food
• Water
• Accommodation
• hospital, for emergencies
food would be farms for basic food. The guards and governor, if there are any, would have imported fine foods, to make a power difference between the guards and the prisoners.
Water could be gathered rainwater, which tastes bad, but the guards have a freshwater spring, again making the "us and them" divide.
Accommodation is the same, basic bunks for the prisoners, nice beds for guards, small mansion for the governor.
Hospital is basic, and may be reserved for guards. There might be an "underground" hospital run by a doctor who's imprisoned there, and they might need supplies destined for the other hospital.
Hope this helps!
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You'd likely need:
A port. This could be as simple as a small jetty where skiffs/row boats can dock to off load new arrivals or allow messengers/visitors to move to and from the isalnd to ships at anchor.
Outside the initial port you'd have some sort of military outpost as a way to stop the criminals from trying to swim to the ships. This could be combined with some natural blackade such as coral reefs, shark invested waters and strong currents which means trying to swim is a very dangeous affair. This outpost would have a basic palisade/wall with watch towers to keep an eye on the criminals settlement. This would also include a baracks for soldiers to be stationed on land.
The settlement would be largely a tent "city", lots of rmashakle buildings of poor design that are cobbled together from whatever material is available. I like the idea that one of the criminal transport ships has been beached and dismantled for material. Basic amenities would include a small smithy to make/repair tools, a farmstead to maintain any animal stocks (likely goats) that were sent along, a well for drawing water and an area set aside farm farming basic food and a smaller palisade/wall for protection and probably some small chapel from a missionary that hopes to save the souls of the criminals.
The town starts off as a barter system as they have no money, soldiers go off on scouting expeditions and eventually the criminal elements are allowed to also go out to forage for food and hunt the local wildlife which leads to them being armed, albeit with very basic weapons.
As a basic camp it would not have any form of drainage, hospital, taverns or shops. If the camp keeps going then eventually free settlers arrive (some 5-10 years after the camp is established) to set up these aspects but a lack of money maintains a barter system.
Things just get more "civilised" the longer the settlement is in operation.
Possibly if you have air-ships the Port is the top of a peak.. and the Island is surrounded by vicious coral reefs.
Also think about the fact that first edition had many settlements smaller than villages that 'weren't civilized'. thorps, dorfs, hamlets, even great family single dwellings.
for your party to do anything might require they figure how to move around the island IN Spite of official rules forbidding it.
Itinerant Deputy Shire-reave Tomas Burrfoot - world walker, Raft-captain, speaker to his dead
Toddy Shelfungus- Rider of the Order of Ill Luck, Speaker to Friends of Friends, and Horribly big nosed
Jarl Archi of Jenisis Glade Fee- Noble Knight of the Dragonborn Goldcrest Clan, Sorcerer of the Noble Investigator;y; Knightly order of the Wolfhound
It all depends on what type of criminal they are leaving here and what sort of outcome the authorities hope to achieve. If the authorities want a drop-em-off-and-forget-em spot, but they don't want a death sentence on their conscience, then you would only need a port and a small village of guards with a proper palisade. The prisoners would be dropped off and let loose on the other side of the palisade, never to return. The village would only need a storehouse, a handfull of tradesmen necessary to sustain the few buildings, a few dwellings for the tradesmen, a barracks for the guards, and possibly a larger building for the governor of the penal colony. They could have a chapel, a smith, an apothecary, a furrier, a tailor, a dry goods shop, a butcher, a cobbler, a tent maker, a carpenter, a cabinet maker, a water carrier or two, a few teamsters, a small tavern and a stable. Most of the goods would be delivered by ships for the consumption by the villagers. The convicts could be left to their own devices on the other side of the wall. The convicts could learn to trap game, gather berries or other productive pursuits that would be traded at the town in a trading post outside the palisade. The trading post operator could bring the bartered goods inside each day at lunch and again in the evening, lock the door and return in the morning. Expeditions outside the palisade would need an armed guard to gather wood or other pursuit, and the guards would have full authority to simply kill anyone they found while they were "outside." All the rules could be laid out for the convicts when they arrive. Convicts might trade for various metal tools, but nothing as substantial as a dagger; only 4" or smaller camp knives or a hatchet. They could trade for a frying pan or something as utilitarian as that, new trousers, or a canvas tent or other things they would find meaningful. The furrier would treat the furs and they could be sent back home for credits for supplies.
If the intent is to provide the convicts a rehabilitation opportunity and they were low risk convicts, such as folks that went as debtors and not as violent offenders, then the town could be more substantial and should have "four parts". The first part is the Upper Ward of the freemen. This would be a proper village with folks coming and going as they wished. It would have a palisade and guards. So the aforementioned tradesmen would be there along with a great number of guards. There might be a few taverns and at least one inn for sailors (or the officers) that stayed for a few days. Outside the Upper Ward there would be the Men's Ward, with tents on platforms inside a gated area where only men were allowed. The single men would live there. There would be a Women's Ward, with the same accommodations for women only. There would be a Mixed Ward for "married" couples, generally where a woman became pregnant and was moved to the Mixed Ward with her new husband. Finally there would be a Common Ward where interaction was allowed by convicts and they essentially ran there own village here under the control of the governor. The Common Ward would have no residences, only shops and storage. The economy of the Convict Wards would be almost exclusively a barter economy, but the economy of the Upper Ward could be both. As in the previous idea, a single trading post would exist in the Common Ward where the goods from this village could be traded with the Upper Ward, and then the Upper Ward is allowed to trade the goods with the outside world. The Common Ward should also have a Chapel as a measure of the rehabilitation plan.
However, in addition to the accommodations being better, the area around the Wards would be arable land where the convicts could begin to farm the land for their own benefit. They would be permitted to construct dwellings outside the Wards and keep animals as they were able to earn the privileges through hard work. They would be permitted to write back to home in hopes of securing their release by having someone pay their debts. But many of them might find that they prefer life here than they did "back home", so they just stay and live out their lives here.
A plot element could be that the governor profits at the expense of convicts (and possibly the regular residents). Or there could be overseers that profit from the convicts. It is unlikely the trading post operator would be allowed to be in a position to profit from the convicts outside the limits allowed by the governor. The governor or his scribes might be able to work the system, depending on how closely the governor chooses to watch over the scribes and overseers.
The sea captains could also play some shenanigans because they could simply press released convicts into service with forged documents. They can charge high prices for goods being brought to the settlement, or they could pay lower prices for goods coming out of there. The Governor has to be mindful and keep on good terms with the captains or establish alternate communications with the outside world to stay informed about outside events.
Good luck. The theme of this setting is a bit dark, but it certainly has a lot of ways to make it interesting.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
as a ps to my previous post, you could also look up a map for Nassau from Assassins Creed Black Flag or the TV series Black Sails, they give a pretty good example of am island shanty town.