07.12a: Renaissance Reconnaissance

[Spellbinder]

"Great! I'm guessing you see things a bit differently than the people I've been talking to so far. You're probably aware of problems they haven't noticed. The more angles I look from the better I see the details."

Spellbinder holds the door for Lane as they step out in the winter afternoon together. "It's too late to follow your idea of a city planned from the start. The only way we could do that would be to move everyone out, level the place and start from scratch. Even if people agreed to the idea, where do you put one million displaced people? And how do you care for them during that time? This place is a mess, but that would be far worse I think. We'll just have to make do with what we have. Speaking of what we have, please, lead on."

[Joshua]

So, if anyone has some good ideas... But issues include:

• Sanitation
• Food Distribution
• Distribution of clothing and other basic goods
• Temporary housing being used as long term housing
• Ironically, the roads are good.
• Medical care is primitive and impossible to afford.
• Ghettos formed of outsiders.

[Spellbinder]

Spellbinder will add the lack of a code of law and a means of enforcing it to the list. He will also speculate that employment is a problem. With resources so limited no one is likely to be able to afford to keep that many people meaningfully employed.

He will mention that he has a plan to deal with the Rebma drainage issue as soon as he gets a few spare hours to implement it. He will follow that up by mentioning that he's heard talk of building a sewer system.

He is perfectly willing to keep this conversation going all afternoon if Lane is game. Yes, his goal is to keep Lane busy, but he is genuinely interested in the problems of the city so it is an easy sell. If Lane would rather go watch Spellbinder's attempt at urban renewal they can do that instead.

[Joshua]

Lane is most interested in the 'quick fix' that spellbinder is planning. He will talk at length about that and if wanted, is more than willing to witness what's happening*.
___________
*: The move of people can have already happened.

[Spellbinder]

Spellbinder will gladly take Lane along to witness his project. It accomplishes two goals at once: patching the sewage issue and keeping Lane distracted.

On the way he will spot Chance in the crowd and wave him over. He will ask Chance to make sure that the hovels have been vacated.

When they arrive on site, Spellbinder will walk the path of his planned project. When he is beyond the path of the filth oozing down from the city, he will stop and begin to invoke a conjuration. Slowly stone will being growing out of the ground from opposite sides of the path, and will fill join to form an arch over the ground. It is only a few feet tall, but wide enough for two carts to pass.

Once this is complete, he will stop to examine his work. Convinced that it is solid, he will being to place an enchantment on the arch. It is a complex enchantment and he is taking his time to ensure that he gets it right the first time. Again he checks his work before moving on.

He walks to where he expects his trench to end and the runoff will find it's own way to the harbor. Once there, he beings another enchantment. This time an earth element appears and starts digging a trench large enough to handle the runoff from the city. (He is detailed enough to have the elemental line it with fieldstone, leave places there there are indentations that someone who falls in can use to climb out and safety rails along the top). The trench will continue up to the edge of the road between the city and the harbor district.

Spellbinder will then move to the other side of the road and repeat the process. Finally he will go back to the road and invoke on more spell. This will slightly slope the road so that the and liquids will runoff into the trenches rather than further down the road and build a culvert underneath it.

When all of this is finally done, he will lead Lane back to the first arch. By this time there should be waste from the city traveling down the trench. What comes out the other side is only clear water.

"So there you have it Father. I will need to come back in a few days to check and reinforce the spells, and they will need some maintenance from time to time. I have worked in alarms as well so if anyone tries to tamper with the bridges or the spells I will know about it. It's not a perfect solution, but it should keep conditions in Rebma from getting any worse until we can do something more permanent."

[Joshua]

Lane observes for most of it. he's not all that familiar with actual magics, and certainly hasn't seen any used for sanitation and city development. At some point before oyu finish, he will ask a question about the permanence of your actions. but you already included your answer to that.

As you wrap up, Lane will congratulate Spellbinder on his actions.

Also, as you finish, Koschei will walk up, flanked by several well-trained muscle. "Impressive. And, a lot more practical than I was expecting. I had thought you meant to change justice first, but this isn't a bad start."

[Spellbinder]

"Thanks. Justice does need to be addressed, but so do the practical issues. Justice is a pretty tall order, but this I could knock out in an afternoon. Start where you are, do what you can. I'm just annoyed that no one has done this before. The Mage's Guild could easily have done this. They could even have made it a class project for their students."

"That's the big problem. No one bothers. No one cares enough to try to make things better. The Amberites are so busy with their parties and cosmological abstractions that they ignore the mundane right in front of their noses. The Mage's Guild is too busy consolidating their power. Yeah, they keep trade moving, but that's all they do for the city and even that's just to advance their own cause. The big merchants are just out to make a quick buck."

"People are going to start seeing that someone cares. That someone will do something to help. Hopefully that will inspire others and we can get the people working together to make this city some place that people would want to raise their families."

Spellbinder pauses. "Oops. I was kinda monologuing there, wasn't I? Any way, I do need to apologize Koschei. I was angry and I took it out on you. We do need to reform the justice system here. If the Amberites won't then we'll have to. That's a huge job, and honestly I'm not even sure where to start. That's why I need someone like you to help. We need to build a system where the people don't live in fear of the people who are supposed to protect them. Do you think we can work towards that?"

[Joshua]

"Spoken like a true villain. But, yes. I would be willing to see where you go." Koschei will laugh, more a cackle really. "And you think loosening our tax for street thieves will help with this? Or would you offer an alternative first?"

Lane, as can be expected, hates the idea of state sponsored crime in general. He waits for Spellbinder to respond before commenting.

[Spellbinder]

"Villain? Villain? How can you possibly...." Spellbinder pauses for a moment. "Oh. I think I see what you mean. You might have a point. I don't think I'm crossing a line here. I need to give that a bit more thought."

"As for your 'tax' on thieves, yeah, that has to go. Let's think that through for a moment. Too many people here don't have jobs and have to do whatever they can just to stay alive. I think we can all agree that's a bad thing. You give some of them the title 'thief' and now they are required to pay a daily 'tax' and a percentage of whatever they take. Now they have to steal, not only to feed themselves but to pay your tax. Not only do they have to steal, they have to steal even more. If they can't make the payments, you cut off their hand making sure that they have no chance of ever being able to work to support themselves again. Their only options left are more theft if they can manage it, begging, or death. Meanwhile you claim a percentage and claim that you're protecting the people in your area when you're really driving the crime rate up. Please explain to me how that makes any sense at all."

[Joshua]

Koschei's main justification is order. Unless he controls ALL aspects of his quarter, there will be issues. It makes sense on the surface, but ultimately Koschei is a crime boss forced into a legitimate leadership role. His argument, at least, is nuanced and thought out.