Alsun
Nestled between the converging White and Blue Rivers and dominated by the ominous Forest of Delights, Alsun is bleak and gloomy. Mostly empty, rundown skyscrapers tower over slummy, dirty streets. People here are constantly looking over their backs, keeping watch for both the obvious dangers (creatures that have wandered out of the forest) and the unobvious (colleagues waiting for the opportunity to rob them blind or turn them in to "HR").
Alsun is full of large industrial plants that produce plastics, nylon, and vinyl. They also make computer parts and the machinery used to automate production plants across the City of Cartoons. This makes Alsun a lot of money, but like most of the rest of the city, little of that money makes its way the local residents. Instead, it's held by a few corporate executives, most of whom are in the employ of corporations in Om. However, these executives have managed to convince residents that, if they just work hard enough (and are willing to rat on colleagues who aren't working hard enough), then riches can be theirs too. Once in a while, the executives really will promote some lucky individual to a high-paying executive position to keep up the illusion that anyone can achieve this, but in reality, it's a dream that pretty much no one can aspire to.
Despite the poverty of its residents, Alsun does manage to have a fairly vibrant night life. Most of the entertainment venues in the suburb are owned by the local temple of Dizzy the Mouse, which is in turn owned by the head temple in Om.
Demographics
Most (about 85%) of Alsun's residents are mutants. Radiation from the Blue River and mutagens from the Forest of Delights (see below) ensure that few people can live in Alsun for long without developing mutations. The few residents who have no mutations (a mix of stock and pure-strain humans) have either not lived there long, or are rich executives (or their families) who live in the upper levels of skyscrapers and never come outside at ground level. Some synthetics reside in Alsun, but few do so for very long. They usually eventually move to Om or just vanish--in which case, it is usually assumed they moved to Om and just didn't bother to tell anyone.Government
Alsun has a democratically elected mayor. At least, that's what is officially said. Most residents have no idea how or when elections are held. They have never voted themselves and don't know anyone else who has. But obviously somebody votes in them, they will say. After all, there is a mayor, and it's not always the same person.Forest of Delights
This tangled expanse of bent trees and swampy land takes up close to half of Alsun's area. Growing along the banks of the White River, it is similar in many regards to both the Happy Hunting Grounds and the Killing Grounds (see the main City of Cartoons article for details), in that many dangerous creatures reside within and sometimes come out to terrorize the locals. However, there are some key differences. First, the majority of the plant life in the forest is "normal" and unmutated, and the water in the swamp is considerably less dangerous than that in the Killing Grounds. Second, while dangerous, the creatures residing in the forest are not as dangerous as those in either the Happy Hunting Grounds or Killing Grounds. This doesn't mean that residents are not at risk when these creatures exit the forest, but it is easier for local defence forces to stop them when they do. Game hunters who don't yet feel ready for the Happy Hunting Grounds will sometimes enter the forest and many of them actually do return. The "delights" in the forest's name refers to the many mutagens people can be exposed to both in the forest and outside of it. These mutagens grow in various kinds of fungi in the forest. The fungi release spores into the air, which get carried by the air into Alsun and sometimes even Gab or Nadir. By the time they've spread out into the suburbs, these spores are scentless and virtually invisible. As such, people can find themselves exposed to a mutagen without even knowing it. They only realize it when they spontaneously start mutating.
Inhabitant Demonym
Sunny
Location under
Alsun
Type: Old TownPopulation Level: 9 (10,000 adults)
Force: 12 (+1)
Mobility: 10 (+0)
Resilience: 12 (+1)
Learning: 18 (+4)
Awareness: 16 (+3)
Command: 10 (+0)
Wealth: 57
Reputation Bonus: +9
Skills: Computer Use (data and operation systems (6) +13, Computer Use (artificial intelligence) (1) +8, Craft (chemical) (1) +8, Craft (electronic) (1) +8, Craft (mechanical) (6) +15, Craft (metalworking) (1) +8, Craft (structural) (6) +15, Craft (textiles) (1) +8, Craft (visual arts) (1) +8, Craft (writing) (1) +8, Diplomacy (1) +4, Handle Animal (1) +4, Intimidate (1) +4, Investigate (1) +5, Knowledge (behavioural sciences) (1) +8, Knowledge (business) (1) +8, Knowledge (earth and life sciences) (1) +8, Knowledge (gossip) (4) +11, Knowledge (history) (4) +12, Knowledge (politics) (1) +8, Knowledge (technology: advanced) (1) +8, Knowledge (technology: archaic) (4) +11, Knowledge (technology: Pre-War) (4) +11, Knowledge (theology and philosophy) (1) +8, Linguistics (1) +8, Perception (4) +10, Perform (act) (1) +4, Perform (dance) (1) +4, Perform (keyboard instruments) (1) +4, Perform (percussion instruments) (1) +4, Perform (sing) (1) +4, Perform (stand-up) (1) +4, Perform (storytelling) (1) +4, Perform (stringed instruments) (1) +4, Perform (wind instruments) (1) +4, Profession (1) +7, Repair (4) +11, Research (1) +8, Treat Injury (1) +7
Feats: Advanced Communications, Advanced Manufacturing, Archaic Engineering, Archaic Manufacturing, Builder (mechanical, structural), Electricity Generation, Pre-War Electricity Generation, Pre-War Engineering, Pre-War Vehicles, Ruins
Benefits: An allegiance to Alsun brings with it easy access to the materials it produces. When using a Craft skill that the settlement has ranks in, lower the purchase DC for materials by 1.
