Introduction to Society and the City of Splendors

 NEWHAVEN: The City of Splendors

    Gleaming like a magnificent jewel set atop bands of bronze, Newhaven is a staggering monument to the industrialization and cunning of the modern age. The concentric circles of the city spiral up the face of the old mountain, each a daunting stone palisade capable of repelling a mighty force. Towers glint along the sides, their arrow slits and bronze comes both awe-inspiring and ominous. Each layer of the city, numbering five in total, each hold a different layer of the cities rich history. Accessible my curving stone stairs or a beautifully guilded elevator the citizens of Newhaven often climb the levels to do business and trade. Though the rings encompass the whole of the mountain the last two weave into a harbor carved out of the mountain, allowing ships to sail right into the city and up into the trade lanes by means of a secret water elevator or locks. The dome of the Basilica of the Archon glistens at the highest point of the city, descending down through a series of bridges, avenues and locks in a spiral pattern, like a sweeping, elegant stairway. Originally a port city, Newhaven was rebuilt over the deep harbor that was the cities namesake, using magical technology to raise ships up from the harbor using locks and elevating the trade up into the heart of the city. 

    Few records paint a vivid picture of the thriving port city as much as the poet and historian Volo. In its heyday, the metropolis was a religious epicenter, featured guild hall on every corner and a strict rule of law which kept the peace in and around the city. If the stories are true, the city was situated around a tall mountain, its various wards sprawling out for miles and miles in every direction. The undercity was as rich with crime as the merchants were in their palaces above. Run by guilds and a secret order of powerful and influential wizards, the city attracted as many villains as it did heroic types. But the onslaught of the Maleficium brough the glorious city to its knees. Its magical wards completely failed, and its guardians vanished. Like a fierce wave against a breaker, the vile, twisted creatures swarmed at the edge of the city's defenses. One of the first clockwork weapons was deployed and used against the forces of chaos, driving them back from the once decadent walls and towers. The last remaining heroes holed up behind walls of steel and worked their engines. Unleashing death on their enemies brought them a slight reprieve and allowed them to rebuild their defenses. The foundations of Newhaven are the bedrock of society today. The mountain, the spine of the city, supports the parapets, towers and streets of our city.

    Once victory was assured in the vile sands of the Muroroch, our heroes returned to face new challenges. The unfortunate reality was that the price for freedom had been very steep. Those that remained shored up the outside of the city and began to look to their homesteads. The famines, waves of disease and political upheaval almost tore the city apart. If it was not for the guidance of the Empress and her heirs, all would have been reduced to cinder. Much of the design, focus and shape of the city, her principles and her charters are because of the royal family.

    Boasting a population of several million citizens, the primary income of the city flows in through its underground harbor. The magical locks move ships and goods up through the districts and into the shops. 

The Way of Steam. 

    Through technically the first circle, the whole of the level is beneath the ground. Huge pipes, chimney stacks and slate rooftops can be seen from the bridges which arch over the industrial heart of the city. Coal is fed into the boilers which power the city, raw materials are refined and refined. There is a great effort to retout the musky smoke through a series of pipes that can be routed out of the city and mitigate the smog around the base of the city. Much the the factories and warehouses are carved from stone and are accessed by tunnels.

The Tradeways. 

    Choked by constant throngs of peddlers, merchants and itinerate preachers either calling for repentance or the selling of one's soul. Because Newhaven has no formal place for worship or established religion, many temples and churches squatted on the cobbles between a pretty girl selling charm and a smithy forging steel. Many a man and woman has gone to the market to buy a bit of meat or some household good to witness a zealot and a harlot trying to draw in new converts. If you have something to buy or sell, the numerous bizarres, markets, shops or street side peddlers are always willing to dither over a price or offer a professional opinion

High Park, Low Park. 

    Considered to be a epitome of urban development, this area of the city houses all the low and middle class citizens. Often referred to as either High Park or Low Park, the distinction is key to the residents who live there. Low Park has dozens of small neighborhoods filled with tenant buildings, small block homes and community centers. High Park features small to medium homes, many parks and pleasure shops. There are a few hotels and small boarding houses in between the two areas of the city. Through it seems confusing to outsiders, having a home in High Park or Low Park denotes a certain kind of status. The poor want to claim High Park and the middle class want to keep them out. Over time, as the population as grown, the lines between the middle and low class neighborhoods has become blurred, essentially blending the two parts together. If you need a casual meal, some easy amenities or a new home, this is where you come. It features some ponds, modest gardens and parks scattered throughout the slums and nicer neighborhoods.

Guilded Row. 

    This extensive array of multistory buildings and leisurely streets, which languidly touches every point of interest, features all the guildhalls, universities and colleges, theaters, unions, private clubs associations and, interestingly, the house of Newhaven's City Watch. It does not shy away from boasting of it's artisan craft and beauty. Guilds show their skill and pride with all manner of displays and works of art. It is arguably one of the most peaceful and enjoyable places to take a casual stroll. Guild business, academic learning and entertainment is constantly going on beneath the towing epitaphs of the organizations which continue to leave their marks here. If you have any business to conduct, agreements to strike, connections to make or palms to grease, this is the place to make friends and influence people.

The Palazzo.

    The palatial estate of the royal family overlooks the sprawling lands around the city. Just inside the outer wall, the thick white marble walls are accentuated by guilded pillars. The interior of the four story estate is filled with a main building, stable, sprinkled with towers, and a diverse array of gardens and deep pools. Several armories and outbuildings support the servants and local guard. The interior of the palace is primarily dark oak, black gold granite and filled with artwork and tapestries. Ther are many private chambers, a ballroom, a theater and ampatheater, galleries filled with art and a large fountain. The dining rooms are fashioned after the great feasthalls of olden times. Underground tunnels, secret passages and private rooms litter the whole palace, making it a mysterious place.

    Perhaps the most iconic part of the palace is the Basilica of the Archon which is a sanctuary and diplomatic outpost for all peoples. The a beautiful angel sits atop the bronze dome, and beautiful artwork depicts the history of Newhaven from the time of the war into the modern times. Inside are various monuments, effigies and paintings telling the tales of old heroes, warriors, tinkerers and magicians who performed great acts of bravery in the dark days before Newhaven was a proper city.

    As a citizen or tourist, the Palazzo is the place to go to learn of the city's history, stand before the seat of justice and seek compensation, to file a legal complaint, to seek refuge from persecution, consult with your consulate and take in the breathtaking view; the Palazzo is a absolute must if you intend to understand the heart of Newhaven.

Outside the City

As the city has expanded in recent years, and the dangers of the Moor have been pushed back and subjugated, the nearby coast has once again began to expand outward. Many small villages, farms and roadside towns have began to sink down new roots. Many people have chosen to live in the countryside and travel into the city for work and pleasure. Any number of these towns have barely enough people to make it onto any map. But many have grown due to their location along railroads and trade routes. Mayors, magisters and squires have formed quasi governments and deal with the day to day business, referring to the monarchy on issues of law and keeping the peace.

Stonehill - A meandering little community with many shops and a good size marketplace, Stonehill is northwest of Newhaven along the coast. There are also some rather pleasant seaside villas owned by the old families.

Valbeach - a small fishing further south down along the coast on the other side of the mouth of the Serberis River. Just beyond the acidic smoke and the smell of fish are some rather pleasant seaside villas.

Meadowtown - quaint little village with a old stone church and acres of farmland, spread across the rolling plains between Horley and Newhaven.

Snowspell - Close to the Kryptwood forests in a small valley, the homes are carved out of rock and the simple shale paths twist and cut across the steep hills to the various homes. Many and gnomes and huldafolk call this place home, eeking out a meager living hearding sheep and raising other livestock.

Vertfield - A thriving suburb outside of Newhaven, the township has experienced much growth in the last few years as many middle and low class families have moved from the bustling metropolist of Newhaven in hopes of finding a simple country life. Boasting all the comforts of a burgeoning township, its a modest life with access to a good array of goods from the city and shops to support the town.

Of Law and Order

The law in Newhaven is a simple and elegant system created by a long tradition heralding back to the original lords and ladies who ruled over Newhaven. After the Maleficium was cleansed from the surrounding lands and peace was attained, the empress was dually elected and given complete authority. She refused, opting instead to give over a equal share of power and lawmaking authority to the guilds and its membership. Its rare that a person does not belong to one or more guilds. The tradition of the legal system and its culture have been established is summerized in the words over the Palace of Justice; "All Men Hang Equally In the Balance." Perhaps a bit sardonic, each man, highborn or low, has a certain right over his land and life. But no man escapes justice. Or as one historian noted, "Every man is given the same amount of rope to hang himself."

Execution by hanging is not unheard of, but normal punishment can include exile, hard labor, imprisonment, a fine, damages payable or a warning/ban which lasts a set number of days. Today, the main crimes that lead to the death penalty are murder, treason, piracy, demonology, necromancy and witchcraft. Crimes that could have the death penalty applied are sodomy, rape, theft of items worth more then 16 wealth points. Deportation seem a better method for dealing with criminals. Probably the most infamous prison is Begger's Landing in the Dalelands province. Prison sentences or a few days in the public stocks is also a common way to punish the guilty. 

Crime                                        Typical punishment

Armed robbery                                             2 years deportation

Arson                                                             6 years detention

Blackmail                                           1 wealth fine or 3 months detention

Bribery                                              10 wealth fine or 3 months detention

Demonology                                             Death by public hanging

Disturbing the peace                             1 wealth fine or 1 week detention

Fraud                                                         10 wealth fine or 1 year detention

Grand theft (more than 5 shillings)                 1 year deportation

Kidnap                                                             2 years deportation

Manslaughter                                         £5 fine or 6 months detention

Murder                                                         Death by public hanging

Necromancy                                                Death by public hanging

Obstructing the law                                         6 weeks detention

Petty theft                                                 6 wealth fine or 6 week s detention

Piracy                                                             Death by public hanging

Private Unlicensed Spell Use                                    20 wealth fine

Public Unlicensed Spell Use, no harm                       50 wealth fine

Public Unlicensed Spell Use, minor damage         100 fine + reparations

Public Unlicensed Spell Use, major damage         500 fine + reparations, revocation of 

                                                                                license for 1 year and possible imprisonment

Rape                                                                 12 wealth fine or 3 months detention*

Treason                                                                   Death by public hanging

Vandalism                                                             6 wealth fine or 6 week s detention

Of Culture and Fashion

The Classes

The class system has existed beyond memory and time. To understand the depth of the culture one must understand the classist mentality. While some regions of the wider world believe in monarchies, and some practice a egalitarian view of the world, among most civilized cultures there are three generally recoginzed classes; upper, middle and lower. In theory there is social mobility. A pauper might earn himself distinction as a military man and gain a higher status then he was born. A man or woman might come into great wealth or even be titled or gain a nighthood, just as easy as a accountant or teacher might lose their situation or a asitocrat might be stripped of their position. But on the whole, class is much more then wealth or title; it is a matter of breeding. A person's "subspecies" plays a role in one's breeding. Being a upper class eldren is the more ideal then a upper class human. But a orgre, for instance, will only ever be grudgingly tolerated in polite society. Eldren, for this reason, often feel superior to all others despite their station in society.

As you can see, it is the the longest memory that pervades over what people remember. The Eldren have for decades dictated the latest fashion trends, established standards of etiquette and immortalized  the ideal of nobility and the upper class. Close on their heels are the Gnomes who have commanded a certain presence among the most pervasive nightlife. Dwarves, if not for their pride and stubbornness, would easily outdo the gnomes if they did not cling to the past with a deathgrip. The upper class is typically made up of the aristocracy, most commonly populated by Eldren and Humans. The aristocracy makes the nation work by providing the funds from their ancestral homes to drive government, providing officers for the military, filling out the upper ranks of the church, and sponsoring expeditions of discovery, as well as many growing industries. The aristocrats, the gentry (or the Quality) don't work; they make their money by investments, rent from their lands and the ownership of real property. They often indulge in hobbies or charities as a passtime. Often they the aristocracy is groomed to fill places inside influential guilds, seats in government, manage the family business, take a commission in the army, and if all else fails, join the clergy.

While some see the position of women in society changing as a bad thing, there is a certain faction who see its benefits. Many still fill the role of polite women, raising families and host parties, while managing the affairs of their familial estate under the headship of their husbands. Thouse women who show aetheric gifts are often granted limited inclusion into the Consortium of Hermetic Guilds, much to the relief of their father's who would like their daughters to learn how to control their gifts instead of burn the house down.

Most of the gentry hold titles as well, inherited by their father's father, fashioning themselves as barons, lords and ladies, Sirs and Dames. Nighthoods are earned by heroic acts and granted by the aristocracies. For those ladies and gentlemen who have little chance of inheriting a title, can pursue a profession, although a true member of the gentry would never think of stooping to actual manual labor. As industry has flourished the lines have blurred as being a engineer is now thought of as a respectable profession.

The Bourgeoisie, the "town dweller", or middle class tends to occupy that space between starvation and a inconsequential life. Though many lead respectable lives, many perfer the mundane lifstyle of the working class. Filled in the lower ranks with clergy, military officers, bureaucrats, educated professionals, lawyers and physicians; the heart of the middle class is made up of those who have a decent education, such as bankers, factory owners, journalists, merchants, police inspectors and hermaticists.

Women of the middle class are expected to marry and produce an heir as soon as possible, just like those of the upper classes. A woman is also often responsible for the house and home accounts. Some young women hold positions as clerks and secretaries, but the common view of the bourgeoisie is that it is brutal to make a woman work in such a manner. Women find it very hard to be taken seriously at running their own business, unless it is considered ‘appropriate,’ such as shop-keeping or dressmaking (one major exception is a Guild hermeticist - everyone takes her seriously). However, those who are successful earn the respect they deserve eventually, and female technologists often surprise their male counterparts with their ingenuity.

The Working Class, or the Proletariat, comprises roughtly three-quarters of the the population and is  the backbone of the industry, no matter how much the Upper Class wishes to pretend the lower class does not exist. The lower class has little to no education and generally do all the manual labor. House servants, day laborers, grunts and agriculturer workers fill the lower class from top to bottom, some barely scraping by while others live as comfortably if they can gain a minor role as a foreman or manager in a factory or in a mine. Skilled artisans and labourers, such as bakers, carpenters, dressmakers, nurses, and cunning folk fare somewhat better and are towards the high end of the lower class, as their families could afford to get them an education rather than put them to work. This expertise, coupled with business acumen, enables skilled workers to ascend into the middle class on occasion.

Etiquette and Fashion

The aristocracy sets the standards for etiquette and fashion; the bourgeoisie apes them as best they can through the reading of etiquette books and magazine articles. The lower class generally wears what is comfortable and convenient; when they do dress ‘well,’ they generally lag behind by purchasing clothes through second and third-hand shops.

As much of the upper class is Eldren, fashionable trends can remain long after they’ve become outdated amongst the slower-lived races. For such nobles, of course, these unfashionable choices are hand-waved – it’s simply considered Eldren eccentricity. The middle class The middle class strives hard to copy the upper class, and their balls and parties can be just as extravagant, if not more so, than their betters.

Clothing 

The new season has seen a the inclusion of the bustle, leaving the front and sides more clsoely draped to the legs. The "Crinolette" is proving quite popular. Evening gowns are still primarily off the shoulder with short sleeves. Day dresses typically include a short jacket and ladies’ hat. Ladies also generally carry a parasol and fan.

Due to the influence of female soldiers tea gowns and the so-called ‘artistic dress’ are becoming respectable outside of the most

formal occasions. Women can even get away  with trousers if safer for their occupation or whilst on expedition, but never for social calls.

For middle and upper class men, the frock coat and top hat remain ubiquitous, although the bowler is winding its way up through the lower and middle classes. A walking cane is a must and many gentlemen augment their canes for selfdefence. The working class favour shorter jackets to frock coats, when they wear them at all. Unfortunately for Ogres, second hand clothing in their size is difficult to come by.

Guild dress is popular amongst hermeticists. The shirt is looser and with wide sleeves, leaving the arms freer in order to better manipulate magic. For daywear, a hermeticist may not even wear a jacket at all, preferring a simple waistcoat and matching cloak. Such attire is rarely suitable for evening wear, leading to ‘Guild threading,’ a process in which a tailor only loosely stitches coat sleeves at the shoulders, allowing the hermeticist to easily tear them away, if required.

Finally, you may notice several gentlemen with goggles wrapped around their hats and rather ornate and even mechanical handles on their canes. Straddling the line

between middle and upper class, the gentry, whilst having access to magic, don’t have the deep pockets of their betters and have decided to live in the luxury technology offers rather than scrape by with the barest enchantment, no matter how proper society frowns upon it. Many such ladies and gentlemen sport their marvels proudly on the street, garnering the envy of the lower classes, while leaving them at home when attending proper societal functions.

Afternoon Tea

Never ask; the hostess offers. Ladies should not request more than one sugar; gentlemen should always have two. Afternoon tea is considered primarily a female function (as a man is usually about his business at such times). Most males of the period view attending the ritual with dread. Often, it is the only time in which women (especially married women) have the freedom to do as they please. For well-heeled adventurers, it can be a good place to catch up on society gossip and, more importantly, find out who is doing what to (or with) whom!

Calling Cards

You have a distinct advantage in getting into high society as I am making your introduction, otherwise you would have had to leave your card at the door of the first available function and pray that the host requested a visit from you. This is usually in the form of afternoon tea, of which we shall certainly be hosting and attending our fair share over the course of the Season! Gentlemen, of course, tend to make their introductions at an appropriate gentleman’s club. It is considered a great insult, even scandalous, to be ‘refused at the door’ of any social gathering.

Of Entertainment and Business

The Art Gallery

Artists of all stripes used to rely on finding a patron in order to make a living at their art. With the rise of the art dealer it is becoming easier for artists to find such benefactors. Most recently, the culmination of the collaboration of artist and art dealer is the art gallery. Art galleries display the works of painters and sculptors. Some art dealers incorporate magic into these displays in order to make the experience more exciting, and several artists even incorporate magic into their works (one enterprising artist bound spirits in his pastoral painting in order to have animated characters; unfortunately someone allowed the spirits to escape and they terrorised the patrons with practical jokes before fleeing).

The Ballet

The ballet is a popular entertainment for the wealthy, and is among the most expensive. There is only one specialised ballet house in Newhaven: the Royal Ballet. The Royal Ballet Company is attached to the royal premises, and delights audiences every season with its performances. Travelling ballet companies also make appearances at the Royal. 

The Baths

Twenty-first century style swimming pools are rare. Bathhouses proliferate, containing sauna rooms, hot pools, massage and baths. Taking a bath is considered to be an invigorating event.

The Cinematograph

While true moving pictures are not available, photography itself is both popular and advancing swiftly. The cinematograph is a vulgar entertainment and a frequent haunt of both the working classes and photography enthusiasts. Little more than an enhanced slideshow, cinematograph slides can be of diverse subject material. Slideshows range from news to portraits, and artists’ prints are used as often as photo technology in the production of a slide. The magic lantern effects are used in more civilized company to create ‘phantasmagorias.’ These magic lantern shows send pictures of ghosts, witches and demons marching across the walls of darkened rooms to the delight and terror of the audience. The church detests these exhibitions, believing they are at best ill-advised and at worst may even conjure evils spirits or release demons. As you’d expect, this has made them even more popular.

The Gin Palace

The gin palace is a cheap and dirty public house, and the exclusive haunt of the working classes. Gin palaces sell only spirits, never beer. Spirits on sale are usually gin and rum, both cheap intoxicants. The gin palace is usually a ramshackle building, rented as cheaply as possible.

The Hunt

In rural areas, the foxhunt is a primary social occasion with the upper and selected middle class citizens joining in the pursuit of some unsuspecting animal. The hunt is not an entertainment that may be visited at will; one must be invited to participate. A few odd traditions and rituals surround foxhunting, many of which might have occult significance. The pursuit of other larger creatures of myth and lore are entertained as a lively passtime, though rarely are these pursuits rewarded with a kill.

The Music Hall

A working class entertainment, the music hall provides theatrical drama, farce, song, comedy and dance for the working man. Performances are often of a poor standard, sometimes amateur. Rather than being one single show, a music hall performance is made up of several short acts (‘turns’) by a variety of performers. The most popular ones return to perform other things from their repertoire as the evening progresses. The evening is compered by a ‘chairman’ who introduces each act and fills the time during any setting up an act requires. Music hall performers are poorly paid and usually working class themselves. They often have vast ‘theatrical stamina’, having to perform their act several times a night (sometimes in multiple theatres) to make ends meet. Somewhat unfairly, art critics do not rate the music hall performance among genuine artistic pursuits.

Even with magic as a real force in Faerun, people still delight in seeing the performances of stage magicians. However, worried that it may ‘cheapen the art,’ the Guild forbade its members from performing tricks for a paying public. They send agents to the performances of stage magicians to ensure they are not using real magic to impress the crowd. However, a test case has recently

reminded the Guild how little control it really has. Convinced that a particular magician from the North called Edwardo Norvich was a real magician, they attempted to ban his amazing performances. He argued in court that he couldn’t announce to anyone how he did his tricks and if the Guild couldn’t either, that wasn’t his problem. When the Guild protested he calmly said: ‘Is it right to demand my secrets without showing me your own?’ which ended the matter for the jury. While Norvich won his case, it only made relations with the Guild even worse. A showdown between the sorcerers and the illusionists is now inevitable.

The Opera

The opera house is specially built for harmonic performance. Whether the expense of design (and subsequently of admission) is justified by any difference in sound quality is not immediately apparent to the untrained ear. Many operas are performed in theatres; only the most lavish are performed in specialised opera houses.

The Prize Fight

Bare-knuckle boxing is illegal, but prize-fighters often find an audience from all classes ready to wager on their gladiatorial pugilism. The usual venue is the back room of a public house or a derelict courtyard. The fighters brawl until one falls and stays down. Bookmakers promote a great deal of corruption in these events, giving handsome purses to fighters willing to take a fall in the bookie’s favour.

The Public House

The public house is actually an extension of the coach house. Coach houses were the inevitable destination of any rural worker who enjoyed and could afford alcohol. Public houses have started to

become common in the poorer districts of towns. A public house is officially open to any member of the public who desires its services; often it provides a communal meeting place for a neighbourhood. In reality, many public houses are dens of organised crime, prostitution and unlicensed gambling. Public houses are not the exclusive province of the working class ruffian, but the coarse few control the many in such places, and they are to be avoided by a gentleman with no desire for violence or contempt.

The Races

Gambling is beloved by many, and all who can afford the travel and admittance attend the frequent race meetings. Most counties have weekly races, with a major event each month. Nationally, the two major race meetings are the Grand National, an international contest, and the Aston Air Races, an exclusively high society event. Most race meetings are for horse racing, although many wealthy individuals hold wyvern races. Wyvern races are usually held on the same course as a horse race. Flagpoles are erected at regular intervals around the course and during the race the beasts and riders slalom around these obstacles at a height of 2-10 yards. Wyvern racing is an expensive pastime, both in terms of participation and observation.

The Theatre

The theatre is the centre of drama, comedy and often opera for the middle and upper classes. The working class love theatre too, but mostly as a form of employment rather than entertainment. Newhaven is littered with theatres, some grand, others little more than music halls. Victorian theatre can often be a far more raucous affair than in the modern age, depending on the patrons. Many patrons do their best to get back stage after a performance to gain the attentions of the actresses, in the hope they may also be free with their favours. As theatre is a night-time affair, many theatricals pursue a vigorous nightlife that outsiders enjoy tagging along for.

While electric lighting is yet to become widespread, gaslights and ‘limelights’ illuminate the stage. Limelights produce a powerful light and are used as spotlights, but have a remarkable tendency to explode on the operator. The most advanced theatres can employ Guild mages to provide special effects. Those theatres that can’t afford such luxuries might spare a few extra pennies for a back stage hand that turns out to be a true conjurer. However, many impressive theatrical effects can be achieved without the aid of sorcery.

The Gentleman’s Club

Every major city of England is littered with several clubs of this sort. In such an establishment, a gentleman may drink, socialise and pass the time with reading or indoor games such as cards, snooker or billiards. Many clubs have rigorous criteria for membership, leading to a high degree of snobbery when discussing who belongs to which club.

Usually, the club is an entire building. There is usually no bar as such; a steward takes orders for drink s or food, which are then delivered. Since in a gentleman’s establishment no money changes hands within the walls, all expenses are billed and settled by invoice.

A committee of gentlemen voted from the rank s by the other members conducts the business decisions of a club. To be barred from a club is a mark of great shame for a gentleman, as it invariably means being effectively divorced from his peers. Barring offences include: not paying the bill, disrupting other members, ungentlemanly conduct in or outside the club, becoming bankrupt or losing one’s class position.

Drink

Alcohol is perhaps the most common vice. It is easily obtainable by all the social classes; the middle and upper classes have at least a few bottles of wine and other spirits in their homes, whilst alcohol is readily available in public houses, restaurants and clubs. Almost any social affair requires the presence of alcohol.

Public houses are regulated to only serve alcohol between 11am and 11pm, but you should be aware that these laws are rarely enforced. Clubs and hotels aren’t regulated at all, given their status as private property.

Women of all classes are as likely to drink as men. For the upper and middle classes, alcoholism is just as common in both sexes, although it is usually a very private affair. Lower class women are as likely to be seen drinking gin in public houses as their men.

Drugs and Opium Dens

Drug abuse is an unregulated and dangerous vice. The availability of drugs is wide, but their circulation is limited by expense. By far the most common drug is opium, imported from the Southern kingdoms and the Emperites; heroin and cocaine are also quite readily available to the wealthy. The poor districts are the common areas in which to find ‘opium dens,’ as foreign ghettoes often have to cater for vice, since prejudice from native employers makes it difficult to find honest work. Medical science is aware of the detrimental effects of such drugs, but most objections to their use derive from moral, rather than scientific, grounds. Indeed, non-Guild medical doctors have a tendency to prescribe laudanum (an opium derivative) as a ‘magic bullet’ which cures all ills.

Opium dens are always small, ramshackle affairs, hidden away in slum attics or under disused warehouses. It is to these places that those addicted to the black smoke go to satisfy their addiction, and continue their descent into madness. Although not technically illegal, the police (as defenders of society, not the public) often raid them when revealed. Upon entry and after paying the standard charge of a shilling, the addict is allocated a couch or floor space and given a pipe of opium with which to escape the world. Many opium dens are notorious murder pits, where the unsuspecting can find their throats slit while intoxicated and defenceless.

Of Holidays and Festivals

(coming soon)