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The Great Burrow
Overview
The Great Burrow is a large (relatively speaking) subterranean city populated by mice, rats, reptiles, and other manner of small creatures that have, somehow, acquired human-like intelligence. It has grown over hundreds of generations to be a bustling city with strong commerce and distinctive culture. It is surrounded by an expansive network of tunnels and caverns that are still being mapped. However, the further one gets from the center of the city, the more dark and menacing the environment becomes.
Demographic
Mice are the predominant species in the Great Burrow and make up the majority of government and civilian ranks. The Royal Family are all mice and are the ultimate authority on city/kingdom affairs. However, other species are present and welcome in the city. There is no official segregation between different species, though many prefer to live in their own communities due to different species needs. While some degree of discrimination will be present in any society, overall most citizens do not care about species so long as one is kind and useful to the burrow.
Exceptions do exist, and large predators are often viewed with fear by the general population. Predatory actions are, of course, prohibited between citizens and, officially, species that naturally prey on others are not outright banned so long as they obey the law. In reality, large predators are not generally welcome in certain neighborhoods and tend to have quieter lives on the outskirts or in their own sections of the city.
Exceptions do exist, and large predators are often viewed with fear by the general population. Predatory actions are, of course, prohibited between citizens and, officially, species that naturally prey on others are not outright banned so long as they obey the law. In reality, large predators are not generally welcome in certain neighborhoods and tend to have quieter lives on the outskirts or in their own sections of the city.
Architecture
The Great Burrow sits in a large underground cavern allowing the construction of large shelters within it. Construction is primarily done with earth and clay, but technological advancements have allowed the production of metal, stonework, and in rare cases timber (most often from deep roots). Outside of the main cavern, most structures are built into the walls of caverns and tunnels, forming small sub-burrows as individual homes. Many of these interconnect and it is not unusual for communities to be more of an interconnected series of rooms than individual domiciles.
Points of Interest
The Central Warren is the large, main cavern that holds the majority of the city. It is high enough to accommodate the towers of the Royal Palace and the taller buildings built up from the cavern floor. It is large enough that flighted species can move about freely in the air. At its apex is a great, glowing crystal which supplies light and heat to the city. The light from this crystal never extinguishes, but it does dim at 12 hour intervals, mimicking the sunlight far above. There are numerous smaller variants of this crystal that serve as light sources in homes and outlying tunnels, but the Sunrock (as it is called locally) is the largest known single piece.
The Royal Palace houses the Royal Family along with the top government officials and aristocracy. It is constructed of a mixture of earth, metal, stone, and rootwood. It sits elevated above most of the rest of the city, and is nearest the Sunrock.
The direction of the Royal Palace from the Sunrock sets City-North for underground navigation.
The Sloshway is a subterranean river that borders one edge of the Great Burrow. This supplies fresh water to the city and allows travel up and down its waters. The current makes upriver travel difficult, but not impossible. Traversing the Shoshway beyond the city bounds is not recommended, for the currents become tumultuous, the route torturous, and the pathway very dark indeed.
The Wall of Stopping lies a thousand mouse-paces City-East of the Great Burrow. It is an apparently infinite flat wall of smooth gray stone that extends City-North, City-South, Up, and Down. Attempts to dig through the wall are slow and without apparent merit, as there does not seem to be any end to the plain, gray material. The stone can be used to make crude weapons or art, and is regularly mined. Expansion beyond this wall has been deemed a futile pursuit.
The Skittering Tunnels are a general term for the tightly wound burrows Down and City South from the Great Burrow. They are nearly impossible to police due to their complexity, and as such are a natural home for black markets and other shady dealings. They have a large arthropod and predator population, and prey species are strictly warned against traveling here. If a mouse were to go missing in the Skittering Tunnels it would be almost impossible to find them, or to determine what went wrong. The predators here are notably well-nourished.
The Soul Stone lies in the deepest and most central part of the Royal Palace. It is a large, perfectly smooth, grey sphere. One feels a tingling sensation as one draws near, and may hear a mixture of music, indistinct voices, or other sounds. The Soul Stone is the source of all intelligence in society and is worshipped and revered as a deity, or an object of the divine. While several shrines and offerings to the stone exist throughout the Great Burrow, almost no one is permitted to visit the true object itself. There is fear that if the Soul Stone is tampered with, or angered, that civilization will collapse.
Once gifted with a Mind by the Soul Stone, no creature has ever lost it, regardless of how far they venture. However, it is not known if the gift is truly permanent, or if one has simply not travelled far enough or been gone long enough to lose the gift. Descendants of the Minded will have Minds themselves.
The gifting of minds appears to be proximity based, and the bounds of society are loosely associated with this. The untamed wilds, with mindless creatures, are dangerous and exist beyond this boundary.
The Royal Palace houses the Royal Family along with the top government officials and aristocracy. It is constructed of a mixture of earth, metal, stone, and rootwood. It sits elevated above most of the rest of the city, and is nearest the Sunrock.
The direction of the Royal Palace from the Sunrock sets City-North for underground navigation.
The Sloshway is a subterranean river that borders one edge of the Great Burrow. This supplies fresh water to the city and allows travel up and down its waters. The current makes upriver travel difficult, but not impossible. Traversing the Shoshway beyond the city bounds is not recommended, for the currents become tumultuous, the route torturous, and the pathway very dark indeed.
The Wall of Stopping lies a thousand mouse-paces City-East of the Great Burrow. It is an apparently infinite flat wall of smooth gray stone that extends City-North, City-South, Up, and Down. Attempts to dig through the wall are slow and without apparent merit, as there does not seem to be any end to the plain, gray material. The stone can be used to make crude weapons or art, and is regularly mined. Expansion beyond this wall has been deemed a futile pursuit.
The Skittering Tunnels are a general term for the tightly wound burrows Down and City South from the Great Burrow. They are nearly impossible to police due to their complexity, and as such are a natural home for black markets and other shady dealings. They have a large arthropod and predator population, and prey species are strictly warned against traveling here. If a mouse were to go missing in the Skittering Tunnels it would be almost impossible to find them, or to determine what went wrong. The predators here are notably well-nourished.
The Soul Stone lies in the deepest and most central part of the Royal Palace. It is a large, perfectly smooth, grey sphere. One feels a tingling sensation as one draws near, and may hear a mixture of music, indistinct voices, or other sounds. The Soul Stone is the source of all intelligence in society and is worshipped and revered as a deity, or an object of the divine. While several shrines and offerings to the stone exist throughout the Great Burrow, almost no one is permitted to visit the true object itself. There is fear that if the Soul Stone is tampered with, or angered, that civilization will collapse.
Once gifted with a Mind by the Soul Stone, no creature has ever lost it, regardless of how far they venture. However, it is not known if the gift is truly permanent, or if one has simply not travelled far enough or been gone long enough to lose the gift. Descendants of the Minded will have Minds themselves.
The gifting of minds appears to be proximity based, and the bounds of society are loosely associated with this. The untamed wilds, with mindless creatures, are dangerous and exist beyond this boundary.
History
As legend states, the great burrow was founded when the first King discovered the Soul Stone. It gifted him (or her, depending on translation) a Mind. He led others to the Stone, and they too were gifted with Minds. From here the Great Burrow was formed, with the Royal Palace being built around the Soul Stone and the settlement expanding into the Central Warren under the light of the Sunrock.
The Great Burrow became a haven in an otherwise uncivilized underground realm, with those creatures venturing near being also gifted with Minds. Numerous species moved in, first other mice, then rats, then other mammals and reptiles. Soon invertebrates were gifted minds, and they moved in as well.
Predator-prey species were permitted, with the understanding that no hunting could be performed between citizens. Predators were allowed to find their food in other ways, the methods of which were left unspecified. So long as they did not endanger citizens, the crown turned a blind eye to how they were being fed. Predators are uniquely suited for city protection, construction, and other tasks, and excluding them would be unwise.
As the population expanded and the numbers of species grew, it became clear that a single ruling family of mice would not be sufficient to meet the needs of the populace. To ensure all needs were being met, a ruling council was formed with representative from each of the major sects: Intracity Commerce, Import-Export, Military Defense, Intracity Police, and Citizen Representatives of most major districts. The council is overseen by the King and Queen who have ultimate authority, but are required to acquiesce to a majority council decision in most cases. While the council cannot officially overrule the monarchs, they have enough practical power and public support to where the monarchs would be unwise to stray too far from their guidance.
Over countless generations the Great Burrow grew into an organized and prosperous society. Its primary goals are continued expansion and exploration through the Uncharted Dirt.
The Great Burrow has not avoided conflict, and still does defend itself against the incursion of Mindless predators and some Minded would-be invaders. Luckily, most Minded individuals would rather join the society and reap its benefits of shelter, food, and warmth. Nevertheless, the number of Minded creatures increases daily, and there will inevitably be those whose ambition outweighs their compassion.
The Great Burrow became a haven in an otherwise uncivilized underground realm, with those creatures venturing near being also gifted with Minds. Numerous species moved in, first other mice, then rats, then other mammals and reptiles. Soon invertebrates were gifted minds, and they moved in as well.
Predator-prey species were permitted, with the understanding that no hunting could be performed between citizens. Predators were allowed to find their food in other ways, the methods of which were left unspecified. So long as they did not endanger citizens, the crown turned a blind eye to how they were being fed. Predators are uniquely suited for city protection, construction, and other tasks, and excluding them would be unwise.
As the population expanded and the numbers of species grew, it became clear that a single ruling family of mice would not be sufficient to meet the needs of the populace. To ensure all needs were being met, a ruling council was formed with representative from each of the major sects: Intracity Commerce, Import-Export, Military Defense, Intracity Police, and Citizen Representatives of most major districts. The council is overseen by the King and Queen who have ultimate authority, but are required to acquiesce to a majority council decision in most cases. While the council cannot officially overrule the monarchs, they have enough practical power and public support to where the monarchs would be unwise to stray too far from their guidance.
Over countless generations the Great Burrow grew into an organized and prosperous society. Its primary goals are continued expansion and exploration through the Uncharted Dirt.
The Great Burrow has not avoided conflict, and still does defend itself against the incursion of Mindless predators and some Minded would-be invaders. Luckily, most Minded individuals would rather join the society and reap its benefits of shelter, food, and warmth. Nevertheless, the number of Minded creatures increases daily, and there will inevitably be those whose ambition outweighs their compassion.
Current Notable Officials
King and Queen Musculus - Ruling pair sharing equal authority. Each may make independent decisions that carry the same weight. The royal family currently has 38 children.
Counselor Dirtlily - Mouse, Representative of the Flower District. Primarily populated by upper-class mice and artisans.
Counselor Silkstep - A large yellow and black spider, Representative of Intracity Commerce and Trade. She has overseen an unprecedented period of growth and wealth of the Great Burrow.
Counselor Shorttail - A stocky rat with a half-amputated tail. Military General and advisor.
Counselor Wrinkleberry - An ancient mouse who acts as the city's historian. He is nearly hairless, fully blind, and missing most of his teeth. Time is measured differently underground than on the surface, but by Arethil standards he is nearly four years old. An eternity for a mouse.
Other Councellors to-be-named.
Culture
Art
Cuisine
Events
Religion
The Soul Stone serves as the city's primary spiritual and religious object. Its gifting of a mind to the First King is the pivotal event of the Great Burrow's founding. The First King himself (or herself) is seen as a religious figure as well, being the first emissary of the Stone and beginning civilization. His/her descendants, the Royal Family, are at the top of the spiritual ladder, carrying on the Stone’s “chosen” bloodline. There are numerous shrines to the stone, ranging from large temples to small in-home displays. Intelligence and using one's mind and skills for the betterment of civilization is a central tenant of spiritual beliefs, and scholars are particularly highly regarded. They are seen as utilizing the Stone's gifts in the most pure form. Nevertheless, any intellectual or skilled pursuit is highly regarded. Even those in "unskilled" jobs often have hobbies or other intellectual or artistic pursuits that they explore.
This is the religious view shared by mice and most other denizens of the Great Burrow. Being mouse-centric, however, some of the city’s later additions, such as arthropods and reptiles, focus more on the stone itself and less on the royal family.
Jaspereye’s Heresy
There is one sect within the burrow that is only spoken of in hushed tones, and referred to as heresy. Jaspereye is a large serpent who claims to have been present since before the city’s founding. He claims that the First King was not the first to contact the stone, and that the gift of Minds was given to all creatures simultaneously. This viewpoint significantly alters the theology of most of mouse-kind and questions the legitimacy of the royal family. Naturally, it is not permitted to preach such dangerous heresy against the Stone or royal family.
Jaspereye lives outside of the Burrow, deep, deep within the Skittering Tunnels. His followers are listed as one of the primary threats to rule of law in the Burrow.
This is the religious view shared by mice and most other denizens of the Great Burrow. Being mouse-centric, however, some of the city’s later additions, such as arthropods and reptiles, focus more on the stone itself and less on the royal family.
Jaspereye’s Heresy
There is one sect within the burrow that is only spoken of in hushed tones, and referred to as heresy. Jaspereye is a large serpent who claims to have been present since before the city’s founding. He claims that the First King was not the first to contact the stone, and that the gift of Minds was given to all creatures simultaneously. This viewpoint significantly alters the theology of most of mouse-kind and questions the legitimacy of the royal family. Naturally, it is not permitted to preach such dangerous heresy against the Stone or royal family.
Jaspereye lives outside of the Burrow, deep, deep within the Skittering Tunnels. His followers are listed as one of the primary threats to rule of law in the Burrow.