Xanadu City

All roads and magtrain links meet at Xanadu City, spanning the glittering expanse of Sapphire Bay to reach the jewel of the Central Basins. On a world where water is scarce and valuable, the crystal lake that surrounds this verdant island city is a good indicator of what Xanadu City represents. It is the vital link between Xanadu and space; the seat of government, the heart of the colony and the center of commerce, technology and power on Xanadu. Yet it also stands apart from the rest of the colony. There are no other cities like Xanadu City in the basins; even the largest and most populous towns don’t come close. The lifestyle of the capitol stands in stark contrast to the way most people in the Central Basins must live, and this has made it a breeding ground for corruption and political infighting. It is both the jewel at the center and the rot at the heart of the Xanadian Planetary Government.

Scene: The shimmering reflections of skyscrapers and high-rises, mirrored in the waters of the Sapphire Bay. The distant silhouette of weather generators across the bay, pumping out clouds of water vapour. The financial district at midday, glass-fronted buildings that resemble twisted sculptures reflecting blinding light from the desert sun. A busy city street strung from end-to-end with awnings to keep out the desert heat. A public-access street terminal plastered with stickers and AFF propaganda.

Landmarks

Eden Park. A lush green park with fountains and gardens - a true oasis that always figures prominently whenever a serial or documentary features Xanadu City, or whenever a big public event is taking place. Although it is undoubtedly a tourist attraction and a waste of water, the park also serves as an ecological reserve. It’s home to dozens of Terran organisms that have yet to be successfully introduced elsewhere in Xanadu.

The Sheets. A large marketplace protected from the desert sun by veils and sheets that billow in the wind, instead of awnings stretched overhead. Individual shops come and go with each passing day and their boundaries are not marked out by walls, just cloth - a tradition from the first days of the colony, but also handy for those who need to make a quick getaway or conduct business in private.

The Crater. A famous bar built from the wreckage of a crashed Foundation ship, with parts and pieces worked into the decor in various ways. A popular watering hole for disenfranchised veterans, AFF firebrands, and anyone with a chip on their shoulder against the Foundation.

Frost Baths. A popular franchise found throughout Xanadu City, and in a few of Xanadu’s other settlements as well. They’re basically refrigerated bathhouses where people can relax and get away from the desert heat: the air hangs heavy with freezing fog, but the waters themselves are heated.

Xanadu City University. The most prestigious educational institution on the planet, where the next generation of ecosystem designers and hydroponic specialists are being trained up. It’s hard to get grants for anything that isn’t related to the terraforming initiative, which leads to a lot of frustrated academics looking for less official sources of funding.

Saddle Isle. A tiny artificial island off the shore of the city in the Sapphire Bay, connected to it by a single bridge with security checkpoints. The entire island is owned privately by the eccentric billionaire Raymond Faust, and is dedicated to his private mansion and to the extensive research complexes where his scientists pursue the mysteries of artificial intelligence.

Notables

Mayor Slade Vaughn. The charismatic, prolific mayor of Xanadu City and a familiar face from newsfeeds and videoscreens. His extraordinarily long tenure is partly thanks to genuine charisma, but also to a web of shady connections and donors that keep him ahead of other candidates. He has been in bed with the Anti-Foundation Front for decades, but the rumours that swirl around him have never turned into anything concrete. (Articulate, Superficial, Energetic)

Raymond Faust. An eccentric billionaire who is obsessed with creating general AI; not because he’s a true believer in the singularity, but because he wants to restore the loved ones he has lost. Claims to be descended from “the” Faustus and believes himself to be continuing his work in dealing with demons, but that’s almost certainly mythmaking. (Obsessive, Thoughtless, Lonely)

Cam Chen. A military veteran whose legs have been totally replaced by cybernetic prosthetics, who now tends the bar at the Crater. He still has lots of connections in the Xanadian Military, and is part of a so-called “veteran outreach” group that sells military hardware to ex-soldiers who have become bounty hunters or private mercenaries. Doesn’t sell to people he doesn’t know. (Jazzy, Mischievious, Poetic)

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