Pearball - halfling asteroid

For the unique ship challenge, I described the swanship "Grey
Feather." Paul Westermeyer asked for details about the farming the
asteroid that it belongs to. Its not a very exciting place as is, but
I put a dungeon on the "backside" that the locals wanted help clearing
out.

Pearball

Physical description: An asteroid about 2 miles long, 1.5 miles wide,
and 0.5 miles thick. It has a rocky core but is covered in soil. It
rotates around its long axis once every 9.5 hours. Pearball was
originally covered in thickets of woody brush, which still covers much
of the backside and the topside far from the "Beach".  Now, level
areas are being planted with crops (pipeweed, grains, vegetables, and
berries) and the steeper areas are becoming grazing areas (for sheep
and goats).

Weather: This is highly dependent on the GM's view of weather in
asteroid fields. IMC, Pearball is located in Greyspace's Grinder,
where it is pelted randomly by small water and ice bodies, producing
random showers and flurries (1 in 6 chance every 9.5 hours, roll 1d6:
1-2 light drizzle, 3-4 brief downpour, 5 flurry, 6 2d6" snow). The
temperature is a moderate 55-80 F, so snow melts quickly. The water
flows into small brooks and to the gravity plane, producing some
waterfalls off of the cliffs, and then out of the air envelope across
the gravity plane through tentacle like streams.

Population: About 240 halflings. They recently colonized this asteroid
and are still expanding to fill it out. Much work is needed to tame
the native vegetation and terrain, but halflings always make time to
not work too hard. Their general goals are to develop this rock as a
safe, happy, and prosperous community. 

Non-threatening outsiders are welcome to visit, although non-halflings
who want to settle will feel subtle pressure to move on. The
inhabitants have a somewhat lax attitude towards military matters,
trusting in other protectors. There are guard duty assignments and
monthly militia meetings, but they tend to be informal and
undisciplined.  If there is an actual attack on Pearball, it will
first be met by a spirited but disorganized wave of the militia. If
this is repulsed, the halfling will fall back to sniping and guerilla
tactics, using their thorough knowledge of the terrain.

Their nominal leaders are the wife and husband team of Ardali (C7 of
Yondalla) and Olo (see "Grey Feather"). However, all major decisions,
including any use of community property like the swanship, must be
approved by a majority of adults attending a community meeting. Taxes
are collected on the basis of each individuals ability to pay, with
peer pressure dealing with those who are reluctant. Cash coins are
scarce on Pearball; barter is the rule.

IMC, Pearball pays taxes to the Rock of Bral, and a Bral navy patrol
vessel makes weekly stops at Pearball. The sailors look forward to
sampling slices of excellent goat cheese and bowls of superb pipeweed
during these visits. 

ascii drawing:

 TOP VIEW(topside)                 SIDE VIEW
  /-----                               A
 /      \                           __---__   topside
/        --\                       /       \X___
|  A  X    E     gravity plane---  |||||||  ____E   ---
|        --/                       \__   __/
 \      /                             ---    backside
  \-----

Key:
A = Watch tower: 30' high stone tower, armed with medium ballista,
typically staffed by 2-8 halflings. There is a large signal bell.

||| = cliffs, extending 60' to 360' above the gravity plane.

X = Town: A warren of tidy underground homes, many interconnected.
There are several agricultural barns and sheds. There is also an open
air ampitheater with wooden benches and a stone dais, for public
meetings and entertainments. A 40' wooden bell tower holds 4 large
bells for alarms, calling assemblies, etc.

E = "The Beach": A sandy area where the ground gently slopes to meet
the gravity plane. A sturdy shelf of rock under the sand prevents
falling through the sand. There is a dock here with room for the "Grey
Feather" and one other ship (of less than 80 tons). There are
specially built cranes and chutes here for moving livestock and 
equipment across the asteroids gravity plane. And there is the
"bobbing hole", where a fence extends out in a loop from the beach,
enclosing an 80' x 80' area of gravity plane. The halfling children
love to come here and play while bobbing back and forth through the
air.
 There are usually are around a dozen halflings working, playing, or
just hanging around at the Beach, sometimes many more. At all times
there is one appointed "Dockmaster" who directs traffic and keeps an
eye on things. He or she is the one authorized to use the signal bell
when a ship docks or if danger is present.

Peter.Mikelsons@????????.edu
      http://hep-www.Colorado.EDU/~mikelson/
             Grad. Student, Physics, University of Colorado, USA
                  Snowbound