Re: Gamaro and Morag Space Pt 5

INSIDE GAMARO

Overview
        Gamaro is a scro base, first and foremost. Other races are present in
fair numbers, and some of them receive a fair amount of cooperation and
respect from the scro (bionoids and hobgoblins), but all functions of
security and all positions of importance are relegated to only the scro.
There are four main levels to Gamaro base Topside 1 + 2, and Bottomside 1
+ 2 (T1, B1 etc. for short).
        What follows are verbal descriptions of the levels and areas. Maps are
available in BMP format for those interested in a large e-mail.
        The scale of Gamaro is huge. 50 foot corridors are common, some are as
large as 200 feet. The scro built and designed Gamaro to be secure and
intimidating. It is a large waypoint for troops and supplies and designed
to move them all easily.

Narish-matz (Great Gate)
        Through the great rolling steel doors are the mirror image levels of T1
and B1. The docking berths for six vessels line the floor, and on the far
port and starboard sides are the two massive steam engines the scro use
to open the gates. The gates can be opened and closed independently of
each other and each level has its own independent steam engines. From the
deck floor two 50’ wide stone stairways lead up 50‘ to T2 + B2 and the
scro transport gangplanks. The ceilings in the docking berths rise to
250’ disappearing into darkness overhead.

Storage Area (T1, B1)
        On either side of the stairs are 4 50’ x 50’ double doors (8 in all)
that lead into the storage area and main parts of T1 and B1. Extra food,
weapons and armor and building materials are kept here, as well as some
parts for scro ships for ease of repair. There are seven separate storage
rooms, the smallest around 15,000 sq. ft. Each is connected to the next
storage room  so items can be moved from any storage area to any exit
door for convenient loading onto vessels. There are a total of 4 huge
steam lifts within the cargo areas, 2 measure 50’ x 50’ and occupy port
and starboard positions in the storage rooms farthest forward. 2 other
lifts measure 50’ x 100’ and are placed amidships on the dorsal line just
touching each other. Each lift normally rests on the gravity plane and is
used to shift cargo from one side to another as necessary. Straps and
securing bars are used to keep cargo in place when crossing the gravity
plane, and the ingenious scro have designed the platforms to rotate about
their two anchor points to bring the cargo into an accessible position
for the loaders. The rectangular lifts are more standard lifts and are
capable of lifting cargo all the way up to T3 if necessary and often do
so to supply the kitchens on that level.
        Because of the large amount of supplies and items moved through here
(including small ships) the ceilings in the storage areas reaches 50’.
Double doors 50’ x 50’ tall connect each of the storage areas. Rooms are
divided according to goods and the scro have a well organized system of
tracking to keep up with all the items and supplies in storage.
        Because of the large amounts of heavy objects and high stacks of crates
ogres are almost exclusively employed here. The ogres are paid for their
work, and although minuscule really, their food and lodging is provided
and so the ogres can do little but accumulate. This concept is quite
novel to the ogres on Gamaro and it keeps 100 of them working here at all
times. The scro equip them with loading carts and devices that help them
move massive amounts of supplies to all other areas of the base. These
ogres have been here over thirty years and some have raised children to
the work.
        Perhaps it is scro influence, but the ogres working on  Gamaro have more
neutral alignments and tend to be a little brighter than the average
groundling ogre. Exposure to counting money and counting crates has
perhaps also encouraged them to gain these new skills.
        Also on T1 is the scro temple of Dukagsh and research area as well as
the primary marauder but this will be mentioned later.

Checkpoint
        Where the transports moor and crews disembark there is a wide platform
where the scro conduct their first and largest security checkpoint. The
checkpoint is near 400’ wide and has 18 20’ wide corridors that proceed
side by side forward into the main part of T2. Each acts as a screening
gate for visitors to Gamaro. Normally only one or two are in use but as
many as are needed are opened and manned by scro security teams.
        Each scro security team consists of 6 scro, 1 Warpriest (4/4 Pr/Ma), 1
Sergeant (4 Wa) and 4 standard scro. The warpriest observes while the
sergeant conducts the cursory inspection. The other scro stand by as
warning to unruly or difficult individuals. Scro officers and Warpriests
come and go as they please, regular scro go through a minimal inspection
of gear and papers.
        Other goblin races receive a more thorough questioning and often a
search of possessions. Human mercenaries are closely scrutinized, unless
accompanied by scro officers or Warpriests. Inspection normally takes a
minute, two for goblinkind and three for humans (except as noted).
        Important dignitaries, warchiefs or leaders are not detained, nor are
any of the bionoids who are known on sight.
        The warpriest is actually the most active part of the checkpoint. Each
warpriest on Gamaro has an enchanted Toregkh that carries various magic’s
of their own design, but each was also given an enchanted tooth from a
beholder, engraved with runes. The tooth allows them to cast any
divination spell from their repertoire without removing them from memory,
and any saves against their divination magic is at -1. Typically a
warpriest will use detect magic, detect poison, detect illusion and
detect disease. Others are possible as well. If anything unusual is
noticed the warpriest will signal one of the scro guards silently. After
the suspect has passed through the short hall and entered the great hall
they will be met by 12 other standard scro armed with swords, axes and a
few rifles, and 4 Warpriests (4/4 Pr/Ma). Resistance is hoped for.
        At the end of the aisles on the port and starboard side are two large
security rooms where additional scro wait to take action. Each holds 24
scro, 4 Warpriests(3-4/4, 1-5/5), 4 sergeants and 16 scro.
        Most scro carry swords (bastard or two-handed, or longsword and dagger).
Some carry spears, halberds or crossbows. Some will carry lever action
rifles or revolvers in addition. Scro officers always carry a revolver
(some carry two) in addition to a sword. Warpriests carry maces, morning
stars, hand axes, swords (long or smaller) and favor revolvers.

Grand Hall
        Narrowing from the checkpoint, a 200’ wide hallway proceeds foreward
200’ toward the Grand Hall. It gives the impression of traveling from a
wide mouth down through a gullet. This hall is also part of Gamaro’s
defense.
        In case entry is won through the docks by a large force that force must
proceed through this hallway to access any of the vital areas of Gamaro,
as all other directions lead to dead ends or back to here. Just before
opening into the Grand hall there is a huge steel barricade 200’ wide,
30’ tall and 1’ thick hidden in the ceiling. The barricade is also coated
with a layer of glass facing inward toward the hallway.
        If the scro wish, when an invading force reaches the hall they can drop
the barrier before they gain the Grand hall. Anyone caught in the area of
the descending door is immediately crushed to death (save vs. death for
1d100 dmg). An identical one drops at the beginning of the hallway just
after effectively sealing in any invading party.
        Then six large concealed trapdoors overhead slide open, dropping six
secondary marauders into the chaos on the first round. The doors reclose
instantly and on the next round drop six tertiaries to add to the fray
and six more each round thereafter until 30 have been released. This
should be enough to seriously hinder or destroy most invasion forces.
When the battle dies down observing Warpriests and black scromages will
begin chants to place the marauders back to sleep before they destroy
each other. 2 steam engines then raise the barriers (aft first) and
waiting scro and ogre teams clean up the mess.
        This defense has only been used once against the invading elven force
mentioned above, and it was all the scro could have hoped for. Only the
wizard mentioned escaped and his sanity was forever marred.
        As a sidenote  the Warpriests won’t hesitate to cast spells such as
stinking cloud into the fray to further assist the marauders as such
gases do not affect the marauders.
        Beyond the marauder defense is the grand hall a 300’ by 300’ hallway
that rises 150’ into the air above. A huge artificial sun 100’ across is
set into the ceiling. The light it gives is less than that of most
fireworlds and not glaring so as to not bother the other goblinkin (scro
are not bothered by the sun) or trigger the decay of drow items. The sun
waxes and wanes on a 24 hour schedule keeping time and reference for the
base.
        Set in the floor of the grand hall is a huge rectangular hole, 200’ long
and 50’ wide. Through this hole the main lifts from the cargo areas raise
up to T2 (100’ above).
The foreward lift raises supplies and food stuffs up to the kitchens and
food storage, and the aft lift raises components and garbage to the
research area for the Warpriests and feeding of the marauders
respectively. When raised in tandem they provide a continuous bridge from
the kitchens to the research area that allows newly spawned marauders to
be brought for confinement and study.
        When not in use the lift area is covered by folding steel doors, moved
by the steam engines that operate the lifts. The doors have small holes
that accommodate the shafts the lifts run on.
        Straight foreward from the hall entrance are 25’ double doors. The doors
are never left open and are guarded by 8 scro, 1 lieutenant (5 wa), 1
sergeant (4 wa) and 6 standard scro. These double doors lead directly to
the scro command center. Non-scro are not permitted entry without
documents, identification and demonstrable need. Those that meet these
requirements will be allowed to the other side where an escort of 2 scro
for every person will “accompany” them to their destination and back
again. Typically non-scro go to either the spy office or the mercenary
office. A ships captain and mates will normally be the only ones allowed
within in order to limit access.
        On the port and starboard side of the Grand hall are 3 large doorways.
The aft pair lead to the scro officer quarters, each room being 50’ by
50’ and housing 4 sergeants, 2 lieutenants or 1 captain. Each is replete
with sparse furnishings and personal libraries and belongings.
        The next pair of doors forward lead to the Warpriests quarters. These
are split into smaller rooms 25’ by 25’. Each houses two Warpriests,
personal belongings and furnishings. The lesser Warpriests are stationed
here levels 1/1 through 4/4. More powerful Warpriests are stationed near
the marauder. There is a scro guard set at the entrance to the Warpriests
quarters both inside and outside the main doors. 6 standard scro and 4
hobgoblins fill each guard position.
        The foreward pair of doors lead in a wide loop around the circumference
of Gamaro to the quarters of the other goblin races. Each of the quarters
averages around 300’ by 150’. The hobgoblins occupy 4 of these quarters,
the goblins 2 and the ogres and bugbears have 1 each. The two larger
races are kept on opposite sides of Gamaro to prevent fights and the
goblins are placed between them and the hobgoblins (who are firmly loyal
to the scro). The scro have found this arrangement keeps problems with
the goblinkin minimal, for everyone except the goblins of course.
        Within each quarter is a huge spiral staircase 40’ across that leads up
to T2 and the mess hall. The exception are those that are within the scro
officers and Warpriests quarters, as these lead up to the black scromage
research area and are closely monitored. Only scro may use them.
        At the far forward end of T1 there is a 50’ spiral staircase that leads
up to the mess hall on T2 but also down to B1 and the scro temple and
Marauder. Only scro are allowed to use this staircase as well. A guard of
4 Warpriests (4/4 Pr/Ma), 4 sergeants (4 Wa) and 6 standard scro guard
this staircase where it intersects T1 and T2. During scro worship
services the number is doubled at T1 and 4 black scromages (6 Ne) assist
as well.
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