Population: 5,000 Breakdown: 40% Cyber-Horsemen 55% Centaurs 5% Other (humans and faeries) Surrounding Population (300 mile radius): 25,500 Breakdown: 79% Xiticix 16% Human and D-Bee village people 3% Metis Indians 2 % Other (demons, etc.) New Ixion The New Centaurs are actually masters of cybernetic and bionic systems. They brought with them the knowledge of their peoples and technology. They helped transform the fledging town into a prosperous city that combined the aspects of the natural woodland and the technology needed to protect them. The result of their hard work was the beautifully awesome sight of Ixion. Finished in the year 73 P.A., the city is a marvel of construction. In designing the city, the Old Centaurs requested that the New Centaurs maintain a sense of relic old. Upon entering the city by means of a mile long, stone bridge, one notices long graceful arches and columns dominating the hundreds of beige buildings that sit on the hills of the island. Large evergreens grow throughout the city, shadowing the smaller of the buildings. The roads are paved with a rubbery substance designed to reduce the noise of thousands of hooves. Walking along the streets one will pass art galleries, musuems, theatres, music houses, wineries and pubs. It is not uncommon to pass by a pub at any hour of the day and hear the raccous noise of a centaur happy hour in full swing. Beneath the island runs an underground river upon which the centaurs have placed a huge hydroelectric generator, supplying the city with all its electrical needs. Indoor plumbing leads to this same river where a special treatment plant siphons the methane gas from the waste and returns it to heat the buildings during the long winter months. A computer network runs through the city, connecting homes, businesses, and military installations together. Telescreens, microwaves and most modern conveinances are in most homes. Parks dot the city landscape, filled with flowering cherry blossoms and expanses of various fir trees. Couples can be seen walking along the well trodden paths as often as families can be seen having an outing. Walking through the northeast quadrant, one loses the sense of old and stumbles into the new. Manufacturing facilities stretch city blocks and appear as huge beige bricks. Few windows mar the surface of these structures and large, plated doors offer the only hint at a break. Once inside, the full technological knowledge of the centaurs is known. Thousands of machines are at work, producing anything from a simple laser pistol to the most complex of cybernetic bio-systems. Bionics, from simple weapon platforms to full bodies awaiting a user, line racks. Missiles are seen being crated and taken to large cargo elevators, disappearing in the depths of the buildings. Continuing down the northeast quadrant will eventually land the traveller in the warehouse storage facilities. Scores of miniature hover vehicles scurry in and about the buildings, loading and unloading large hover barges filled with mineral resources taken from either the mine located seven miles north of Ixion or salvaged from the old city ruins. The unloaded barges turn slowly and float out over the lake again, heading for their destination while the driver opens the throttle and sends a rooster tail plume of spray as he grows smaller on the lake. Towards the end of the quadrant, large, seven story silos rise into view. Walking between the tens of silos, one notices that they are filled with different grains. A slight distance from these are located several mills. Workers load several hover carts with bags of ground grain, appearing to head off for the different bakeries located across Ixion. Near a large circular gate, hundreds of crates can be seen bearing the name Tolkeen, a sure sign that the gathering that took place the past summer was weak. Suddenly, a slight shimmer inside the circle and a large platform of similar crates emerges from the light. The platform sets down and a sled is pushed off it by two workers. Then the platform withdraws into the portal and the shimmering dulls and the circle becomes empty once again. Walking the perimeter of the island, one can barely see the camoflauged bunkers which conceal the automated rail gun and turbo laser batteries. Missile platforms can also be seen within the shadows of the large trees. Occasionally, the towering form of an large, skeleton like robot stands vigilance over the calm waters of the lake. Near the feet of the robot there appears to be a bunker, receiving large cables which run into the giant robot’s leg. Behind the bunker, a large generator hums silently. From this awkward looking machine, a powerful illusion is cast over the city. With the help of nine others like it, the entire island is made to resemble a forest, virtual in all ways, as seen from the air. Buildings of Note Temple of the Gods The one dominating structure is the temple. The Temple is actually nine buildings combined into one spectacular monument. It stands on a hill and rises above the center of the city. The middle building, from which all others star out from, is actually a large, elaborate fountain that stands nearly thirty feet (9.1m) tall. The water jets as high as twenty feet (6.1m) into the air and splashes down in a pool fifty feet (15.2m) in circumference and eight feet (2.4m) deep. A white brick walkway surrounds the fountain and leads off in three directions down the slopes to a separate round temple. From the northeast and northwest directions, two smaller paths lead to the two guards’ posts. These lead to the stairs that lead away from the Temple to the city. Each temple is surrounded by a ring of evergreens and stands nearly forty feet (12.2m) high. Inside each is a simple marble floor, with only a statue atop a pedestal in the center as the single decoration. Each figure is twenty feet (6.1m) in height with the pedestal adding ten more feet (3m). The ceiling is stained glass and covers the floor in a brilliant display of color. Each of these structures is also ringed by a brick walkway. Sweeping even farther down the slope is a building curving around each temple to form a half moon. Each is separated from the actual temple by approximately thirty feet (9.1m), but is connected by a brick walkway. These buildings are the houses for each of the Heads of the three different Houses. Library of Sages A short ways south of the Temple complex rests a rather non-descript structure standing one story tall. The building is made of what appears to be a steel/ceramic mix and continues its structure underground for nearly four stories. This building only has one entrance, a large, single door mad of solid plating and no windows. A citizen would explain that this is the Library of Sages. The Library of Sages was constructed to hold the vast amount of accumulated material the Old Centaurs found or retrieved. The Library contains thousands of volumes of pre-rifts literature and movies. Encyclopedias and atlases, childrens stories and classical fiction novels dominate the shelves. A limited number of technical manuals line the back shelves. Among the thousands of books, someone has a chance (25%) of finding any information they seek regarding the pre-rifts age. The library is maintained by an elder Apollo demi-god. His name is High Sage Ganthard. He will not permit anyone entrance unless they have the express permission of Grand Chief Digdom. This serves the purpose of keeping the knowledge away from just any stranger who happens to walk into the town. Both centaurs are aware of the value the books hold, and thus, protect them very diligently. The Bridge The bridge that leads to the city is made of stone, steel and ceramics. The front of the bridge is guarded by two APC’s turned into fortified bunkers. Should a combat situation arise and the island is being threatened, explosive charges have been place on the bridge and several different sections are mounted on huge hydraulic lifts and can actually be submerged. This is a great defense tactic, let a large force near the middle of the bridge, then submerge the two opposite ends and leave them open for rail gun fire. The Mine Located seven miles north of Ixion, lies the mine SIGL-1. The mine is a large, expansive system of tunnels and pitfalls running nearly three miles in any direction. The miners excavate, with the help of robot drones, silver, gold and some iron and lead. The above ground complex is two square miles and is walled and heavily guarded, year round. Barges come and go as often as thirty times a day, loaded with the precious cargoes. To date, there have been no incidents at the mine, and it has been running for nearly ten years. About two years ago, the miner drones drilled into what at first appeared to be another pitfall. When the centaurs actually managed to drill in for themselves and see, they immediately noticed that the walls were completely smooth and made of concrete. Further exploration revealed the structure went to a depth of nearly four hundred feet! With the climb not being accessible to the centaurs, the sent in a human exploration squad. The information the humans came back with was very disturbing. The pitfall was actually a fully armed missile silo, housing what appeared to be a pre-rifts, one hundred mega-ton, inter-continental ballistic missile. The main computer appeared mostly undamaged, but wisely enough, the soldiers left it alone. Everyone agreed that the mine and the missile must never be allowed to fall into the hands of the enemy. The Olympiad Arena The five story Arena was built merely five hundred feet from the base of the Temple and serves as the stadium for the Olympiads, which are held every four years. The Stadium consists merely of an oval shaped dust bowl, about the size of a pre-rifts football field. Within this bowl, foot races to tests of combat are played out. The walls are hung with the banners of the families who had the last winner in each of the events.