View on the Ork Underground Options

[JonathanC]

I'm curious about how other GMs are portraying the Ork Underground. It's vast, it could be as large as Seattle as a whole, but we know so little about it. I've always found it interesting as a setting. Recently in my game, the players got a sort-of introduction to it, and have been meeting people at Big Rhino for intros and such.

Now, with the way Big Rhino was written up in Seattle 2072, (it's being featured in a tourist-style guide to Seattle), I figured it was a place that had more or less gone mainstream; as a result, the players (only two of whom are orks) have been safe when going there, no trouble or anything. They are, of course, respectful and don't start any trouble there.

I also dropped in a little thread about Ork Underground "tours" being run by an opportunistic Ork who was willing to exploit himself (and his people) to "adventurous" tourists. The idea is that he walks them through the upper areas of the Underground, never going too deep, and he puts on a big show (Orks would consider him to be something of a sell-out). I kind of pictured him wearing a Pith helmet with a flashlight, and maybe paying a few jobless orks to put on a "native" act when he brings tours around. He'd justify his work by pointing out that he *also* explains a lot of the Underground's history, and that his act humanizes Orks to outsiders as much as it exoticises them.

[Critias]

Bull could probably tell you exactly which ones, but I remember the Ork Underground playing a pretty big role in some of the recent Missions stuff -- he could be able to steer ya to some canon stuff, to provide more inspiration.

[JonathanC]

Bull could probably tell you exactly which ones, but I remember the Ork Underground playing a pretty big role in some of the recent Missions stuff -- he could be able to steer ya to some canon stuff, to provide more inspiration.

I was really stoked to see that Missions has a series of adventures set around the Underground - I'm still digging my group out of the hole they made for themselves (described in a different thread; suffice it to say they're taking jobs outside of Seattle for a while) - but I'm looking forward to trying some of them out when I get back.

I was mostly curious about how people were handling the Underground in their own games, given the limited canon info on the area. I've seen it described as everything from orks living in sewer tunnels to specially-engineered areas designed by Dwarves (who are fighting to get recognition from the orks for their work).

[Warlordtheft]

I was really stoked to see that Missions has a series of adventures set around the Underground - I'm still digging my group out of the hole they made for themselves (described in a different thread; suffice it to say they're taking jobs outside of Seattle for a while) - but I'm looking forward to trying some of them out when I get back.

I was mostly curious about how people were handling the Underground in their own games, given the limited canon info on the area. I've seen it described as everything from orks living in sewer tunnels to specially-engineered areas designed by Dwarves (who are fighting to get recognition from the orks for their work).

I've typically handled it as a "lawless for the most part" (just don't go around killing or stealing from the locals) area that encompasses a good portion of Seattle and Tacoma (with some bits extending into Redmond and Pallyup. But the key thing is that it is not contiguous, and not all of it is underground. The entrances and exits are mostyly secret. The public ones leading to places that are touristy. It has been around 30+ years, and I see it as having expanded at least to the size of a small town (30K-40K inhabitants). I also note that the place is a bit insular and getting the trust of the locals is hard (unless you are an ork--dwarves are tolerated though).

[Critias]

I was really stoked to see that Missions has a series of adventures set around the Underground - I'm still digging my group out of the hole they made for themselves (described in a different thread; suffice it to say they're taking jobs outside of Seattle for a while) - but I'm looking forward to trying some of them out when I get back.

I've written more Missions than I've read, so I don't know what kind of detail they've got...but knowing Bull, it should be cool. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I was mostly curious about how people were handling the Underground in their own games, given the limited canon info on the area. I've seen it described as everything from orks living in sewer tunnels to specially-engineered areas designed by Dwarves (who are fighting to get recognition from the orks for their work).

For myself, I've always just treated them mostly like the Barrens, but underground. Not quite hardscrabble sewer-tunnel existence, but...early 20th century stuff cobbled together with cursing and duct-tape, with the odd mish-mash created by the occasional scavenged/stolen/traded 2073 stuff brought in. The opening diorama of the living conditions from Gangs of New York, maybe? Lots of folks packed into a little space, making due as best they can, and with the strongest running the show (just like above ground). Homey in a way because it's been lived in for a couple generations by now (so like I said, it's not just a bunch of orks squatting in naked tunnels), but still more "crudely efficient" than anything else.

[VykosDarkSoul]

I cant seem to get the image out of my head....


... The Undercity of Chicago from the Dresden Universe...

[CanRay]

Yes, check out this years collection of Missions, it appears to have the most info that I've seen yet.

Maybe if it becomes a district there'll be an E-Book update to Seattle 2072 for it.