Secret Jackalope 2022: Zuidersdam – Enlightened City of Flowers.

Secret Jackalope 2022

For the OSR Servers 2022 Secret Jackalope I have been paired with SherlockHole. My prompt is “Interesting things to see, places to go and shops to visit in a high-magic city inspired by 17th century Amsterdam (& London to a lesser degree)”. I am setting this generally in the same “universe” as Magical Industrial Revolution. While I personally run Human only games, Zuiderdam could easily be populated primarily by Halflings or Halfling equivalents.

Lovely houses along the Canals

The Great Shift

Centuries before Valentine Sims revolutionized arcane magic with her publication of the Principia Arcana, divine magic was democratized thanks to the translation of the continents foundational religious texts of Divine Magic, “The Dogmas and Pacts of the Theurges” AKA The Theurgia, into common vernaculars. The history of how this came to be are complex and mostly irrelevant except to note that this was generally opposed by the existent priesthood and most every monarch. While the effects of this are yet to be fully played out there have been two undeniable effects of these translations. First, the histories and teachings of dealing with the divine were made much more widely available, enabling the common man to practice theurgy on a more personal 1-to-1 basis. The second major effect was the undermining of the authority of divinely appointed monarchs, of the traditional priesthood of the church, as well as the orthodoxies they espoused. Those who deviated from the orthodoxies of the church became known collectively as the Radahnant (the Readers) and formed their own cults known collectively as the Radahnant Churches as opposed to the traditionalist Klyonics (Listeners) and the Klyonic Church.

Secrets of the Soul

Everything named has a soul. A person, a dog, a fly, a bacterium, a ship, a rock, sunshine, kindness… everything. There are big souls like Humankind and The Forest and small souls like “Jim from down the lane” and “This particular birch tree I carved a heart and our initials into”. Every soul is intelligent and can be communicated with if one knows how to get it’s attention. The risk with communicating with a souls is that in exchange for you being able to influence a soul is that said soul is able to influence you. This communication is not necessarily verbal in nature but rather a communication between souls. It’s not talking and it’s not telepathy.

One of the key parts of communicating with a soul is knowing it’s name. Names have power and the closer a name comes to describing the true nature of a thing the more power it gives the namer over the named. Moloch has little power, Red Flame Eater of Children has more. Larger or more powerful souls tend to have longer names. Names can change over time as the nature of the thing changes. A thing who’s true name is revealed is referred to as a “known” thing.

Souls generally only have power over whatever physical vessel they currently occupy and the vessel they occupy limits what they can do. A soul can be empowered to have power that extends beyond it’s original vessel through sacrifice. Sacrifice can be as small as a little bit of time devoted them or something much more valuable depending on what the soul wants in exchange for it’s service. A powerful enough soul can create supernatural effects of it’s own volition although the more powerful and the more divergent the effect is from its nature the more difficult it is.

Rituals are practices that enable one unpracticed in the ways of the soul to communicate and perform sacrifice to a soul. These can be as simple as a verbal prayer and as elaborate as a multi-day ceremony. While there are universal rituals, most souls have rituals that are preferred.

Pacts are accords made between souls which enable more consistent influence between them outside of focused communication.

It is possible to increase the power of ones own soul via a process of cultivation. The effectiveness of the various methods of cultivation are dependent on the souls understanding of itself, thus many a soul has sought to divine one’s own true name. While it is recorded and possible for one to cultivates one soul to the point where one can manifest supernatural abilities this is incredibly difficult and rare. The common term for one who reaches that level is saint although that can also refer to someone who embodies the virtues of a community (who typically come to achieve that level as a result of cultivation).

Souls without a corporeal form are spirits. Spirits follow the same rules as souls except that they tend to be more limited in their power due to lacking and easily manipulate-able corporeal form. Working with spirits is risky and has historically been frowned upon.

The largest, most powerful, and most knowledgeable soul is referred to by the Theurgia as simply GOD. Everyone worships GOD even if only in name. While GOD can do anything, he acts very rarely. One of the major schisms caused by the great shift were arguments about the nature and worship of GOD. Klyonics generally forbid any sort of Theurgy with anyone other than GOD. Radahnants vary greatly in their tolerance from absolute tolerance, to diapproval to outright witch burnings.

* From the perspective of the Theurgia, the Klyonics and most sects of the Radahnt, Wizards are witless, unethical fools playing with forces they do not understand. Before the Principia Arcana (The time period covered here) they were just dabblers in natural philosophy who made occasional misguided divergences into dealing with the divine outside of the bounds established by the Church. Post Principia Arcana they are viewed more like farmers or hunters. Working with low level souls and spirits; capturing, domesticating, and breeding them. The ethics of this are hotly debated similar to arguments about animal rights.

Birth of The Flower Republic

The kingdoms that came to compose the Flower Republic used to be a group of small provinces occupying a series of low lying deltas under the rule of foreign monarchy of the Kingdom of the Lion Crown. These smaller kingdoms were taxed heavily but were able to pay them due to being a significant trade hub and were generally left to self govern. Due to minor conflicts between the growing populations of local Erasmites (a sub-sect of the Radahnants founded by Calvin Erasmis ) and the Klyonics, the Lion Kingdom sent it’s Inquisition to extinguish the Erasmites and more firmly establish the Lions law. This sparked a rebellion and civil war that lasted nearly 40 years. At the end of the civil war the northern provinces reorganized themselves into the tolerant Flower Republic and massive numbers of Erasmites migrated away from the territories of the Lion Crown, boosting the power and economy of Zuiderdam into the most prominent city in the region. The signing of the Peace of Lions 2 years ago made the Flower republic and by extension Zuiderdam the first city in the world to make a Radhanant Church (The Erasmite Church) the official state religion while tolerating other Radhanant faiths and to legally and socially tolerate extra-ecclesiastical practice of Theurgy. Klyonics are forbidden from participation in government.

Dr Van Hooks Marvelous Animalcules

One year after the signing of the Peace of Lions, a student by the name of Anton Van Hook at the Romusan School of Zuiderdam made an important discovery. In an attempt to impress his lens-maker parents, he brought a series of “known” lenses into his schools labs. On examination of a corvid’s blood he found many small wiggling things therein. After communing with his lenses he was able to divine the creatures true names. Their souls were extraordinarily difficult to locate but on naming them as a colony of the particular creature, he was able to establish communication. Within a month he had discovered they required incredibly small but highly specific sacrifices to manipulate the creatures as he wished, even unto death. On sharing his discoveries with his classmates, one Athens Kurcher recognized the significance of this discovery and theorized that these creatures were the causes of disease. When the great plague rolled through Zuiderdam a year later, The two students donned raven masks and large cloaks and began anonymously treating people. After several high profile cures they were “convinced” by the Patrician of Zuiderdam to share their cure more widely. Within another week a veritable flock of raven masked doctors descended upon the city and the plague was driven out at a fraction of the cost of regular sacrifices to the god of disease. The two students were raised to full doctors and given publically funded labs to conduct their research in, much to the consternation of the Romusan School. Worship of the god of disease declined as the cult of the raven became the de-facto doctors for the city, and Zuiderdam became the world center of medical and biological study.

Things to See

1. Kargadoors: The Bridges in Zuiderdam are very steep and not at all fun to just walk across. Kargadoors used to pull people in little handcarts across the bridges. Now a pair of Kargadoors herd handcarts like cattle. Each cart has it’s name burnt on it’s side and at the beck and call of the Kargadoors they carry people across the bridges. Occasionally you’ll see a Kargadoor herding his fleet through the streets to their parking spots where they perform the rituals and sacrifices to feed and care for them. Look out for handcart jams on your way to work.
2. The Rattleman: Wanders the city streets at night with a sword, rattle and lantern announcing the time and keeping a lookout for troublemakers. He can be paid a penny a day to wake you up at a certain time by knocking at your door. The children fear them and their parents tell them to sleep lest the Rattleman comes. Hope you do not meet the god of the Rattleman wandering the streets for he is exactly what the children fear him to be.
3. The Stentor: Found standing on a corner, a jewel in an ear using symbols or drums to gain attention. He is the local newspaper, gazette and advertising agency. The guild of Stentors is in fierce competition with the new printing presses. People whispers that the jewels do all the reporting and that the jewels whisper to one another, explaining how news arrived faster than any ship, coach or letter could arrive. The presses claim that Stentors are puppets of the jewels having “Nasty 5C (Carat) blue teeth jammed in their ears”.
4. The Cornelmolen**: Invented by Cornelius Cornel, these special wind powered mills can be spotted atop every hill, at the top of every tower, and all throughout the lands surrounding the city. Windmills have been around since ancient times but Cornelius was the first to take the circular motion of the turning wheel and convert it to a back-and-forth motion. This has lead to increased production of textiles, lumber and many other products.
5. The Zuiderzee Pulders**: The people of the Flower Republic might have rebelled against the Lion Crown, but their true enemy is the sea. While the Klyonic Priesthood has generally been willing to assist in the infrastructure projects designed to reclaim land, they have generally been slow to respond and required much prodding and bribery. Since the great shift nearly all of the previously held up Pulders have been completed. With an excess of skilled labor, the Patrician announced a series of massive new land reclamation projects, collectively known as the Zuiderzee Polders. These massive constructions of rock and stone, topped with Windmills and swarming with workers coming and going, have come to dominate the view of the Zee.
6. Kleermaker Museum: Built behind the home of the richest cloth merchant in the city(Jonathan Kleermaker) this museum hosts many important pieces of art both donated to and commisioned by Mr. Kleermaker. Since Kleermaker’s death, his helpful spirit has inhabited the museum, assisting anyone who pays a small fee with conversing with the spirit of the art and sometimes with the spirit of the Artist. Death of the author? Not on Kleermakers watch!

Places to go

1. The Raaf Instituut**: Encompassing the lab of Doctors Van Hook and Kurcher, the public clinic, the anatomical theater, and the lens-crafter’s hall; this offshoot of the Romusan School is the center of innovation for the city. Anyone can receive free medical diagnosis and basic patch jobs from students in the clinic, and recieve specialised medicines and rituals for a fee. Students commonly view anatomical instruction via autopsies and surgeries performed in the anatomical theater. The Lenscrafters hall and the labs are highly guarded. Appointments with van Hook or Kurcher are rare and if obtained are never held inside the Institute. Students whisper of the wonders they’ve seen inside of the lab. The brightest among them may become assistants to the doctors.
2. Gasthus: Combination tavern, inn, old folks home, and poorhouse. It offers the cheapest rates in the city and is often frequented by pilgrims. Outside are a large number of small boxes with special locks. Empty boxes are opened by performing the proper ritual (posted on a placard in several languages) with the sacrifice, pulling out the “one-time key”, and whispering a personal passphrase. When the key is reinserted and the password said the door unlocks. Re-locking it requires a repetition of the ritual and sacrifice. There is a bounty of 20 Guilders for anyone clever enough to fit a “bug” inside or remove a “bug” from of one of these boxes without opening it. Many a Wizard has tried and failed.
3. Lamp Lighters Central: Used to be that lamp lighters used to go around lighting all of the candles of the cities streetlights by hand. Now every Evening people hear a crack, catch a whiff of ozone, see a flash of light, and the city lanterns are all lit. Rumor has it the lamplighters are performing some sort of ritual in their increasingly elaborate central storage house. While it is constantly under construction it appears to be morphing from a simple warehouse to a grand cathedral with a massive spire. The light show that appears around lamplighters central each evening is a spectacle. Many street vendors hawk their wares in the plaza every evening. The local Radahnant Churches are nervous and the Klyonics are calling for it to be stopped immediately.
4. The Neukerk: The Radhanant’s new church issued for the internment of the dead. The outside graveyard is separated into separate sections for the “Miserables” and the poor. The wealthy and powerful are buried beneath the floors of the church itself. For a small fee the Radahnant priests help those of true intent to communicate with those in the poor yards, while for a larger fee to communicate with those beneath the churches floor although you are always free to attempt contact without the priests guidance. Communicating with the “Miserables” requires a letter of warrant from either someone high in government or from a particularly noteworthy priest as The Miserables plot contains the executed, the heretics, and the suicides. The miserables plot is a popular spot for youths, wastrals and other less occupied sorts to hang out. Talk to Adalwolf about placing bets.
5. The Dolhuis – There are many reasons one may go mad. Failed cultivation, learning one’s true name unexpectedly, lead in the pipes, spirits possessing ones soul. All of these are kept and cared for at the Dolhuis. Individuals confined at the Dolhuis are kept under varying degrees of voluntary confinement. The public are permitted to come and view the less dangerously mad through one way windows as a type of freak show. Other “Dols” are too dangerous for public viewing. Some claim that under the Dolhuis is the inverted tower of the ancient Romusan wizard Ozharius the Legion.
6. The Oost-Bhenjiku Hus **: Anyone looking for work should consider the Oost-Bhenjiku Company (OBC). They are always looking for new recruits.
   This multi-winged complex manages the intricate bureaucracy of the republics wealthiest and most powerful trading company. With a monopoly charter that empowers the company to build forts, maintain armies, and conclude treaties, the Oost-Bhenjiku house is always a center of important, lucrative, and often violent action. While the public can buy shares of the company at the Beurs van Patricier, those seeking an edge often make inquiries at the Oost-Bhenjiku Hus to acquire inside knowledge.

Shops to Visit

1. Beurs van Patricier **: Hosting the snobbiest forms of gambling, the Beurs van Patricier is the first of it’s kind. Instead of purchasing goods or services here one can purchase partial ownership (a share) in a company, high interest debts (bonds), promises of goods to be delivered at a future date at a set price (futures), and many other promises of future gains for cash now. The Beurs van Patricier has ruined just as many people as it has sprung into marvelous wealth. Many a prayer has been given to the God of the Beurs, but no-one has established contact or derived its true name and any who make serious attempts to divine it are rapidly found in the river, dead.
2. Colade Huizen van Halen: When Colade was first introduced to Zuiderdam it was not very popular due to it’s high costs. Thanks to the OBC, the Prices of Colade have dropped and Colade Huizen sprung up all around the city. Each one has their own particular mixture and flavors that they add to the Colade. The most famous of these Huizen is the one owned by Vincent Van Halen where the Patrician himself patronizes. If you visit, ask about the Suikerwafel. Mr Van Halen never appears in his shop and inquiries about Mr. Van Halen are met with a deadpan “He’s still with us”.
3. The Market of Flowers**: While official medicines and diagnoses are given out by the Cult of Raaf, many find it difficult to acquire medicine for chronic issues. For this, the apothecaries of the city have formed an informal guild (not yet recognized by the city) and secondhand market whereby they turn specific species of flowers into medicines. The merchants of the city, in an effort to export these medicines, created the Market of Flowers, a massive brilliantly colored open air market where flowers are traded at a furious pace and apothecaries line the streets. generally speaking the medicines from the Raaf Institut tend to be of higher quality, the medicines from the Market of Flowers is much cheaper.
4. Mrs Strong’s Fire and Water Shop: Sells detergent, soap, hot water, and hot coals. She never seems to cart in fuel or any raw materials leaving many to speculate where the soap and coals come from.
5. Jason Cats’ Book Printer. No books on shelves rather books are printed custom, although one can read the densely written title pages. Common books include Stories of Travel that include maps and cultural guides, Sermons describing the speakers own divination and how you can do it too. Jason is a renowned writer whose emblem books (The Emblemata) are said to be of human sentience and full of folksy wisdom.
6. Dick Wolff’s Bakery: It is no longer good enough to merely bake bread. Master bakers are in touch with their ovens, fires, and baking utensils. Not only is their bread extra delicious, for an extra fee they can often get you very close to the particular breads true name. Dick Wolff is the only baker in the city who is trusted enough by the guild to not require a controller to check the breads weight to be sure he’s not shortchanging customers. He gets around the guild restrictions on baking things besides bread by having his sons each run a biscuit shop, a pastry shop, and a pie shop of similar quality, each under a different guild, all right next door to one another.

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**Things I intend to turn into full fledged MIR style innovations in my next post. Post comments and ideas down below.