[IC] New Crobuzon & the World Beyond

[Selina Parcellus]

While Forge reminisces about his home world, specifically about the Lightning-Rails that connect cities far across Khorvaire, Betimi's Vestige whispers lore to her, that the people and leaders of New Crobuzon are far too Xenophobic to connect their Sky-Rails to other cities.  Even strangers to the city are usually watched with suspicion and it's truly a miracle you all weren't put to death for being Out-Worlders.

As you watch the skyline you think you yourselves that New Crobuzon suffers from a remarkable lack of city planning.  Much of the city seems almost squeezed in upon itself.  Open sewers flow through the slums, and houses are built at random or even on top of other houses.  The old slowly being forced into the earth under the weight of the new.  In the direction you're traveling you see gigantic ribs looming over a section of the city called Bonetown.  Ivory shards of a leviathan, these arching ribs of a fallen giant almost meet about two hundred feet about the ground.  Betimi's Vestige whispers that the land around them are unlucky; tools breakd projects run away into the dust and dirt, nothing prospers. They do make a useful landmark to a visitor: just look up, and if you see the Ribs, you can orient yourself.  The Ribs themselves are a bit of a draw for gawkers, so most residents here are hawkers, buskers, salespeople, and acrobats.

Soon you approach the fork in the river where the River Tar and River Canker join together to form the River Gross Tar and where Strack Island the Parliament builder rest.  Over the whir of the engines you hear the Captain bellow, "Arriving at Brock Marsh.  Prepare to disembark!"  The Sky-Yacht's engines begin to slow as you start to descend.  Eventually the ship stops and the Yacht moors itself near the top of a militia tower.  The wind is blowing in gusts as you carefully step off the ship and make your way down the long spiral staircase that hugs the side of the tower all the way to solid ground.  One of the ship's crew who joins you tells you all that he was instructed by the Magistrate to make sure you get to the Smith safely.  So as ordered he guides you through Brock Marsh until you arrive at the Shop.[/spoiler]

Selina sighs as they approach the shop because, frankly, she doesn't really trust herself to be able to say what needed to be said.  She was here to finalize her purchase of a sword and plate armor...but she knows that there is also the need to inform the young boy of his father's current situation.  She didn't really want to do that and then, in the same conversation say something to the effect of 'Oh, yes, your father's been incarcerated by a corrupt, xenophobic, Evil government, but we're still looking to finish our purchases.  Might you have them?'  (Thought bubble, by the way...) How could she honestly do both at once?  How could they?