The geography of Hermes is craters, nearly flat plains and abrupt ranges of mountains, and there is little moderate landscape, like gentle rolling hills, or foothills. The deeper craters collect water, or ice on the darkside, and that is where people tend to live who are not on the greenbelt. The only real use of the mountains, away from the greenbelt, is mining.
The greenbelt is about a hundred miles wide, as are both the mostly habittable to normal humanoids sunbelt and darkbelt, giving a three hundred mile wide strip around the planet from pole to pole, about ten thousand miles long.
There are no reports of any significantly inhabbited Underdark on Hermes, maybe because the life that would normally produce air down there works differently on Hermes, and produces unbreathable air (containing ozone?). Someone who was prepared to travel, presumbly without breathing, into the depths, to bring back (living) samples of this life might be well paid. An undead would likely not be suitable if the samples are to be brought back living.
Hermes is of interest mostly for rare medicinal plants which grow differently in the energies that come from a planet so close to the sun, probably modified by the filtering of the atmosphere, and maybe strange elements in the soil or planetary energies. There are also supposed to be strange gems to be found on the sun side, 'sun stones', and on the dark side, 'dark stones', which supposedly can be enchanted to store and yeild magical power. The giants allegedly use these as ritual objects, but the occasional reports of fireballs and cold blasts might suggest that some have more practical uses for them.
Traders from Maj, Selene, or even from out-system, will pay well for the rarer plants, and a premium if they are correctly harvested, which may be possible only at certain times of the year, or with special techniques. The true mandrake, which will kill whoever uproots it unless they are very careful, is one example, as it halves the magical costs of making things like homonculi, or making potions that restore the dead to life; one root is typically worth at least 25 gp. There is also bloodroot, the fresh roots of which must not be touched by bare flesh, or it draws blood without breaking the skin (1d4+1 HP), but which if fed animal blood may be used to halve the magical cost of most healing potions; one (fresh) root is typically worth at least 150 gp. There are many other varieties.
Most recently a dwarven miner, who some claim was both very drunk and charmed, is supposed to have admitted that the dwarves mine mithral, apparently both somewhere on the sun side, and on the dark side. This has provoked a frenzy of interest on Maj, and a 'Mithral Rush' seems to be starting.
In fact, the dwarf wasn't a dwarf, and he wasn't drunk (or charmed), but was in fact an agent of one of the empires on Maj (GM's decision as to which), attempting to divert attention from their operations elsewhere in Maj Space. Unfortunately, the dwarves actually are mining mithral, and they are looking really hard for someone to blame about their secret getting out!
Sky Barges
These are ancient, oar-less and sail-less, open barges, appear to be made of heavy beams of near-indestructable wood which is at least as tough as iron, and have no obvious means of support, typically flying between fifty and five hundred feet (their maximum) above the ground. There are two varieties, those which continuous zig-zag across the greenbelt, from darkside to sunside, then back, and those that fly for one day on, then one day off, as they rest.
The barges fly at SR 1 (17 mph), MC D, and are typically flown by spellcasting elven barging families, that have operated them for generations. There appears to be a particular skill to operate a barge which is related to piloting a spelljamming helm, but is not quite the same (a 1pt skill deals with the difference). Whatever powers the barges does not seem to drain the spellcasting capabilities of the operator. If a barge does not visit both the sunside and the darkside edges of the greenbelt during one day then it can only operate for one day out of every two.
In fact the barges were originally powered by a sun stone and a dark stone embedded in the wood at opposite ends, but over the millenium these have dissolved into the wood throughout the barge, and all that remains visible are the sockets in which they sat.
Ziggurats
These are ancient beyond anyone's memory, including the oldest writings of the elves and dwarves (more than 10,000 years), and are regularly placed along the centre of the greenbelt, about every hundred miles, so that a hundred of them ring the planet. They appear to be made of solid granite, and do not have any obvious openings.
Magic which has been used to probe them says that there are no voids within, but attempts to damage the stone by magical or physical means does not seem to work - adamantite tools of the greatest enchantment just bounce off. Weather seems to affect the stone, as much as granite ever is, but magically summoned weather effects have no obvious effect.
There is in fact only one ziggurat, so to damage it you would need to simultaneously attack the same place on all one hundred, at once. They are afterlife gateways, and spirits from all over Maj Space travel more smoothly to their appointed places via the Ziggurats of Hermes. From the Astral Plane they can be seen as one ziggurat, reaching from the Prime Material, through the Astral, to where the Astral joins the Outer Planes. Spirits can be seen walking up the sides, towards their Outer Planar destination. If the ziggurats were destroyed it would cause a massive disruption across the planes of Maj Space. Some also suspect that the ziggurats stabalise Hermes so that the greenbelt exists.
Those who know what they are doing can use the ziggurats for travel around Hermes. Touching a ziggurat and using a Dimension Door spell or effect will move the user and as much as they can normally carry with them to one of the two adjacent ziggurats, and they will be safely displaced on arrival so they do not arrive inside anything, and are not injured. If a Teleport is used instead then movement can be to any of the other ninety-nine ziggurats on Hermes, and again it will be safe.
Touching a ziggurat, saying a ritual phrase of respect for Hermes (or any travel god) in any language and using a Blink spell or effect moves you and up to one touching Medium-sized creature per three of your caster levels to the Caduceus. There is a 2nd level non-standard arcane and divine spell Caduceus Door which opens a 10 ft. by 10 ft. doorway in any ziggurat, for one round per caster level, to Caduceus, and has as a required focus a small stone ziggurat.
The city of Quicksilver is the most significant spelljamming and trading centre on Hermes; there are about five smaller ones mostly associated with mining. Originally the main trading town between elves and dawrves, and with a significant population of both, its position on the clearly identifiable from orbit Silver Lake, a circular ancient crater about on the equater of Hermes, meant that it was an obvious place to expand with its now quite large human population. Other settlements on Hermes are towns of at most three thousand population, half that being more common, while pre-spelljamming Quicksilver was about five thousand; now it is twenty thousand population.
The government was originally a council of elves and dwarves, but to this has been added a third group of human 'trade representatives', and it is said that everything now takes three times as long to decide. The legal system of turning offenders over to be judged by a jury of their peers, guided by a supposedly neutal advocate, who corrects them on points of what was originally mostly trade law, still just about creaks along. Representatives, typically of other races, who can only speak when asked questions evens things out a bit, sometimes with some quick passing of written messages via court clerks, which the advocate is always entitled to see. Organised banks now exist, some of which issue their own coins and script, whereas previously this role was filled by individual merchants.
The original well-organised elf and dwarf settlements can be rather rude about the quickly-built human additions, which turned the town into a city, and in particular the shanty town which stretches along the lake shore. The humans point out that the city is more than ten times as rich as the town ever was, and that the elves and dwarves can pay to improve things, if they aren't happy about the view.
Caduceus is a mystic hospital and trading place of unclear location, it seems somehow between. It can be reached from many places on the greenbelt on Hermes, most obviously by using the spell Caduceus Door on a ziggurat (see above), but also by attempting to Dimension Door, Teleport, or even Pass Wall to or into any ziggurat; other magical attempts to enter a ziggurat will similarly work. When you leave Caduceus you reappear at the place you entered, safely displaced if needed to prevent reappearing inside solid matter; no magic is needed to leave.
Caduceus is in fact between the planes, and can be considered a transitive plane between life and death, and the place where the ownership of a coin is just as it passes from a customer to a trader. Note that it is not possible to conceive new life of any kind, including the progress of decay, in Caduceus.
The Market
Caduceus has an immense, in fact indefinitely big, trade hall, which is reached by taking the left-hand passageway at any entrance, rather than the right-hand one, which leads to the hospital. Commerce is king here, and the stalls are permanently lit from above by diffuse light from the misty ceiling, about a hundred feet up, which shows goods clearly and to good effect.
There are usually stalls selling almost anything portable, including food, drink, cleansing facilities, and secure places to sleep, at rates comparable to inns. Fresh water is freely available from water wagons, and waste mysteriously vanishes after a short while. Entertainers walk the market, or stop and perform. A very wide range of goods are available, and the prices can be assumed to be either 'standard', or competitive, typically varying by up to plus or minus ten percent from standard. For many years this was just used by the local elves and dwarves, with the occasional giant, but now people come from all over Maj Space.
There is a guard force, paid for by a two percent levy on all the trade, who wander around looking for organised attempts at theft, shoddy goods that are over-priced, or gross mis-representation. Repeat offenders may be ejected from Caduceus, and have to pay a fine before re-entry. It is suspected that divine forces direct the guards to the most blatent offenders, and ensure that the guards stay honest (and that the levy to pay them is properly collected). Really good thieves (five or more ranks in Bluff) who use confidence trickster techniques, rather than pickpocket, snatch and run, or distraction thefts, seem to be overlooked by the guards for some reason.
Stolen goods can be freely sold at the market just like any others, though the guards may make comments, but take no other action, if they are under-priced, say for a quick sale. However, selling goods stolen, by other than confidence trickster techniques, from elsewhere in the market risks that merchant having paid the guard to make sure that no one is attempting this, and the more they pay the greater your risk of being caught even if you make a quick sale, the goods and all of your money (or other goods bartered for some of the stolen ones) confiscated, ejection from Caduceus, and having to pay a fine before re-entry.
If you have managed to sell all the locally stolen goods to customers or another merchant before you are caught, there are no consequences, except the guards may warn you. Some guards are very knowledgable about which merchants are likely willing to quickly buy stolen goods... Stealing goods, immediately leaving, and trying to return and sell them another day does not seem to throw the guard off the scent. Stealing goods and immediately leaving seems to work best.
There are merchants in the trade hall who will rent or sell talismans in the shape of small ziggurats which do Caduceus Door once per day. Those with 3rd level effect typically cost 2,400 gp to buy, or 2 gp and 4 sp per day, and a returnable 240 gp deposit, to rent (6th level effect double that, 9th triple that, etc.). These merchants tend to have very good collection agents... (They will even hire adventurers (fee 10% of value of returned talisman(s)) to do this work!)
Attempts to fight, injure, or charm or influence (except by skill) others in the trade hall (including poisoning attempts) in any way causes highly amusing (to others) slipping and tripping, and inflicts on the attacker non-lethal damage (assuming they are not immune to this) equal to the damage they would have inflicted if their attack succeeded (temporary poison effects if that was what was being attempted). This applies to all less than divine beings, irrelevant of their magic resistance or magical defences, including undead and constructs. There is nothing to prevent attempts at theft, except by violence.
The trade hall is often willing to employ people to act as guards, at standard rates, with free board and lodging, as long as they are sufficiently skilled (five or more ranks in Spot, at least five ranks in Appraise and in Sense Motive), and understand that their job is to prevent rather than cause trouble. Smart guards who keep their ears open can learn all sorts of interesting things in the trade hall. Guards have one and a half free days off a week, which they can spend in the trade hall, if they wish, or elsewhere or Hermes, anywhere easily reached by a ziggurat. If needed they may have the loan of a talisman which does Caduceus Door once per day.
The Hospital
Caduceus has an immense, in fact indefinitely big, hospital, which is reached by taking the right-hand passageway at any entrance, rather than the left-hand one, which leads to the trade hall. Healing is what this place is for, and if that is not possible, an easy exit from the world and an escort to the appropriate afterlife. This is a place of changing, pleasant, light, soft breezes from no particular direction, the distant sound of birds, wind in the trees, or the sea, whatever is most restful or suited to those needing healing.
Patients are in groups in open buildings or woods if this suits them, or in individual rooms or groves, and can move between these as needed. The physicians are concealed by a bright light, and their voices cannot be distinguished (nor can any other feature; even True Seeing fails), though their speech is translated into whatever language is required. Nursing is done by mute invisible servants, who also do all the fetching and carrying. People who become well are quite firmly ejected, even if they would like to stay. Reasonable levels of visiting those healing is allowed.
Patients and staff are as protected from harm as anyone in the Trade Hall is from violence, though the effect instead of falling is a brief loss of concentration; the non-lethal damage is the same. Mute invisible porters will escort out of Caduceus repeat offenders, and a fine will need to be paid before re-entry is allowed. The insane or those otherwise not responsible for their actions will be treated with understanding, and gentle but sufficient force to restrain them. Stealing from staff or patients by any means bar confidence trickery, and even then only from those who are in their right minds, is not allowed, and is treated as is violence, above; the first time a warning, repeated an ejection.
While the hospital is there for the purpose of healing, they are very strong on payment, though this can be deferred, on occasion to service in the hospital before entering the afterlife (for example as an invisible servant or porter, or even physician). This means that those who are healed and avoid payment cannot, as long as they are still in Maj Space, enter the afterlife or be restored to life, except at Caduceus, until their debt is paid. If an attempt is made to restore them to life away from Caduceus a brief spoken or written message will appear on their body, along with a complementary indefinite Gentle Repose effect, until their period of service is over.
Those who can reach Caduceus but cannot pay for treatment are treated anyway, but they are clearly given to understand that their payment is deferred. If their treatment is a gentle passage out of life they then serve the hospital, typically for at most a few weeks, two months at most, before escort to their afterlife.
Note that while the hospital is willing to restore the dead to life, they will always speak to their spirits first, and discuss whether in fact it would suit them more to go on to the afterlife. They can do this here far more effectively than standard spells would allow elsewhere. If the spirit decides to stay dead (no pressure is applied to choose this) then no charge is made and they are escorted to the appropriate afterlife.
Included in the hospital are halls of parting, where visitors can (briefly) view the bodies of their loved ones before the hospital neatly disposes of them. The hospital is entirely happy to convey bodies to any ziggurat on Hermes, for collection; unclaimed bodies, not typically held for more than a week, will be neatly disposed of. The bodies actually become sustenance for the magical woods that make up much of the hospital.
Interested staff physicians are allowed to do post mortem magical examinations of bodies (though not surgical autopsies), in their own time, before disposal, if they think they might have died in interesting ways. The hospital is willing to be paid, typically at least 100 gp, more for very important people, to allow bodies to be brought to them for examination and disposal, and a full report given of the results of the examination, as long as this does interfere with their primary work of healing.
The spirits and master spirit which run the hospital watch staff to ensure that they are competent and honest. Priests are not allowed to discuss religion with patients, in particular those on the point of death, and this restriction means that many clerics will not work at the hospital. Priests are however allowed and given the ability to escort the spirits of the dead of their religion to their afterlife (they remain anonymous cloaked in white light while they do this). The ability to do this is one reason some temples assign their priests to the hospital, even given the restrictions. If suitable priests are not available more generic psychopomps do the task.
Note that there are private staff-only areas of the hospital which only they can enter, and these again are open buildings, woods or completely private groves, all with any desired light, bedding, water, or food, as the physicians require. Physicians are allowed to drop their cloaks of concealing white light here, though not all choose to do so (for example if they are spirits serving here after death). Nurses and porters are in immaterial forms and need no rest or sustenance. Physicians who attempt violence or theft here are treated just as firmly as elsewhere in the hospital. The staff areas contain all storerooms and things like alchemical and enchantment workshops, as well as mortuaries.
The hospital is willing to employ healers and priests of any religion on its staff as physicians at standard rates of pay, with full board and lodging thrown in free, as long as they are sufficiently skilled (five or more ranks in Heal, at least five ranks in one of Profession (alchemist, apothacary, herbalist, healer or other suitable), and capable of 2nd level healing spells); a healer kit is made available for the use of all staff. Staff who do alchemy or enchantment work for the hospital will be paid standard market prices for all potions and items made. Physicians have one and a half free days off a week, which they can spend in the hospital, for examply studying, if they wish, or elsewhere on Hermes, anywhere easily reached by a ziggurat.
Medicinal Trading
There is a area to the right-hand side on entering the Trade Hall where there is trading in medicinal goods. All the standard ones are typically for sale, as are both the special raw herbs of Hermes, and unusual healing prepartions made from these. There are also traders ready and willing to purchase these herbs.
There are a number of non-standard items:
Amulet of Gentle Repose: is a black onyx amulet with a copper backing made from copper pieces, which contains a pinch of salt. This acts as a Gentle Repose spell for the purpose of preserving a corpse or severed body part, or the like, for one day per the amulet's caster level. GMs using the Undead Option should note that this is effectively the same as the Amulet of Zombie Preservation.
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Create Wonderous Item, Gentle Repose; Market Price: 2,000 gp; Weight: -.
(c) Dreamer Publications, 1980 - August 2006
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