City of Orphans

By: Dave Matney

Approval status: pending

General Information
Centrally located around the old The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, in pre-war Old Riga, Latvia, and expanding into the surrounding buildings by tunnels through the snow at ground level, often through other buildings.

The City of Orphans is considered haunted by locals, and youth are warned to never go there, as the few who have never returned. This couldn't be farther from the truth, however; just over 100 people live in the City of Orphans, ranging in age from infancy to age 22, with the exceptions of The Oldest (24) and Mother (54). The ghost stories are perpetuated by the Orphans --as the residents call themselves-- through carefully placed lights, wind chimes, and kidnapping any children that come within the borders.

To date, no adult has found the City, or at least lived to tell about it.

History
Before the war, The City of Orphans was a handful of popular Medieval museums and tourist locations in Old Riga. When the war started, the city closed the doors of all the locations, hoping to keep out looters in the possible fall of Riga, and during the Nuclear Winter, only the top towers of the Castle of Riga and the Dome Cathedral were left exposed, the insides completely preserved from the elements.

Sometime between 2003 and 2005, The Oldest lead a group of children to the City, guided only by a pre-war map and rumor of it's haunted existence. The Orphans hunted the ruins around the city, which built up a supply of canned goods, while the Oldest's quest for knowledge kept pushing the expansion of The City (lead, again, by pre-war pamphlets which they found within the Cathedral and the Castle.

Government
Despite being within the borders of the ELL, The City of Orphans doesn't consider itself part of the nation. Instead, The Oldest rules loosely, dealing with problems as they arise. There are only a few laws that have been laid down, though punishment seems to be based on The Oldest's whim, and not any ruling system.

The rules are:
 * No one older than The Oldest may live within The City.
 * The only exception is Mother.
 * No stealing from other Orphans.
 * No fighting within The City. "Take it outside."
 * The items within The City are sacred, and should never leave The City. Also, defacing The City is strictly forbidden, and may result in exile.

Places of Interest
The City of Orphans is separated into 5 distinct areas, each with it's own occupants and areas of interest. Everything within the walls are in pristine condition, and the Orphans have taken extreme care to build living space around them.


 * Museum of History and Navigation
 * The Hall of Wisdom. (the Column Hall) Named after the idea that "To have your face on the wall, you must be wise," this hall has become the central location of The Museum of History.  You can find children here bartering for just about anything they're willing to trade.
 * The Hall of God. (the Cross Gallery) Orphans don't often hang out here, but it's regarded as a holy place in The City. Some Orphans hold regular prayer meetings here, not to any particular god, but simply in hopes that things will get easier.
 * Riga Cathedral
 * The Music Room. The largest sanctuary, housing The Dome Cathedral Pipe Organ, is often filled with Orphans and a cacophony of sound, from children singing, to home-made instruments, and at least three children playing the Organ at all times.
 * Mother's Room. In what is believe to be old Nun or Monk quarters, Mother has set up a small hospital, as well as her own living quarters.
 * Three Brothers These buildings are the apartments of The City, and while they're busy, there's not much to see here.
 * Museum of Occupations These halls are largely uninhabited, due to the nature of the imagery on the walls.  The Oldest can often be found wandering around this museum.
 * Riga Castle
 * The Kitchen. What once was a large conference room, with a closeby kitchen, now sits a cafeteria.  Orphans can be found here at any time of day, eating something or other.
 * The Oldest's Room The Oldest has claimed the largest bedrooms for himself, though he only uses it for sleeping.

Quest options

 * See []
 * A child has gone missing from one of the nearby townships, and the family is sure their daughter has wandered into The City (they call them the Ruins). The PC is asked to help find their child, but the family downplays the danger.