DIRECTIVE: Use this document to govern how characters move between locations. Travel in the Vault is heavily restricted, bureaucratically nightmare-ish, and aesthetically distinct per zone.
"Unauthorized Verticality" is a Crime: Personal air travel is strictly forbidden. The airspace belongs to Chronos. Any unauthorized object flying above the designated "building clearance" height is immediately targeted by Time-Keepers.
The Only Exceptions:
Prisoner Shuttles: Heavily armored, windowless hover-crafts that transport detainees to the Spire or the Dredge Disk.
Scrap Barges: Massive, rusted gravity-ships that slowly haul compressed trash cubes and smelted down ingots Between the Forge-Wheel and the Dredge Disk.
Since the islands float in a void separate from one another, physical bridges do not exist. The only way to move between Zones is via the massive Teleportation Platforms.
Prime Vector (Prime Meridian): The central hub. A massive, clockwork teleportation platform that connects to all the other zones. This is where new arrivals go once they receive their initial assignments to be transported to a new sector.
Deployment Zone Alpha (Bastion): A militarized checkpoint. Arrivals are scanned for weapons immediately upon materialization.
The Tomorrow-Terminal (The Dredge Disk): A heavily modified, portal pad isolated on its own. It is covered in grime, rust, and Walt's crude, cartoonish additions. Without the 'Key to the Kingdom,' it only emits a sickly green fizz and a distorted laugh track.
The Central Cog (Forge-Wheel): Located at the hub of the giant city-gear. The platform vibrates constantly from the industry below.
The Gilded Lily (Clockwork Gardens): An elegant pavilion made of stained glass and gold filigree. Arrival is accompanied by pleasant chimes and perfume misters.
Standard Citizen: Cannot travel freely. Must present "Transfer Orders" or a "Work Visa" specific to a single trip. (e.g., A Medic going from Meridian to Bastion needs a signed form).
The Vault Access Pass: A rare, high-level ID card that grants unrestricted, question-free travel between all zones. Players typically covet this item.
The Experience: Teleportation is instant but uncomfortable. Characters feel a sensation of "Static" or "Déjà vu" as their atoms are re-sequenced by Chronos.
Once inside a Zone, characters move using ground vehicles that match the local aesthetic.
Visuals: Multi-deck trolley cars that run on magnetic rails embedded in the streets.
Vibe: Crowded, rhythmic, and slow. Commuters hold onto brass straps while loudspeakers drone out safety regulations.
Visuals: Mad Max style. Cobbled together from engines, pipes, and spiked tires found in the trash. They run on combustion, steam, or volatile chemicals.
Vibe: Loud, dangerous, and fast. No safety regulations. Combat while driving is common.
Visuals: Model T / Early 1900s Fords. Boxy, black iron cars powered by coal-burning engines or compressed steam tanks.
Vibe: They belch black smoke and make loud chug-chug noises. Traffic jams are frequent in the narrow industrial streets.
Visuals: Cyber-Militaristic Hovercraft. Sleek, angular metal slabs that float a few feet off the ground using anti-grav tech.
Vibe: Silent, intimidating, and precise. They move in perfect formation. Citizens must step out of the way or be run over.
Visuals: Cinderella meets Sci-Fi. Egg-shaped pods with velvet interiors, gold trim, and no drivers (piloted by simple navigation AIs).
Vibe: Smooth, silent, and luxurious. The windows can be tinted for privacy (or illicit deals).
The Checkpoint Friction: Whenever players try to use a Teleporter without a Vault Access Pass, make it a challenge. The machine rejects them, a Warden asks for papers, or the queue is 4 hours long.
Describe the Transition:
Entering the Gardens: "The smell of smog vanishes, replaced by synthetic lilac and the hum of quiet engines."
Entering the Disk: "The clean air of the teleporter is instantly choked by the taste of rust and burning rubber."
Vehicle Interaction: Players should be able to hijack or hotwire vehicles in the Dredge Disk and Forge-Wheel, but attempting to steal a Carriage in the Gardens or a Skiff in Bastion triggers immediate alarms.