Name: Precipice
Region: Taverne
Demonym: Prespians
Owner: Grind
Political System: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Population: Mostly karacels, with a mix of other Taverne species as well and other regions’ species as minorities
Population Density: Decently dense in cities, scattered in rural/open desert areas
Religious Demographics: Primarily Grind worshipers, extremely low Spit worshipers
Project Appearances: Punch Clock Animal, Felid Factor
Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/skinstealers/precipice/

Precipice is a sandy desert region owned and created by Grind. It contains the majority of the southern shores of Taverne within its borders. It features in the projects of Punch Clock Animal and Felid Factor.

The inland portions of the zone are largely desert, with tall dunes and occasional oases. Between the heat of the desert and the constant problem of horror vents, Precipice has many factors working against the population. Its cities are typically walled to keep out both the large terror population and frequent sandstorms, with knight guilds and vigilantes frequently employed to help assist with the former.

Precipice was created by Grind in the Chaos era and has remained his ever since. Its native species is karacels, created by Wretch and Grind, with other Taverne species being present in smaller numbers. Precipice was slowly developed outwards from Hearth, the supply chain from the then more developed zone instrumental in settling the more inhospitable parts of the arid zone.

Precipice is no stranger to conflict; there is a large concentration of horror vents buried under the desert sands that pose a constant threat. Protective walls have been established around many of the more populated regions of Precipice in response, and individuals willing to fight to defend others are commonplace. Precipice and its citizens took part in the Revisionist Wars, lasting from 5667 FE to 5672 FE / 0 RE, on the side of the Revisionist Powers.

Precipice is known for being the hottest zone in Taverne. It’s not uncommon for residents to stay inside during most of the day and only come out when it starts to get dark. This is doubly true during heatwaves, a luckily uncommon occurrence. Precipice is a very dry zone, most cities and towns formed around the few lush areas around rivers and oases.

Seasons in Precipice are largely not different in any noticeable way from one another, with the exception of sparse rainfall during winter, and dangerous levels of heat in summer. Winter lasts from November to January, spring lasts from February to April, summer lasts from May to August, and fall lasts from September to October. Thankfully for those that live by the shore, the temperature is eased by cool breezes coming in from the water. Almost all housing has some degree of air conditioning or other forms of cooling.

The day and night cycle of Precipice exists in primary colors, with sunrises in pinks and yellows, days in blues, and sunsets in pinks and blues. The sun sets earlier than most other zones to help the people of the zone avoid the sweltering heat, and nights are brighter than other zones to help visibility. Many consider this to be a great kindness from Grind, and are thankful for this gift.

The terrain of Precipice is almost entirely composed of light pink sand dunes that tower over all but the tallest of citizens. There are occasional oases and rivers, with the coast lined with beaches. The desert is peppered with ruins left from abandoned settlements, left behind as the result of terror attacks from many years ago.

Due to the inhospitablity of the Precipice’s biome, nearly all flora and fauna in the zone were created by Grind for Precipice, with remarkably few species from other zones being able to survive in the desert. Most species were designed with metallic qualities, ranging from scales or exoskeletons with a chrome-like shine, to outright having inorganic clockwork as part of their bodies.

Some examples of flora include a variety of shrubs, ivy that grows on the walls and in cities, gear-like succulents, and a kind of reed that grows by the rivers that is processed for a seasoning that's a major export.

Some examples of fauna include a species of clockwork panther, lightbulb like bugs, a large horseshoe crab that burrows through dunes, scorpions that make clicking noises, a kind of firefly that looks like shreds to the untrained eye, and a shaggy herd animal that resembles something between a goat and a sauropod.

Precipice is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with Grind acting as an advisor to a mortal led government. Grind has played many roles for Precipice over the years. While he was previously a direct leader for the zone, he has since stepped down into an advisory position, allowing the mortals of the zone to lead themselves after establishing the structure of government. Grind still has the power to take control of the government in emergencies, though prefers to leave it up to the mortals unless the problem involves god scale conflict.

Outside of emergency situations, Grind’s advice or suggestions can be easily vetoed by the government, though he still has significant sway. These suggestions and advice are publicly released for the sake of transparency, except in cases where everyone knowing could endanger lives, especially if the zone is at war.

Unlike in other zones, lesser gods are usually nor created for political leadership positions, instead often being made for more practical, physical reasons, such as creating a god with a motif of water to help with terraforming a new oasis. This doesn’t stop lesser gods from running for office, and though Grind discourages it, they often gain office due to mortals from other zones being used to god leadership.

Precipice has a robust social services system, paid for by the high tax rate. Basic income and housing are provided to the citizens that require it, while wealthy citizens are taxed heavily. Much of the taxes go towards funding universal healthcare, as well as the many public hospitals in the zone. The government also mandates the operation of and membership in unions for all jobs within its borders.

Precipice, like much of the rest of Morbit, uses the Standardized Morbit Currency System, composed of cash and change, largely so that it can trade with other zones easily. Grinds religion does not center around worship or offering as many others do, rather it is composed of a set of ideals and a moral code. The moral code is very focused upon the concepts of justice, innocence, and doing the right thing. Grind is a big proponent of eye for an eye when it comes to justice, and many of his followers feel the same way.

Grind’s retribution-based concept of justice has been adopted by the legal system. Being found guilty of a crime does not necessarily mean you will be punished, rather if you can prove that what you did was warranted in some way, then you can have your sentence lessened or even acquitted altogether. In some cases, innocent defendants have chosen to admit guilt to crimes they did not commit because they believed it would be easier to prove that what they were being accused of was justified. In cases where a defendant’s actions are found to be unjustifiable, the victim is allowed compensation in the form of an equivalent action that they may perform upon the defendant, approved by the court. For example, if someone was found guilty of negligence that caused a victim to be moderately injured, the victim may be legally allowed to injure the defendant.

Politicians are typically in line with Grind’s opinions and moral code, but generally not to the same extent. Assault of innocent people is considered one of the highest moral crimes to Grind, but being able to take out abusers without consequences is not explicitly endorsed by politicians- at least not without a trial to prove whether it was warranted, or a formalized challenge to make it official.

Precipice’s law enforcement officers are typically not armed. Law enforcement officers trained for violent crimes are considered a completely different agency, and those who do need to carry weapons are not equipped with military grade weaponry and are trained with intent to detain and not kill/harm. Local knight guilds are also common, mainly with the goal of handling horror and terror-related activity. Grind is also personally not against vigilante justice, but most politicians do not endorse it due to it being hard to regulate.

Precipice’s military mainly focuses on patrolling the border and preventing Spit cult activity, with Grind’s advice preferring the zone not become heavily militarized if they can help it.

Precipice has positive relations with Wonder and Hearth, and has consistent trade with both zones. Its relationship with Hoopla is mixed, with many politicians from Precipice frowning upon the actions some of Hoopla’s companies take, but being very aware of Grind’s necessary involvement in helping Wretch and some of the other companies in running the zone. Due to Grind’s outright and outspoken hatred of Rein and Spit, Solitude and Consumption respectively are very much on bad terms with Precipice, though the former claims not to know why this would ever be a problem in the first place.

Entertainment in Precipice is fairly varied, from theatre and poetry, to superhero media. Sports are a popular pastime for the citizenry, though almost entirely indoors so as to keep the athletes cool. Indoor community pools are also very common. Television and movies tend to lean towards flashy action in the zone.

Combat is less of a way of life and more of a necessity in Precipice. Most people in the zone are trained in self defense from a young age, including the disabled. Most citizens are trained in hand to hand combat using their claws, teeth, or whatever else they have, with few being trained in any weapons. Fighting is universally considered a serious matter, and is not something taken lightly. It is looked down on to intend to harm someone unless they have wronged you in a significant way first. Injuring someone without cause is not seen as a light offense, especially if the person you have injured is innocent of any crimes or too young to fight back.

Precipice has lots of local restaurants with a focus on personalized recipes, not a lot of commercialized chains, and a big focus on food you can eat cleanly with the hands and drinks that you can use to beat the heat/dryness of the region. Chilis and stews are the most cost effective meal of the zone, with spices from the riverbanks being a common ingredient. Anything that won't grow in a desert is hard to get in Precipice, common gifts include meat dishes and non-perishable things like jerkies.

The ideals of Precipice are similar to other zones on the surface, but with a key difference. You should be caring and honest to those around you, and respect life around you, but also if someone wrongs you in some way you should get revenge for it. However, it is considered important to only commit to violence when it has been done to you or an innocent.

Housing in Precipice consists mostly of group homes and renovated motels, the latter of which are purchased by the government and turned into affordable single or double-occupant apartments. Single-occupant houses are present as well but are much less common, and are regarded as overly fancy by some. To them, living with others is a natural part of life and helps build stronger relationships, as well as encourages people to be more caring and understanding of each other.

Group homes are sometimes made using broken or abandoned buildings, refurbished by the occupants as a means of repayment in exchange for living there. Broken walls usually have tarps or some similar implement over them, although with everyone living there working on fixing the place up, they usually don’t stay there for that long.

Single-occupant homes are slightly smaller than group homes, although there have been cases where a broken single-occupant home has been converted into a small group home, and as such, more recent single-occupant homes are designed with this scenario in mind. Kitchens and other common rooms are shared, and as such are larger than usual. Living areas are usually made of a few couches or other seats in a small circle.

Most houses have fortified basements for use in the case of terror attacks that manage to actually breach the walls of whatever city they are located in, or simply to hide if one gets near in the case of more rural settlements. Most cities have communal bunkers as well, to prevent anyone from being stranded on the street if they are too far from their house when the attack starts. Most citizens try to keep their bunker well stocked, with more than a few companies trying to profit off of sales of ‘all in one’ bunker kits.

Most employment to be found is in small local businesses, as most large corporations tend to stay away due to the high tax rate. That isn’t to say they don’t exist, as a few large corporations have been trying to establish footholds and sway politicians to their side, though as of yet, they haven’t had much success. The Menagerie, a large medical facility located outside of Mockery, the capital of Precipice, is one of the largest providers of jobs in the region. Knight guilds are also a common place to find work. Careers based in horror mutation management and body modding are also very common.

Markets are commonly found in both cities and towns, and are a good place for citizens to find wares of all kinds.

There is no one specific standardized system of education for children in Precipice, with most of the population being homeschooled. An emphasis is put on letting children pick their own curriculum based on what appeals to them, letting them get more invested in what they learn. There is much community involvement in the act of raising and educating a child, with parents who insist on doing it themselves seen as strange. Rec and community centers are often used as places for kids to learn together, as well as places for kids to stay while parents are at work to ensure they are watched over in the case of an emergency.

Kids are taught early on the importance of responsibility and honesty, both in schooling and media. There are a few television channels run by Grind worshippers that specialize in teaching morals to children though various programs. One such program features a talking agony squash and their friends who discuss morals that line up with Grind’s ideals, in addition to occasionally covering important and difficult topics such as terror attacks.

Healthcare is considered a basic right in Precipice, and is guaranteed to all citizens for free. The zone is home to The Menagerie, the largest medical facility in the region, as well as one of the foremost researchers on the effect of horror radiation. A large portion of the budget for health services goes to caring for the symptoms of horror radiation, including mutation.

Precipice is very technologically advanced, with the most up to date care for horror mutation, as well as the best transformative body mod tech in Taverne. The zone is also known for complex and beautiful uses of clockwork in its technology, and a solid grasp of robotics, helped in no small part by Grind.

Transport outside of cities in Precipice can be somewhat difficult, relying on paved roads that can be commonly covered by sand if you’re using a vehicle. Going out into the dunes over even a moderate distance typically requires riding a horseshoe crab like animal. Luckily, rental of these creatures is quite easy, and many cities have salespeople ready to rent any citizen one right inside each gate.

Precipice’s art style has heavy art deco influences, and while it has heavy use of clockwork and gear shapes, does not resemble steampunk. While the art deco look is not the aesthetic that Grind initially influenced the zone with, it is a look that he has since grown to appreciate greatly, and has long since taken a backseat to watching the mortal population develop the style. The style also has a heavy use of metals, especially iron and steel, as well as stone. Blues, reds and yellows are the most heavily used accent colors, and contrast well with the dull metal and stone colors. Both decorative and functional iron grating and gates are featured in the aesthetics of the zone.

Windows in Precipice are usually not made of glass, instead they are made of construction steel arranged in a fine mesh, with shutters that can be activated from the inside thanks to a small set of gears in the wall. Front doors are made with a thin steel slab on the outside, and a pane of plexiglass on the inside, with the locking mechanism in between, and in full view of whoever is on the inside of the door.

Graffiti in Precipice is usually done with small carving implements, as opposed to paint of some sort. Any graffiti found by workers is filled in with molten metal that dries a pale gold color in order to retain structural integrity in the surface, while still having the art be visible. This metal, referred to in shorthand as ‘filler’, is much softer and easier to melt than the steel used in construction.

Plexiglass is also a fairly common material, used mostly on the sides of machinery to display the inner mechanisms. Windows are not actually made of this glasslike material, instead they are replaced by a fine diagonal mesh. Harder to break, and overall more sturdy. Shutters on windows are reminiscent of mall store shutters, sliding down from a small recess above the window, and activated from the inside by a simple gear system.

Interior design is mostly left open to the resident or owner of the place, but by default floors are made of cut stone tile, and the walls are made of a slightly smoother version of the outside wall. Outer doors are very sturdy and have locks to match. The outer surface of a door is made of a sheet of construction steel on the outside, with a hollow bit in the middle for the locking mechanism, which is clearly visible from the inside via the inner sheet of plexiglass.

Neon lights are common in Precipice signage, and bring a little extra color to the stone architecture.

Precipice’s fashion aesthetics have somewhat of a split between modern and traditional, with the former resembling more of a street fashion style, and the latter incorporating gear patterns and use of loose layers. Scarves, wraps, ponchos, wraps, robes, tunics, long skirts, and silks are common in traditional fashion, whereas shorts, shirts, crop tops, ponchos, light hoodies, capris, and short skirts are often seen in modern fashion. Primary colors are frequently seen in either, and mass branding is infrequent due to the lack of corporate presence in the zone.

Commonly, goods in Precipice will involve functional clockwork mechanisms, and people capable of tinkering with or fixing these mechanisms are common, with it being a frequently taught skill for both hobby and career purposes. Windup toys are a common toy of choice for children and adult enthusiasts, and automatons of decorative and practical purposes can be found in many homes. Geometric sculptures and goods are very popular as well.

The capital state of Precipice, settled first with assistance from Hearth. It is the most densely populated state in the zone, with two of the major cities, including the capital, Mockery, located within its borders. The desert in Rewind is the easiest to traverse, with the smallest dunes and least harsh winds.

The capital city of Precipice and home of Grind, Mockery is known for its large monster population, caused in part by the large concentration of horror vents in and around the city proper.

The Menagerie

The largest medical facility in Taverne, with the largest transformative body modding wing. It is located just outside of Mockery, and is generally seen favorably by the populace. It features heavily in Maybequest and Universal Constants.

The first incorporated territory of Precipice, settled after Rewind and now a fully established state. It has the second biggest population after Rewind and a bustling coastal economy. It is known for its beautiful and heavily fortified beaches, constantly being watched over by local knight guilds to prevent horror attacks.

The second incorporated territory of Precipice, settled after Rewind and Minute and now a fully established state. It has the third biggest population, but a lower population density, with two major cities. This state is known for its artisan automata craft and relatively safe beaches.

The third incorporated territory of Precipice, not yet a proper state. It is very sparsely populated compared to the established states, but still has a few cities. Between the tall sand dunes and wandering terror populations, traversal between cities and towns is difficult here. This is made harder by the occasional terror nests in abandoned ruins of overrun towns.

The only unincorporated territory of Precipice, there are very few people living here. Many failed attempts to settle this zone have been made, and many ruins inhabited by terrors and horrors are the result. With horrors emerging from the ocean every few months, and plenty of terrors wandering around the tall dunes, this territory is well known as a dangerous place to be.