# #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** The Smuggler's Circuit (also known as The Circuit, The Shadow Route, or The Tech Trail) - **Type:** Clandestine Trade Network/Smuggling Route - **Region:** Spans from Numeria through the River Kingdoms to Brevoy and Ustalav, with branches extending to Mendev and the Hold of Belkzen - **Scale & Population:** Hundreds of smugglers, traders, and support personnel operating across thousands of miles of secret routes - **Primary Inhabitants:** Independent smugglers, black market merchants, corrupt officials, technological specialists, and various criminal elements - **Climate & Terrain:** Varied across different regions, utilizing remote mountain passes, hidden river crossings, abandoned mines, and urban underground networks #### **Geography & Layout** - **Key Features & Landmarks:** - **The Nine Crossings**: Major river transit points across the Sellen River system - **The Iron Road**: A hidden overland route from [[Starfall]] to the River Kingdoms - **The Empty Market**: A mobile bazaar that changes location monthly - **The Gear Caves**: A series of caverns used for storage and exchange of technological goods - **The Blind Spots**: Areas where [[The Technic League|Technic League]] surveillance is known to be weakest - **Notable Districts/Areas:** - **Northern Circuit**: Routes running through Numeria and into Brevoy - **River Circuit**: Water-based smuggling routes along the Sellen River and its tributaries - **Eastern Circuit**: Paths into Ustalav for clients interested in necromancy-technology fusion - **Western Circuit**: Dangerous routes to the Hold of Belkzen where orc tribes pay premium prices - **Urban Nodes**: Secret locations in major cities where goods can be transferred or sold - **Connections & Accessibility:** - Network of safe houses identified by subtle, easily changed markings - Hidden caches and supply depots along remote routes - Bribed officials and border guards at key crossing points - Secret passages in urban areas, often through sewers or abandoned buildings - Specialized guides who know how to avoid official patrols and natural hazards #### **Culture & Society** - **Local Governance:** - No central authority; operates on a loose understanding between independent operators - Regional "route masters" who claim authority over specific sections of the Circuit - Unwritten rules enforced through reputation, mutual benefit, and occasional violence - Dispute resolution through neutral third-party arbiters known as "Scales" - **Economy & Trade:** - Primary focus on Numerian technological artifacts smuggled out of the country - Secondary trades in conventional contraband: weapons, drugs, restricted magical items - Information brokerage as an important supplementary service - Complex pricing structure based on risk, rarity, and demand - Token system for secure transactions between parties who don't trust each other - **Religion & Beliefs:** - No unified religious structure, though many smugglers pay respects to Desna (for safe travels) or Norgorber (for secrecy and profit) - Superstitions specific to the Circuit, such as never dealing on a new moon or wearing silver when handling technological goods - Some technological smugglers follow a quasi-religious reverence for the "Metal Gods" of Numeria - Many believe in the "Smuggler's Code" - a loose set of principles about fair dealing and not betraying fellow smugglers - **Laws & Customs:** - "The goods flow, or blood flows" - interfering with another's shipment is the gravest offense - Information about the Circuit is never shared with outsiders - Debts must be paid; credit is based entirely on reputation - "Three strikes" custom - minor betrayals may be forgiven twice, but never a third time - New smugglers must be vouched for by established members - **Languages Spoken:** - Common is the standard trade language - Thieves' Cant used for coded messages among smugglers - Various regional languages depending on the section of the Circuit - A specialized jargon for describing technological goods without revealing their true nature #### **History & Lore** - **Origins & Founding:** - Began approximately 80 years ago when the [[The Technic League|Technic League]] first established strict control over Numerian technology - Initially a loose collection of individual smugglers that gradually grew more organized - Formalized about 40 years ago when several major smuggling groups united after a bloody territorial conflict - Expanded significantly following increased demand for technological artifacts across the Inner Sea region - **Major Historical Events:** - The Red Night Massacre, when the [[The Technic League|Technic League]] ambushed and slaughtered a major smuggling caravan - The Great Confluence, where the major route masters established the modern Circuit's organization - The "Rain of Gears" incident, when a shipment of unstable technology exploded in a River Kingdoms trading post - The Infiltration Purge, a bloody internal conflict triggered by the discovery of [[The Technic League|Technic League]] spies - **Current Conflicts or Issues:** - Increasingly aggressive [[The Technic League|Technic League]] efforts to shut down the Circuit - Competition from [[Organizations/Economic & Trade Organizations/The Steel Hunters]] and other independent technology scavengers - Internal power struggles between established route masters and ambitious newcomers - Rising dangers from malfunctioning or unstable technological goods - Tensions with legitimate traders and local authorities in border regions - **Rumors & Mysteries:** - Whispers of a "Ghost Route" that bypasses all known Technic League checkpoints - Legends of smugglers who've found ways to use technological artifacts to teleport goods - Stories about a legendary smuggler known only as "The Gear" who supposedly founded the Circuit - Rumors of a secret vault containing the Circuit's most valuable technological finds - Tales of smugglers who disappeared after transporting particularly advanced artifacts #### **Notable NPCs & Factions** - **Key Figures:** - **Karven "Three-Fingers" Losz**: Northern Circuit route master, known for ruthless efficiency - **Melina Vask**: Information broker who specializes in Technic League patrol schedules - **Torvald Grimeye**: Technological specialist who assesses and disarms dangerous artifacts - **The Whisper**: Anonymous figure who controls much of the River Circuit - **Magistrate Helvian**: Corrupt Brevoy official who facilitates cross-border movement - **Factions or Power Groups:** - **The Gear Guild**: Alliance of technological specialists who assist with assessment and transport - **The Shadow Runners**: Elite smugglers who handle the most dangerous or valuable shipments - **The Red Hand**: Enforcers who maintain the Circuit's rules and punish violators - **The Blind Eyes**: Network of paid informants and corrupted officials - **The Coin Counters**: Financial specialists who handle the complex economics of illegal trade - **Major Monsters or Threats:** - [[Organizations/Economic & Trade Organizations/The Technic League]] hunting parties specifically targeting smugglers - Unstable technological artifacts that can malfunction with catastrophic results - Rival smuggling operations seeking to take over profitable routes - Legitimate law enforcement in various jurisdictions - Bandits and pirates who target smugglers for their valuable cargo #### **Additional Notes** - **Vibe & Inspirations:** - Underground railroad meets silk road with sci-fi elements - Blend of frontier smuggling operations and organized crime networks - The dangerous allure of forbidden technology and knowledge - A necessary evil that both undermines and exploits authoritarian control - **Adventure Hooks:** - Transport a valuable technological artifact along a dangerous section of the Circuit - Investigate the disappearance of a smuggler carrying sensitive information - Infiltrate a Circuit meeting to identify a Technic League spy - Navigate complex smuggler politics when a valuable shipment goes missing - Protect a technological specialist who has information vital to Circuit operations