The King of the Underground
Although the Pandoran Royal Family may rule most of the
island, their authority stops below the surface. The Pandoran underworld falls
under the authority of the King of the Underground, also known as His
Subterrestreal Majesty.
Originally known as the King of the Underwold, when Pandora
began building its underground transit system, he became known as the King of
the Underground.
His origins are shrouded in mystery. Some say that the Kings
of the Underground are a distaff branch of the Royal Family. Others say that
the Kings are the descendants of Pandora herself, who retreated into caves when
the first exiles arrived on the island. And there are old stories that the King
of the Underworld was on the island before Pandora herself.
The King of the Underground has a delicious, sinister
reputation. He never lets the Royal Family forget that they rule in tandem, and
can become quite angry if he is disrespected. If anyone on Pandora digs a deep
enough hole they have to pay the King of the Underground a tribute. Every rho
that goes into the Underground, goes into His Subterrestreal Majesty's pocket.
The King of the Underground lives underground. Rumors say
that he resides in a luxurious train cart that never stops moving along the
rains of the Underground. Others say he has a subterranean palace that would
put the Royal Palace to shame.
On very rare occasions, his Subterrestreal Majesty will come
to the border of his kingdom to meet with a blood member of the Pandoran Royal
Family. These meetings are rare and somewhat frought, and everyone agrees
diplomacy is best carried out by representatives of the two monarchs.
Outside the city, the King is still referred to as the King of the Underworld. Farmers and homesteaders will leave offerings of food and drink in caverns and caves to placate the King. When a new well must be dug on a farmstead, the farmers and workers are very careful to toss coins into the hole, as payment to the King of the Underground.
Mother Justice and the Train Police
The laws of the King of the Underground are enforced, quite
physically, by the Train Police. This force of men and women patrol the
Underground, and take quick and decisive action to punish those who break the
law. Dressed in dark red uniforms with
matt black helmets and armed with wooden cudgels, the Train Police give pause
to everyone who travels in the Underground.
They seem to limit their activities to the trains and subway stations
that comprise the Underground.
Presumably the Train Police live underground as they are
never seen aboveground, either in uniform or out. They are utterly devoted to the King of the
Underground and anyone who besmirches him in their hearing is liable to get
their teeth knocked out.
As a sort of counterpoint to the Train Police is the figure
of Mother Justice. Mother Justice is a giant of a woman, over six feet tall, with
a muscular physique and a battle-scarred, noble visage. She is more handsome
than pretty with unruly dark hair tucked into a soiled coif. She wears a
tattered skirt and cloak made from remnants of flags and a coarse white blouse
with the sleeves rolled up past her elbows. She is barefoot and carried a heavy
brass club.
Mother Justice has free reign of the Underground. She can go
anywhere and none may stand in her way. Those who try often get bludgeoned into
paste. In addition to the Underground, Mother Justice will sometimes be spotted
in the city's sewers and cellars, marching purposefully on her mission to bring
justice to the Underground.
According to local legends, Mother Justice is ageless and
has an adversarial, but respectful, relationship with the King of the
Underground. Why she seems bound to the Underground is anyone's guess, but she
has carte blanch to mete out justice in that dark realm as she sees fit.
According to legend, somewhere beneath Pandora, guarded by
the King of the Underground is a long staircase that winds down, deep into the
earth. At the bottom of this stairwell
is a door made entirely of brass. The
Long Stair and the Brass Door lead to hell.
Once a year, the Brass Door opens and the Devil climbs up
the Long Stair. He walks through the Underground and then steps onto the
streets of Pandora. The Devil wanders the streets of Pandora, noting the wicked
and the good. Sometimes he will speak with someone and offer a bargain. The
details of the bargain vary but if you accept it, they say it will cost you
your soul. After causing some mischief, the Devil retraces his steps. He must
be back in Hell before dawn arrives or he will be utterly destroyed.
Although the bulk of Pandorans laugh at this story, some
take it quite seriously. There are always sly characters in the Underground
Markets offering maps that lead the way to the Long Stair and the Brass Door.
People question why anyone would want such a map? The answer is another story.
That once, the Devil's way up the Long Stair was blocked by
a young man who refused to move unless the Devil granted him a wish. The Devil
agreed and the young man asked for a long life. The Devil granted him long life
and the young man moved aside. But the young man's long life was one of
heartache and loss, so the Devil got his own back again.
Still, there are always people who think they can outsmart
the Devil.
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