Physical description: An asteroid about 2 miles long, 1.5 miles wide, and 0.5 miles thick. It has a rocky core but is covered in soil. It rotates around its long axis once every 9.5 hours. Pearball was originally covered in thickets of woody brush, which still covers much of the backside and the topside far from the "Beach". Now, level areas are being planted with crops (pipeweed, grains, vegetables, and berries) and the steeper areas are becoming grazing areas (for sheep and goats).
Weather: This is highly dependent on the GM's view of weather in asteroid fields. IMC, Pearball is located in Greyspace's Grinder, where it is pelted randomly by small water and ice bodies, producing random showers and flurries (1 in 6 chance every 9.5 hours, roll 1d6: 1-2 light drizzle, 3-4 brief downpour, 5 flurry, 6 2d6" snow). The temperature is a moderate 55-80 F, so snow melts quickly. The water flows into small brooks and to the gravity plane, producing some waterfalls off of the cliffs, and then out of the air envelope across the gravity plane through tentacle like streams.
Population: About 240 halflings. They recently colonized this asteroid and are still expanding to fill it out. Much work is needed to tame the native vegetation and terrain, but halflings always make time to not work too hard. Their general goals are to develop this rock as a safe, happy, and prosperous community.
Non-threatening outsiders are welcome to visit, although non-halflings who want to settle will feel subtle pressure to move on. The inhabitants have a somewhat lax attitude towards military matters, trusting in other protectors. There are guard duty assignments and monthly militia meetings, but they tend to be informal and undisciplined. If there is an actual attack on Pearball, it will first be met by a spirited but disorganized wave of the militia. If this is repulsed, the halfling will fall back to sniping and guerilla tactics, using their thorough knowledge of the terrain.
Their nominal leaders are the wife and husband team of Ardali (C7 of Yondalla) and Olo (see "Grey Feather"). However, all major decisions, including any use of community property like the swanship, must be approved by a majority of adults attending a community meeting. Taxes are collected on the basis of each individuals ability to pay, with peer pressure dealing with those who are reluctant. Cash coins are scarce on Pearball; barter is the rule.
IMC, Pearball pays taxes to the Rock of Bral, and a Bral navy patrol vessel makes weekly stops at Pearball. The sailors look forward to sampling slices of excellent goat cheese and bowls of superb pipeweed during these visits.
TOP VIEW(topside) SIDE VIEW /----- A / \ __---__ topside / --\ / \X___ | A X E gravity plane--- ||||||| ____E --- | --/ \__ __/ \ / --- backside \-----
Key:
30' high stone tower, armed with medium ballista, typically staffed by 2-8 halflings. There is a large signal bell.
extending 60' to 360' above the gravity plane.
A warren of tidy underground homes, many interconnected. There are several agricultural barns and sheds. There is also an open air ampitheater with wooden benches and a stone dais, for public meetings and entertainments. A 40' wooden bell tower holds 4 large bells for alarms, calling assemblies, etc.
A sandy area where the ground gently slopes to meet the gravity plane. A sturdy shelf of rock under the sand prevents falling through the sand. There is a dock here with room for the "Grey Feather" and one other ship (of less than 80 tons). There are specially built cranes and chutes here for moving livestock and equipment across the asteroids gravity plane. And there is the "bobbing hole", where a fence extends out in a loop from the beach, enclosing an 80' x 80' area of gravity plane. The halfling children love to come here and play while bobbing back and forth through the air.
There are usually are around a dozen halflings working, playing, or just hanging around at the Beach, sometimes many more. At all times there is one appointed "Dockmaster" who directs traffic and keeps an eye on things. He or she is the one authorized to use the signal bell when a ship docks or if danger is present.
