Zap oc Tec is a city deep beneath an Amazonian rainforest, where trained leaf cutter ants tend hybrid fungus cultures for hamster masters. Its cobblestone streets are lit by lamps of glowing fungi, and overhead, glowbugs twinkle like stars. It is home to many creatures of intelligent stock. Rats collect cast-off human goods for trade with the more advanced hamster population. All types of goods are available in the rat neighborhood of Zap oc Tec, nails and glass being the most common. The hamsters of Zap oc Tec indulge in cosmetic modifications. Wild haircuts and pierced ears abound, as the humans of this area wouldn't know an intelligent hamster from any other small rodent.

In the Foreign Quarter, intelligent hedgehogs work and trade with the indigenous hamster population.

The city is largely populated with Syrian shorthaired hamsters, with a small proportion of longhaired types.

The city is best known for its custom-grown fungi. Uses for these fungi include:

1. Disposal: Reduces dead Breachers and animals to dust quickly
2. Hallucinogen: Popular with rats
3. Toxin: Multiple pest control uses
4. Dream-Maker: Causes a hamster to enter into a controllable dream state and broadcast to other sleepers, hamster and non-hamster alike. Used to share dreams. Can be used to heal or terrorize.
5. Medicinal
6. Curative: antibacterial
7. Illumination (Lamp Fungus)
8. Destruction: devour victims
9. Computational (Fungus Friend)
10. Food
11. Construction material
12. Housing
13. Tools: Rock shaping, glue
14. Acid
15. Stun Fungus: electrical discharge

Fungi are grown in hedge wizard labs and in cases of mass production, in large subterranean farms tended by the domesticized ants. These ants also provide the raw materials for the Ant Mandible Gauntlet and serve as the primary defenses of Zap oc Tec.

Leaf Cutter Ants (Scale: -2)

Worker

• STR: Good
• AGL: Fair
• DEX: Poor
• STA: Fair
• MIND: n/a
• PSI: n/a
• Mandibles: OF + 1 wound

Warrior

• STR: Good
• AGL: Good
• DEX: Poor
• STA: Great
• MIND: n/a
• PSI: n/a
• Mandibles: OF + 2 wounds

Queen

• STR: Poor
• AGL: Terrible
• DEX: Terrible
• STA: Superb
• MIND: Terrible
• PSI: n/a
• Mandibles: n/a

The ants are controlled by the Queen and the Queen is controlled by a team of Companions.

City Personalities

1. Aloysius: Hedgehog hedge wizard--Vague Arabic accent
2. Clothing Vendor: Scrawny, slightly deranged female shorthaired hamster
3. Continuous line of ants--leaf cutters. Leads to Temple of Ants (see immediately below)
4. Rufus the Glass Rat: Trades in discarded crack vials. Trades for hallucinogenic fungus.
5. Large Syrian warrior guards near entrance to the Temple of Ants

Temple of Ants

At far end of city. A massive step pyramid set into the cavern wall. A large opening at the base emits a continuous stream of leaf cutter ants going about their business.

To the right and left of the opening stand two powerful-looking hamsters: the honor guard. The guards are of Golden Hamster lineage, the elite of the protective cadre of Syrian Warriors. They are charged with protecting the Queen. They carry polearms of shaped crystal.

The Market

A collection of subterranean open-air booths. Sales of many different commonly available to rare goods are performed on a daily basis.

The street through the market leads to the bazaar in the Foreign Quarter. The bazaar is where several small shops do business. The streets form a labyrinth from which several non-hamsters and a few outsider hamsters do business. Often this business is shady in nature.

Rat Town

Separated from the main city by a short, wide tunnel, the rats of Rat Town trade in the debris left behind by humans.

The city of Zap oc Tec, while underground, borders a slow-moving river through which swimming rats drag small raftlike bundles for trade.

The rats of Rat Town have a friendly, entrepreneurial attitude. Most are fluent in Hamster.

Rats are decidedly practical in demeanor.

Most rats hold hamsters in high esteem for their society, magiclike powers and advanced technology, but tend to view their short tails as freakish.