The region is largely arid, comprising rocky low hills and sudden, enormous escarpments. The vegetation tends towards spinifex bushes, some yellow grass, and stunted bushes; areas more prone to shade and water, such as low ground and the foot of cliffs, may sport small gum trees and scrubby undergrowth. The hills in the area contain a great deal of iron ore, together with copper, galena, coal, tin, and other minerals. This explains the presence of mechanised humanity in the region: for these minerals are one of the most vital resources of the UAR.

Because of the harsh environment, city people don't usually stray beyond the mechanically cultivated fields around the cities. The largely untouched lands beyond are the province of several nomad tribes: notably the Camel Rider orcs, the rabid Red Bunnies, and the Nurringa aboriginal tribe.

The Camel Riders are aggressive nomads. They occasionally steal herd animals, or demand tribute from weak groups of travellers, but unless angered (or gathered for war under a war chief) they are not very dangerous. Being nomads, they prefer light gear, and camels to cars. Their tenacity is quite legendary, however, and they are capable of marching for three days and nights without rest when the need is felt.

The Red Bunnies are a typical hostile rabbit tribe. They wear red for camouflage, and always attack travellers, even those in strong groups (typically a hit-and-run attack in such cases). Much of their equipment is improvised, such as torso body armour cut from wrecked vehicles and the infamous "tin can" shaped charges hurled by crossbows. Their culture is rigidly militaristic, and little else is known of them.

The Nurringa are an aboriginal tribe which has compromised on the debate between traditionalism and mechanisation. They are not hostile, though they are proud and strongly protect their own interests, bargaining hard when they know they have something others want. Their scouts are the best in the region, and a few are always in the hire of the Mt. Magnet garrison. They use personal MD armour and energy weapons, advanced medical equipment and the like, but retain their hunter-gatherer culture and traditional ways. Their symbiotic relationship with the city has caused them to prosper.

Mt. Magnet's skirt of green fields lies underneath a patchwork of black netting. The netting displays many holes but is largely intact. It serves to shield the crops from too much sun or wind, or from dust settling after storms, and also to limit water loss by evaporation. The irrigation system is buried and directly feeds the roots of the crops, minimising the water required. This form of high-tech farming requires constant attention, and Strider robots or trailbikes carrying agro-techs are a common site in the fields. The fields also contain a variety of inconspicuous sensors, originally designed to collect growth data, but which also serve to keep track of the field workers and any intruders. The fields extend about 10km from the city. The region around the city is normally under aerial surveillance from a single-engined Gull with telescopic and passive night vision optics. The data from this is available to farmers, security, and for commercial purchase.

Encroaching on the farmlands, and lining the wide gravel roads beyond the gates is Mt. Magnet's downtown. The relative wealth of the city pervades even here, where the wretched and poor live underground or in crude stone huts rather than cardboard or plywood shanties. The absence of an MD-gear ban in the downtown makes it a popular stop for paranoid or lowlife types, and adventurers, wandering aboriginal or mutant animal tribesmen, even eandroth or simvan are a regular sight here. The Black Market has an inconspicuous but iron grip here, and even the patrols of UAR infantry who warily attempt to keep order avoid intruding on what might be Black Market business.

The city is walled, and the walls are immense ferrocrete ramparts stretching 50 meters above the plain. From loopholes in the wall protrude the tubes of the city's artillery, and more traverse slowly in turrets atop the wall or wait ready in courtyards behind the wall. Mt. Magnet is one of the better-armed cities, with multiple batteries of a dozen guns each and no less than three 30cm semi-mobile guns. Since the days of the Ebon Horde, six decades past and more, there has been no great call for them but they are kept ready and waiting nonetheless.

The mighty gates to Mt. Magnet (there are three: NW, SW, and E) have deep barbicans, where the storage bays for visitors' MD gear and vehicles are located. These areas are constantly surveilled by UAR troops, including magicians and psychics. Attempting to smuggle proscribed articles into the city, or to steal from a storage bay, is a fool's game. Those without UAR papers are permitted entry to the city, following a palmprint recording (checked against records) and the issue of provisional papers.

The population of Mt. Magnet is 150,000 but the city does not cover more than 15 sq. kilometers, and as a result population density is very high. The people of Mt. Magnet prefer their cramped, safe and comfortable city to the wide open, arid and perilous lands outside. The mayor is considering a plan to erect a dome over the city, permitting the entire place to be weather-controlled and the air safely filtered. The water shortage is a fact of life for everyone, with rationing a permanent fixture. Wastage of water is a serious crime.

60% of the population is human (18% oriental, 18% aboriginal, 24% white), 20% mutant animals, 10% dwarves, 5% orcs and the remaining 5% other d-bees such as tritons, elves, eandroth, and simvan. White humans includes the Jacobites, a subgroup making up about 2% of the total population. Racial tension is non-existent among humans, and there is little for Jacobites and mutant animals (except rabbits), but the races more infamous for violence, such as mutant rabbits, orcs, and simvan, are feared and hated by many. Most of the population are hard-working, independent, honest and tough, and view the UAR with a loyalty rarely seen before the time of rifts. Attitudes tend to be working class, but pay levels average middle class or better. Magic is reasonably common and magicians are vital to the military. Psionics occur at the average rate, and 25% of the population have at least minor psionics. Crime in the city tends to a lot of theft and violence, mostly by small groups, with little organised activity.

Mt. Magnet is an industrial city, originally built to service the local mines. It still serves this function, but now also processes the ore and uses it in a major industrial sector. Nearly all the major UAR companies have large facilities here, and as a result a great deal of trade takes place here. Often new equipment can be gotten at excellent prices. The combination of high-tech industry, the significance of the city to the UAR, and the independent, yet strong patriotic view of the city's mayor and most of the citizenry all mean that the city has a very strong military.

The city is a full member of the UAR and elects a Senator to the ruling council. More UAR Governors have come from Mt. Magnet than any other member city, except Southern Cross. The Mayor is also elected for 4-year terms; the current Mayor is Doclin Smith, ex-UAR military officer, engineer, and miner, a straight arrow who likes to be honest, direct, and blunt. His popularity is hard for his opponents to even dent. He has no direct authority over the garrison OIC, Commander (Colonel) Garik Barker, but Barker will largely consider any request from Smith an order to be followed. In addition, the UAR's Jacobite Representative is usually (and currently) from Mt. Magnet. The judicial system is fair but simple, with harsh punishments.

The city is divided into military districts (off-limits to civilians without passes), large commercial reserves (occupied by factories, smelters etc., security maintained privately), the public districts Stainless, Ferrus, and Iron, and the Jacobite Quarter. Stainless contains most of the government offices and corporate headquarters, along with the up-market commercial sector. Ferrus contains residential sectors and recreational sections. Iron is the low-rent district, the least safe area inside the city, although still a strongly patriotic region. Iron also contains most of the taverns and points of interest for adventurers, and well-armed adventurers are numerous there. Power comes from a fusion plant complex.

The Jacobite Quarter is actually a largish underground region with some slender, tall buildings atop it. Legally it is a city within the city, with its own administration (headed by Doctor Davis Macleod), laws, and defenses. In practice few people come and go between the two, and the Jacobites effectively live an isolated existence. Their hi-tech designs, and the work they do (much of it teleoperated) for the military, the city and commercial concerns make them a vital resource, and as a result their concerns are always a matter of interest to the Mayor. For themselves, the Jacobites seem to be interested only in science, design, construction, and experimentation. Once an item is fully tested, they will licence its manufacture and go on to something else.

The Lock, Stock and Body. A recommended body chop-shop. A little pricey (10-20% above normal prices), but never known to "disappear" customers, even ones with money problems and no friends. Run by the Surgeon-General, an FC borg cyber-doc with four arms (the smaller pair are real flesh from the elbow down, normally hidden by gauntlets).

Happiness is a Warm Gun. A Jacobite weapon dealer, specialising in new Jacobite weaponry (i.e., EMP rifle, Jacobite Strap-On, etc.) Also sells most common Webley and Sterling weaponry.

All-Armour Warehouse Dealership. All-Armour's chief manufacturing plant is in Mt. magnet and there are company stores in the Stainless district and the Jacobite Quarter. They sell all brands of armour (other than CEC or ADI types), but their own is marked down 10%.

Landmates and Bioroids. A Jacobite specialty store for power armour, including weapons, upgrades, repairs and spares. It is fully equipped for bionic conversion, repair, and upgrades as well, although this side of the business is gone about quietly.

Demi Babbage, Jacobite weapons engineer (4th level). Age 30, 178 cm, 60 kg. Tall and sparely built, she has unkempt sandy hair and blue eyes. She is friendly and intelligent, but without great physical attractiveness. She is one of two children, her relatives living elsewhere in the Quarter. Her dress reflects a preoccupation with mechanical, rather than social, issues. Living alone (as do many Jacobites: their work often prevents them from forming attachments), she indulges in both private, patriotic and commercial work. Note that patriotic work, for Jacobites, means taking part in Jacobite projects which, as successes appear, are licenced to commercial concerns and the money ploughed back into Jacobite needs. Demi has a particular interest (currently) in energy weaponry.