A permit represented an official authorization granted by the government of the city of Depatar, bestowing particular entitlements upon a designated visitor within the city limits. Given that visitors were compelled to procure multiple permits throughout their sojourn, they commonly engaged the services of a professional permitor to navigate the intricacies of the Establishment.
Depatar, often referred to as the City of Masks, was initially established by several crime syndicates seeking a secure and impartial location for their meetings. Subsequently, it broadened its accessibility to others sharing similar requirements. To safeguard the anonymity of individuals conducting business in Depatar, a mandatory regulation stipulated that all visitors must wear a comprehensive disguise; those found in violation were subject to expulsion from the city.
Furthermore, visitors were obligated to secure permits for a multitude of activities they wished to undertake, encompassing commercial transactions and the possession of personal weaponry. These permits were stored within a code cylinder and linked to an individual's costume (since their true identity remained concealed). The validity of a permit was time-limited, ranging from brief durations of minutes to extended periods of several days. Engaging in an activity without the requisite permit could result in expulsion from the city; in instances of severe infractions, the City Council possessed the authority to banish the offender from the city without providing transportation – a hazardous predicament within a gas giant.
Due to visitors' unfamiliarity with the complex bureaucratic processes, a novel profession emerged within the city: the permitor. These professional sentients offered comprehensive permit procurement services to visitors. Their distinguishing characteristic was the presence of a permitor badge. Typically, a visitor would retain the services of a single permitor throughout their entire stay; while the option to change permitor existed (requiring the payment of a transfer of representation permit), such occurrences were infrequent. Consequently, permitors also functioned as specialized guides to the city. In some instances, permitors maintained affiliations with specific guilds or Houses, and would endeavor to steer their clients toward businesses associated with those organizations.
Acquiring a permit could entail a waiting period of up to four hours for approval, although this timeframe could be expedited by paying an additional fee. Conversely, the fabrication of a counterfeit permit could be accomplished in a mere six to thirty seconds, contingent upon the skill of the forger (typically the permitor). Unsurprisingly, a black market for forged permits flourished within Depatar, which was itself a significant black market hub. The local government, composed of known criminals, profited from both legitimate and illicit permits, and therefore did not actively discourage this practice.
The following permits are known to exist:
- Ambush permit: Confers authorization to ambush a designated individual or group.
- Gambling permit: Costs 5 credits per hour, in addition to 5% of any winnings, if applicable.
- Guest permit: Grants permission to reside within Depatar.
- Purchase permit: Priced at 5 credits per hour, plus 1% of the price for goods that are legal within the system; 100 credits per hour, plus 5% of the price for restricted goods; 500 credits per hour, plus 25% of the price for goods that are illegal in most of the system (but not in Depatar), accompanied by a commitment to remove the goods from Depatar within 1.6 local days.
- Questioning permit: Costs 5 credits per 15 minutes of questioning any individual. The individual being questioned retains the right to decline answering. Casual conversation with a stranger does not necessitate a permit.
- Self-defense permit: Available for 25 credits, enabling an individual to defend themselves. Self-defense involving lethal force incurs a cost of 300 credits, plus an additional 200 credits per victim.
- Transfer of representation permit: Enables a user to terminate and replace their current permitor.
- Travel permit: Priced at 25 credits per day, authorizing the use of a specific mask.
- Visitor permit: Costs 100 credits per day, granting permission to land a ship in Depatar and engage in discussions with a permitor.
- Weapons permit: Priced at 150 credits per day, authorizing the possession of weapons. Also known as a weapons-carry permit.