Let's build a city together!

[mgshamster]

Let's build a city. Post your ideas about a specific district within the city, or a specific organization that exists within the city.

The districts must be focused on a theme: race (gnome district, halfling district, etc), class (noble district, the slums, etc), location (the wharf district, the gardens, etc), or material (mining district, farming district, etc).

Each one may or may not be within the city walls. There may even be multiple city walls, such as the richest having their own to protect them, or the a dangerous group having walls to keep them in. You decide!

Organizations may be religious, political, guilds, etc, and their influence can cross district lines.

When you add a district, please mention at least one other district it buts up against. When you add an organization, please mention at least one district it's prominent in.

I'll start:

The Halffoc, as they call themselves, or the Half-Orc district is a small community of a few hundred half-orcs that have banded together to create a better name and better life for themselves. They live in a walled district (the wall was built by the city to keep the rest of the city safe), but despite their reputation, these half-orcs are trying their damndest to repair their reputation and create a race that not only protects its own, but actively works to make the community a better place.

The district was formed only 30 years ago, and it's the youngest district in the city.

Violence is banned in the district. It's enforced by the city guards, and the community graciously accept it, because it helps them show that they're above the so-called bad reputation of half-orcs. No weapons allowed, and no equipment that looks like it could be used for war or combat. Those who use weapons stick to clubs, hammers, axes, and anything that doubles as a tool. No armor, no swords, no shields on display. "Keep that **** hidden," they say.

Dispite the guards, smuggling things in and out isn't too difficult. The guards are pretty dumb. But no matter what you do, if you get in a fight around here, keep it to fists. Fist fights and brawls are allowed. Pull out a weapon, and you're spending at least a night in jail, if not longer. Use magic, and you might find yourself dancing at the end of a rope. Oh you can use magic, just not for violence. Use it for things like keeping the house clean or purifying your drinking water or things like that. Not for causing harm. They're stricter with this district than any other community because of their heritage.

If you walk around the community, you'll see the same businesses that you see anywhere. The Eyepicker family are carpenters, the Skullkrusher family, in that building over there, specializes in cloth. Excellent tailors weavers. The Rotguts are hatters. The Bloodclaws run a very successful floral business and often help everyone out with their personal gardens to supplement their diet. When everyone has their own garden, it reduces the cost for food and keeps everyone healthy.

The Bonebreakers are Masons. In fact, they built that aqueduct over there. Brings in fresh water to the district, which significantly reduces disease.

Mrs. Bloodborn is the community doctor. She doesn't have a family anymore.

Mr. and Mrs. Elfsmasher run the school, and the Ms. Maneater is their assistant. She teaches mathematics. Every child in the district is required to go; must at least learn to read and write and do basic numbers before moving on to a specialty.

Old man Beardshaver, who in his youth was the bane of dwarves, is the dentist.

Mr. Manslaughter just got elected to district representative a few months ago. Very respectable.

Most recently, some of the families have been making an active effort to adopt half-orc (sorry, Halffoc) children from the orphanages to consolidate the race into one community.

Each of the shops (with homes built above) are set out so six families all share one large "back yard" where a garden grows to supplement their diet.

The Halffoc district is right next to the gnome district, and they're separated by a wall.

[MBControl]

I'm going to call my district "City Works". This is basically the sewer system, however it does include and intertwine with a few other important faculties, include an underground pneumatic tube mail system. I also see a large room filled with steam powered gears, used to run the large clock tower over head. The steam produced in these boilers is run into some of the buildings above as heat. All these systems wind around each other, and can be quite a chaotic place to be. the tunnels are small, cramped and dark, so the races that work her would have to be of the appropriate size. Dwarves, Goblins, Gnomes, Halfings, etc.

Among the city works, runs multiple smuggling tunnels, used by the local thieves guild. Between the sewers and smugglers tunnels, the City Works reaches to almost everywhere, in the city and out.

[Fishyninja]

I've always liked the idea of a Narrow's type alleyway network great for thieves, smugglers and those wishing to be hidden.

Based on your rules, I would probably make my district a woodland/horticultural based district which acts as the primary food, recereation and oxygen centre for the city. It would be housed in a huge glass greenhouse like the original Crystal Palace in London.

It would be mainly populated by wood elves and halflings and those with a green thumb and would be overseen by Druids. The palace would be divided into 5 sections:

Recreation, where beautiful parks are made
Food Production,
Oxygen production for alchemical reasons,
Research, allows for druids and wizards to make new plants and test their skills.
Wood Production for general building, capentry, smithing etc.

[Balyano]

It is an exciting time to live in Phlogiston district. Only a decade ago this bit of flood plain was nothing more than a shanty town housing the poorest inhabitants of the city. Now it is a bustling hub of innovation and houses the poorest inhabitants of the city.

Nine years ago a group of penniless students decided it would be the perfect place to stay (the rent is so cheap!), and soon found that the authorities mostly avoided enforcing the more annoying laws, such as checking to see if you are in fact a licensed physician. These industrious young entrepreneurs, unfettered by pesky regulations, began to ply their respective trades and offer their services. By the time the tax collectors and guilds took note of them four years ago they had already pioneered vast improvements in medicine, cosmetology, and spot removal. After some tough negotiation (and copious bribery) and the defection of numerous alchemist guild professionals the district was granted ''special dispensation''. This mostly amounts to a cessation of enforcement of laws that might hinder the work of the alchemists and doctors that practice and experiment within the district. Soon alchemists, tinkers, doctors, hairdressers, mechanics and herbalists from other districts, and even other cities were drawn to Phlogiston and the chance to fulfill their dreams.

Phlogiston is well placed for such work. It is bordered on its south east by the Cloacarhea River, providing swift movement of goods. To the west is the city graveyard and mausoleums, always convenient to have nearby. To the north east are some of the more ''appropriate'' market places. Directly north is the quickest route out of the city. And even more importantly the district itself if full of the desperately poor, willing to sell their bodies for very plausible prices. There is never a shortage of ''volunteers''.

Phlogiston has in the past two years produced a staggering array of inventions, potions, cleaning supplies, medical procedures, and hair-care products. The sheer quantity of economic activity and trade surplus has so far kept the city from looking too closely at what goes on in the district. Best to remain blissfully unaware, with reasonable deniability, than to kill the cities latest cash cow, that finally has the cities coffers running over with revenue.

Though things nearly took a turn for the worse earlier this year when an eight foot monstrosity covered in stitches tore a path of destruction through the Phlogiston. The beast was barely felled before it made its way to the markets. If the creature had done too much damage the city may have decided to rethink its current policy, and that could spell the end for Phlogiston. Responsibility for the creature was traced back to one M. Finklestein. Finklestein's Monster as it has become known caused the community to look inward for answers...and promptly decide that the problem was a shortage of quality restraints. Luckily three different solutions were invented by seven different laboratories in under a month. They then immediately accused each other of spying and stealing each others inventions and sent hired muscle and alchemically enhanced volunteers to wreck shop. Spying and sabotage has been a recurrent problem in the district.

[M Placeholder]

The Vulture District

Named after the birds that ride the thermals that surround the Tower of Silence, this is where the dead from many other districts are brought when they perish in or around the city. The majority of the funeral rites in the city are performed here, with bodies blessed in the chambers surrounding the Tower so the souls of the dead can enter Death's Kingdom, and their bodies are laid out at the summit for the vultures to consume.

Every full moon, the Parade of the Vulture takes place, a procession which takes in all the districts of the city, eventually ending at the tower itself. During the procession, Flowers are picked from gardens in the city and added to a 10ft tall representation of a vulture, which is then taken to the top of the Tower of Silence and set aflame to honor the spirits of the dead.

The Tower of Silence is the centerpiece of the district and its largest structure, standing 30m tall. The original builders of the tower have been lost to antiquity, but scholars from the neighbouring Gnome district have theorized that the tower was grown, judging from its apperance, which resembles a palm tree trunk. At the summit, there are nine platforms made out of obsidian blocks, on which the deceased are laid out for the vultures.

The majority of the population that call this district their home belong to a sect called The Lodestars, who comfort the family and friends of those that have passed on. Sometimes, sect members have been seen at the top of the tower placing crystals around the obsidian blocks, and as the vultures feed, the crystals turn black. At the end of the day, the sect take the crystals to a building beneath the tower. For what purposes, the sect isn't telling.

In the city, the vultures are considered sacred. Those that harm them are taken to the main city gate at swordpoint and banished.

[Professor Beard]

The Bridge

The center of the city holds a magically enchanted Bridge the rotates around the city, allowing easy of travel from district to district. It is run by Gnomish magineering in works held deep below the city. The bridge stops briefly (30 min) at the major city districts, but it can also retract in order to protect the city center, which is also the most prized real estate – the center of political and financial power in the city, since it is the most well protected – The Bridge is the only way in to the City Center.

While The Bridge follows a schedule it can also move (relatively) quickly to any district in the city if necessary. Three Magineers are needed to control the Bridge – one for docking, at the end, one for speed, at City Center, and one within the Bridge itself to manage the inner workings. Mostly tinker gnomes, a number of Dwarves have come to serve in the Bridgeworks as well – the The Bridge seems to be more stable now that it is not run entirely by gnomes…

The Bridge itself is about 50 yards wide and houses a number of shops, mostly food and entertainment for those Bridging, as well as guard houses. About 25% of the city guard are housed on the Bridge, both to protect tourists (folks travel all the world to see this Great Wonder) as well as be easily-distributed city guard in the case of emergency.

The Bridge also has a curfew and all citizens are taken from the bridge at the end of the day and left at the last stop – the front gate. The City Guard manage this sweep.

Potential secrets of The Bridge:
1) The Bridge is run by steamworks, by multiple Water Elementals directly above multiple Fire elementals. This is torture for both elementals, but most people in the city don’t know it. If they did, would they do any differently?

2) A group of disenfranchised Half-orcs, Mul, and Half-Elves, calling themselves the Children of Shanz, are plotting to destroy the bridge and take the City Center. There are enough sympathetic ears in the guard that this might just work

3) The Bridge was designed by evil gnomes with a long vision and is actually drawing a complicated evil rune over and over by an evil artefact housed at the end of the bridge. When the rune is drawn enough times a powerful ((BBEG)) will be summoned to take over the city.

4) There are a couple dozen orphans that live on the bridge all the time and the guard can’t figure out how to get rid of them. They know the bridge better than anyone and can escape any guard.

[Fishyninja]

The Bridge

The center of the city holds a magically enchanted Bridge the rotates around the city, allowing easy of travel from district to district. It is run by Gnomish magineering in works held deep below the city. The bridge stops briefly (30 min) at the major city districts, but it can also retract in order to protect the city center, which is also the most prized real estate – the center of political and financial power in the city, since it is the most well protected – The Bridge is the only way in to the City Center.

While The Bridge follows a schedule it can also move (relatively) quickly to any district in the city if necessary. Three Magineers are needed to control the Bridge – one for docking, at the end, one for speed, at City Center, and one within the Bridge itself to manage the inner workings. Mostly tinker gnomes, a number of Dwarves have come to serve in the Bridgeworks as well – the The Bridge seems to be more stable now that it is not run entirely by gnomes…

The Bridge itself is about 50 yards wide and houses a number of shops, mostly food and entertainment for those Bridging, as well as guard houses. About 25% of the city guard are housed on the Bridge, both to protect tourists (folks travel all the world to see this Great Wonder) as well as be easily-distributed city guard in the case of emergency.

The Bridge also has a curfew and all citizens are taken from the bridge at the end of the day and left at the last stop – the front gate. The City Guard manage this sweep.

Potential secrets of The Bridge:
1) The Bridge is run by steamworks, by multiple Water Elementals directly above multiple Fire elementals. This is torture for both elementals, but most people in the city don’t know it. If they did, would they do any differently?

2) A group of disenfranchised Half-orcs, Mul, and Half-Elves, calling themselves the Children of Shanz, are plotting to destroy the bridge and take the City Center. There are enough sympathetic ears in the guard that this might just work

3) The Bridge was designed by evil gnomes with a long vision and is actually drawing a complicated evil rune over and over by an evil artefact housed at the end of the bridge. When the rune is drawn enough times a powerful ((BBEG)) will be summoned to take over the city.

4) There are a couple dozen orphans that live on the bridge all the time and the guard can’t figure out how to get rid of them. They know the bridge better than anyone and can escape any guard.

I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE, especially the idea it is drawing a summoning rune.

[Professor Beard]

I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE, especially the idea it is drawing a summoning rune.

Thank you. That is kind of you to say.

[Iden Elric]

A fun city concept that I've been musing in my mind over the last few years of my young life is that of a city that has connections with all sorts of travel. Having both a port, multiple roads leading to other major cities, and if the setting fits, a skydock and griffin stable for air travel. Cities with a large focus on commerce and trade with a variety of races and sects have always held my attention and made me excited to explore what was placed around me.
Having multiple levels of class made for some interesting events to take place, such as a murder in a upper classman's home by a street-rat turned assassin, where the players would have the choice to either sympathize with the less fortunate and help cover it up or even assist in the assassination, or take up a job finding the killer. When having moral confrontations, it always helps to have an interesting setting, and a city with so many ways to escape (by sea, land, or even sky,) keeps the players on their toes and adds a level of depth and intricacy to what the players are looking for; and adventure. Not just action, but a mentally involving escapade that, if done well, would be interesting for all levels of players.
I'm no economy expert, but I have always been able to put my finger down on a good example of an interesting city when I find one in front of me.

So that's my two cents, hope it wasn't too long or boring, and actually gave people some fun ideas for a city setting.

[Fishyninja]

Thank you. That is kind of you to say.

And again the captured elementals, it reminded me of the Fireman in Bioshock 2, punsihed by being imprisoned in a sui that constantly burns him.

[Naanomi]

The Deep Dream

Once just a single large establishment, the Deep Dream has grown and sprawled with connected tunnels and rooftop walkways to be virtually one single hodgepodge building extending from the low-wharf almost to the city center. Originally a somewhat exclusive club catering to exotic and expensive (if sometimes questionably legal) tastes, the Deep Dream changed drastically just five years ago with the introduction of an extremely potent hallucinogen: the Dream Seed.

Sold exclusively by the Deep Dream, addicts soon lined the streets and turned the once ritzy establishment into an enveloping drug den and the surrounding community into a structurally-dangerous and filthy flop-house inhabited by 'dreamers' of all races. Several rich and politically powerful addicted have kept the authorities from interefering much more than attempting to keep users contained to the frighteningly growing district. Constrained by makeshift walls, the sprawl has none-the less continued by growing upward and, perhaps more frighteningly, deeply downward into makeshift tunnels and basements sometimes even beyond the 'barrier wall'.

The nature and origin of the drug remains a mystery, though rumors abound; and some nervous types notice that soon there will be more 'dreamers' than city guards

[Iden Elric]

Let's build a city. Post your ideas about a specific district within the city, or a specific organization that exists within the city.

The districts must be focused on a theme: race (gnome district, halfling district, etc), class (noble district, the slums, etc), location (the wharf district, the gardens, etc), or material (mining district, farming district, etc).

Each one may or may not be within the city walls. There may even be multiple city walls, such as the richest having their own to protect them, or the a dangerous group having walls to keep them in. You decide!

Organizations may be religious, political, guilds, etc, and their influence can cross district lines.

When you add a district, please mention at least one other district it buts up against. When you add an organization, please mention at least one district it's prominent in.

I'll start:

The Halffoc, as they call themselves, or the Half-Orc district is a small community of a few hundred half-orcs that have banded together to create a better name and better life for themselves. They live in a walled district (the wall was built by the city to keep the rest of the city safe), but despite their reputation, these half-orcs are trying their damndest to repair their reputation and create a race that not only protects its own, but actively works to make the community a better place.

The district was formed only 30 years ago, and it's the youngest district in the city.

Violence is banned in the district. It's enforced by the city guards, and the community graciously accept it, because it helps them show that they're above the so-called bad reputation of half-orcs. No weapons allowed, and no equipment that looks like it could be used for war or combat. Those who use weapons stick to clubs, hammers, axes, and anything that doubles as a tool. No armor, no swords, no shields on display. "Keep that **** hidden," they say.

Dispite the guards, smuggling things in and out isn't too difficult. The guards are pretty dumb. But no matter what you do, if you get in a fight around here, keep it to fists. Fist fights and brawls are allowed. Pull out a weapon, and you're spending at least a night in jail, if not longer. Use magic, and you might find yourself dancing at the end of a rope. Oh you can use magic, just not for violence. Use it for things like keeping the house clean or purifying your drinking water or things like that. Not for causing harm. They're stricter with this district than any other community because of their heritage.

If you walk around the community, you'll see the same businesses that you see anywhere. The Eyepicker family are carpenters, the Skullkrusher family, in that building over there, specializes in cloth. Excellent tailors weavers. The Rotguts are hatters. The Bloodclaws run a very successful floral business and often help everyone out with their personal gardens to supplement their diet. When everyone has their own garden, it reduces the cost for food and keeps everyone healthy.

The Bonebreakers are Masons. In fact, they built that aqueduct over there. Brings in fresh water to the district, which significantly reduces disease.

Mrs. Bloodborn is the community doctor. She doesn't have a family anymore.

Mr. and Mrs. Elfsmasher run the school, and the Ms. Maneater is their assistant. She teaches mathematics. Every child in the district is required to go; must at least learn to read and write and do basic numbers before moving on to a specialty.

Old man Beardshaver, who in his youth was the bane of dwarves, is the dentist.

Mr. Manslaughter just got elected to district representative a few months ago. Very respectable.

Most recently, some of the families have been making an active effort to adopt half-orc (sorry, Halffoc) children from the orphanages to consolidate the race into one community.

Each of the shops (with homes built above) are set out so six families all share one large "back yard" where a garden grows to supplement their diet.

The Halffoc district is right next to the gnome district, and they're separated by a wall.


Here's an idea

The Guild District is home to all kinds of guild halls for all different social standings. Both rich and poor. You can find artisans, who contribute to the finer things a household or adventurer could have.
Mercenary guilds, where adventurers could find a variety of colourful NPCs to spice up their travels and take with them, or possible rivals. Guild masters would have jobs and quests as well as connections to other guilds and groups in the community that the players might have encountered during their sessions.
Mage circles and guilds, for those interested in learning more about certain schools of magic, meeting masters and acolytes of differing degrees of profession. Contributing to the party by either teaching spellcasters new abilities, or giving new opportunities to teach less experienced NPCs and earning rewards and honour to their name, making them more well known in the cities and through different connections.
Shops and trade instructors, for learning new proficiencies, buying supplies, and overall getting closer to a profession the player would prefer to learn.

[MBControl]

Every good City should have an entertainment district. I was thinking that ours could be built around a large zoo. Around the perimeter are magically run ferris wheels, food vendors, carny games, theaters, street musicians and other performers.

The zoo in the middle is the biggest attraction. It is maybe the only zoo in the realm, and houses amazing creatures of all kinds. A good plot device too. Dangerous animals escape, or you are hired to find new and wonderful creatures.

The area, like most good carnivals is drenched in sounds, smells, and flashy colours. Which is what makes it so easy for the thieves guild to hide their HQ there. They easily disguise and blend into the crowd, but you will not find any crime here. The guild has strict rules prohibiting any crime in their district. The last thing they want here is any extra attention.

[willistillam]

The Void

The void is a large pit that turns into a inter-dimensional hole. this acts as the main waste disposal system for the city. waste from the p...... district, city works and vulture district all eventually end up here. Near the top of the pit is where the seediest activities occur. very poor corrupt people and businesses/organizations have been set up at the very top of the pit, creating a shanty-town that surrounds and precariously hangs over the abyss (the buildings have also climbed straight up the outer city wall). The buildings are weak haphazard wood construction and are prone to falling into the portal. People that live here are desperate, impoverished and generally depressed. The area lower down is carved into the sides of the pit and is where more established businesses take up residence that want to keep distance and contact from the city guard. This area is home to powerful crime rings, acquisition companies, spy syndicates, detectives and people that want space. The area is a labyrinth of winding tunnels (from past mining) and private dwellings. Privacy, comfort and freedom is what draws people to this area. Near the bottom of the pit is where pipes from the city works and other areas constantly empty out. there are numerous pipes that are either not in use or can't be distinguished where they come from (could make for some fun adventures). all pipes are different and appear to have some form of physical and magical defenses. The pit is just outside the main wall which means that the pipes are along the wall side and have lots of defenses in them (don't want invaders getting through). on the other side of the pit is a large metal cube extruding out if the pit wall. This structure is assumed to be some sort of command center but no-one has been able to gain access. beneath the pipes is a structure that is hidden by the constant waste flow. It is a large gothic church carved into the wall dedicated to a god of nothingness. clerics, monks, and assassins inhabit the structure and are all dedicated to this god, either by emptying their minds, other's minds (literally), sacrifice (living or material). And they all do this to please their god (it wants to bring back creation to what it was before creation which is nothing), and are enthralled by the concept of nothingness. Everyone here is lawful evil or lawful neutral. Oh, and bag of devouring are prized pets here. there is a large canopy overhanging the church which acts as an umbrella and worship does occur on an outside patio. Very few people know about this church.
The shanty town is at ground level and extends 10 meters down the pit walls. The private business district is 10-30 meters below ground level and extends far into the surrounding ground. The pipes starts just below 30 meters down and extends for 10 meters. 10 meters below that is the top of the church (50 meters down) and extends down 20 meters (now at 70 meters down). 5 meters below that is the portal for a total depth of 75 meters down. Notes: No-one knows if this practice of dumping their garbage in a inter-dimensional portal will have repercussions or where it leads (party could find out). The void is located on a outside wall that is close to large waste creators on the inside (maybe vulture district).