Aetherfall
Perched on the precipice of the unknowable, Aetherfall is a sprawling metropolis that stretches in a crescent arc around the rim of the vast magical abyss known as the Aether. Unlike any city built on sea, soil, or stone, Aetherfall balances its fate on the unseen eddies of magical chaos. Here, ships do not sail oceans—they glide on invisible currents between floating ruins, caught in the fracture between worlds.
Industry & Trade
Aetherfall thrives on three exports:
Most trade is done in Aether Shards, relic fragments, and magical services, though imperial coin still holds sway in upper districts. Bartering rare dreams or lost memories is not unheard of in the Hollow Market.
- Artifacts from the ruins of the Fractured Expanse.
- Arcane Commodities refined from Aether exposure, like Aether Shards.
- Knowledge—maps, spells, prophecies, and discoveries that fetch unthinkable prices.
Most trade is done in Aether Shards, relic fragments, and magical services, though imperial coin still holds sway in upper districts. Bartering rare dreams or lost memories is not unheard of in the Hollow Market.
Districts
The Skyport Ring: The launchpoint for expeditions into the Fractured Expanse. Skyships dock at the massive Crownspire Port, regulated by Veilspoke, while fringe docks like Drifter’s End and the Broken Coil serve smugglers and pirates.
The Twin Tomes: A pair of magically bound towers split between the arcane and divine. One studies the leylines and the Aether's magic; the other communes with divine forces, watching for signs of celestial interference—or return.
The Hollow Market: A shadow-trade zone operated by a consortium of pirate crews, including the Hollowbloods. No fighting. No questions. Relics, information, and forbidden magics change hands daily.
Veilspoke Bastion: The official heart of Aetherfall’s bureaucracy, where sanctioned expeditions are granted clearance. Behind its elegant facade lurk powerful enchanters, relic auditors, and agents of balance.
The Undersprawl: Cramped, twisted districts clinging to arcane chains and broken spires. Gravity flickers. Locals speak of voices in their dreams. Those born here are often "touched"—physically or psychically changed.
The Twin Tomes: A pair of magically bound towers split between the arcane and divine. One studies the leylines and the Aether's magic; the other communes with divine forces, watching for signs of celestial interference—or return.
The Hollow Market: A shadow-trade zone operated by a consortium of pirate crews, including the Hollowbloods. No fighting. No questions. Relics, information, and forbidden magics change hands daily.
Veilspoke Bastion: The official heart of Aetherfall’s bureaucracy, where sanctioned expeditions are granted clearance. Behind its elegant facade lurk powerful enchanters, relic auditors, and agents of balance.
The Undersprawl: Cramped, twisted districts clinging to arcane chains and broken spires. Gravity flickers. Locals speak of voices in their dreams. Those born here are often "touched"—physically or psychically changed.
Guilds and Factions
Veilspoke, a magical-bureaucratic order tied to the Council of Balance, regulates trade, artifacts, and magic use.
The Hollowbloods and rival pirate crews control the black market and relic smuggling.
Independent Wardens and free captains vie for territory, while underground factions manipulate from the shadows.
The Watch, a loosely united guard force of mercenaries and mages, keeps public peace when not overwhelmed.
The Hollowbloods and rival pirate crews control the black market and relic smuggling.
Independent Wardens and free captains vie for territory, while underground factions manipulate from the shadows.
The Watch, a loosely united guard force of mercenaries and mages, keeps public peace when not overwhelmed.
Geography
Aetherfall is a marvel of arcane architecture and raw ambition. The city's backbone is built into solid land, but its ribs and limbs sprawl precariously over the Aether itself. Suspended walkways, docks, and structures float over the abyss, held aloft by arcane anchors—great humming crystals that pulse with magical resonance. Closer to the Aether, gravity becomes unreliable, and buildings twist into impossible angles. Mutations—both structural and biological—are common the deeper you go.
The city tiers itself by proximity to danger. High above, on stable land, live the wealthy, the influential, and the powerful. Mid-levels house the working class and independent adventurers. And deep in the Dock Warrens—the Undersprawl—live the forgotten: the mad, the mutated, and the desperate. Some say these warrens whisper in voices not heard in centuries.
The city tiers itself by proximity to danger. High above, on stable land, live the wealthy, the influential, and the powerful. Mid-levels house the working class and independent adventurers. And deep in the Dock Warrens—the Undersprawl—live the forgotten: the mad, the mutated, and the desperate. Some say these warrens whisper in voices not heard in centuries.
Type
Large city
Location under
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