Bastion
Ice and winding roads encased in iron rods and gears make up the towering quadrupedal city that roams the frozen wastes.
The walking city of Bastion, shaped like a monolithic, steel elephant, perpetually roams the frozen tundra of the far South of Hivernal. It towers above Albietha's surface, powered by machinery, ice, and fire. And on its back: a city.
Comprised of ice-riddle chunks of earth half-molded into coherent shape and steel grids divided with mathematical precision, the city of Bastion finds its warmth in its welcome, not in its decorum. Much of the city is cold grays and blues, painted orange by lanterns lit hanging on the streetsides. On the lower levels, one will find themself walking a cobbled street winding upward between shopfronts and apartments, with the steel skeleton of the city flashingly visible beyond the alleys. As one travels upward, they find themselves wandering upon catwalks and through scaffolds to find suspended offices, stores, and factories with billowing plumes atop the city's back.
Bastion is governed by a Democratically elected Parliament and has a dedicated, volunteer-based government employees called the Accruelien whose primarily purpose is to assist the people of the city and outsiders in their day-to-day travels.
The city of Bastion is divided into a number of sections called "Wards" that are separated by function. The lower section of the city is known as the Accruen (Ack-rue-en) Ward. The Accruen Ward is the most haphazard in design, made of spindling hills of natural earth and ice upon which buildings and support columns to carry the rest of the city have been constructed. There are portions of the Accruen Ward, at its edges, where one can see over the city's edges, and catch the startling view of the landscape mixed with cold clouds. There are elevators dotted throughout the Accruen Ward that can travel upward and across to the higher wards of the city. The rest of the wards stretch upward from the Accruen Ward in cylindrical structures that house entire city blocks. At the highest point of the city, the stacks can be seen, releasing the excess Element produced by the city back into the ether. Directly above the Accruen Ward is two wards, the Factory Ward and the Bureau Ward
The Accruen Ward is one of the most diverse of all Bastion in its aesthetic because it is comprised completely of restaurants created by the citizenry. From three story taverns to small one-room noodle shops, any kind of food can be found in the Nourish Ward. While merchants manage to bring a good deal of foreign cuisine to the Ward, the most common things to be found are dishes that involve Calim, Frost Fish, Markan, the eternal root, for its similar consistency and flavor to Calim meat, and winter vegetables and fruits such as potatoes, beets, clementines, and cabbages.
Above the Accruen Ward toward the Stern is the Factory Ward.
Above the Accruen Ward toward the Bow is the Bureau Ward. The Bureau Ward contains much of Bastions government, and the many guilds and organizations that inhabit the city.
Horizontal and vertical elevators dot the entirety of the city and allow transport between the Wards. Because the Wards are so specialized, members of the city's Directors will often be found in the streets at various times of the day to assist with foot traffic and directions.
The Wandering City
The walking city travels on a plotted, circular path through Hivernal that takes an average of three months to complete. During these months, groups of mercenaries, merchants, and Bastion's own government agents are sent to retrieve Bottled Elements, food, and any other supplies that may be needed due to unforeseen shortages. At the close of a complete orbit, the city lowers itself at the Northernmost point of Hivernal. Despite their isolation in the years preceding the Malignancy, the people of Bastion have seen the growing need for solidarity in Albietha. Though new to the concept, Bastion now allows travellers to take refuge within its depths during its brief stay at the end of an orbit. The city is cold steel, and its appearance is dark and harsh, but within is comraderie, warmth, and home for many.Where Am I?
Geolocational directions, of course, don't work on a city that walks in circles. Fear not, there are two solutions to this unique issue. Firstly, in navigating the city, nautical terminology is used. The Bow is the front of the city, Port is the left, Starboard is the right, and Stern is the rear. Other common nautical terms, such as using Aft to refer to the rear of the city, are also used. When it comes to understanding other locations in Albietha as relative to Bastion, people will generally utilize the great Bastion area, which refers to the circle in which Bastion stalks, as the point of reference.Powering the Giant
The city of Bastion is designed to perpetually harness, utilize, and recycle Ice and Fire from its surroundings. The marriage of these two harnessed elements provide the city's power, heating, and facilities.Design
Type
Large city
Population
36,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Bastiens
Characters in Location
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