The City of Bridges

The Nature of The City of Bridges

The city of Bridges is a domed construct independent city-state of the Merca Federal Union, completed in 1500 AC (After the Catastrophe) by Inventor Benjamin Kerr. Its rivers, drinking water, sanitation, and lighting runs on power produced by the 27 Magma Steam Generators located inside pilings which anchor the city.
Bridges is classified as a dead end in the Federal Oversight Authority’s classification schema (meaning it has only one access tunnel the only entry or exit from Bridges is through the Aperture, a steam-powered mechanism embedded in the dome above the agricultural section of what is now Clubb quadrant.

A representation of the Bridges dome and Aperture (side view, not to scale)

A representation of the Bridges dome and Aperture (straight on the Aperture, not to scale)

Under the dome

Geographical features

The city of Bridges is divided by four rivers which meet at an island in the middle, and is therefore separated into four quadrants (five if you count the island, named Market Center).
These rivers are man-made. Water is pumped over the waterfalls at the Rim, then drained at the base of the island, creating strong currents which make it unsafe to approach or dock on the island itself. Bridges (for which the city is named) connect the island with the quadrants and the quadrants with each other.

A representation of the Bridges dome (not to scale)

Districts

The quadrants

The quadrants at present are divided into three areas:
Agricultural – the vast majority of the city is taken up with farmland and small agricultural villages, known as “the countryside”. This stretches from the dome to the edge of the urban settlements. The city produces a wide variety of agricultural products, both for internal use and trade.

A representation of the agricultural and urban areas of Bridges (not to scale)

Urban – the next area is urban, the wealthier areas being farthest out, with the homes and businesses closest to the center containing the poorest areas. The area closest to the Pot holds the most dangerous and violent street gang activity in Bridges.

A representation of the urban area of Bridges (not to scale)

The Pot – the areas of each quadrant closest to the center. The Pot is a "no man’s land," without basic services such as sanitation, power, or police protection. The Pot is separated from the rest of the city by a wrought iron fence and thick Hedge. Pot inhabitants are seen as unworthy of jobs, food, clothing, or shelter. It’s unclear how many people live in the four sections of the Pot, but the number is estimated to be in the tens of thousands. The main occupation seems to be prostitution.

Market Center

The island of Market Center contains all the government buildings, the main entertainment centers such as the Opera House and the Ballroom, as well as a large open-air market and Plaza, once the site of the palace in the days of the The Kerr Dynasty. It also contains housing for the people who work on the island, such as police, legal staff, tradesmen, and servants. Market Center is widely held to be “neutral ground” for the Four Families.

Founding Date

1400 AC

Founders

• Benjamin Kerr

Alternative Name(s)

The Independent Domed City-State of Bridges

Type

State

Ruling/Owning Rank

Mayor