Argenthold

Demographics

Population Divide by Species:

• Humans: 70%
• Aetherians: 15% (scholars, mystics, refugees from the Floating Cities)
• Automata: 10% (sentient and non-sentient clockwork and aether-powered beings)
• Other Sapient Species: 5% (includes outlanders, nomads, and mutants)

Social Divide: The city is marked by extreme disparities:

• Upper City: About 10% of the population controls 80% of the wealth
• The Ironward: About 20% are a middle class that work the factories and laboratories
• Lower City: About 70% live in poverty or near servitude

Government

Structure:

• Argenthold operates under the control of The Order of the Silver Dawn, which controls legislation, industry, and research.
• High Archon: Supreme authority, blending political, arcane, and technological control.
• Council of Guildmasters: Representatives from powerful guilds, responsible for trade and industrial policies.
• Enforcers of the Dawn: The Order's militarized police force ensures order in the Upper City and the Ironward, and suppresses rebellion in the Lower city.

Defences

Enforcers of the Dawn: Mechanized soldiers patrol and elite human guards patrol the districts and the city outskirts.

Aetheric Barriers: Magickal defenses that protect the Upper City from external and internal threats.

Airship Armada: The Silver Dawn maintains a fleet of armed airships stationed above Argenthold.

Industry & Trade

Primary Exports:

• Aether-powered inventions, Ferrixite weapons (the magickal variety being the most valuable), and arcane artifacts.

Primary Imports:

• Food and raw materials from outlying regions, as the city's focus on industry leaves it reliant on imports.

Economy:

• The guild system dominates commerce, with trade heavily regulated by the Order.

Infrastructure

Transportation:

• Aetheric Rail System: Elevated trains powered by steam and Aether crystals connect the Upper City to the Ironward and outlying districts.
• Steam Trolleys: Public transport primarily used in the Lower City.
• Airship Docks: Massive platforms in the Upper City serve traders and travelers.
• Cobblestone Streets: Upper City and the Ironward have medium to wide streets to walk and stroll through. The Lower City's streets are narrower and darker, and not quite as clean or as safe.

Water & Sanitation:

• The Upper City: Enjoys clean water from the underground reservoirs infused with Aether filtration systems.
• The Ironward: Also enjoys clean water from the underground reservoirs but doesn't have any filtration systems.
• The Lower City: The residents here rely on polluted wells and runoff.

Districts

Upper City:

• Wealthy neighborhoods with grand mansions and private estates.
• Clockwork and Aether-powered automata serve households, and private airship docks are common.
• The heart of political and academic power, featuring luxurious lecture halls and private laboratories.

Lower City:

• Narrow, overcrowded streets filled with shantytowns and underground workshops.
• Black markets flourish, offering illicit Aether artifacts and inventions.
• Revolutionary hubs such as Hammer Square serve as centers for dissent.

Ironward:

• Towering smokestacks and massive factories dominate the skyline.
• Guild-controlled zones enforce strict work schedules, with harsh penalties for dissent or sabotage.
• Frequent accidents and strikes mark this district as a center of unrest.

The Black Fog

• Abandoned districts shrouded in toxic mist.
• Dangerous mutations and arcane phenomena plague the area.
• Few enter willingly, but scavengers and thrill-seekers often search for lost treasures or forgotten vaults.

Assets

Aether Crystal Deposits: Rare veins of raw Aether beneath the city, jealously guarded by the Order.

Advanced Research Facilities: Laboratories and libraries housing the most advanced steam and arcane technologies in Nyxis.

Cultural Archives: Ancient texts and artifacts storied in the Order's vaults, remnants of the Aetheric Era.

Guilds and Factions

The Silver Dawn: Ruling authority with influence in all aspects of life.

The Red Hammers: A revolutionary faction fighting for workers' rights.

The Sky Lords: Airship captains controlling trade routes and smuggling operations.

Guild of Ironwrights: The most powerful industrial guild, responsible for factory production and innovation.

Aetherian Scholars: A group of mystics focused on preserving and understanding Aetheric knowledge.

History

Origins: Argenthold began as a modest Aetheric research settlement during the Aetheric Era.

Rise of Industry: It became the center of the Industrial Ascension, attracting inventors and laborers.

The Black Fog Crisis: An industrial accident during the early Steam Era created the toxic mist, forcing the abandonment of several districts.

Points of interest

The Argent Spire: Headquarters of the Silver Dawn, towering over the city with a blend of brass and arcane luminescence.

Hammer Square: A hotbed of revolutionary activity in the Lower City.

Ley Vaults: Hidden beneath the city, these ancient chambers pulse with untapped magickal energy.

Tourism

The Arcane Museum in the Upper City draws scholars and enthusiasts.

Airship Tours offer panoramic views of the city's sprawling districts and its iconic smog-filled skyline.

Architecture

Argenthold's architecture reflects the city's duality: a place where industrial progress meets arcane tradition. The city's design is layered and stratified, with each district embodying its social status and function. The blend of iron, brass, stone, and Aether-infused elements creates a visual tapestry that is a gritty as it is mystical.

General Architectural Style:

• Industrial Steampunk Aesthetic:
• Buildings are constructed with iron frameworks, brass accents, and intricate gearwork embellishments.
• Tall, angular structures dominate the skyline, with smokestacks releasing steam and smog into the air.
• Functional design prioritizes utility but is often adorned with mechanical motifs such as cogwheels, pipes, and rivets.
• Arcane Influence:
• Ley line intersections infuse certain buildings with Aetheric energy, causing them to glow faintly with hues of blue and green.
• Runes and magickal sigils are often etched into foundations or decorative features, serving both practical and aesthetic purposes.
• Crystal Lattices: Windows and lighting fixtures are crafted from Aether-infused crystals, providing a soft, radiant glow.

District-Specific Architecture:

• Upper City:
• Grand Mansions: Luxurious estates built from polished stone and reinforced with brass and iron. These homes feature sweeping staircases, domed observatories, and extensive clockwork gardens.
• Guild Halls & Laboratories: Ornate buildings with intricate brass facades and towering spires. These structures often include Aether-powered elevators with clockwork and Aether-powered automatons for assistance.
• Airship Docks: Elegant platforms made of reinforced steel and decorated with flowing runes to guide landing ships.
• Lower City:
• Shantytowns and Tenements: Crowded and hastily constructed buildings made of wood, iron scraps, and salvaged parts. Many are stacked precariously, creating a maze-like environment.
• Workshops & Alchemist Dens: Small, cluttered spaces with exposed pipes, chimneys and makeshift Aether-powered machinery. These buildings often emit strange lights and fumes, giving the district an unpredictable feel.
• Community Squares: Simple, functional gathering areas surrounded by rough stone benches and lanterns powered by scavenged Aether crystals.
• Ironward:
• Factories and Forges: Massive, imposing structures with thick stone walls, iron reinforcements, and smokestacks that dominate the skyline. These buildings are designed for efficiency, often featuring clockwork assembly lines visible through grated windows.
• Worker Barracks: Spartan accommodations for laborers, typically made of dark stone and corrugated iron. These barracks are densely packed and connected by narrow walkways.
• Guild Offices: Heavily fortified buildings with thick iron doors and minimal ornamentation, designed to protect industrial secrets.
• The Black Fog Districts:
• Ruins and Decay: Buildings here are abandoned and crumbling, with metal frameworks rusted and stone facades cracked.
• Arcane Distortion: Some structures seem warped or twisted due to prolonged exposure to Aether anomalies. Windows may shimmer with unnatural light, and walls sometimes hum faintly.
• Shadowed Alleys: Narrow streets filled with uneven cobblestones, broken pipes, and flickering gas lamps that struggle to penetrate the Fog.

Iconic Features:

• Skyline Spires: Argenthold’s skyline is defined by towering spires with decorative brass details and clockwork ornaments. These spires often serve as communication hubs, Aetheric energy relays, or observation towers.
• Clockwork Gates: Large, mechanized gates guard key entrances to the city and its districts. These gates are adorned with intricate gears and embossed symbols of the Silver Dawn.
• Ley Line Markers: Obelisks and pylons, carved with glowing runes, are scattered across Argenthold to mark intersections of ley lines. These serve as both power sources and protective barriers against arcane instability.
• Aetheric Streetlamps: Tall, wrought-iron streetlamps powered by small Aether crystals line the streets, their light flickering softly in the smog-filled air.

Geography

The Plateau of Argenthold

• Argenthold sits atop a massive plateau with steep cliffs on three sides. The plateau's elevated position offers natural protection, making it an ideal location for the city's development. The plateau provides a solid foundation for Argenthold’s towering structures and sprawling industrial zones. Its elevation also ensures dominance over nearby regions, both militarily and economically.

The Azure River

• A wide river flows along the northern edge of Argenthold, providing water and transportation for the city. However, industrial runoff has turned parts of the river into a toxic sludge, earning it the nickname “The Black Vein.” The Azure River supports trade and waste disposal but has also become a symbol of the environmental cost of progress. The Upper City enjoys purified water pumped directly from upstream sources, while the Lower City struggles with polluted water supplies.

Ley Line Convergence

• Argenthold is built atop a major ley line convergence, where multiple streams of magical energy intersect. These ley lines power much of the city’s Aetheric technology and play a significant role in its development.

District Boundaries and Transitions

The city’s districts reflect both its geographic and socio-economic divides:

• Upper City: Perched on the highest point of the plateau, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding lands and easy access to airship docks. Natural cliffs create a physical separation from other districts.
• Lower City: Built on the slopes and lower terraces of the plateau, with narrow streets and cramped housing adapting to the uneven terrain.
• The Ironward: Is positioned along the eastern edge.
• The Black Fog Districts: Nestled in a natural depression on the western side of the city, where ley line anomalies and industrial runoff have pooled, creating an eerie, toxic landscape.

Climate

Temperate with significant industrial influence.

• Seasons:
• Rekindling (Spring): Mild temperatures with periodic showers. Pollution from the city often leads to acidic rain, which affects the flora in surrounding areas.
• Burning Sky (Summer): Hot and hazy, with smog from factories thickening the air. Temperatures are moderate compared to the surrounding lowlands due to the plateau’s elevation, but the air quality is at its worst during this time.
• Veiled Horizon (Autumn): Cool and damp, marked by frequent fogs rolling in from the Verdant Depths. The Black Fog tends to spread farther during this season, making travel and trade more hazardous.
• Silent Tides (Winter): Cold and windy, with occasional snow on the upper plateau. The wind carries industrial ash, creating "gray snow" in some parts of the Lower City and Ironward.

Daily Conditions

• Temperature:
• Upper City: Cool and breezy due to elevation and distance from industrial zones.
• Lower City and Ironward: Warmer and more stifling, with trapped heat from factories and smog.
• Black Fog Districts: Cold and damp, with sharp temperature drops at night due to lack of sunlight penetration.
• Air Quality:
• Upper City: Cleaner air due to height and Aether-powered filtration systems.
• Lower City: Poor air quality from smog and factory emissions, often causing respiratory issues for residents.
• Ironward: Dense with industrial fumes, making protective gear a necessity for workers.
• Precipitation: Frequent rain, often acidic due to airborne pollutants. Snow during the winter, sometimes mixed with soot and ash, forming a gritty layer in lower districts.

Environmental Effects of Industry

• Smog and Fog: A persistent layer of smog hangs over the city, particularly in summer. The Black Fog Districts are perpetually shrouded in toxic mist, exacerbated by industrial runoff and arcane anomalies.
• Acidic Rain: Rain in Argenthold contains high levels of industrial pollutants, corroding buildings and harming plant life in surrounding areas.
• Heat Islands: Factory zones, particularly in the Ironward, generate localized heat, creating a noticeable temperature difference between industrial areas and the rest of the city.
• Magical Weather Anomalies: Occasional surges from ley lines cause arcane storms, with glowing energy streaking across the sky and disrupting both technology and magic.

Effects on Daily Life

• Health Hazards: Residents in the Lower City and Ironward often suffer from chronic respiratory illnesses due to the polluted air. Masks and scarves are common attire for those living in these areas.
• Adaptation:
• Upper City: Residents rely on advanced Aetheric air filtration systems to maintain clean and comfortable conditions.
• Lower City and Ironward: Residents use makeshift filtration devices and often work during cooler hours to avoid heat and smog exposure.

Natural Resources

Aether Crystals: Found beneath the city, powering its arcane and technological advancements.

Ferrixite: An iron-like ore used in machinery and weapons, mined in nearby regions.

Founding Date

Aetheric Era 1875 Mechanis

Founders

• Horace Barman
• Nehemiah Massey
• Ninian Redsmith

Type

Large city

Population

About 1.2 million

Related Ethnicities

• Argentian

Location under

Nyxis

Included Locations

• The Argent Spire

Owner/Ruler

Aurinda Lorena Winterman

Ruling/Owning Rank

High Archon

Owning Organization

The Order of the Silver Dawn

Vehicles Present

• Silent Shadow

Related Professions

• Soldier

Related Plots

• The Lost City of Zerathis

Related Materials

• Ferrixite

Argenthold Skyline

by Lady Wynter by way of Dall-E

Argenthold's bustling industrial Streets, towering spires, bathed with a mystical Aetheric glow.

Ironward

by Lady Wynter by way of Dall-E

Ironward: Argenthold's industrial heart, filled with massive factories and grimy, bustling streets.

Black Fog District

by Lady Wynter by way of Dall-E

The Black Fog Districts give an eerie abandoned feeling because of the toxic fog, decaying structures with shadowy figures lurking within.