The City of Flint
Prominent Landmarks: Cauldron Hill, Parity Lake, Stanfield Canal
Nestled among dozens of granite peaks along the eastern stretch of Avery Coast, Flint is the largest city in Risur, though not the nation’s capital. With a rapidly growing population of over half a million, slums for factory workers have begun to clump along the steep hills, while builders work to clear large sections of rainforest from within the city limits. Small satellite towns cling to the islands outside Flint’s harbor, and many foreign nations and businesses have flocked to the city to gain influence in the past forty years.
In the morning, amid the ringing of bells, someone on the street is likely to see people rushing off to work, factory workers either going to work or getting off of work, merchants opening their shops, middle- and upper-class children on their way to school, carriages slowly carrying their passengers between districts, and homeless people begging in the streets. Vendors selling fresh baked goods and fruit are common, and cafes are filled with people drinking their morning tea or coffee. Vendors selling goods—particularly food—are common on almost every street in every district.
City Districts
Each district has its own mayor who handles local affairs, all of whom are elected except the mayor of The Nettles, whose additional role as guardian of the cursed Cauldron Hill requires he be appointed by the governor and approved by the king. Districts also elect representatives to the city council, whose authority is balanced against that of the city governor, Roland Stanfield. Technically the position of governor is elected, but aside from brief periods after the deaths of various incarnations, Stanfield has held the position for nearly five centuries. The city of Flint has nine districts each presided over by a district mayor.- Bosum Strand Mayor Griffin Stowe
- Central Mayor Oncala Putnam
- Cloudwood Mayor Doyle Idylls
- The Nettles Mayor Reed Macbannin
- North Shore Mayor Aaron Choir
- Parity Lake Mayor Rosa Gohins
- Pine Island Mayor Roger Pepper
- Stray River Mayor Chrystine Robinson
- The Ayres Effectively independent
Defences
The Battalion school of war in the bayous of Pine Island trains hundreds of future officers every year, and works in connection with various district forts throughout the city, as well as naval bases on an island near the mouth of Flint Harbor. Flint still remembers a few naval skirmishes that threatened shipping eight years ago, and so the military maintains a constant watch for possible threats. Normally, though, they will not respond unless a district mayor or the city governor himself calls on them. While few individual soldiers have magical training, the military has acquired over the years a wide variety of enchanted weapons and defenses. Perhaps foremost among these, every soldier stationed in The Nettles district fort is given an amulet to ward them against supernatural influence, should they be called upon to face a reawakening of the eldritch horrors that reigned over Cauldron Hill during the time of the witches. The local commander of Flint land forces is Colonel Greg Masterson, while the naval defenses are overseen by Rear Admiral Morris Dawkins.
Architecture
Flint is generally crowded with buildings—you won’t see many trees or grassy areas except in city squares or parks. Most buildings are not tall, although a few towers and four- and even five-story structures rise above their lower neighbors, particularly in Central District. Although the structures vary from district to district, the typical Flint building has two to three stories. The bottom one is built of grey stones and mortar with wooden beams and slats. The top story is made of wood and generally has the same dimensions as the bottom story; some buildings are a bit wider on the top floor, creating an overhang of two or even three feet.
Roofs are usually slanted with gabled ends. They are covered with wooden shingles and patches of dark green fungus, due to the warm, damp climate. Every building has at least one stone chimney.
Typically, the buildings of Flint abut each other on at least one side, and usually two. One side of a structure typically runs along a very narrow alleyway—often no more than three or four feet across. Most such alleys are full of trash, empty crates or barrels, and other clutter. The streets are narrow and slick with rain. Most measure about ten feet across, while major thoroughfares are fifteen or even twenty feet across. Streets are widest in the Central District and in North Shore—for the luxury of the residents.
Geography
Flint is a sprawling city, and often the party’s investigations will take them across it and back in the course of a single day. In general, by making use of carriages it takes a half hour to move from the heart of one district to the heart of an adjacent one. Walking can double this time. Crossing Flint harbor or reaching one of The Ayres is usually an hour long affair by sailboat, or half an hour if you know a friendly steamboat captain. Moving through the maze of rookeries in the Nettles can take hours, and it’s always faster to just go around than go over. Few paved roads lead to the Cloudwood, which makes carriages unsuitable, and one could spend hours or days roaming the mountains to the east or bayous to the west. The few completed subrail stations in Central District do provide fairly swift transport, on par with carriages while being cheaper and able to carry more people. Once the full subrail network is completed, it should be possible to move between Central and either Bosum Strand or Stray River in as few as ten minutes. And if ever the route under the Nettles can overcome sabotage, it could shave nearly an hour off the time to go around the troublesome hills.
Some people use carriages, however. Unless the resident is extremely wealthy, the carriage is a cab for hire, which are common throughout the city except in the Nettles, Cloudwood, and the Aryes. While it’s easier to get a carriage cab during the day than at night, carriages can be found in just a few minutes day or night throughout the city. Most carriage cabs cost 1 sp (plus tip) regardless of the destination (though a carriage will not go into the Nettles or Cloudwood at any time). A typical carriage has two horses and one driver. Four people can fit comfortably within the carriage, and up to two more can ride on the seat at the back. Some carriages have only one horse and usually carry only two passengers. A very few large carriage cabs can fit six people within and two more on the outside. These are pulled by four horses. People reserve them ahead of time for a designated time and location. Carriage drivers are excellent sources of information about both current events and the locations around town.
One of the occupations that thrives within Flint is that of the courier. In such a bustling city, couriers carry messages and packages back and forth across town: payments, invitations, friendly communications, contracts, gifts, deliveries, official documents, and more. Large businesses and organizations frequently have their own couriers and delivery people. A common courier carrying a message or small package earns 1 sp (plus tip). Larger packages often cost 1 sp per ten pounds; additional fees that may double the price apply if more than one courier must deliver the package. Those with no permanent address in town—or those who prefer to live anonymously—may rent small boxes at Postal Stationhouses in each district in order to receive correspondence and packages.
Type
City
Population
800,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Flinters
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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