**Population 1.9 Million** ![[Stax1.webp|600]] Nestled in the north of the Valley, the city of Stax is an awe-inspiring testament to ingenuity, ambition, and the ever-turning cogs of progress. Built in layers that stretch skyward and descend deep into the earth, Stax is a metropolis formed from mille![[Stax1.webp]]nnia of accretion its bones are architectural marvels, its nerves are technology and its lifeblood is magic. It stands as the industrial powerhouse of the Valley, the Makers’ and Shipwrights’ Guilds its beating hearts, and where the dreams of the ambitious and the schemes of the ruthless clash in a cacophony of steam, gears, and neon magic. The city thrives on industry, innovation, and the sweat of its workers. Here, one can find the most exquisite clockwork automatons, massive airships under construction, and intricate magical devices crafted with skill and precision. However, this beacon of progress is built upon a foundation of hardship, with the lower levels teeming with overworked laborers, hazardous manufactorums, and desperate souls eking out a living. The outer reaches are reserved for the elite, basking in luxury and sunlight, who oversee the mechanisms of industry with a detached sense of superiority. ## City Layout Stax is divided into three main regions: **The Sunlight Layer,** **The Middle Gears**, and **The Inner Core**. Each region has its own distinct culture, architecture, and way of life. ### The Sunlight Layer ![[Upper_Levels_2.png|600]] The outermost skin of Stax is a marvel of sleek architecture and gilded facades. This is where the elite reside and conduct business, surrounded by opulence and the finest that magic and technology have to offer. The streets are lined with towering spires, polished arcane lights, and lush rooftop gardens. Here, airships drift lazily overhead, and gondolas powered by enchanted tracks ferry the wealthy from place to place. #### Points of Interest: - **Makers’ Guildhall**: An imposing structure of brass and glass, this is the heart of the Makers' Guild district, where innovation meets bureaucracy. Inside, the hall is filled with the whirring and clanking of machinery, overseen by Guild members clad in ornate artificer's robes. The building’s centerpiece is a grand atrium with levitating platforms and holographic blueprints of the latest inventions. - **Shipwrights’ Guildhall**: A sprawling complex of dry docks, assembly lines, and testing fields for the airships of the Valley. The scent of varnish and the clanging of hammers fill the air. - **The Senatorium**: Where the Guildmasters gather in a grand hall to discuss matters of commerce, politics, and power. The domed ceiling is enchanted to show the night sky, and statues of past Guildmasters line the walls. ### The Middle Gears > [!col] > ![[Mid_Levels_1.jpg]] > > ![[Mid_Levels_2.jpg]] > > ![[Mid_Levels_3.jpg]] The Middle Gears are the city's industrial heart, where manufactorums churn out goods, and the air is thick with the tang of ozone and oil. This district is home to the working class, the merchants, and the Goldwatch precincts that attempt to keep order amidst the chaos. The architecture is utilitarian, with pipes crisscrossing overhead and walls adorned with decades of graffiti and Guild propaganda. #### Points of Interest: - **Skarvale Industries Manufactorum**: A sprawling complex of factories and workshops, filled with the deafening roar of machinery and the acrid smell of industrial waste. Workers toil endlessly under the watchful eyes of overseers, living in squalid conditions. - **Goldwatch Headquarters**: A fortress-like structure made of reinforced stone and iron, with the Goldwatch sigil prominently displayed, bristling with defensive enchantments and patrolled by well-armed Goldwatch agents. Each precinct in Stax has its own headquarters, with rivalries between them running deep. - **The Central Market**: A sprawling marketplace filled with vendors hawking everything from enchanted gadgets to street food. The air is filled with the sounds of haggling, sizzling food, and the occasional magical explosion. ### The Inner Core > [!col] > ![[Lower_Levels_3.jpg]] > > ![[Lower_Levels_2.jpg]] At the very heart of Stax lies the Inner Core, a labyrinth of factories, waste depots, and arcane machinery that keeps the city running. This is where the city's poorest residents live, working grueling shifts in the manufactorums or scavenging for scraps. The air is heavy with smog, and the streets are a maze of rusted metal and narrow alleys. #### Points of Interest - **The Underhive**: A network of shantytowns built from scavenged materials. Here, entire communities live in the shadow of arcane engines, struggling to survive amidst the toxic fumes and waste. - **The River Canal**: The Spine River flows through the heart of Stax, channeled into an enormous, polluted, industrial waterway that runs through the belly of the city. Enormous pipes dump waste into the river, and waterborne traders navigate its murky depths. - **The Junkyards**: Mountains of discarded machinery and magical refuse. Scavengers sift through the wreckage in search of salvageable parts, while dangerous constructs lurk in the shadows. ## Factions and Guilds Stax is a city defined by its factions, each vying for control and influence. - [[The Makers’ Guild]]: The most powerful Guild in Stax, responsible for the city's technological marvels. They are both revered and feared for their innovations and harsh labour practices. - [[The Shipwrights’ Guild]]: A close rival to the Makers, specializing in airship construction and maritime trade. Their dry docks and assembly lines are the lifeblood of the city's economy. - [[The Mages’ Guild]]: A formidable presence, dealing in arcane knowledge and spellcasting services. They are always looking to expand their influence, even if it means making unsavoury alliances. - [[The Goldwatch]]: The city's law enforcement, divided into precincts aligned with the different Guilds. While some officers are honorable, others are easily swayed by bribes and political pressure. ## Atmosphere & Flavour - **Sights**: Gleaming domes in the upper districts, towering exhaust vents spewing arcane steam, neon glowglobes lighting the lower levels, tracked wagons ferrying people and goods. - **Sounds**: The roar of machinery, the hiss of steam, the rhythmic clang of metal on metal, the chatter of street vendors and beggars. - **Smells**: Acrid ozone, burnt oil, industrial waste, and the occasional whiff of roasted street food. - **Street Life**: Warforged rickshaws zip through crowded streets, while automata patrol the markets. Street gangs (and worse) operate in the shadows, vying for control of the undercity.