Pont-Ciel

Nestled in a valley at the center of a magical wellspring, Pont-Ciel is a sprawling, walled city— full of bright lights, colorful architecture, and diverse peoples. Formed 300 years ago as a place of neutrality during conflict, it has now become the seat of intellectual and industrial pursuits, where trade and businesses thrive, where artistic inclinations are nourished, where warriors and knights train to be legendary heroes, where mages pursue their magical fields openly, and engineers push the boundaries of what technology is capable of. Magic is found in abundance— a library of books floating between shelves, merchants setting up their marketplace tents with the wave of a hand, street lights extinguished of their own accord as the sun rises over the horizon. Formal science has found its way to prevalence in the last 30 years, leading to advancements in technology such as long-distance airship travel, alchemy, sophisticated weaponry, and industrial engineering. Pont-Ciel is a city that had recently begun to expand upwards— verticality created a need for sophisticated lifts, elevator systems, and trolleys. Aptly named, the city is one that has ever reached for greater heights.

There are several districts within Pont-Ciel, each with their own unique identity and functions that make them essential within the greater clockwork of the city.

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Conservatory
Pont-Ciel’s geographical placement has been both a blessing and a curse. Its neutral status makes its location reflect poorly— expansion by Luvia has encased Pont-Ciel’s borders in Luvian land— but this also centralizes the city in a nation with a deep history of arcane attunement. At the city’s founding, a central circle of wizards and mages, known as The Magian Council, made Pont-Ciel a city which prioritized magical pursuits, fueled by the area’s natural and near-infinite supply of magic. It wasn’t long before the Council established a school for magical practice at the city’s center, where aspiring mages of all ages could travel from near and far to pursue their arcane ambitions and rise to incredible power and status. The students and alumni of the Pont-Ciel Conservatory for Magic and Science are given extensive (and sometimes questionable) support for their studies, and graduates are monitored by the Council and allowed to use their magic and technology freely within reason, for the benefit and progression of society and the greater good. Around the start of the Fourth Era, as the continent underwent a large-scale industrial revolution, the Conservatory has become a primary location for the study and research of technology, leading to the foundation of Magitech.

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Airship Docks
Pont-Ciel is a center of trade, culture, and knowledge— People come from all over Sestyra to visit the great city. Airships are the primary form of travel and transportation throughout the continent, with each nation boasting sophisticated aircraft and sprawling docks to accommodate them. None are more impressive than Pont-Ciel’s— extending over the city’s walls at the North and West gates, creating a canopy of long piers supported by metal beams. From these docks, visitors and residents can descend an elevator down into the city’s base, or they can cross expansive bridges and ramps over the city to reach higher towers or platforms. The Airship docks possess a number of secure buildings that house imports and exports before they are sent to Argent or loaded on to cargo airships.

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Argent
At Argent, local and imported goods are sold, bartered, or traded. Here, citizens can get items that range from household groceries, equipment like armor and weaponry, or magical supplies and ingredients of all kinds. Rows of covered stalls and booths line the streets beside open-door boutiques and stores, this popular marketplace remaining open all hours of the day and night. Anyone is permitted to set up a booth and sell their goods and services, though Knights patrol Argent for thieves and pickpockets, watching for any illicit activity… including the exchange of any questionable goods and services. Argent is in a lush area of the city, with large trees which change with the seasons, and a view of the river which flows throughout Pont-Ciel.

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Bright End
At the northern quadrant of the city is an elegant, sprawling district of extravagant architecture, a brilliant skyline, and glamorous residents. The wealthiest and most influential members of Pont-Ciel society make their home here, from Council members to powerful aristocrats, celebrities and businessmen. This is Pont-Ciel’s cultural center— patrons pay handsomely to support artists and performers here, with vast museums and exhibitions showcasing the city’s cultural, magical, and scientific achievements. Many international ambassadors and figures reside here during their stay, sampling excellent cuisine and breathtaking sights. Nestled safely in Bright End’s center are official Council buildings, and next door to it is the Knight’s Station— headquarters for Pont-Ciel’s investigators, protectors, and law enforcers, trained by the small, prestigious Knight’s Academy therein. Brilliant city lights make even the darkest nights appear to be mere twilight… it’s fitting that despite every shadow extinguished by light, even the darkest individuals boldly lurk here.

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Westward
Everyone needs a place to call home. For many, that’s Westward— the city’s foremost residential district, with centuries-old cobblestone streets and rows of vibrant houses, paint chipping at every edge in age and well-loved use. Modest apartments sit in the stories above familiar businesses and taverns, and the warm sense of community makes this an excellent place to find help and comfort of all kinds. Children play in the streets as mothers air laundry out opened windows, worn fathers retire to a beloved pub for laughs and good ale, and Conservatory students make their way to off-campus homes, greeted by friends and family and a warm meal on their plate.

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Bleeding Heart
At Pont-Ciel’s founding, Bleeding Heart was the city center, known for its vibrant nightlife and beautiful scenery. From floral gardens to intricate architecture, the former “Heart District” was the pride of Pont-Ciel. As the city became more densely populated and people made the district their home, the crime rate also rose, with corruption taking root at Bleeding Heart, gangs and criminal organizations planting themselves where they could exert the most control over citizens. Now, the Magian Council has lost prominent control over the district— it is the one place their Knights have no power, and the Council has prioritized maintaining the rest of the city, abandoning the lower-class citizens who have made Bleeding Heart their home. Residents here are left to their own devices, with many dabbling in forbidden magics, black market trade, and other criminal activities, where they are beyond the reach of the authorities. Crime bosses control this area, and the citizens of Bleeding Heart answer to them alone. Some residents here choose to live peacefully, with homes and families dating back to the city’s founding. Others can’t afford to leave or find homes elsewhere in the city. The district has fallen to ruin and decay, only to be rebuilt again by the community as a sanctuary outside of the Council’s immediate control. Residents here help each other out, but outsiders best beware.

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Racket
Racket is in constant motion, with craftsmen working day in and day out to keep the city running. Pont-Ciel’s rapid industrial advancement has made this a busy district— architects design towering buildings for upward expansion, engineers construct tools and technology used to better the lives of Pont-Ciel’s residents, and artisans craft beautiful pieces of equipment and art for international export or for sale in Argent. Blacksmiths create weaponry and armor in their open forges, allowing adventurers and mercenaries to purchase unique equipment right at the doorstep of Pont-Ciel’s most gifted craftsmen. This district is perpetually warm from the fire and motion of industry, and seems to rarely quiet, even in the darkest hours of the evening. The architecture here is relatively new, with the district boundaries spilling out beyond the city’s southern gate. Smoke plumes of varying colors rise up into the sky, enveloping this district in an appropriate haze as both magic and natural resources alike fuel the fires of innovation.

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The Catacombs
A sprawling underground system which stretches far and wide through every corner of the city, with gated entrances in every district. It’s dark, damp, and old, and the dead are still interred here. In early times, it would have entombed just about anyone and everyone, but now only the city’s wealthiest and most prominent citizens are laid to rest here. It’s a labyrinth that seems to change the deeper down it goes. Near the surface, there are numerous paths and corridors that lead to the other districts, making the Catacombs favored by criminals and seedy organizations looking to get around unseen.

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