Shalerock
Shalerock is a Metropolis (extra large city) nestled on the edge of a mountain range. Its economy is centered around mining and technology, so many precious metals are extracted beneath the city then crafted into warforged or large piloted suits of armor, known as just Mechs.
The city is situated at a few different elevations because it was constructed both on and in the side of a mountain.
That doesn’t mean this region is ugly or unpleasant, though. The rocky ceiling of the Shadow Half is covered in pastel crystals that emit a soft glow that can be seen at night when the ambient sunlight is gone. A few of these crystals have been uncovered on the ground as well, and are left as displays on street corners or in front of shops.
Though there aren’t many plants that grow on this half, the protection from hail and the elements allows for the construction of elaborate stained-glass ceilings on many of the buildings. There is often a concern that rocks or crystals might fall from the overhang onto the city below, but for many years, the SDB or Mages’ Guild has kept up a barrier to turn any falling rocks to dust.
The Shadow Half is the north region of the main city.
On the upper levels, there is a prominent market at the central hub of one of these web structures. There you can find a market much like any other aboveground. The upper levels also contain some mid-range housing in the form of dug-out rooms. Most places are relatively safe, but other areas are decrepit semi-collapsed slums populated by drow gangs.
The further down you travel, the more hostile and unfriendly the underground becomes. Demons from deep below are more frequent on the lower levels. Often gangs would rather take their chances with demons than with the law, so they make their nests there. Safe shops and homes are few and far between.
The Darkweaver half makes up the Western portion of the underground.
On the edge between the Brotherhood of Earth and Darkweaver sections of the underground, there are fortresses, traps, and broken-off hallways. These are the relics of the olden days when the drow and the dwarves each believed they lived in Shalerock first, and their societies clashed in the middle to create a tactical nightmare. Crossing over between the two sides could result in stumbling into a trap, or in finding an old armory. The Mingling Memorial is the most heavily traveled and established crossover.
The Brotherhood of Earth section makes up the East half of the underground.
Neighborhoods:
The Fields
The Fields are the only part of Shalerock that really exist at ground-level. They consist of farms, inns, and smaller communities sprung up outside of the main city, though they’re only a short uphill walk to the rest of Shalerock’s amenities.Shadow Half
The main body of the city is several hundred feet up, and built halfway into the mountain. About half of the city is within a massive, cavernous opening. This outcropping is shaped like a quarter of a sphere, so there’s a great bit of space between the roofs of buildings and the outcropping. The sections of the city underneath the rocky overhang are known as the Shadow Half, because the sun can’t reach directly above this portion of the city.That doesn’t mean this region is ugly or unpleasant, though. The rocky ceiling of the Shadow Half is covered in pastel crystals that emit a soft glow that can be seen at night when the ambient sunlight is gone. A few of these crystals have been uncovered on the ground as well, and are left as displays on street corners or in front of shops.
Though there aren’t many plants that grow on this half, the protection from hail and the elements allows for the construction of elaborate stained-glass ceilings on many of the buildings. There is often a concern that rocks or crystals might fall from the overhang onto the city below, but for many years, the SDB or Mages’ Guild has kept up a barrier to turn any falling rocks to dust.
The Shadow Half is the north region of the main city.
Light Half
The counterpart to the Shadow Half is the Light Half, which is the southern region of the main city. This section of the city is beneath an open sky, not a rocky overhang. As a result, it has more plants and grasses since there’s sunlight to grow them, and the rooftops aren’t glass mosaics. Cliffedgetown Cliffedgetown is a subsection of the Light Half. Known as a site for spiraling tall towers, tourist attractions, and expensive housing, this region of the city is located along the south edge of the proper city wall. Since the wall is so much higher than the land below, and it overlooks the Fields, the views from Cliffedgetown are sought after for their stunning beauty.The Underground- Darkweavers Half
It might not be immediately obvious to the players, but there are miles and miles of tunnels beneath the city, as its original inhabitants all primarily dwelled underground. The Darkweavers neighborhood was constructed and occupied by drow and is basically a maze for anyone unfamiliar with the area. The tunnels tend to be laid out in branching wide roads and interconnecting narrow ones, splayed out like the pattern of a spiderweb.On the upper levels, there is a prominent market at the central hub of one of these web structures. There you can find a market much like any other aboveground. The upper levels also contain some mid-range housing in the form of dug-out rooms. Most places are relatively safe, but other areas are decrepit semi-collapsed slums populated by drow gangs.
The further down you travel, the more hostile and unfriendly the underground becomes. Demons from deep below are more frequent on the lower levels. Often gangs would rather take their chances with demons than with the law, so they make their nests there. Safe shops and homes are few and far between.
The Darkweaver half makes up the Western portion of the underground.
The Underground - Brotherhood of Earth Half
The Brotherhood of Earth half is the dwarven counterpart to the Darkweavers half, and the dwarves believe just as strongly that they were the first inhabitants of the city. The dwarven construction underground tends to favor right angles and rectangles. Often there is a long, high-ceilinged hallway with pillars, and many other smaller hallways and rooms branch off of it. In one such large hallway is the Brotherhood of Earth market, where dwarves buy and sell their wares. Much like in the Darkweaver half, the upper levels are traversable in relative safety with a mix between civilian and areas controlled by dwarven gangs. The sensible layout underground makes the Brotherhood of Earth section easier to navigate, but due to the territorial nature of the dwarven gangs, it’s more likely to end up in a fight if one stumbles into the wrong street. Similarly, the further down underground, the higher frequency of demons and danger.On the edge between the Brotherhood of Earth and Darkweaver sections of the underground, there are fortresses, traps, and broken-off hallways. These are the relics of the olden days when the drow and the dwarves each believed they lived in Shalerock first, and their societies clashed in the middle to create a tactical nightmare. Crossing over between the two sides could result in stumbling into a trap, or in finding an old armory. The Mingling Memorial is the most heavily traveled and established crossover.
The Brotherhood of Earth section makes up the East half of the underground.
Factions
Scholarly Dissemination Board or SDB , Order of Ghostslayers or OG , Inventors Guild , @makers guildPopulated by: Leon Crane (king), Anastasia Crane , Wilfred Williams , Evan Everston , Corion , Fane Moonfall , Tricia Moonfall , Sasha Evergreen , Bethor Tanwen , Arabella Grimstone , Larc Lestat , Dominic Wood , Zeno Noberos , Archer Grimsbane , Jasper Garrush , Fiera , Charnos , Halroth , Wimrynn Avie , @justus therai
Maps
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Shalerock Map
Remember the city is 3D -
Mingling Memorial
Mingling Memorial -
Club Mahogany
Bedrock & Breakfast and Club Mahogany -
Cherry Street House
Your very own home -
Shalerock Library
Library -
Library Square
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SDB Office
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Shalerock House of Lords
Where the lords' offices are
Type
Metropolis
Related Reports (Primary)
- 16 Embroidery, Agency, Crime Scene
- 17 Reunion & Bribery
- 18 Where Were You the Night Of
- 19 Witness Protection
- 20 Police Open Up
- 21 The Original City
- 22 What's Up Demon
- 24 The Dagger & The Library
- 25 Invisible Threat
- 26 Puppy & Inn Fire
- 27 Butt Sticks for Science
- 29 Demons and the Departure
- 30 The Mountain Church
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