The City of Heaven's Gate
The city of Heaven’s Gate is one of the more peculiar locations in Ferox that is built within the Cloud Gap, a massive gorge that serves as the only land passage through the mountainous range known as The Skywall. It is a massive city of stone known for its unforgiving climate and is not a popular location for outsiders to visit, for several reasons.
The first is its location. It is commonly known that the area North of the Skywall is an extremely inhospitable place, surrounded by numerous extremely dangerous beasts that have managed to survive in the area's harsh environment. Even if an individual does wish to visit the lands beyond the Skywall, most will instead choose to book passage upon a ship to ferry them around the mountains via the sea, as it is considered to be a much easier trip.
The second is the city itself. Heaven’s Gate has become an extremely dangerous and unwelcoming city. It is now a dictatorship under the guise of being a sort of pseudo-military state run by the F.N.G, with an undercity run by a branch of the criminal organization Deadwood.
In short, it is an extremely dangerous city that is fueled by the greed of those in power, with corruption present in nearly every aspect of the city's leadership and is under a constant power struggle by those who rule. High taxes, unjust laws, and a lack of outside oversight are ever-present, forcing many residents into extreme poverty.
Districts
The is divided into 4 unique districts, each of which has a unique structure and atmosphere:
The Underground
As the name implies, The Underground is a district located beneath the city of Heaven's Gate. The main section was constructed during the Calamity Era, alongside a majority of the city proper. Composed of what were once well-crafted streets and buildings always lit by the soft glow of magic stone placed throughout the city, it is now in a disheveled state of disrepair and has expanded into a myriad of different tunnels, districts, and sectors that lack any planning or coordination, becoming a city in and of itself. You can easily find more to-do in The Underground than you could in the other districts combined, though you may find the quality to be far more inconsistent. The Underground is, put simply, the slums of Heaven’s Gate. It is filled with orphans, beggars, thieves, and other misbegotten folks. It is comprised of residents who simply can’t afford to live anywhere else and those who are unable/unwilling to enlist with the FNG, or who wish to live away from their influence. Despite the danger that is inherently present in the district, there is also a sense of authenticity in The Underground that could be said to be lacking in the other districts of Heaven’s Gate. Communities that are established in this district are much more tightly knit than those of their aboveground counterparts, due to the fact that finding true success in The Underground necessitates a certain level of mutual trust. Light is provided to the city via complex enchantments and magical stones embedded in the ceiling of the structure that mimic day and night, referred to as the Skylights, as well as numerous streetlights. It should be noted that the Skylights have fallen into slight disrepair in recent years.Commerce District
The “ground level” of Heaven’s gate, the Commerce district is where shops, inns, and entertainment can be found. Typically frequented by travelers and members of the FNG, you will find that most services in the commerce district are higher priced than those in the underground, though this is with the added benefit of more reliable quality. The commerce district is the second-largest district in Heaven’s Gate, second only to The Underground. Though it is considered to be on the ground floor, the district is comprised of 6 stories, with numerous shops, inns, and public squares to be found on each, with an additional 3 stories above the top level. Despite the title, it should be noted that a large chunk of the Commerce District is composed of housing. Residents mainly include soldiers of the FNG and merchants.Residential District
The smallest of the 4 districts, the Residential District is comprised of larger homes and manors that are occupied by the wealthiest merchants and military officers of the city and is located on the uppermost levels of the interior structure of Heaven's Gate. A few entertainment venues and basic services can be found in this district, but as the name implies, it is almost entirely made up of housing.Cloudtop District
The final district, The Cloudtop District, is located on the top level of the city. It is the only district that receives any natural lighting and is reserved exclusively for military operations. Though exposed to the harsh weather conditions of the Skywall, there is apparently some sort of magical system to regulate the temperature, to an extent. Comprised of armories, training grounds, defense systems, barracks, as well as several vaults, the Cloudtop district is an area only accessible to the FNG.Guilds and Factions
Heaven's Gate is occupied and ruled by the Feroxi National Guard, which has legal governing rights for the entire city. In actuality, they rule over 3 of the 4 districts, while Heaven's Gate branch of Deadwood have seized control of The Underground.
History
The fortress city of Heaven's Gate was initially constructed during the Unification Era to halt the advance of Surtr’s forces from the north, as well as to hamper any present invading forces' attempts to retreat. It is a massive, near impenetrable fortress that would force invaders to make a massive detour in order to reach the mainland, as there are no other traversable land routes for hundreds of miles, due to the natural barrier that is The Skywall.
During the Ascension Era, the fortress had lost most of its strategic purpose. Despite the harsh climate due to the location, several generations had come to know the city as their home, and would choose to instead transform the fortress into a thriving city.
Though Heaven’s Gate would go through various periods of expansion and disrepair, particularly during the Great Collapse, it would eventually become occupied and run by the F.N.G.
Architecture
Heaven's gate is most notable for a massive, miles-long wide wall that completely bridges the Cloud Gap, a massive gorge that allows passage through the Skywall. Entry to the city is limited to a massive gate at the center of the wall which is under constant surveillance from residents within.
The interior of the fortress, which has now become known as the Commercial and Residential districts, was initially built for the purposes of function over form but has since transformed into a uniquely styled, densely constructed city populated by tall, apartment buildings meant to maximize all available space, with a complex system of streets and bridges that span them, completely blotting out the sky on lower levels, all creating a structure that seems to lack any sense of continuity. Those not native to the city will find themselves lost within minutes if they are not careful due to the city's verticality.
Artificial lighting is placed throughout the streets of each district, as the Cloudtop district is the only location that receives natural lighting.
The city is essentially an unholy amalgamation of Fort Briggs from FMA, Piltover from Arcane, and Midgar
Climate
Heaven's gate is located at an extremely high altitude, nestled in the Skywall, resulting in extremely frigid, below-zero temperatures year-round.
Type
Large city
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