The Walled

The walled is the cleanest, greenest, and quietest part of the city. Behind 30m tall walls and massive mechanized iron gates, these enclosed portions of the city are where the wealthy and powerful live. Grassy spaces with trees and flowerbeds give the general space within the Walled a much different aesthetic than the rest of the city. The residents of this district live inside beautiful condominium buildings which stand well above the walls. The buildings are a blend of older and modern design sensibilities, as even this section of the city has seen a population spike in the last century, and more residences were constructed to accommodate the larger population.
The roads of the district are well lit by electronic lanterns, a relatively recent invention, and are frequently patrolled by the Cloud Guard. Coupled with the discriminatory standards of the guards at the gate, which are private mercenaries hired by the city, these factors make the Walled one of the safest (if least colourful) districts in the city. The gates close at 9 PM sharp every night and open at 7 AM every morning. Anyone caught outside (unless they are a recognizable city official) must find alternate accommodations, and indeed, there are several high-end hotels directly outside of the district that serve to accommodate those exact situations. Anyone caught inside the gates who cannot prove that they're a resident is taken to the local constabulary and jailed for the night, before being released the following morning. The jail cells under the district's constabulary are not reflective of the bougie comfort of the Walled, and serve as an effective deterrent for those thinking about lingering in the district too long. There is also a rumor that they are extremely haunted.
There are no restaurants, shops, bakeries, or any kind of retailer in the Walled. The larger buildings have internal kitchens that provide meals to the residents (at exorbitant prices), but generally, residents of the Walled do their shopping outside of the district or else have their help do it for them.

Infrastructure

The most commanding infrastructure of this district is of course the walls themselves. Standing at 30 meters tall, they tower over most of the buildings outside of the district. The walls are made of imported stone from Molten Heart, and are mixed with volcanic ash and iron, giving them a red and black coloration on the exterior face, but on their interior face, they are painted a garish purple.
Watchtowers are built along the walls at roughly 50 meter intervals, and the top of the wall is riveted to provide archers and gunman cover from exterior intruders. In addition, there are a number of cannons and other defensive weapons installed on the wall. The wall is a formidable structure that would give even the bravest privateer pause.

History

As Skyhome began to industrialize, wealth quickly began to pool at the feet of those who had organized the factories. Within a few decades, as the population continued to expand, a disparity between those who had lucked into wealth and those who had not started to become apparent. Rather than redressing this growing gap, the wealthy bribed officials to allow it to continue, and over the course of a century, the gap has become insurmountable. The wall around this sector represents that, the distance between the rich and the poor, and the barriers those-who-have place between them and those-who-have-not.

Architecture

The architecture of the walled is extravagant, with intricate brickwork, tall arches, and elegant filigree carved into every corner. The buildings are based on designs taken from some of the oldest structures in Urgontur, the ancient core of Skyhome who's first buildings survived the Rising and predate the Fractured Skies.

"You know, sitting here, I almost forget what island we're on. The walls block out the hum of the city, almost entirely, and the air smells... fresher here? It almost feels peaceful. Almost. But you have to remember, nothing here is real. And the people, oh the people, you're safer in the heart of a jungle surrounded by hungry Trolls than you are living next to these monsters."

Alternative Name(s)

The Hidden Green, Where the Money Lives

Inhabitant Demonym

The Safe Ones