The City of Prescott

Where the PCs are! Prescott is the oldest, largest, most prosperous and largely most liberal city-state on the island. Here is a melting pot of varying cultural backgrounds and trades. The Big Apple! It is nestled at the back of a large bay, walled off and surrounded by mountains. This is the primary port of the whole island where business is conducted.

You know it to be ruled by Prime Minister Hawthorne, who has been re-elected 3 times, despite seemingly less than favorable regards from the city inhabitants. Of the figure-head royal family though, there is much love for the great King Tumelo.

Within the city limits, all but the most mundane magical items are required to be licensed and registered with the state. The penalty for illegally possessing or dealing magical items is severe. It’s not terribly hard to get permitting for basic magical items, but the more powerful the items, the more difficult and costly it becomes.

All in all, you get all sorts of folks up to all sorts of business. You know to one degree or another that there is a notable gang presence within the city.

Prescott is loosely divided into the following districts, ascending in elevation the closer you come to the eastern wall (Think San Francisco, or the West Hills of Portland):

The Barracks (aka: The Kennels)

This is where Prescott’s military is largely housed. The city is incredibly well defensively positioned at the back of the double bay nestled within a mountain range, but also has a reasonably substantial naval fleet. The bays have several harbor checkpoints, allowing for trade vessels to enter under heavy scrutiny. The Barracks is where most military offices, training facilities and housing for soldiers are located.

The North Warrens (aka: The North Spits)

The North Warrens is a slum. The residents are mostly those who are either newer to the city or island; refugees, poor university students, folks just establishing themselves within the past generation or two, etc.

The University District (aka: College Town)

Prescott houses three of the island’s Arcane Universities; one for Abjuration, one for Divination and one for Illusion. There are one or two other smaller schools in the area for general magical studies, but the universities themself are mostly full of grad-level students looking to specialize in a particular school of magic.

The Temple District (aka: Godcallers’ Walk)

As so many different cultures travelled to the island upon its discovery, many of them settling in Prescott, there about as many religions as there are people. This district is chock full of different temples, churches and shrines to any number of different faiths.

The North Gate (aka: The Spires)

The North Gate is the old money neighborhood. Those that live here are the nobles, generational politicians, and other established how-to-do fancy folk.

The King’s Seat (aka: King’s Perch)

The seat of government. Here you’ll find the royal palace, parliament, and a number of other bureaucratic offices.

The South Gate (aka: The Rise)

The new money neighborhood. Here live the folk who made their wealth through the bustling trade and artisanal mastery that goes through Prescott.

The Artisan District (aka: The Goods)

Where the fancy things are made. This district is largely composed of master artisan shops creating the luxury items that Prescott is best known for.

The Trade District (aka: The Cobbles)

The working class neighborhood. Here is where most general trade crafts and services can be found.

The Market Strip (aka: Coin Kisser’s Bank)

A strip of bank where vendors sell their wares, whether as goods and services produced in the city or trade items from elsewhere.

The South Warrens (aka: The South Spits)

The Southern slums. This end of the city is composed mostly of poor families who have been living in Prescott over several generations.

Type

Geopolitical, Free City