Infrastructure

The municipality of the metropolis is sorted into seven regions; its centre - The Core, and the peripheral mountainous land that is divided into the Six Wards. The Core is where the majority of the citizens reside. It is a hub of commercial activity and common citizenry, containing most of the city’s guilds and artisans, as well as certain underground enterprises. Its notable landmarks include the High Court of Havenstep, the Pearl, Sanctuary, and Circle Market - all of which are located near its centre. At the precise focus of Havenstep is a 500-feet-wide plaza, where twenty-six concentric steps gradually descend into the ground. Floating at the bottom, where it can be observed by an audience easily numbering tens-of-thousands, is the Pearl: a 90-foot-tall, ivory globe. In the rest of the plaza’s open space, vendors have long set up stalls to take advantage of the central location, forming the Circle Market. From around the city, citizens often travel using the six routes that branch radially from the plaza. These are: the waterway that is the Morning Glow; and the five boulevards carved into the city’s stone foundations - likely as old as the ground itself, predating all historical accounts.

The Six Wards

Merchant's Port

Crown District

Scholastic Colleges

Mining Qaurter

Military Grounds

Sixth Ward

Surrounding The Core, the wards begin with the Merchant’s Port in the North-East, followed (in counter-clockwise order) by the Crown District , the Scholastic Colleges , the Mining Quarter , the Military Grounds , and the Sixth Ward The Merchant’s Port serves as the terminus for all inward and outward trade upon the Morning Glow. It is comprised of many warehouses as well as the Port, where a myriad of vessels from all over the Pentaplanes can be found docked. There, theadministers all trade and travel along the river, making it a frequent stop for explorers who wish to venture deep intoThe Crown District is characterised by the, the residence of the- the reigning monarch of Havenstep. Noble houses (many whose ancestors were awarded with titles and affluence for their deeds) live on estates within the District. Without much political power nor essential needs, nobles tend to use their wealth to further their own glory, if not within the gaze of the Palace, then in the eyes of the public through discoveries within or beyond the Alabaster City.The Scholastic Colleges are chiefly concerned with the pursuit of scientific knowledge, in place of magic - a great taboo entrenched within Havenstep for generations. Though some commoners attend the, learning the skills and etiquette for serving the nobility, the greatest vested interest of the Alabaster City is the discoveries of its Collegiate scholars: from practical applications for the Haven Guard, to the investigation of the world’s unknowns.The division of ward-lines between the Scholastic Colleges and the Mining Quarter are particular, due to a past agreement regarding respective utilities and an exchange of the rights to certain portions of the mountains. As a consequence, the Colleges hold a large part of the eastern peaks, while the Quarter owns the mines at the foot.Due to the importance of mineral resources to Havenstep’s artisanry, the city is heavily dependent on the Mining Quarter’s provision of ores. Of all the wards, besides the Sixth, the Quarter carries the most tame appearance, as its operations are largely underground. The mundanity is especially disappointing when the Quarter is compared to the mining-city of, known for its stratified Crimson Cap shedding green iridescence, on the plane of theTo the South, the Military Grounds are dedicated to the purpose of training the city’s law enforcers - the Haven Guard. From the least-experienced officers, to its most-senior commanders, all of Havenstep’s military begins here. Those of great physical talents are often recruited into the Fowl, an elite splinter group whose positions are exclusive to angels, serving the higher-ups in more-extreme, clandestine operations.The Sixth Ward has historically been derelict. Due to a barren land and the financial responsibilities of a Warden, the position has never been heavily sought-after by the city’s ambitious politicians. A lack of interest begets a lack of scrutiny; hence the truth of what occurs within the Sixth Ward is one of the most well-guarded secrets of Havenstep.