Bloodworth: The Crane District

Short interview with Vinessa Woods

What are you working on now Vinessa?

“The new West Spire. Construction has begun behind the aqueducts and I’m following it closely. I get to expand the model as the real city grows. It’s so exciting!”

What are some must-see locations in the district?

“The obvious answer is the Hanging Gardens—truly the beauty of the city—if you have a friend from the Tower Ward to invite you, that is.

A Tour of the Crane District

Low Ward

We start our little guide at the very bottom of the city. Vibrant, lively, and exciting, could be used to describe it… Though, unruly, dangerous, and dank, does equally fit.

The Low Ward is, of course, where you will find the docks and plenty of industry. It has become the home of those who can’t afford or aren’t welcome in the Mid Ward.

Much of the Low Ward is built out of wood and is in a constant state of decay.

Linfell Rock is the hill the district was built on. Its large cave houses the Under-Docks and the Ash Crypt.

Deep City, as the name hints, is far into the ward. Hardly any light gets in here because it’s squeezed in between the slopes of Linfell Rock and the roof. You’ll likely want to skip this part when you visit the Low Ward.

The Long Stairs connect the docks directly to the Mid Ward. They’re free to use, unlike the lifts, but getting goods up this way is grueling work. Make sure you have your papers in order when you get to the top, so you don’t get turned away at the gate.

Mid Ward

The largest part of the district, the heart of trade, and the home to respectable elves. The eastern part of the Mid Ward rests on Linfell Rock, while the western part is suspended on pillars over the Low Ward.

The Mid Ward Market is an open square in front of the Elizeium Baths, where both local and foreign traders set up their carts and stalls.

The Artisan Sector is the more permanent part of the market, home to the finer craft circles and their shops. Tailors, cobblers, jewelers, and even our own printing press can be found here.

The Forge Sector is where the great forge hammers produce not only armor and weapons, but all things made of metal.

The Scholar Sector is the center of bureaucracy, higher learning, and magic. With the construction of the fourth spire, this sector will also fall under the shadow of the Tower Ward in a few years.

Bridge Town sprung up only in the last 20 years. Due to the tension between Crane and Arwel, no agreement over the old bridge has been reached. So, when someone built a small shack and opened a tax-free gambling parlor in the middle of the bridge, neither side intervened. Since then, several buildings have sprung up, making it a haven for unregulated businesses.

Sea-Light Mirrors have been installed on the spires to reflect light from the sea into the Mid and Tower Ward.

Tower Ward

At the very top of the district, held high by the three spires, lies the home of the elite. Rich circles of old oil and new, foreign dignitaries, ambassador, princes, and princesses all clash in this battleground of fancy dress, favors, and secrets.

The Palace is the official home the Crane federation, though only Icarus’ circle really lives there, as Elize has her own residence in her bathhouse, and Sejal doesn’t seem to have a fixed residence at all.

Library of Enan is a great source of collected knowledge curated by its founder and former ruler of the district, Enan Talon.

The Oil Distiller is a key part in the wealth of the Crimson Elves. Used to refine raw whale oil into the pure form that is used in lanterns and as currency.

Trivia

The Walls. The entire Mid Ward is a fortress with gates at every entrance. And the Tower Ward has even better defenses simply because it’s so far up in the air and only accessible by lift.

Three Aqueducts provide the district with fresh water. Two tall ones bring crystal-clear water from the springs in the Alleof mountains just west of the city. The last aqueduct connects to the Dorlet river to the north and is large enough to bring small ships from upriver straight to the heart of the city. It ends by running though the arena and down a waterfall to the Low Ward.

The Stank-No-More Accord is an agreement signed by all three districts after the Great Stink of N452. The issue had been long-standing, but the particularly hot weather of the year, combined with calm seas, turned the bay into a sludge of standing wastewater.

The agreement included the building of better sewer systems with sewerducts to transport waste as far away from the city as possible. Together with new rules for the proper disposal of smelly garbage, namely that anything that grows stinky, is thrown in the sewers rather than on the trash heap. The agreement also included a complete ban on tanneries within the city, which as a result, is why you find so many of them in nearby Fallbridge.

This was also the beginning of the “clean-flame” tradition, where the water from the aqueducts is redirected to flow through the streets of the Tower- and Mid Ward every few weeks to clean them. This same system has also been used to suppress fires in the Low Ward, as the run-off water rains down below.

Bloodworth City Districts

The Crane District is only one part of Bloodworth, the largest city on the Red Coast, though technically it’s three independently governed cities next to each other. Bloodworth is located on the outlet of the Dorlet river, on the coast of the Ulran sea.

Arwel District: The original and largest district, still ruled by the Bloodworth Federation. Also called the Bloodworth District or Old Bloodworth. Known for its classic architecture and temperament.

Brin District: The rival that has stood the test of time. Roughly half the size, yet finely decorated, the district has become home to those who think they are just a bit better than the rest.

Crane District: The upstart. Rebuilt from the ruins of the Talon District, soon set to overtake Brin in size with the construction of the new spire. This unconventional district has attracted the unusual, opportunistic, and ambitious. And, of course, it’s where you will find the Mid Ward Market.

Unruled District: A failed district that has been abandoned and is now a crumbling lawless slum. Parts have been claimed by smaller federations, but seeing as the district is filled with rivaling gangs, it’s hard to see any federation having any success here without major mercenary backing, like we saw when the Cranes cleared out their district.