[center][url=https://fontmeme.com/old-english-fonts/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180814/ac739293f7548fd141bad8dbe4fb7b38.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=F8CFF0] ๐“—ourglass City is reminiscent of Victorian London; think big, poofy dresses and cravats and teahouses and factories. However, it should be noted that Hourglass City is a totally made-up steampunk city-the aesthetics are more brown/copper than grey/black. Hourglass City is ruled over by the Council, a shadowy group of five individuals that reign supreme over the city. Nobody really knows how they are selected, they are just always [i]there[/i]. The Council then hand-picks five Ministers to run the day-to-day affairs of the city, and these Ministers are considered the leaders of each Guild. ๐“lthough not everyone in Hourglass City is formally initiated into a Guild, everybody is born with a gift (essentially a special ability/superpower) that usually dictates which Guild one will join. Intermarriage between Guilds is allowed, and theoretically, what gift one is born with is random (however, children tend to have gifts related to those of their parents in some way, shape, or form). These gifts are derived from magical energy emanating from a chasm deep underneath the city (up until twenty or so years ago, anyway. But shhhhh). To officially become a part of the Guild, applying for initiation is required, and usually granted automatically once someone has completed their education. ๐“ote that just because somebody is born with the gift of healing, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that they will go on to join the Apothecary Guild; everybody has the freedom to choose which Guild they join. Guilds are usually comprised of the well-to-do, though there are certainly people of common birth who are able to join. However, most of the poor and commonborn are never initiated into a Guild because it requires that one go through many years of education and official training. Graduates of Madame Geraldine's and the Polytechnique Institute are automatically granted admission to the Guild of their choice after they finish their schooling. ๐“obility exists, loosely (think ASOIAF-style); there are lords and ladies and such, and Ministers are automatically elevated to nobility once they accept the position. [/color] [hider=The Guilds (typical powers in brackets)] [color=F8CFF0] [b]๐“ฃ๐“—๐“” ๐“๐“”๐“ก๐“ž๐“๐“๐“ค๐“ฃ ๐“–๐“ค๐“˜๐“›๐““ {enhanced physical abilities}[/b] The Aeronaut Guild serves as the police force and military of Hourglass City. They run the police station, patrol the streets at night, and protect the inhabitants of the city from any outside invaders. Being a member of the Aeronaut Guild is essentially being a soldier; Aeronauts are trained in various forms of combat, taught how to skillfully pilot airships, and are given military ranks. The basic premise of their gift is enhanced physical abilities; this manifests itself in Aeronauts in many different ways, such as super speed or augmented senses. Being born into the Aeronaut Guild does NOT mean that someone is automatically going to join the military. It just so happens that most people who are born Aeronauts decide to be formally initiated into the Guild, then pursue a military/police career. Some Aeronauts also serve as investigators and tacticians for the military as well. A few branches of the military include ground patrol, air-navy, and reconnaissance/espionage. [b]๐“ฃ๐“—๐“” ๐“๐“Ÿ๐“ž๐“ฃ๐“—๐“”๐“’๐“๐“ก๐“จ ๐“–๐“ค๐“˜๐“›๐““ {healing}[/b] The Apothecary Guild is composed of the healers and medicine-makers of Hourglass City. They run the apothecaries, the sick houses, and hospitals located in the city. Members of the Apothecary Guild have the gift of healing. There are two classes of healers: Pathocura (disease-healers) and Meracura (wound-healers). Patho-healersโ€™ hands glow a fiery red color as they infuse healing properties into medicines, and they also are very good with plants and herbs. Mera-healers shoot amber sparks from their fingertips as they directly heal wounds. A highly-skilled group of healers are assigned positions in the emergency response team, which partners with the ground patrol branch of the Aeronaut Guild. [b]๐“ฃ๐“—๐“” ๐“’๐“ก๐“๐“•๐“ฃ๐“ข๐“œ๐“”๐“ ๐“–๐“ค๐“˜๐“›๐““ {metal "bending"}[/b] The Craftsmen Guild is made of the artisans of Hourglass City. They make everything from clockwork toys to silk petticoats. It is the Craftsmen Guild that designs cybernetic parts, especially mechanical wings for the Pirate Guild. The Craftsmen Guild frequently teams up with other Guilds in order to implement the mass-production of their designs. They are generally considered to be the most creative and innovative of the five Guilds. The Craftsmen are gifted with the ability to manipulate metals. They are usually clock-makers, tailors/seamstresses, toymakers, mechanics, and the like, though there is certainly a wide variety of occupations that a Craftsman can have, ranging from running a munitions factory to sewing and painting. [b]๐“ฃ๐“—๐“” ๐“Ÿ๐“˜๐“ก๐“๐“ฃ๐“” ๐“–๐“ค๐“˜๐“›๐““ {communicating with machines}[/b] The Pirate Guild is primarily made up of the air-merchants and the airship crews of Hourglass City. The members of the Pirate Guild are responsible for maintaining the flow of goods going in and out of the city. They are also experts with hot air balloons and airships. The pirates run the airship docks and the marketplace, as well as the tavern, since many of their imports include alcoholic drinks. Their gift is the ability to communicate with machinery, and like the Aeronaut Guild, this ability manifests itself in Pirates in various different ways. Only Pirates are capable of using mechanical wings because of their connection to machinery. Pirate crews will swear loyalty to an airship captain, and if this vow of loyalty is broken, the offending crew members are put on trial. [b]๐“ฃ๐“—๐“” ๐“ข๐“’๐“—๐“ž๐“›๐“๐“ก ๐“–๐“ค๐“˜๐“›๐““[/b][b] {enhanced mental/cerebral abilities}[/b] The Scholar Guild is made up of intellectuals and scientists. There are record-keepers, writers, accountants, mathematicians, inventors, engineers, and mechanics that all belong to this Guild. Scholars have enhanced mental abilities (such as natural photographic memory or computer perception) and abilities relating to the brain and mind (some rarer ones include basic telepathy and sensing emotions). Scholars are historians, paper-shufflers, tax collectors, judges, researchers, custom officials, and innovators, just to name a few. The Scholar Guild is the largest Guild in Hourglass City. [/color] [/hider] [hider=Districts] [color=F8CFF0] ๐“ฃhere are six major districts in the city, and each district is devoted to a specific Guild. [img]http://i.imgur.com/oMcrLtg.png[/img] [b]๐“’๐“ฒ๐“ท๐“ญ๐“ฎ๐“ป๐“ฐ๐“ช๐“ฝ๐“ฎ[/b] is the district that houses the apothecaries and sick houses of Hourglass City. The Apothecary Guild also conducts medical research and creates new medicines in a large research facility near the center of the district. The architecture of Cindergate is very quaint, and there is evidence of an Oriental influence in its buildings, which can be explained by the fact that a lot of the medicines used by healers were adapted from Eastern concoctions. The layer of smoke is at its thinnest in Cindergate, and as a result, most buildings are not more than four or five stories high and walkways stretching across the spaces in between buildings are relatively rare. [img]http://i.imgur.com/Jvt2mxk.png[/img] [b]๐“๐“พ๐“ฝ๐“ธ๐“ถ๐“ช๐“ฑ๐“ช๐“ฟ๐“ฎ๐“ท[/b] is the domain of the Society of Science of the Scholar Guild. Opulent meetinghouses and shadowy laboratories mix freely with gritty factories that pump smoke and steam into the polluted air. Automahaven is where the layer of smoke is at its thickest; anyone and everyone who can afford it avoids the streets like the plague. The factories manufacture everything from airship parts to cybernetic enhancements. [img]http://i.imgur.com/sd6qQHi.png[/img] [b]๐“๐“ฎ๐”€ ๐“ฃ๐“ธ๐“น๐“น๐“ฒ๐“ท๐“ฐ๐“ฑ๐“ช๐“ถ[/b] is where the Pirate Guild lives and works. In New Toppingham, airships are more commonplace than coaches, and there are more people flying with cybernetic wings than there are people walking. New Toppingham is the place to go if you want to spend the night getting drunk or browse the diverse and expansive marketplace. Airships and hot air balloons can be seen taking off and touching down at all hours. [img]http://i.imgur.com/mQmjLrV.png[/img] [b]๐“–๐“ฎ๐“ช๐“ป๐“ผ๐“น๐“ธ๐“ป๐“ฝ[/b] is the Craftsmen Guildโ€™s territory. Here, one can find tailors, seamstresses, and hat-makers; artisans, potters, glass-blowers, painters, gadgeteers...the list goes on and on. Colorful, whimsical buildings line the streets of Gearsport, and it is possible to just get lost in the maze of clockwork toys and hand-crafted jewelry and delicate metallic flowers. [img]http://i.imgur.com/EtDPby0.png[/img] [b]๐“ก๐“ช๐“ฟ๐“ฎ๐“ท๐“ผ๐“ฏ๐“ธ๐“ป๐“ญ[/b] houses the city's public library, known as Ravenโ€™s Watch. The Scholar Guild is tasked with running and maintaining the extensive library and archives. The streets of Ravensford are filled with buildings with a Gothic, medieval touch to them; large, arched windows, towers, spires, and flying buttresses are all commonplace in Ravensford. Out of all six districts, the wealth gap is the lowest in Ravensford. [img]http://i.imgur.com/XPZydFR.png[/img] [b]๐“Ÿ๐“ฎ๐“ป๐“ฒ๐“น๐“ธ๐“ฒ๐“ท๐“ฝ[/b] is the sector housing the barracks, training facilities, hangars, and offices belonging to the Aeronaut Guild. This is perhaps the most organized and clean district of Hourglass City due to the strict Aeronaut discipline. All the buildings are in good repair, and the walkways that stretch over the streets are uniform in style and design. The architecture of Peripoint features symmetry and straight lines; there is little to no deviation from geometric shapes in the district.[/color] [/hider] [hider=Madame Geraldine's Finishing School For Young Ladies of Quality] [center][img]https://gailcarriger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Finishing_School_Map-1024x768.png[/img][/center] [color=F8CFF0] [center][i][sub][b]"Ut acerbus terminus" (To the bitter end)[/b][/sub][/i][/center] ๐“œadame Geraldine's appears to be a normal finishing school, but a select group of families/officials know that it is, in reality, a school to train future spies, assassins, ladies of high society, and housewives. Girls who attend Madame Geraldine's are taught all the finer points of both etiquette [i]and[/i] espionage; whether you aspire to be an assassin for the Supreme Commander, spy for the Council, or simply conquer the western portion of the Known World, Madame Geraldine's Finishing School for Young Ladies of Quality prepares graduates for for a wide range of career possibilities. ๐“œadame ๐“–eraldine ๐“”therington[list] [*]Headmistress; teaches dance, dress, and diversion [*]Pronounces "quality" as "quali-tay" [*]Loves her girls to pieces [*]FC: Poppy Montgomery, Guild: Scholar (Scholarly Society)[/list] ๐“›ady ๐“šatherine ๐“–olding-๐“‘rassmott [list] [*]Teaches music and creative arts, intelligence gathering, principles of deceit, fundamental espionage, and rudimentary seduction [*]Related to the Minister of the Pirate Guild [*]Rather frivolous [*]FC: Charlize Theron, Affiliation: (unofficially) the League of the Armored Parasol of the Minefield Triarchy[/list] ๐““r. ๐“’onstance ๐““arwood [list] [*]Head of household management at Madame Geraldine's; teaches medicinal cures and poisonings and encrypting with flower arrangements [*]Related to the Minister of the Apothecary Guild [*]Gentle and kind (but she [i]does[/i] love her poisons something fierce) [*]FC: Paz Vega, Guild: Apothecary (Pathocura)[/list] [center][img]https://gailcarriger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Cravat-1-300x181.gif[/img][/center] ๐“Ÿrofessor ๐“ฅivian ๐“‘eggley [LIST][*]Teaches modern languages, weaponries, modern inventions, and truth extraction [*]Severe and intimidating [*]Loves machines [*]FC: Lucy Liu, Guild: Pirate[/list] ๐“Ÿrofessor ๐“ฉylphia ๐“ฆrayburn [list][*]Teaches history, deportment, manners, etiquette, and genteel dress [*]Very dignified [*]Fashion is [i]everything[/i] [*]FC: Kerry Washington, Guild: Craftsmen[/list] ๐“–eneral ๐“ฅictoria ๐“ขeward [list][*]Teaches fighting and "finishing" [*]Strict [*]More knowledgeable about the Council than she should be [*]FC: Michelle Fairley, Guild: Aeronaut[/list] [center][img]https://gailcarriger.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Quote-Kill-Someone-Quote-300x251.jpg[/img] [img]https://gailcarriger.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/QuotePreshea-Murder-277x300.jpg[/img][/center] [/color][/hider] [hider=The Polytechnique Institute of Arts and Sciences] [center][img]http://t04.deviantart.net/bLvRRue6WIk7XRlRKc0Yt7CxHWA=/fit-in/700x350/filters:fixed_height(100,100):origin()/pre03/9051/th/pre/i/2017/218/7/1/steampunk_town_square_by_grimdreamart-dbj1sjt.jpg[/img] [color=burlywood][sub][b][i]"Oderint dum metuant" (Let them hate, so long as they fear)[/i][/b][/sub] [/color][/center] [color=burlywood] ๐“ฃhe Institute, like Madame Geraldine's, appears to be a normal boys' academy, but it is known among select circles as [i]the[/i] top school for training future evil geniuses, mad scientists, and the occasional productive member of society. They teach young men how to be evil geniuses, encouraging them to cause mayhem and build sinister gadgetry. [center][img]https://attachment.outlook.live.net/owa/ayzrules@outlook.com/service.svc/s/GetFileAttachment?id=AQMkADAwATM3ZmYAZS1kMDFhLWExNDYtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADZYa9zi7yZ0iLAWE1M7dyswcAO5gXAxJBPkaqUWfOuRdIqwAAAgEMAAAAO5gXAxJBPkaqUWfOuRdIqwACc8JleAAAAAESABAAt5UmERU4dkWQM%2B7Q9qNZgQ%3D%3D&X-OWA-CANARY=X-1rxdRyWUqyUbnq4RYNerBDV45kAtYYQZbkx3rErB27EYuOqJrysdLaC5QwWbJRx6-vNuyFeGg.&token=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6IjA2MDBGOUY2NzQ2MjA3MzdFNzM0MDRFMjg3QzQ1QTgxOENCN0NFQjgiLCJ4NXQiOiJCZ0Q1OW5SaUJ6Zm5OQVRpaDhSYWdZeTN6cmciLCJ0eXAiOiJKV1QifQ.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.OVAYVvQRCrgrF8hjR_-mZhIW1xXzBlnfdnmunY39imGGmKzwgrkK0EAYO5X2WciWrCkOVUb6WyjSTDAak43QrP0pAIBwuC8X3Ad9f-RfewSu6KzEL5bLDUhMNzmwyx84yzCh0up2ON8PXC4OGJptUBtyHWThOkHTr0_5NvEteESqBIPiBEPIQWseQjjZf_q1FDqd7SzudZHwCYScg5SZ_f6-MMpLqVdNngrQU01_A7I7MRrknwAzBymoXMmJnPYawmqUUTjgWaf0BdqmJ_9V-AvmftNup81W8J5vEiJhWBjDMvs7CdGOikMDVT6GkNZ8lKZvL6D8UzZ5P5CUGvm99Q&owa=outlook.live.com&isc=1&isImagePreview=True[/img][/center] ๐“›ord ๐“athan ๐“—alverson-๐“šipps [list][*]Headmaster; teaches the philosophies, comportment, and mannerisms needed to become an evil genius [*]Cultivates a dark and brooding air but is in reality quite jocular [*]Doesn't take too kindly to Madame Geraldine's girls posing as men to attend his academy [*]FC: Christian Bale, Guild: Craftsmen[/list] ๐““r. ๐““emetrius ๐“‘owles [list][*]Teaches mathematics, physics, the theoretical sciences, and the life sciences [*]Has a passion for outrageous fashion statements [*]Very sparkly in a strangely malicious way [*]FC: Godfrey Gao, Guild: Scholar (Society of Science)[/list] ๐“’aptain ๐“™ulius ๐“Ÿlayfoot [list][*]Teaches mechanical and aeronautical engineering, piloting, and airship-hijacking [*]Notorious for his deadly gadgets and gizmos [*]Strict but charming [*]FC: Taye Diggs, Guild: Pirate[/list] [center][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/parasolprotectorate/images/9/99/FSHusband.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160122221437&format=original[/img][/center] ๐“Ÿrofessor ๐“ฃhaddeus ๐“—eaton [list][*]Teaches history, methods of plagiarism, rudimentary espionage, and the art of going insane [*]A bit absentminded [*]Hates the Council for keeping secrets [*]FC: Farhan Akhtar, Guild: Scholar (Scholarly Society)[/list] ๐““r. ๐“กoderick ๐“žswald [LIST][*]Teaches chemistry, poisons and potions, maintaining a mad laboratory, and botany [*]Will not eat anything with powdered sugar on it (cyanide is too easily disguised as it) [*]Paranoid [*]FC: Jake Gyllenhaal, Guild: Apothecary (Pathocura)[/LIST] ๐“œajor ๐“’alvin ๐“žsborne [list][*]Teaches basic self-defense, weapons development and use, and hiring henchmen [*]Loud and commanding [*]Supreme Commander Phillip Osborne's estranged brother [*]FC: John Leguizamo, Guild: Aeronaut[/list] [center][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/parasolprotectorate/images/3/36/Top_Hats.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/393?cb=20160122221437[/img][/center] [/color] [/hider] [center][img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/20246e379bd34f3b2abd1d00b92c1738/tumblr_nx9grzy3uh1rmi9wfo5_500.gif[/img] [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/4f56621e152e273119e553d7dc6a9701/tumblr_nx9grzy3uh1rmi9wfo1_500.gif[/img] [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/8314119871bde620d3c4ff574f701a6c/tumblr_nx9grzy3uh1rmi9wfo2_500.gif[/img] [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/a92f03a693a864e27bd2b6896f4df715/tumblr_nx9grzy3uh1rmi9wfo3_500.gif[/img] [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/d8fff3e283e5f3a8a30b3cda994134ac/tumblr_nx9grzy3uh1rmi9wfo4_500.gif[/img] [/center]