Indagare Nogitsune
Adventurer
After reading about some of the new stuff coming out, I thought I might try my hand again at setting creation. I've done it here before with mixed results, so I don't see any harm in trying again.
This time I'm going to try for something more "modern". Somewhat based on the likes of Urban Arcana and Eberron, but starting with a city, some concepts, and seeing where things go (if they go).
The city is Ellindam, with a population of around 7.6 million sapient denizens (known). This city has existed some 2000 years or so and has many layers and regions. It is, roughly, the equivalent of London and New York and Ankh-Morkpork.
The River Ell basically bisects the city along north-south lines. It is a non-tidal river so there are a series of locks and weirs to help boats along it.
The information here is open to change. London, after all, has 32 boroughs while NYC has just the 5. Folks with experience in these could add boroughs or make suggestions to existing ones.
Ellindam is about 1,580 km² (610 mi²). It is divided into a number of boroughs each of which has a unique characteristic.
Historical Looks:
At one point in time Ellindam would have resembled New York City and London during the Industrial revolution. There would be definite steampunk aesthetics at that time period (if it's not the "present").
Sometime after it would have had a more noir feel akin to the 30's detectives vibes.
"Current" is more like modern city with sleek angles, renewable energy (yes, solar and wind exist and the Elemental Plane of Fire meeting the Elemental Plane of Water can exist in the equivalent of a nuclear facility for energy generation), and more cultural acceptance than in the past. That said, I really want somewhere that's like the Darco Arcology from SimCity2000 because every city really needs somewhere that shady things can happen.
Editing Note:
I'm editing this as I go with suggestions and help from below. Be sure to check for updates to the information.
-On November 1 2025 I added a rough city map. I used London as the base and also adjusted some lore. The very colorful circles are where the stable elemental rifts are located.
-On November 2 2025 I added a city map with elevation and names for the lake, bay, and nearby sea. I also altered some things under the Circle Island to match the marked places on the map and added a section to name the four bridges. The sea is an alternate name for the English Channel in Welsh using what the French call it (la Manche which means 'the sleeve'). It's to be determined if this is a channel or sea proper. I also added why the areas above and around Lambeth and Cynelsa have such a marked higher elevation.
Thoughts?
This time I'm going to try for something more "modern". Somewhat based on the likes of Urban Arcana and Eberron, but starting with a city, some concepts, and seeing where things go (if they go).
The city is Ellindam, with a population of around 7.6 million sapient denizens (known). This city has existed some 2000 years or so and has many layers and regions. It is, roughly, the equivalent of London and New York and Ankh-Morkpork.
The River Ell basically bisects the city along north-south lines. It is a non-tidal river so there are a series of locks and weirs to help boats along it.
The information here is open to change. London, after all, has 32 boroughs while NYC has just the 5. Folks with experience in these could add boroughs or make suggestions to existing ones.
Below the city extends minimally 245 m (800 ft.). Much like New York and London, there is an underground network of transportation that leads from one area to another. Also there are a number of sewers and the lowest tunnels have a bad habit of flooding. Down to about 60 m (200 ft.) there are lights and the tunnels are well-maintained. In fact, below this is not generally available to the public.
From around 60 m to 122 m (400 ft.) there are sewers and pipelines and the stonework is of much obviously older materials. In fact, some areas are historically preserved due to having bits of the older parts of the city in them (much like Ankh-Morkpork, Ellindam is mostly built on itself).
From 122 m to 245 m are the Caverns. Though not quite that literal, what stonework that is there is rough-hewn and could easily be mistaken for a natural cave system. It has helpful, glowing fungi and crystals and less helpful flooding during the rainier parts of the year. There are always rumors of things living down here, but aside from the rats and similar deep-dwellers, sapient beings are not known. Goblins, Dwarves, and Kobolds (especially) resent the implications that they've got secret underground bases somewhere in the Caverns.
Notably there is a colony of Giant Earth Ants, though how they got there is unknown and finding their actual colony has, thus far, proven impossible. Ant Wranglers will capture individuals to bring up and use for general labor and scaling buildings. The development of the Queen Pheromone Admixture has made their taming much easier, though some fear there may still be some connection to the main colony.
To go with this, if there is a group of known sapient beings it'd be Formians who work with the giant ants. If they are there, they've been avoiding the "upstairs people" for quite some time.
From around 60 m to 122 m (400 ft.) there are sewers and pipelines and the stonework is of much obviously older materials. In fact, some areas are historically preserved due to having bits of the older parts of the city in them (much like Ankh-Morkpork, Ellindam is mostly built on itself).
From 122 m to 245 m are the Caverns. Though not quite that literal, what stonework that is there is rough-hewn and could easily be mistaken for a natural cave system. It has helpful, glowing fungi and crystals and less helpful flooding during the rainier parts of the year. There are always rumors of things living down here, but aside from the rats and similar deep-dwellers, sapient beings are not known. Goblins, Dwarves, and Kobolds (especially) resent the implications that they've got secret underground bases somewhere in the Caverns.
Notably there is a colony of Giant Earth Ants, though how they got there is unknown and finding their actual colony has, thus far, proven impossible. Ant Wranglers will capture individuals to bring up and use for general labor and scaling buildings. The development of the Queen Pheromone Admixture has made their taming much easier, though some fear there may still be some connection to the main colony.
To go with this, if there is a group of known sapient beings it'd be Formians who work with the giant ants. If they are there, they've been avoiding the "upstairs people" for quite some time.
Ellindam is about 1,580 km² (610 mi²). It is divided into a number of boroughs each of which has a unique characteristic.
The Ellingdam City Center. It's not generally considered a borough but is the heart of the city where the financial trade happens. The island is sapient-made, created by splitting the River Ell to flow around it. Rumors are that the island was once flying and may still possess that capability. It's certainly not connected to the Underground in any way.
Sites of note:
A) -The Edra Olon Tontheon [Roughly equivalent to the Lincoln Cathedral] (160 m [520 ft.] tall; Length: 150 m [492 ft.]; Width: 25 m [82 ft.])
--Built when the city was founded and dedicated to all the deities. For centuries was one of the largest buildings in the world. It is at the northern end of Circle Island. It's most commonly called either 'Edra' or 'the Tontheon'*
*{from édra ólon ton theón which I wanted to mean 'the seat of all the gods', but I'm not sure if it does, so please correct me}
B) -The Trigon Towers (20 m [66 ft.] tall and 18.5 m sq. [200 ft. sq.] each. There is a third tower that hovers between the other two, being a mere 12 m [40 ft] tall and hovering so its top is about 25 m in the air).
--Originally prisons (the third tower reserved for special prisoners), they have since been turned into places of business and the third is executive suites. They are located at the western end of Circle Island near the bridge that links it to the city proper. They are connected by a bridge about halfway down (the third tower can alight on the bridge, which has a hatch and ladder to enter through the bottom, but that's the only time it ever has contact with the other two in any way).
C) -Elendor's Park [Roughly equivalent to Hyde Park] (1.4 km sq. [350 acres]),
--Located at the heart of the city, it is a place of rest and beauty. It is also much larger inside than its exterior measurements would indicate (minimally the size of Central Park: 3.4 sq. km [843 acres]). There are always rumors of hidden Elf villages (sometimes hidden Gnome or other villages) within it which Elves (and other groups) tend to resent. There is an ancient Druidic Henge at the center but its purpose has been lost over the centuries.
D) -The Wiggend Palace [Roughly equivalent to Buckingham Palace] (25 m [82 ft.] tall; Length: 110 m [361 ft.]; Width: 120 m [394 ft.]).
--Located at the eastern end of Circle Island, it was once a fortress to the local military lord. It evolved into the current home of the royal family over the centuries, especially after the Great Burning. It has 777 rooms and a magical maze surrounding it that prevents anyone uninvited from reaching the actual palace--though they can end up in several places that are relatively nice to visit. Flying over the maze is of no use, since a maze of solid clouds will appear and prevent the flyer from getting close. The maze has similar properties to Dweomerwyn University and seems bigger inside than out. There's a long-held rumor that during the Great Burning the maze went a bit wild and unwelcome visitors will sometimes end up in strange areas no one has ever seen before. Invited visitors never seem to have any problems, except that one time with the unwelcome relatives...
E) -The Dweomerwyn University (has eight evenly matched towers at 100 m [328 ft.] and one central tower at 110 m [360 ft.] tall).
--Home of the Mage Guild. It is at the southern end of Circle Island. Accurately measuring its length and width is difficult. It seems to take up no more than an 81 by 81 m area (872 by 872 ft. sq.), but inside has quite a lot more space. It is the oldest mage university in the country. [It is roughly equivalent to New York University (NYU) and the 230 acres (0.93 km square) that it takes up should be considered the minimum size of the campus grounds as seen from inside.]
Sites of note:
A) -The Edra Olon Tontheon [Roughly equivalent to the Lincoln Cathedral] (160 m [520 ft.] tall; Length: 150 m [492 ft.]; Width: 25 m [82 ft.])
--Built when the city was founded and dedicated to all the deities. For centuries was one of the largest buildings in the world. It is at the northern end of Circle Island. It's most commonly called either 'Edra' or 'the Tontheon'*
*{from édra ólon ton theón which I wanted to mean 'the seat of all the gods', but I'm not sure if it does, so please correct me}
B) -The Trigon Towers (20 m [66 ft.] tall and 18.5 m sq. [200 ft. sq.] each. There is a third tower that hovers between the other two, being a mere 12 m [40 ft] tall and hovering so its top is about 25 m in the air).
--Originally prisons (the third tower reserved for special prisoners), they have since been turned into places of business and the third is executive suites. They are located at the western end of Circle Island near the bridge that links it to the city proper. They are connected by a bridge about halfway down (the third tower can alight on the bridge, which has a hatch and ladder to enter through the bottom, but that's the only time it ever has contact with the other two in any way).
C) -Elendor's Park [Roughly equivalent to Hyde Park] (1.4 km sq. [350 acres]),
--Located at the heart of the city, it is a place of rest and beauty. It is also much larger inside than its exterior measurements would indicate (minimally the size of Central Park: 3.4 sq. km [843 acres]). There are always rumors of hidden Elf villages (sometimes hidden Gnome or other villages) within it which Elves (and other groups) tend to resent. There is an ancient Druidic Henge at the center but its purpose has been lost over the centuries.
D) -The Wiggend Palace [Roughly equivalent to Buckingham Palace] (25 m [82 ft.] tall; Length: 110 m [361 ft.]; Width: 120 m [394 ft.]).
--Located at the eastern end of Circle Island, it was once a fortress to the local military lord. It evolved into the current home of the royal family over the centuries, especially after the Great Burning. It has 777 rooms and a magical maze surrounding it that prevents anyone uninvited from reaching the actual palace--though they can end up in several places that are relatively nice to visit. Flying over the maze is of no use, since a maze of solid clouds will appear and prevent the flyer from getting close. The maze has similar properties to Dweomerwyn University and seems bigger inside than out. There's a long-held rumor that during the Great Burning the maze went a bit wild and unwelcome visitors will sometimes end up in strange areas no one has ever seen before. Invited visitors never seem to have any problems, except that one time with the unwelcome relatives...
E) -The Dweomerwyn University (has eight evenly matched towers at 100 m [328 ft.] and one central tower at 110 m [360 ft.] tall).
--Home of the Mage Guild. It is at the southern end of Circle Island. Accurately measuring its length and width is difficult. It seems to take up no more than an 81 by 81 m area (872 by 872 ft. sq.), but inside has quite a lot more space. It is the oldest mage university in the country. [It is roughly equivalent to New York University (NYU) and the 230 acres (0.93 km square) that it takes up should be considered the minimum size of the campus grounds as seen from inside.]
1) Cynelsa: The Borough of the Rich
Located on the east side of the River Ell closest to the palace, Cynelsa is where the rich and powerful of the city congregate. Magic is incorporated into everything here from the streetlights to the buildings. When not in residence at the Palace, the royal family have their own place: the Ars Rex Magnifica (ARM). It is the tallest building in the country, with graceful spires and luxurious indoor gardens. It's built on a stable rift into the Elemental Plane of Air, so many of the buildings have similar structural appearances.
2) Waveswith: The Borough of the Wharves
Further south of Cynelsa (though on the same side of the river). It's the most mixed of all the boroughs in terms of culture and species. Just nearly anything can be found here largely thanks to it being where ships come to dock. Its wharf district is both famous and infamous thanks to the long history of the city. Waveswith is where the widest part of the River Ell is and where it connects to the open sea. There are houses that are both above and below the waves. To the north-east is a large lake that has a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Water. It is a great site for extraplanar fishing and a major aquifer for the River Ell. It's also been a source of major dispute over the years as it extends past both Cynelsa and Robinford. The rich of both Robinford and Cynelsa think they should have exclusive rights to fish the lake despite the fact the rift is in Waveswith's borough. They've passed so many laws trying to bar one another, however, that ultimately Waveswith was able to win full control of the lake.
3) Robinford: The Borough of Development
To the north of Cynelsa (on the same side of the river). It is home to all guilds and tends to be very influential. If Cynelsa has old money, Robinford has new and is not afraid to show it. The people here tend to like innovations and fast-paced life.
4) Lambeth: The Borough of the Builders
Located opposite Cynelsa, its atmosphere is similarly opposed. The houses tend to be simpler and more down-to-earth (sometimes literally). Much as Cynelsa has a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Air, so Wandswith has a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Earth. There are some odd caves that actually link to the Plane of Earth and care must be taken not to get lost. Technologies whether magical or mundane are researched here thanks to the abundance of minerals.
5) Hackwark: The Borough of the Arts
Located opposite Waveswith, its atmosphere is very compatible, those with a creative bent do well here. There are bustling markets for the arts (especially magical items). Theaters, museums, and other entertainments can be had here. There's also a bustling nightlife. It links to Waveswith via the famous Ellin Bridge [a drawbridge and rough equivalent to the Brooklyn Bridge meets London Bridge; yes, there's a song about it falling down]. It is sometimes considered second-most mixed of all the boroughs, though they would argue otherwise! There's a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire, giving a ready source of heating and also a useful place for smiths to congregate.
6) Greenworth: The Borough of Peace
As the name suggests, there are a lot of green spaces and a very "down home" feel to the area. Opposite Robinford, its attitude is similarly opposite: where those of Robinford seem always in a hurry and eager to gain more wealth, those of Greenworth prefer a slower pace of life and the enjoyment of sharing what they have with others.
Located on the east side of the River Ell closest to the palace, Cynelsa is where the rich and powerful of the city congregate. Magic is incorporated into everything here from the streetlights to the buildings. When not in residence at the Palace, the royal family have their own place: the Ars Rex Magnifica (ARM). It is the tallest building in the country, with graceful spires and luxurious indoor gardens. It's built on a stable rift into the Elemental Plane of Air, so many of the buildings have similar structural appearances.
2) Waveswith: The Borough of the Wharves
Further south of Cynelsa (though on the same side of the river). It's the most mixed of all the boroughs in terms of culture and species. Just nearly anything can be found here largely thanks to it being where ships come to dock. Its wharf district is both famous and infamous thanks to the long history of the city. Waveswith is where the widest part of the River Ell is and where it connects to the open sea. There are houses that are both above and below the waves. To the north-east is a large lake that has a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Water. It is a great site for extraplanar fishing and a major aquifer for the River Ell. It's also been a source of major dispute over the years as it extends past both Cynelsa and Robinford. The rich of both Robinford and Cynelsa think they should have exclusive rights to fish the lake despite the fact the rift is in Waveswith's borough. They've passed so many laws trying to bar one another, however, that ultimately Waveswith was able to win full control of the lake.
3) Robinford: The Borough of Development
To the north of Cynelsa (on the same side of the river). It is home to all guilds and tends to be very influential. If Cynelsa has old money, Robinford has new and is not afraid to show it. The people here tend to like innovations and fast-paced life.
4) Lambeth: The Borough of the Builders
Located opposite Cynelsa, its atmosphere is similarly opposed. The houses tend to be simpler and more down-to-earth (sometimes literally). Much as Cynelsa has a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Air, so Wandswith has a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Earth. There are some odd caves that actually link to the Plane of Earth and care must be taken not to get lost. Technologies whether magical or mundane are researched here thanks to the abundance of minerals.
5) Hackwark: The Borough of the Arts
Located opposite Waveswith, its atmosphere is very compatible, those with a creative bent do well here. There are bustling markets for the arts (especially magical items). Theaters, museums, and other entertainments can be had here. There's also a bustling nightlife. It links to Waveswith via the famous Ellin Bridge [a drawbridge and rough equivalent to the Brooklyn Bridge meets London Bridge; yes, there's a song about it falling down]. It is sometimes considered second-most mixed of all the boroughs, though they would argue otherwise! There's a stable rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire, giving a ready source of heating and also a useful place for smiths to congregate.
6) Greenworth: The Borough of Peace
As the name suggests, there are a lot of green spaces and a very "down home" feel to the area. Opposite Robinford, its attitude is similarly opposite: where those of Robinford seem always in a hurry and eager to gain more wealth, those of Greenworth prefer a slower pace of life and the enjoyment of sharing what they have with others.
All the bridges are either draw bridges or mobile bridges to allow ships to go between the lake and the bay.
1) {Name TBD} links Robinford to the (currently unnamed) northern area of the map.
2) Greenford Bridge links Greenworth and Robinford
3) Trigon Bridge links Circle Isle with Lambeth. Trigon Bridge tends to have a bad reputation due to being the way prisoners were led into Trigon Prison. Royal visitors would have come up by river on the Ambassador (a royal pleasure barge).
4) The Ellin Bridge. Most famous of all the bridges it has a song about it falling down. Was once used to blockade the River Ell during an uprising.
1) {Name TBD} links Robinford to the (currently unnamed) northern area of the map.
2) Greenford Bridge links Greenworth and Robinford
3) Trigon Bridge links Circle Isle with Lambeth. Trigon Bridge tends to have a bad reputation due to being the way prisoners were led into Trigon Prison. Royal visitors would have come up by river on the Ambassador (a royal pleasure barge).
4) The Ellin Bridge. Most famous of all the bridges it has a song about it falling down. Was once used to blockade the River Ell during an uprising.
Sky islands (skiles) are not unique to Ellindam, but Cynelsa probably has the most in one place thanks to the rich people there demanding their own castles in the sky and the Air Rift allowing architecture that would otherwise take a lot of magic to replicate (if it could even remain stable). None are able to actually surpass the ARM in richness, but some come close. Though there's no upper height limit, the ARM is always the highest. There are jokes/predictions that someday it may end up in space. [Space here is breathable but not really somewhere one would generally want to live outside a space station.]
They have their own air transport systems and are usually considered a pain in the butt to deliver to.
They have their own air transport systems and are usually considered a pain in the butt to deliver to.
Much like the Thames, the River Ell has been polluted over the years, often with alchemical runoff and anything people decide to toss in it. It's cleaner now than it used to be, and could even be swum in.
The Earth Rift is slowly pushing the earth up around it while the Air Rift is slowly pulling the earth up around it. These are the causes of the elevation changes. In parts of Cynelsa it is not uncommon to see chunks of rock just start breaking from the surface and start floating because the Elemental Air Energy has sufficiently suffused them to do so. There are currently wards in place to try and keep things on the ground, since a huge crater with skiles above it is not currently a desired look.
Somewhere there is a swamp where the old alchemical runoffs were getting dumped after it was illegal to in the Ell.
Somewhere there is part of the city (or city-adjacent) that still has magical pollution (and mutants created by this). In fact, I imagined there being part of the city where a lot of industry was at and those who worked there had a habit of getting sick, maimed, or mutated. Lambeth would not likely be the place, though. It'd likely be further north and much more equivalent to "Steel Cities" like Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown in the US. Lots of immigrants would go there to work and get good wages despite the hazards. If these no longer exist (the rise of something like Creation Forges, for instance), then it's gone bust and people are still struggling due to it.
There was a particularly tempting vision in my head of the "upper" (rich) parts of the city being well above the pollution line while the "lower" (poor) parts get the nasty pollution. Not quite how the city turned out, but I'm amiable to suggestions.
There are the usual rumors of alligators and ankheg living somewhere in the sewers.
The Earth Rift is slowly pushing the earth up around it while the Air Rift is slowly pulling the earth up around it. These are the causes of the elevation changes. In parts of Cynelsa it is not uncommon to see chunks of rock just start breaking from the surface and start floating because the Elemental Air Energy has sufficiently suffused them to do so. There are currently wards in place to try and keep things on the ground, since a huge crater with skiles above it is not currently a desired look.
Somewhere there is a swamp where the old alchemical runoffs were getting dumped after it was illegal to in the Ell.
Somewhere there is part of the city (or city-adjacent) that still has magical pollution (and mutants created by this). In fact, I imagined there being part of the city where a lot of industry was at and those who worked there had a habit of getting sick, maimed, or mutated. Lambeth would not likely be the place, though. It'd likely be further north and much more equivalent to "Steel Cities" like Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown in the US. Lots of immigrants would go there to work and get good wages despite the hazards. If these no longer exist (the rise of something like Creation Forges, for instance), then it's gone bust and people are still struggling due to it.
There was a particularly tempting vision in my head of the "upper" (rich) parts of the city being well above the pollution line while the "lower" (poor) parts get the nasty pollution. Not quite how the city turned out, but I'm amiable to suggestions.
There are the usual rumors of alligators and ankheg living somewhere in the sewers.
Historical Looks:
At one point in time Ellindam would have resembled New York City and London during the Industrial revolution. There would be definite steampunk aesthetics at that time period (if it's not the "present").
Sometime after it would have had a more noir feel akin to the 30's detectives vibes.
"Current" is more like modern city with sleek angles, renewable energy (yes, solar and wind exist and the Elemental Plane of Fire meeting the Elemental Plane of Water can exist in the equivalent of a nuclear facility for energy generation), and more cultural acceptance than in the past. That said, I really want somewhere that's like the Darco Arcology from SimCity2000 because every city really needs somewhere that shady things can happen.
Editing Note:
I'm editing this as I go with suggestions and help from below. Be sure to check for updates to the information.
-On November 1 2025 I added a rough city map. I used London as the base and also adjusted some lore. The very colorful circles are where the stable elemental rifts are located.
-On November 2 2025 I added a city map with elevation and names for the lake, bay, and nearby sea. I also altered some things under the Circle Island to match the marked places on the map and added a section to name the four bridges. The sea is an alternate name for the English Channel in Welsh using what the French call it (la Manche which means 'the sleeve'). It's to be determined if this is a channel or sea proper. I also added why the areas above and around Lambeth and Cynelsa have such a marked higher elevation.
Thoughts?
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