D&D General A Setting! A Setting!

[Brendan Byrd]

Mage-coaches:
Distributed evenly throughout the city, the mage-coach docking spires average 120m. in height, with the primary platform at 100m. These enigmatic towers all seem to be constructed entirely of metal, with the foundations extending far below ground. If doors exist at ground level, none have ever been found.

The mage-coaches themselves take the form of an elongated sedan chair, with a compartment in the front for the operator/driver. Unlike most sedan chairs, which are built to be as light as possible, these are made of a form of metal that continues to baffle metallurgists. Superficially, they resemble bronze, but have the hardness of steel. Decorative accents in gold and enamel display techniques that have not yet been matched by artisans within the city. The transparent windows seem to be of an unbreakable glass, while the interior paneling and fittings are made from a wood that experts have not yet identified.

Unlike a normal sedan chair with bearers, mage-coaches fly (or hover) at the will of the operator.

A fee schedule is posted inside (in five languages--three of which are unknown in the city and can only be read with the assistance of magic), and payment is placed in a transparent drawer that spans the divider between the operator and the passenger cabin. The largest can comfortably seat four, while the smallest hold two.
Always clean and vermin free, the fares are reasonable, and the range of operation is anywhere in the city.

Mage-coaches are available at all hours of the day, and can be waved down by a commonly known arm gesture.
On a couple of occasions over the last 900 years, a mage-coach has been stolen, in spite of the security precautions employed. Within the span of a month, they ceased to function. Rumors abound of what it takes to fly one of these devices, with no two tales agreeing on the details.

The guild, and clan members refuse to elaborate on these rumors, or provide information.

[Yup. Flying taxis.]

 

[Indagare Nogitsune]

On the bridge to Circle Isle, I was thinking there would be a need to move large objects/goods from Lambeth over to Cynelsa in some manner, as I had imagined that the Great Road was the main commerce line into the city. Having the bridge to Circle Isle does create a buffer to Lambeth directly - in a way I can see the imagery of a prideful Cynelsa noble staring east, a petulant Lambeth staring west and a humble Priest from Circle Isle passing notes between the two, because the C-L won't talk to one another. "Burning Lambeth bridges" could be a phrase like our own "burning bridges behind you" sentiment.

That makes sense. I can add one in and see how it works out. There would definitely need to be some intermediary between someone from Lambeth and someone from Cynelsa, though that sort of rivalry gives a lot of Romeo and Juliet potential. Whether it is a Priest or Wizard would likely depend on where they need to meet and exactly how bad things might be likely to get. "That's a real Priest and Wizard meeting" could refer to a situation fraught with peril since needing both is not a good sign.

Of course, with the Skybound it could be that large objects are moved by flying elephants instead of common wagons, taking Lambeth out of the picture for trading goods. Also makes the phrase "When Elephants Fly/The Elephants Have Flown" mean that something important/big is up - usually involving some change coming from Cynelsa.

As a side note, this could make the derogatory curse in Lambeth (towards Cynelsa) be "When Pigs Fly" .

nods I mean, there is a lot of potential for sayings and, especially, derogatory curses when it comes to Cynelsa just because the folks there are generally seen as rich snobs. I can definitely see Cynelsa having a regular menagerie of flying critters whether they're simply winged versions of regular animals or some form of hippogryph or gryphon. I had thought that some form of raven/cat-gryphon exists at the Wiggend Palace for the same reasons the ravens of the Tower of London are there.

As I'm also thinking about it, there is probably a ferry or flight that Cynelsa gentry use to pass back and forth with Hackwark - maybe it involves that little lake on the border between Cynelsa and Waveswith?

Brendan Byrd's mage-coaches would definitely work with a flight. Besides the underground passages you mentioned for the Palaise de Operium, there could be skyways in. To avoid a spectacle the mage-coaches those of Cynelsa use could probably be made invisible or have some other illusory effect to avoid notice: if they want to avoid notice, of course. The skyways could lead directly to reserved royal boxes or other places within the Palaise that only the royals (or very rich) are supposed to go.

 

[Brendan Byrd]

Brendan Byrd's mage-coaches would definitely work with a flight. Besides the underground passages you mentioned for the Palaise de Operium, there could be skyways in. To avoid a spectacle the mage-coaches those of Cynelsa use could probably be made invisible or have some other illusory effect to avoid notice: if they want to avoid notice, of course. The skyways could lead directly to reserved royal boxes or other places within the Palaise that only the royals (or very rich) are supposed to go.

I suppose it would make sense for the Mage-coach Guild to have a charter from the monarchy in exchange for some specialized transportation services. Velvet curtains are also useful.
Not an exclusive charter of course, since there are 7 million people in the city...no real way to keep up with that.

Spoiler: Mage-coach Metagame Information

[The mage-coach concept is based on Form spells with the optional special effects, and a modified version of Create Minor Helm. These are the closest guarded secrets of the clans that form the membership of the Guild.
They always pilot their mage-coaches at tactical speed or slower.

EDIT: Create Minor Helm is always cast as a spell and NEVER made permanent.

Magically buoyant craft can be comissioned from them at a price they use as a deterrent. Need a chariot light enough that your herd of flying cats can pull it--these folks can build it.]

Lighter-than-air ships are also likely. Zepplin busses?

 

[Indagare Nogitsune]

I suppose it would make sense for the Mage-coach Guild to have a charter from the monarchy in exchange for some specialized transportation services. Velvet curtains are also useful.
Not an exclusive charter of course, since there are 7 million people in the city...no real way to keep up with that.

Given there have been various sumptuary laws through the years, I imagine that, at one time, there was such a prohibition on the general populous using mage-coaches. The wealthy absolutely would want a monopoly on that if they could do so. Mind you, that sort of thing never ends well and after the Great Burning it could have been rescinded.

Spoiler: Mage-coach Metagame Information

[The mage-coach concept is based on Form spells with the optional special effects, and a modified version of Create Minor Helm. These are the closest guarded secrets of the clans that form the membership of the Guild.
They always pilot their mage-coaches at tactical speed or slower.

EDIT: Create Minor Helm is always cast as a spell and NEVER made permanent.

Magically buoyant craft can be comissioned from them at a price they use as a deterrent. Need a chariot light enough that your herd of flying cats can pull it--these folks can build it.]

This makes sense. Given how this is turning out, there are likely to be spells that don't normally exist in other settings because of the sheer amount of magitech available. I could see something like the Creation Forges being developed too, which led to the collapse of manufacturing in the Darco District akin to the various steel mill closures in the US or the way the Industrial Revolution caused many independent artists to struggle since the mass-manufacturing of goods was faster and led to cheaper goods (prices the indies couldn't match if they wanted to make rent and eat).

Lighter-than-air ships are also likely. Zepplin busses?

I mean, if there aren't dirigibles what would even be the point? But, certainly, there could be some type of air services. There's historic precedence for a lot of interesting designs that might not have worked in RL but could do so on a fantasy world. I do think that busses and trolleys are likely much more common and there would probably be some form of ground-based cab business. There's definitely a subway system and elevated (El) trains.