Kieyotie McDermott Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:40 pmThe City of Saint Anthony the Bear
The great Port City of Saint Anthony the Bear is a place of well-ordered decadence. Anything can be bought or sold here. It is one of the largest cities in the known world, and probably one of the largest in the actual world. And yet it is still only the third largest city that flies the Banner of Lonestar.
Nearly every sin has been legalized and guilded. Crime is rare as every citizen is a member to the reserve forces and is required to remain armed when out of doors. The city is beautiful and clean as it sits where the Saint Anthony River meets the Lonestar Sea and is washed by the brush country scented breezes off the river and fresh salt-tanged sea air. The scents of sun warmed sage and wildflowers are always present throughout the great city.
The city is home to a great many religions and ancient missions, temples, mosques, and alters can be found tucked seemingly around every corner.
Magic is openly practiced, although few rely only on their spells and are often indistinguishable from common citizens and adventurers.
There are shops and private dealers that deal exclusively in magical items, just as other shops sell works of art by famed craftsmen.
Downtown the ancient church still holds its place of honor and is surrounded by the wealthiest merchants, embassies, Taverinns, luxury shops and night clubs that line the river.
An example of one block along the river is as follows. De Bestman’s Jewelers sits on one corner, where items both mundane and magical can be found to enhance the beauty of one’s love interest. It is backed on the riverside by De Bestman’s own private residence.
Rising above it, taking up half the block right in the middle is Maggie’s Whorehouse, Bar and Grill, a palace and temple dedicated to satisfying every whim of those with more coin than sense. It overlooks its own private gardens along the river and allows river access for those who wish to walk along the water to browse the shops. The front has a grand covered carriage path. The ballroom above the entry opens out onto the roof of the valet area in fair weather so those attending can view the city and dance in the open air. The valet drivers take the coaches across the street and through a Gate that leads to a rather extensive carriage house and stable outside of the city, where the animals can be cared for without taking up valuable property in the city.
The remaining corner of the block is home to a merchant who deals in custom made luxury coaches. Lathandar Vonnengage is a master craftsman with a great many apprentices of all races. He shares the Gate with Maggie’s but lives in town and travels up river to the north side of town in a boat he crafted himself. His personal offices, and those of his clerks, overlook the river at the rear of the large showroom.
Across the street a tailor and his wife share a large shop where they sell fine clothing for men and women, with their apartment home above.
Beside them is one of the many thieving guild houses where black market items are fenced under the guise of a fine furniture shop.
The rest of the block is a verdant park with an open air theatre, koi ponds and a simple fountain. The park usually has students from the nearby university talking over books in the grass, mothers with their children watching low-level bards put on plays, and old men playing board games. The park is lit at night and usually has a few couples scattered about it in the evening, and better bards entertain here at week’s end.
The city has an extensive rail-yard with tracks to the port, the stockyards at the southern edge of the city and the passenger station. There is a gnomish enclave there to maintain the trains and a large Halfling community housing those who steward the passengers and cargo across the realms.
There are several fortresses- private, international and state owned throughout the city. Those of the state are on extensive grounds allowing for the coming and going of creatures of the air, the dirigibles and airships used by the gnomes to track their trains, and other means of airborne travel. These grounds also contain the barracks, warehouses, and support staff for the various troops garrisoned in the city.
One of the more interesting features for public entertainment are the many ball parks, stadiums, arenas, and the great domed coliseum for sporting events, Bardric concerts, and festivals are held.
Many bards famous across the lands such as the Troubadour, the Republican Count, the Man in Black, the Duke of Earl, the Belladonna Banshee, the Red-headed Stranger, the Harpies, the King of Swing, the Balladeer, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Story Teller, the Cherry Nipplers, the Plowboy, the Syrens, the Queensmen in Blue, the Ragin Cajun, the Fiddlin Fool, Demons Dragons and Desperadoes, the Singing Brakeman, the Soldier’s Sweetheart, Whispering Bill, the Fat Merchantmen, the Country Gentleman, the Chamberpots, the Cowboy Rambler, Zebra Testicle Soup and a great many more come to play for crowds that pack into the coliseum until there is standing room only, just to hear their songs, comedy, stories, and music.
There are many museums, theaters, parks, gardens, and menageries both public and private, plus the large city zoo that houses a great many beasts most would never see.
There is a great aquarium where creatures and behemoths of the seas can be seen, too.
Up on the far north end of the city is a large Parke de Amusements. It is a place where several gnomish, dwarven and elven craftsmen have created various contraptions to give the average citizen terror induced thrills.
The dwarves have railed carts that roll and rumble through “haunted” mines where goblins, orcs, ogres and such jump out to scare those riding in the carts. They also have one where you have to walk to the top of Thunder Mountain and there you climb into a great hollowed out log and ride down the other side of the “mountain”, through a waterfall and into a great pool sending a shower of water to those watching on the bridge crossing the pool to the ride. Several dwarves work to retrieve the logs and send them back up the mountain with a team of donkeys that spend their lives walking up and down the path to the top of the hill
The gnomes have built three different huge rides that are similar, but are outside. You strap yourself into their cart and go way high up in the sky on a rail and then ride down hills, twists, turns, and even loops that turn everything upside down before returning dizzy and sometimes sick passengers to their starting point. There are three levels to these Gnomish “rides”. One is made for smaller children and those with weak stomachs. The second is for older children and those adults a little braver. And the last looks like a plate of spaghetti dumped in the sky to be held up by chop sticks. When the little train of painted mine carts travels around, over, and through it, the whole thing shakes and wobbles. It is the favorite of teens, Quidnunc, and others with slight mental disorders. Many a brave adventurer has backed away from these even as children run eagerly towards them, coin in hand.
The elves have a corner built up much like a small Elven city. Here the other races can stroll the lofty avenues and gain a feel for what the elves enjoy in their arboreal homes. Each of the many varied races of Lonestar have various games of chance and skill set up throughout the Parke, along with several shows, and a great wide variety of small food and trinket stands. The Parke De Amusements is a favored place for adventurers to take lady companions to win them a prize or walk through the elven tree gardens.
The great Port City of Saint Anthony the Bear is a place of well-ordered decadence. Anything can be bought or sold here. It is one of the largest cities in the known world, and probably one of the largest in the actual world. And yet it is still only the third largest city that flies the Banner of Lonestar.
Nearly every sin has been legalized and guilded. Crime is rare as every citizen is a member to the reserve forces and is required to remain armed when out of doors. The city is beautiful and clean as it sits where the Saint Anthony River meets the Lonestar Sea and is washed by the brush country scented breezes off the river and fresh salt-tanged sea air. The scents of sun warmed sage and wildflowers are always present throughout the great city.
The city is home to a great many religions and ancient missions, temples, mosques, and alters can be found tucked seemingly around every corner.
Magic is openly practiced, although few rely only on their spells and are often indistinguishable from common citizens and adventurers.
There are shops and private dealers that deal exclusively in magical items, just as other shops sell works of art by famed craftsmen.
Downtown the ancient church still holds its place of honor and is surrounded by the wealthiest merchants, embassies, Taverinns, luxury shops and night clubs that line the river.
An example of one block along the river is as follows. De Bestman’s Jewelers sits on one corner, where items both mundane and magical can be found to enhance the beauty of one’s love interest. It is backed on the riverside by De Bestman’s own private residence.
Rising above it, taking up half the block right in the middle is Maggie’s Whorehouse, Bar and Grill, a palace and temple dedicated to satisfying every whim of those with more coin than sense. It overlooks its own private gardens along the river and allows river access for those who wish to walk along the water to browse the shops. The front has a grand covered carriage path. The ballroom above the entry opens out onto the roof of the valet area in fair weather so those attending can view the city and dance in the open air. The valet drivers take the coaches across the street and through a Gate that leads to a rather extensive carriage house and stable outside of the city, where the animals can be cared for without taking up valuable property in the city.
The remaining corner of the block is home to a merchant who deals in custom made luxury coaches. Lathandar Vonnengage is a master craftsman with a great many apprentices of all races. He shares the Gate with Maggie’s but lives in town and travels up river to the north side of town in a boat he crafted himself. His personal offices, and those of his clerks, overlook the river at the rear of the large showroom.
Across the street a tailor and his wife share a large shop where they sell fine clothing for men and women, with their apartment home above.
Beside them is one of the many thieving guild houses where black market items are fenced under the guise of a fine furniture shop.
The rest of the block is a verdant park with an open air theatre, koi ponds and a simple fountain. The park usually has students from the nearby university talking over books in the grass, mothers with their children watching low-level bards put on plays, and old men playing board games. The park is lit at night and usually has a few couples scattered about it in the evening, and better bards entertain here at week’s end.
The city has an extensive rail-yard with tracks to the port, the stockyards at the southern edge of the city and the passenger station. There is a gnomish enclave there to maintain the trains and a large Halfling community housing those who steward the passengers and cargo across the realms.
There are several fortresses- private, international and state owned throughout the city. Those of the state are on extensive grounds allowing for the coming and going of creatures of the air, the dirigibles and airships used by the gnomes to track their trains, and other means of airborne travel. These grounds also contain the barracks, warehouses, and support staff for the various troops garrisoned in the city.
One of the more interesting features for public entertainment are the many ball parks, stadiums, arenas, and the great domed coliseum for sporting events, Bardric concerts, and festivals are held.
Many bards famous across the lands such as the Troubadour, the Republican Count, the Man in Black, the Duke of Earl, the Belladonna Banshee, the Red-headed Stranger, the Harpies, the King of Swing, the Balladeer, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Story Teller, the Cherry Nipplers, the Plowboy, the Syrens, the Queensmen in Blue, the Ragin Cajun, the Fiddlin Fool, Demons Dragons and Desperadoes, the Singing Brakeman, the Soldier’s Sweetheart, Whispering Bill, the Fat Merchantmen, the Country Gentleman, the Chamberpots, the Cowboy Rambler, Zebra Testicle Soup and a great many more come to play for crowds that pack into the coliseum until there is standing room only, just to hear their songs, comedy, stories, and music.
There are many museums, theaters, parks, gardens, and menageries both public and private, plus the large city zoo that houses a great many beasts most would never see.
There is a great aquarium where creatures and behemoths of the seas can be seen, too.
Up on the far north end of the city is a large Parke de Amusements. It is a place where several gnomish, dwarven and elven craftsmen have created various contraptions to give the average citizen terror induced thrills.
The dwarves have railed carts that roll and rumble through “haunted” mines where goblins, orcs, ogres and such jump out to scare those riding in the carts. They also have one where you have to walk to the top of Thunder Mountain and there you climb into a great hollowed out log and ride down the other side of the “mountain”, through a waterfall and into a great pool sending a shower of water to those watching on the bridge crossing the pool to the ride. Several dwarves work to retrieve the logs and send them back up the mountain with a team of donkeys that spend their lives walking up and down the path to the top of the hill
The gnomes have built three different huge rides that are similar, but are outside. You strap yourself into their cart and go way high up in the sky on a rail and then ride down hills, twists, turns, and even loops that turn everything upside down before returning dizzy and sometimes sick passengers to their starting point. There are three levels to these Gnomish “rides”. One is made for smaller children and those with weak stomachs. The second is for older children and those adults a little braver. And the last looks like a plate of spaghetti dumped in the sky to be held up by chop sticks. When the little train of painted mine carts travels around, over, and through it, the whole thing shakes and wobbles. It is the favorite of teens, Quidnunc, and others with slight mental disorders. Many a brave adventurer has backed away from these even as children run eagerly towards them, coin in hand.
The elves have a corner built up much like a small Elven city. Here the other races can stroll the lofty avenues and gain a feel for what the elves enjoy in their arboreal homes. Each of the many varied races of Lonestar have various games of chance and skill set up throughout the Parke, along with several shows, and a great wide variety of small food and trinket stands. The Parke De Amusements is a favored place for adventurers to take lady companions to win them a prize or walk through the elven tree gardens.
