The island nation of Fauresmith stretches long across the ocean, with its landmass divided by mountains, rivers, and dense forests. A centralized capital megacity, Praxis, sits almost at the heart of the nation, serving as the convergence point for major roads and rivers. These highways radiate outward to the coasts, forming the natural boundaries of three large states that divide the island politically and economically.
Major Cities
Praxis (Capital Megacity)
- Located near the island’s center within the Geothermal Confluence, Praxis is the industrial heart of Fauresmith.
- Vast geothermal forges, steam towers, and mechanical foundries dominate its skyline, powered by the volcanic heartland.
- It is home to the Forge-Queen’s Palace, the Guild Council chambers, and the largest Hall of Exemplars where centuries of masterworks are preserved.
- A dense river-port system facilitates commerce, with barges carrying refined ores, alloys, and crafted goods to the coastal trade hubs.
Wartawn
- Western inland city, strategically placed in the foothills leading to the Great Gearwood.
- Known for its crystalwood harvesting and metallurgical refineries that process exotic ores from the mountains.
- Houses guild workshops focused on enchanting and transmutation of petrified materials.
- Acts as a gateway for caravans that carry raw resources eastward to Praxis.
Forfar
- Southwestern coastal city, famed for its massive shipyards and dry docks.
- Specializes in constructing airships, zeppelins, and enchanted sea vessels.
- A cosmopolitan hub, as foreign merchants often dock here before venturing inland.
- The Patina Coast’s lighthouse-fortress, The Brass Sentinel, protects the port.
Ironton
- Southern industrial city, heavily focused on mining and smelting.
- Built directly into the slopes of the Riven Mountains, it extracts ore and precious alloys for the nation.
- Known for its immense slag heaps and “living furnaces”—automated, rune-bound kilns that burn endlessly.
- Features the Guild of Resonant Hammers, specialists in large-scale adaptive armor and structural wards.
Edgemonton
- Southeastern city near the coastal lowlands.
- Major center for alchemy and potioncraft, where volatile reagents and magical chemicals are processed.
- Contains sprawling greenhouses and controlled-environment domes where flora from across Saṃsāra are cultivated for study.
- Local specialty: alchemical ship-oils that power both naval and aerial fleets.
Edgemonion
- Eastern inland city, serving as a scholarly and technical hub.
- Houses the Grand Hall of Schematics, where blueprints and engineering processes from thousands of years are stored.
- Known for its academies, this is where apprentices are tested and sorted into guild training tracks.
- A quieter city, but strategically vital for innovation and technical advancement.
Vasyport
- Northeastern port city, the largest export hub of Fauresmith.
- Acts as a maritime gateway for goods bound to foreign markets.
- Known for its layered docks and steam-driven crane towers, capable of unloading massive enchanted cargoes.
- Ships from Vasyport carry enchanted alloys, clockwork mechanisms, and Vaulan-forged weapons across Saṃsāra.
States of Fauresmith
The major roads act as boundaries between at least three states:
- Central State (Praxis State): Includes Praxis and nearby geothermal zones, the core of governance and faith.
- Western State (Wartawn-Forfar State): Spanning the Gearwood and western ports, strong in resource harvesting and shipbuilding.
- Eastern State (Edgemonton-Edgemonion-Vasyport State): Anchored by the eastern trade cities, focuses on knowledge, export, and innovation.
Rivers and Commerce
- Ironflow River: Originates in the Riven Mountains, carrying ore-laden barges to Praxis.
- Gearbend River: Curves around Wartawn and empties into the western sea, transporting petrified crystalwood.
- Praxis Channel: Engineered waterway that interlinks multiple rivers, functioning as the nation’s central commerce artery.
- Eastreach River: Runs through Edgemonion and down to Vasyport, carrying alchemical and enchanted goods outward.
Points of Interest
- Forge-Queen’s Palace: Towering citadel in Praxis built around the first Keystone of Order, blending palace, archive, and forge.
- Hall of Exemplars: Found in Praxis and Edgemonion, museums of legacy where masterworks are studied.
- The Great Gearwood: Ancient forest of petrified trees, dangerous but vital for high-tier crafting materials.
- The Riven Mountains: Rich in ores and elemental veins, home to vast automated mining networks.
- The Brass Sentinel: A coastal fortress and lighthouse at Forfar, enchanted to resist storms and naval assault.
- Praxis Channel Locks: Immense gear-driven lock system that regulates river commerce, considered one of the engineering wonders of the nation.
Secondary Communities
While the seven major cities form the backbone of Fauresmith’s economy and culture, countless secondary settlements are scattered across the island:
Hammerfell
- Mining town nestled in the western flank of the Riven Mountains.
- Known for its production of rare alloys like aurichalcum and mythril.
- The settlement runs on automated smelteries powered by small geothermal wells.
Glimmerstrand
- Fishing and salt-harvesting community on the Patina Coast between Forfar and Praxis.
- Its salt is prized for magical preservation, keeping reagents and enchanted foods stable.
- Many merchant caravans stop here, as it has a naturally sheltered harbor.
Stoneveil
- Small town bordering the Great Gearwood.
- Functions as both a lumber station and a defensive outpost, since the crystal forest is home to dangerous constructs and fauna.
- Houses outlying shrines to Vaulan where apprentices are tested on patience by shaping small gearwood shards.
Quenndralis
- Trade town midway along the Gearbend River, acting as a hub for river barges and overland caravans.
- Known for its iron markets, where unprocessed ores are auctioned to merchant guilds for smelting in Praxis.
Ashenmar
- Coastal settlement east of Vasyport, perched near reefs rich with alchemical corals.
- Supplies dyes, pigments, and reagents for Edgemonton’s alchemy guilds.
- Built on stilts and piers, it rises and falls with the tides, giving it a strange skeletal skyline.
Trade Routes
Commerce is the lifeblood of Fauresmith, woven through roads, rivers, and sea-lanes:
Praxis Convergence Roads
- All major highways radiate from Praxis.
- To Wartawn and Forfar: used for transporting crystalwood, ores, and finished airship parts.
- To Ironton: ore caravans move south, bringing smelted ingots north to Praxis’ industrial sector.
- To Edgemonion and Vasyport: crucial for exports, including finished gearworks, enchanted weaponry, and scholarly blueprints.
Ironflow River Route
- Barges laden with ore, coal, and elemental minerals float downstream from the Riven Mountains to Praxis.
- Commerce hubs along the river specialize in alloy-blending, where raw ore is refined into usable billets.
Eastreach Corridor
- Runs from Praxis through Edgemonion to Vasyport.
- Considered the “Scholar’s Road,” it moves enchanted goods, technical schematics, and rare alchemical products for export.
Sky-Lanes
- Fauresmith operates trade zeppelins and airships.
- Air routes connect Praxis, Forfar, and Vasyport directly, cutting travel time dramatically.
- Major sky-lanes are heavily patrolled by guild-contract mercenaries to protect against sky-raiders.
Sea Routes
- Vasyport’s layered docks serve as the primary maritime hub for long-distance trade.
- From Forfar, fleets sail west toward El Argar and Dorset, while Vasyport looks eastward toward Dawenkou and Erlitou.
- The Brass Sentinel acts as a staging point for military escorts.
Natural Resource Zones
Fauresmith’s wealth lies in its varied resource environments, each sustaining an industry:
The Geothermal Confluence (Praxis Region)
- Networks of hot springs, magma vents, and volcanic forges.
- Provides limitless steam power for foundries, factories, and automated machinery.
- Known as the “engine of the nation.”
The Great Gearwood (Western Region)
- Crystal and metallic petrified trees provide enchanting cores and materials for structural reinforcement.
- Dangerous fauna and shifting ley-lines make harvesting perilous.
- Guilds use specialized adaptive armor to work here.
The Riven Mountains (Southern Region)
- Vast mines produce steel, iron, aurichalcum, and rare alchemical ores.
- Mountains also yield geothermal gems that act as magical batteries.
- Prone to tremors and cave-ins, requiring constant guild oversight.
The Patina Coasts (Southwestern and Northeastern Shores)
- Rich in fisheries, corals, and exotic materials for alchemy.
- Serve as Fauresmith’s naval construction centers, with massive dry docks.
Crystal Reefs of Ashenmar (East Coast)
- Reefs yield luminescent corals and bioluminescent algae, both vital to alchemy.
- Dangerous tidal beasts guard the reefs, leading to guild-licensed harvest expeditions.
Terrain Features
- Central Plateau around Praxis: fertile, flat land interspersed with geothermal vents, ideal for industry and settlement.
- Riven Mountains: towering ridges cut with deep veins of ore; some peaks vent constant steam.
- Eastern Archipelagos: small scattered isles near Vasyport, many uncharted, used for testing experimental enchantments.
- Western Highlands: rolling hills and uplands leading to the Great Gearwood, dotted with secondary farming communities.
- River Valleys: fertile strips along the Ironflow and Gearbend Rivers, supporting small-scale farming villages and trade stations.
Additional Notes
- The roads dividing states also act as fortified lines, with guild watchtowers ensuring safe passage.
- Airship racing, a national pastime, uses the sky-lanes between Praxis, Forfar, and Vasyport as official tracks.
- The Praxis Channel Locks, a marvel of engineering, integrate massive gear-driven floodgates and serve as one of the seven wonders of Saṃsāra’s industrial age.