calling_mods | The Seven-Fold City

The City of Tomorrow

The City of Shadows

The City of Nightmare

The City of Sorcery

The City of Laughter

The City of Adventure

The City of Romance

The Islands

Status of the SFC

The City of Tomorrow

The City of Tomorrow is the gleaming edifice of progress, forward-thinking, and technology. It is the epitome of the great city on the hill, of every wild advertisement promising technology that could wash your dog, mow your lawn, and cook your dinner all in one. The streets are clean, the buildings are beautiful, art and science are held in the greatest esteem and encouraged, even offered on every corner. Flying cars, skyscrapers, vacuum-tube elevators... it is all these things and more. It is our dreams of the future, distilled down into someplace you can walk around. And above the tallest tower in the City of Tomorrow is the Satellite, the conduit to the stars, to space, to other worlds.

Which isn't to say that it's without its threats: aliens, mad scientists, escaped experiments, mutated beings... all of these can be found in the City of Tomorrow. But just as easy to find are great shining heroes to fight against them and defend the hopes and dreams of all the wonders yet to come.

Locations

McAran Tower: The tallest of towers in a City of skyscrapers, the McAran Tower sits just beneath the Satellite, and it is the first location that [TRANSPORT]ed players will see, as the CALL device will deposit them in the square just out front of the building. The Tower is home to McAran Industries, innovators and forward-thinkers, leaders in all manner of technologies from time-travel to personal AI companions to all manner of communication devices that violate what most would consider the basic laws of physics. Founded initially by Angus McAran, the company is known to be a staunch defender of creator rights in regards to copyright law and stands firmly on the side of social and technological progress. The building is beautiful, sleek, and exceptionally modern, but the front lobby is surprisingly warm and welcoming. The secretary there has been instructed to give a basic overview of the SFC to any newcomers who are looking for guidance, and will also take messages from CALL Device owners for Horatio McAran, current president and CEO, though he doesn't seem to have been heard from for a while...
The Satellite: Floating just above the atmosphere above McAran Tower and visible like a dark, metallic cloud from beneath, the Satellite is the City of Tomorrow's gateway to space. All manner of aliens make their home on the Satellite, initiate trade with the City, and otherwise consider the place a safe and useful location for exchanging goods and cultural understandings. For those looking for unique items or an 'exotic' dining experience, there are a variety of merchants and eating establishments open on the Satellite for the more adventurous, not all of which cater to human tastes. With several ports for spacecraft and a number of shuttles to and from the City available at the Pointward side of the Tower, this is the place to reach out into the darkness of space from the City of Tomorrow.
St. Vidicon Science Academy: A school for the best and the brightest, St. Vidicon's offers classes at all levels and to all walks of life with the noble goal of advancing STEM fields academically and culturally. Known for their extensive library and their exceptional lab system, St. Vidicon's serves the cause of science, pure and simple. Funded by donations from those they have helped and guided, as well as a few patents which they've helped develop over the years, they offer research grants as well as lab space and employment to those who can prove the worth of their work and their ideas. Generally, the only complaint made about St. Vidicon's is the level of excellence people feel pressured to achieve once they're there.
Carmichael's Metropolitan Deli: Do you want a bagel? No, not some round bread with a hole in it, a bagel. What about some matzo ball soup? Coffee you could cut with a knife? How about a reuben that'll bring you to tears? Cheesecake, thick and creamy and covered in strawberry sauce? Well, that's when you'll want to head over to Carmichael's. A little more than a deli and a little less than a diner, you can sit and eat your food or you can just grab it from the counter to go. Either way, it's one of the best spots to grab a bite when you're in the City of Tomorrow.
Couiffer Cup: Are you looking to get your hair done? Do you also enjoy exceptionally good coffee and a small selection of baked goods? Then stop on by the Couiffer Cup for a tastes of style and a damn good cup of coffee. The owner, one Thomas Raith is often to be found on the floor and he loves taking new clients even if his reputation keeps him booked pretty solidly. Any of them will tell you that there's no experience quite like having your hair done by this master stylist.

The City of Shadows

The City of Shadows is every dark alley you've ever had to walk down, steaming and flickering with the potential for danger and violence. It is an older city, though by far not the oldest, and it wears its years and its scars like badges of honor. Ancient gargoyles, old cathedrals, decrepit buildings... this is a city lived in, died in, with layers upon layers of history that may become unearthed whether you like what you'd find or not. It is a rabid dog of a place, sick and doomed but unable to lay down and die. The people here are survivors, willing to live in the darkness but unwilling to succumb to it, hard and hardy workers who've carved out good places for themselves and their families.

The threats in this city are common enough: violent gangs, mad and desperate criminals, and more than it's fair share of the broken and the damned. But even in the darkness, there are those who'll step forward to try and make a difference. To remind those who would kill and destroy that they will not go without a fight. These are the heroes of the City of Shadows.

Locations

Innsmouth Asylum: The City of Shadows is hard on the minds of her inhabitants, so it's no surprise that one of the prominent locations here would be a mental hospital. The Asylum is the last stop for those who have been broken by this City and it would be untrue to say that there weren't dangerous patients to be found within its walls, but that isn't all to be found there. All manner of social services operate out of the Asylum, including counseling, drug rehabilitation, and suicide prevention. The doctors of the Asylum are a hardworking bunch, who put their heart and soul into their work. Unfortunately, they are still (largely) human, which means that more than a few of them have transferred from one side of the doors to the other. There is, as one might expect, the occasional breakout from the facility, though every experience is a new lesson in how to improve the security. Or so they try to think. Referred to colloquially as the 'Inn', you can check in, but you may not leave.

St. Jude's Cathedral: It's no surprise that the Patron Saint of Lost Causes lends his name to this church, the largest to be found in the City of Shadows. Widely considered to be something of a safe haven, even the worst of the worst have a tendency to regard this space as sacred. For those in search of sanctuary or even just a place to feel relief from the relentless brutality of the City, St. Jude's is the place to go. The nuns who run the place provide shelter and aid to any who come to their door, as well as offering rooms in a small boarding house for a reasonable price for those who may need a place to stay.

The Velvet: For all that the City is known for its shadows, it still has its share of glimmering lights. The Velvet is THE nightclub to be at, to be seen at, and their jazz nights are not to be missed. The aesthetic is old Hollywood, the drinks are good and strong, and no socialite worth their salt would miss an evening there. After all, who knows what can go down down at the Velvet. Fine dining, dancing, and a classic atmosphere make this the social spot of the City for those looking for a diamond in the darkness.

Fingerlane Docks: Down pointward in Shadows, the docks are where all manner of underground wheeling and dealing gets done. Honestly, there's not a warehouse to be found in the docks that doesn't either contain some sort of illicit goods or house someone in trouble with the law. If you're looking for a rare or illegal item, don't particularly feel like doing your paperwork for a weapon, or need to get out of town without much of a papertrail, Fingerlane is your destination of choice.

The City of Nightmare

The City of Nightmare is where all the beasties and the creepies and the crawlies call their home. Werewolves, vampires, ghosts, eldritch creatures of all types, and more than your average number of serial killers make their home in this city, one of the more dangerous locations to visit. And yet, there are certain rules that make this city a unique and survivable experience, if you're willing to learn the ways of those who've managed to survive there and remain human. Don't buy antique dolls, don't ignore creepy old men sitting outside the gas station, don't join that friendly neighborhood cult (or do!), consider every story about 'that old lakehouse' entirely true, and well, you might just make it through the night.

Which is good, since it's almost perpetually night. When morning comes is a strange and subjective experience, though not one to be missed. The heroes of this city are sometimes human, sometimes not, but all of the ones who manage more than one visit tend to be quick on their feet, resourceful, and tougher than they look. The other thing that binds them? They have all been changed by what they have seen.

Locations

Kingsport University: Massive and imposing, Kingsport University is the foremost school of archeological, historical, anthropological, and literary studies to be found in the SFC. More importantly, their library has copies of almost any thamuaturgical or esoteric text that one might find throughout all of reality and fiction and the professors there are singularly knowledgeable in such subjects. The architecture of the place is certainly... unnerving, with any number of shadowy corners and curling gargoyles and angles that occasionally give visitors and students headaches if they're considered too long. But they haven't had an incident in what... six or seven weeks now?

Camp Sparkling Waters: Camp Sparkling Waters is the place to go if you'd like to enjoy the wonder and majesty of nature. The facility offers cabins, camp grounds, a beautiful lake (as you might expect), and hiking trails that are just second to none. Of course, there seem to be some odd stains in many of the cabins... and bizarre scratch marks near a few of the camp sites... and if you watch the water in the lake carefully enough, it looks like there's something unnatural lurking just beneath the surface... but it's a really beautiful place, and they even offer wifi if that's your thing! Just, uh, don't take that Friday special. It never works out well for anyone.

The Corvid: Dark and sexy, stylish and hip, the Corvid is the place to go in the City of Nightmares if you want a drink. ~~Especially if that drink happens to be from someone's throat.~~ Run by an endlessly charming woman who the wise treat with the utmost respect, the Corvid is the hotspot for the night crowd and for those looking for a great evening of dancing and drinks. The lighting can be a little trippy and almost entrancing at times, but the house ribena is to die for!

Church of the Ancients: Has anyone ever told you that you'd look fabulous in a hooded robe? What about social activities? Anyone ever said 'you need to join a club' or 'you could do with more friends?' Well, then, the Church of the Ancients is certainly for you. Really, it's for everyone, they just don't all know it yet. Now, there MAY be rumors of certain dark rituals, possible human sacrifice, and the leader may be a thousand year old warlock who perpetually performs unholy rites to continue his reign over the church but the bakesale on Sunday afternoons has some amazing brownies!

The City of Sorcery

For the City of Sorcery, it's all in the name: magic rules this place, and it is magic, ultimately, that decides the fate of all. Castles dot the landscape in between enchanted forests, plains full of roving unicorns, and the roads are dangerous if you don't know how to handle yourself against a goblin bandit or two. There are wonders to be found here, though these wonders can hold danger to the uninitiated: faeries roam these lands, as do demons and wizards, knights and witches and of course, dragons. The people of these lands are simple and decent, hardworking and generally kind; magic is a part of the world but not always a part of their lives, though it touches everything as is it's way. No wife would leave a windowsill without a saucer of milk and there's no telling what magical item one might find an a dusty attic.

The heroes of this City could come straight out of a D&D manual, but all of them share one thing: the hunger for the quest. This is a City that rewards bravery and honor and wonder and there are all manner of great things for those who would court it's dangers and emerge unscathed.

Locations

The Dark Forest: The edge of the Dark Forest flows like the tide through the Hubward side of the City of Sorcery; while it is a forest, it is not a forest like any other forest and the difference is one that you feel more than you see. This is an enchanted place, a place where the shadows are alive and there are things lurking in the darkness that would not be there in the light. Some people say that there are all manner of monsters within the Dark Forest, but that would mean that the monsters could stand living there either. No, there's something there, something in the trees, something fluttering in the reaches in the corners, but the wise turn aside when they see the border where the shadows don't seem to hang quite right.

The Inverted Cathedral: Once the pinnacle of man's devotion, it was shown almost immediately to be instead the height of man's disgrace: this cathedral, built by a man whose name has been lost to history, was perfectly designed to send the prayers from within to the heavens... but at a terrible cost. That cost showed itself as that perfection was turned on itself, the cathedral itself inverted to turn it's echoing spires downward. Now, it is a damned place, filled with forgotten treasures that were stolen in an attempt to make the perfect holy place, now debased. The bones of saints, artifacts, relics, and other such items can be found here but so can the Burning Man, the last survivor of the first service performed in this place. Eternally aflame, eternally tortured, this is his work, and woe betide anyone who would seek to pillage his masterpiece.

The Slaughtered Boar: Generic fantasy pub #4, the Slaughtered Boar has a well-carved picture on the sign above the door, half-decent ale, its share of bar wenches and servers, and caters to adventurers with a selection of hearty meals and a small number of rooms on the second floor for rent to anyone with the coin for it. The owner is a massive jolly man with a kinder heart than most whose ire can only be raised by anyone hassling his waitstaff. Try it and you'll be on your ear just past the stables with a sore backside and short your coinpurse.

Goblin Market: Looking for a small charm to help make sure you get to work on time? What about a little glamour to make everyone forget that scar on your face? In need of a high that's a little more magical than what traditional drugs can provide? Or would you just like to try the perfect fruit from Faerie itself? Well, look no further than the Goblin Market. All manner of vendors show up for this market and their wares are as varied as they are. Generally, nothing huge or lasting ever gets bought or sold there since the vendors tend to be lower-level practitioners, but every once in a while, something special shows up.

The City of Laughter

The City of Laughter is less about the structure and more about the feel. Humor rules in this city and the laws of reality will bend willingly for those who are genuinely seeking a good laugh out of others. Hammer-space, non-fatal anvils, and banana peel slides that will take you halfway down the block are just a part of how the City works and the savvy can use such wobbles in physics to their advantage. The people of this City come from all walks of life and their lives are generally sunny, though they can be a bit grating on non-natives and occasionally, the canned laughter can get a bit annoying if you're not used to it. But they do take their humor seriously.

The heroes of this city are the zany, the whacky, and the wild and they don't always stay behind the 4th wall like they ought to. The villains, on the other hand, tend to be a mix between those who can't take a good joke and those who subvert the positive nature of the city towards their own dark goals.

Locations

Little Anviltown: There's nothing like the complete tilt of reality present in cartoons, which is why those of the animated persuasion have their own neighborhood tucked into a corner of the City of Laughter. It's certainly a trip for those of the more live-action variety, but for those who live the 2d life, well... it's a little piece of home.

Super Funland: What major city doesn't have some sort of amusement park and where else would the SFC's be located than the City of Laughter? The highest and wildest rollercoasters, the most ridiculously overpriced concession food, mascots, carnival games, so. many. gift. shops... the whole shebang. Almost hilariously, there are simplified and playful sections of the park themed for each of the Cities of the SFC (like Busch Gardens and their 'countries') with different harmless attractions to be found at each one: a haunted house in the Nightmare area, a comedy club in the Laughter area, a Hall of Tomorrow-- you get the drift. If you're looking for a totally mundane sort of thrill, Super Funland is for you!

Hurrahs: You know that bar where everyone knows your name? Or the one that's just below your apartment? The one you've been going to for years where you can drink and poke fun at the other regulars, share joys and sorrows, meet people, meet up with people, gripe or tease? Hurrahs is pretty much it. It looks like your standard drinking establishment, serves a decent variety of beer and booze (even some of the froofy designer stuff, as a matter of fact) and all kinds of wild and crazy shenanigans happen here all the time, much to absolutely no one's surprise.

Phi Upsilon Kappa Fraternity House: Who was that masked man? I don't know, but he was traveling with the giant chicken and the tiny girl dressed like the Stay-Puft man. What's going on? Well, it's just another day at Phi Upsilon Kappa. No one's even sure that they're associated with a school, but this dorm/party destination is always swimming in booze, hijinks, and loud music. If you want to have no idea what you did last night but you want to make sure it was awesome, stop by the Phi Upsilon Kappa house some night. Just... don't mention the flamingo incident. It spooks them a little.

The City of Adventure

The City of Adventure is a wild landscape, hardly tamed and almost unworthy of the name 'city' at first glance. Great forests, wild jungles, untold depths: this city rewards the bold and those who wish to discover its secrets. While some would say that there was no true 'civilization' to be found in this city, those people would find themselves woefully inaccurate if they had the will to actually brave the wilderness. Cities of gold, lots civilizations, and all manner of mysteries await those who are willing to venture into this land.

The heroes of this city are those in search of wonders and knowledge, those who seek the lost. It is also those who chose to live in a world untamed, whose peoples have chosen to eschew the standard path of civilization and have blazed their own trail. The villains, on the other hand, are those who seek those wonders only for power and selfish aims, or those who wish to convert this wild world into what it isn't and never should be.

Locations

The Lost City of Amazonia: This city, lost in the mists of time and found only by those it calls to, is the home to many of histories great and legendary female heroes. When their time was done or their luck had run out, they were afforded the chance to come and make their home here and here they have stayed, building a civilization of peace and war, conflict and harmony, love and sisterhood. While there are legends of great treasure here, most within the city itself would say that the gift is in finding the city itself, in the rich history and experience of the women, the warriors, and in the peaceful existence that they've made for themselves.

The Temple of the Nameless: Dedicated to the gods that some say have never had names and others say were forgotten before sentient beings first penned text, the temple stands as a mystery for the ages, hidden amongst the wilds of the City of Adventure. The statues that stand or lay fallen within the temples walls are strange and somewhat unnerving, and no one is quite sure why nothing seems to grow within the temple itself and what powers may be acting to preserve the stones from rot and mold. Some say that there are items of great power within the temple, others say that there is gold beyond telling, and some even claim that there is something sleeping there that could change (or destroy) the world. No one knows, but there are clues and hints and maps that are offered where most congregate within the City. At the same time, there are also those who say that there is a secret organization dedicated to eradicating as much of the temple as they possibly can, that it is they who have made people forget the faces and the names of the figures within, and that this is for the safety of the world and the multiverse as it is known.

The Outpost: The last bastion of 'civilization' as most people know it, the Outpost is a kind word for a collection of ramshackle buildings, tents, and carts that serves to give adventurers supplies, a good night's rest, a place to drink and chat and brawl, as well as where they can find what items the communities within the wilder sections of the city may have shipped out to sell to the world at large. If you just want a taste of the wild, the Outpost is a good stop and you can find any number of interesting individuals and unique items amongst the merchants there. If you're more daring, the Outpost is just the first stop on your way out into the untamed. Either way, most people in the City of Adventure have their favorite 'spot' there and depending on the local, it'll be a different one. Use your best judgement. Or whatever you have that passes for judgment, considering.

The Ancient Mines: There are a dozen different entrances to the old mines in Adventure and only some of them are the kind you actually walk into. A few waterways lead there, more than one sink hole has dropped into them, and there's been several instances of people going to sleep in their camp above ground and waking up deep within their maze-like confines. No one's quite sure what was being mined or who mined it, but there are tunnels that go deep into the earth that lead places that no conscious being would wish to tread. Those that come back never seem to agree as to what's there, so it's really anyone's guess. But entering the mines, if possible, is not something to be done lightly, if at all.

The City of Romance

The City of Romance can be the most malleable in some senses but it also has the firmest rules: love conquers all. Do you need to have a life changing experience to open your heart to love? They happen every day here. What about a curse on your beloved? Well, true love's kiss will fix that right up. On the raunchier side, sex can have surprising and amazing recuperative powers in this particular city, and the ease with which people tend to fall in love (or lust) in this City is almost ludicrous.

The heroes of this city are champions of love, those who let the positivity of the emotion drive them to the greatest heights and fuel them with the purest faith. The villains, on the other hand, are those who twist such things towards harm, abuse, or who would use either love or lust against those feeling it.

Locations

Fashion Avenue: Getting ready for a hot date? Trying to decide the perfect outfit to show that special someone you care? Looking to become someone a little different to show the world that you're not just a nerd or a jock or someone to be ignored but a desirable person worth someone's time? Fashion Avenue is the place to go. There are shops that cater to every look and every need, including jewelry shops (for that special ring perhaps?), leather goods, and even caters to more adult purchases. If you've ever heard of a shop, it's here, and the shopkeepers are incredibly sympathetic to the cause of love. Sympathetic enough to occasionally offer discounts.

Mocha Vibe: Where did the very first coffeeshop au come from? The answer may or may not be Mocha Vibe, but it's easy enough to believe. A homey, warm, indie coffee shop in the style of a Starbucks, this place has an almost magical quality that allows for all manner of Meet-Cutes, funny happenstances, chance encounters, and unexpected declarations. The owner, a pleasant non-descript woman with a distinct Bohemian bent, runs poetry readings and indie music shows. She'll also hire just about anyone as long as they're willing to do their work and show up for their hours, so the romance doesn't end on the customer side of the counter. If you need your caffeine or you're just waiting for that special moment to happen to you, try a cup at Mocha Vibe.

Amour Vivant: When one thinks of romance, they might imagine candlelight, excellent champagne, beautifully presented dishes, and a table for two under the stars. More than likely, that table can be found at Amour Vivant. The staff of this particular restaurant consider it their goal in life to make any romantic evening absolutely perfect, which starts with the stunningly beautiful decor and should end, if they do their job right, in the perfect goodnight kiss. Or the perfect proposal. Or even the moment of realization that every one of the servers has been instructed to inform the kitchen of, should they see it. The chef is an incredibly emotional and passionate man who considers the furthering of love to be his goal in life and he and his staff will do everything to make sure that everything goes exactly as planned for that special someone. If there's someone you want to have the most wonderful night with, the place to start is Amour Vivant.

Nicholson Park: A small, quaint little park. Honestly, there's not much else to it: there's a dog park in one section, a couple of sports field, some hiking trails, and a couple of areas for picnics and games of catch. Now, if there happens to be a high number of soulmates who happen to meet through misthrown frisbees, getting lost together, or animal intervention, well... you are in the City of Romance, after all.

The Islands

The islands are a mixed bag of different genres and fictional concepts, some of them offshoots of the main city and others completely in their own worlds. On one island, you might find a city of brass and steam. On another, dinosaurs might rule over a terrified human populace barely out of its infancy. Alternate universes, frontier towns, and all other manner of madness can be found on the islands and there's very little way to know what you're stepping into until you're there. The islands surround the city proper and most sections of the city will offer boats out to various islands, though the charting never seems to quite work right, which gives you a good 60% chance of finding the location you sought out.

The heroes of the islands are as varied as the islands themselves, though there tend to be small bands of adventurers that travel between them, seeing what they might encounter. Similarly, there are pirates in these waters, seeking strange and varied treasures... so traveler beware.