Boreas

Boreas is the northern quarter of the city proper and is the most advanced of all the wards. It represents the modern eras, the so-called "new" or "information age", and what comes after. The far future where science and technology are almost indistinguishable from magic. Its skylines are dominated by Skyscrapers, dwarfed only by the colossal arcologies most often found closer to Anemoi. They are surrounded by an urban landscape of concrete and steel, but Boreas is not without natural splendor.

The seemingly unending sprawl is broken up by equally vast tracts of wilderness. Mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes stretch through the ward while various districts are covered by forests or jungles. There are a wide variety of wetlands and even deserts, though they pale in comparison to anything outside the walls of Enoch. Artic regions are less common but do exist in Boreas, with some districts being entirely frozen landscape. Even in the city centers there are wooded areas, manmade parks that can be as small as a block or bigger than a town.

The ward is comprised of many thousands of districts, each baring a resemblance to one or more familiar culture. They are anything from vaguely “Western” to districts with a distinctly “eastern” flavor. Some can be quite alien to people who are from predominantly human civilizations. These places are often home to other species and races for Pharos does not discriminate, its radiance drawing even from non-earthlike worlds. Regardless, advancement and technology levels also vary between the districts. A common theme is the 21st century or roughly thereabout but some emulate the early 1900s while others are as far flung as 30XX. A part of this, and what also makes Boreas unique, is that its borders don’t just extend beneath the earth but into and above the exosphere. Within the ward’s jurisdiction are space stations, satellites, and asteroids. Shuttles and starliners travel the space lanes above a population largely oblivious to their existence. Yet even in that ‘three dimensional’ space, the top of the great tower remains elusive.

Transportation

Of all the wards Boreas is likely the easiest to traverse. Public transportation is widely available with trains, buses, and taxis present in most districts. An extensive network of subway tunnels and stations branch out underneath Boreas like a tangled mass of roots. This gives people affordable access to much of Boreas, although the subway system can be intimidating and even mazelike to people who aren’t accustomed to traveling it. For faster and convenient travel there are numerous airports and a handful of starports. Private ownership of vehicles is very common thanks to a carefully maintained public roads and highways. Less common but still available are boats which travel canals, rivers, and lakes.

There are less orthodox options available, but they are largely obscure or secret. Magic doors, teleportation hubs, and rifts through space are just a few examples. Some are jealously guarded by religious institutions or hidden away by clandestine organizations. Advanced districts may be more open about their methods, having public warp stations or means to digitize commuters so that they can be uploaded elsewhere. They may also have magnetic rails, automated roads, or moving sidewalks.

Routes to Zephyrus and Skiron are possible by train or planes and airships. These can sometimes be prohibitively expensive, however, and may not be publicized regularly. In most cases they must be sought out. A request must be worded in a specific way or a certain phrase must be spoken. Reliable roads to Eurus are few and far between with the majority being dirt and little more than foot paths through the wilderness. There are a couple of subway stations and bus stations at the edge of Anemoi, while more established but less traveled roads lead into the ward. There are unfortunately no known direct routes to Notus, though rumors persist that

Governments

The Ward is run like an intergovernmental organization and less like a single unified nation. This is because the districts are largely autonomous, either acting as states of a greater whole or separate ‘countries’ all together. While the districts are free to largely govern themselves, they do report to a greater parliament or congress that they send representatives to. At the head of which is one of the members of the Ideal Hand who is effectively a dictator for life. He is the most visible of all the tower’s lieutenants, presiding over sessions and making appearances on television.

Despite this, not all districts are on positive terms with each other and a few even occasionally come to blows. It rarely devolves into anything more than border skirmishes, but small-scale conflicts have happened in the past. These are normally resolved quickly, however, for fear that the Ideal Hand and its minions might get involved. The legions of the tower crush anything that disturbs the status quo too much or for too long. Even at peace hostility will still simmer and borders may be close, forcing travelers to either go around or risk sneaking through.

Enforcement

The laws in Boreas and the safety of its denizens are enforced by a multitude of agencies. They operate on local, regional, district, and even ward-wide levels though the latter is much more uncommon and usually associated with the Tower. Responsibilities and jurisdictions range but may overlap in some cases.

It is the humble police officer who is at the lowest level of most districts, walking a beat or patrolling the streets in a squad vehicle. Uniforms and equipment wildly differ, from officers in black with nothing but cuffs and a stun baton to police who drive tanks and operate powered armor. Their jurisdictions are often divided into dozens of precincts and usually doesn’t extend further than their local ‘towns’ or ‘cities’. Closely affiliated districts or districts that operate under the same governmental body may have larger and more elite police forces with authority over the entirety of their territory.

In addition, there are agencies that deal with specific crimes and legal infractions. Districts may have their own versions of the Internal Revenue Service or Central Intelligence Agencies. While most ward-wide agencies are extensions of the tower, there do exist a handful that instead report directly to the general assembly of Boreas. These operate more openly than the minions of the tower and handle issues that don’t require the awesome might of the Ideal Hand. Not every district willingly accepts their authority, however, and some become openly belligerent such as the Autocratic Republic of Druskak or the Lothian Empire.

A small number of districts have more unorthodox forms of law enforcement. Private Security firms are chief among these as well as mercenaries. More authoritative districts may use military police or brute squads to keep their heavy-handed peace. Others still rely on whole warrior classes. The Families of the Sydonian Islands use elite members of their family, gifted with supernatural powers, to enforce the laws of their land. Meanwhile the ‘Cities’ of the Noah district use a special taskforce to heavily regulate psionic powers which are all but illegal there.

Economy

The northern ward boasts a powerful economy fueled by a diverse job market and booming industry. Businesses that cannot be found anywhere else thrive in Boreas, from information technology and engineering to pharmaceuticals. In some districts there is even a market for the fusion of science and magic.

There are much fewer official currencies between the districts, seeing greater uniformity in Boreas than in other wards. Many share the same or similar, mostly paper and coinage but just as popular are digital formats. Credits and cryptocurrencies. Various forms of plastic or metal cards are used for transactions in many of the districts with some still preferring checks.

Notable Locations

Arianrhod
Avalon Stations
Border City
Caer Umber
Collegium Branch Office Aethelium
David's Pizza
Dione's Dungeon
Druskak
Edward Patrick Arena
Fort Rothrock Defense Forces Installation
The Gate of Industry
Hekate's Corner
Outcast Alley
Pak Kings Garage
Phil's Tavern
The Shaft
Silver Saucer
Trinity Acropolis
Valhalla
Wonderland Cafe
Zhi Ming

Notable Organizations

Ciel Noir
Genesis Genetics Pharmaceuticals
Mahou Heavy Industries
8-Bit Gang
Tyranno Syndicate
Ragnarok
Blazing Skulls

Notable People

(none yet!)

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