plague | ice | fire
the world of sornieth as defined by schwartz industries
PLAGUE
the wandering contagion - plague is an incredibly populous district, filled with large (and environmentally hazardous) businesses. however, because of the growing job market and booming economy, the city has grown exponentially and continues to expand. currently, they're looking into purchasing part of the starwood strand.
the blight sanctum - one of the prestigious universities of sornieth. the blight sanctum is the leading university for medical study. it boasts an impressive immunology department as well as genetic engineering and predictive DNA studies. (rhodyle claims to have graduated from here, but this can't be confirmed).
the wyrmwound - the second most populous city in the plague district. it's home to most of the businesses that schwartz industries does business with. there's little restriction on mass production, leading to an overabundance of smog. it can be difficult to breathe in the heart of the city, yet it also produces the most results.
quarantine zone #128 - the other 127 zones remain under government secrecy. #128 is the newest, and most well-known to the general public. after a catastrophic meltdown by a testing facility, radiation and chemically permeated air make it a no-go. the zone remains closed to anyone without clearance, and what's really inside remains a government secret.
hellwell undercroft - the capital of the plague district. it's one of the most ruthless places to live. the climate has been compared to the harshest areas of the ice district. those with health problems either move away or die. unsurprisingly, morticians are in high demand.
the seedscar - much like its counterpart (the pox consulate), the seedscar was founded in an attempt to foster diplomacy between nature and plague. unfortunately, it never came to fruition. the flora brought by nature reacted harshly to the unforgiving plague environment and mutated out of control. it too has its own quarantine zone where various officials try to prevent the spread of its tendrils.
ICE
frigid floes - once a massive glacier, the landscape has begun to crack and drift apart from global warming. plague's contribution to lightning and fire's environmental issues have caused the acceleration of the floes fracturing. however, there have been many scientific discoveries based off of what has been unearthed in the ice. some are mere skeletons of creatures that once were. some are more heinous in nature.
snowsquall tundra - the most populous area of the ice district. while it maintains a winter environment, it's temperate enough to host year-round hiking and camping. oddly enough, it also lends to an agricultural lifestyle. there are various plants that can't grow outside of the snow, and are used in medical production.
cloudscrape crags - perilous mountains that are often desolate. avid hikers avoid climbing this mountain range, as they know how deadly the shifts in weather can be. more than a handful of inexperienced hikers go missing every year. (the legend of beauford the returned originated here).
the frozen sanctum - one of the prestigious universities of sornieth. the frozen sanctum frequently makes trips to the frigid floes and takes samples back to its labs to study. various medical breakthroughs have been made here, although widespread production of any vaccines it creates are allocated to plague. (robin graduated from here!)
the rimebone stockade - the ice district is rich with history, and the stockade makes it all the more apparent. many of the specimens recovered from the ice are displayed within the stockade. while most of the stockade is open for public viewing, several recovered jewels, forgotten treasures, and interesting creatures are locked away from the public eye.
fortress of the ends - the capital of the ice district, the fortress of the ends is a hostile place that many refuse to visit. it's not kind to tourists, and frequently issues arrest warrants for menial reasons. those who own property within the area are generally royalty from ages past whose lands have existed for hundreds of years. (mina hails from here).
FIRE
magmablood rebuke - one of the newest geological phenomenon in sornieth, the magmablood rebuke is an active volcano that surfaced after a particularly terrible storm. while both ice and wind tried to claim the land for their own, fire's populace got to it first. while there's debate on whom the island legally belongs to, the blacksmith guild that currently inhabits it has made it apparent that no others are welcome unless they hail from the fire district.
the flintlock fumaroles - an area of great tectonic activity, lightning has partnered with the fire district to harness volcanic activity to power the many construction firms in the area. because of the increased production and centralized businesses, the area is covered in a thick smog (not unlike that of the plague district). however, the fire district, unlike the aforementioned is currently trying to develop a green plan to reduce emissions.
molten scar - a long, wide area that is generally seen as a flat plain, though it is permeated with lava flow in several areas. it's said that this is the remnant of a battlefield of old, and that the lava flow follows the pattern of a great creature's claw marks. (this is the origin of the legend of nikandros the scarred).
blacksand annex - this is the most populous city in the fire district (and its capital). it's where any and all blacksmiths go for training, despite the existence of the magma sanctum. considered to be the home of more technical jobs, it also boasts a booming economy as various districts contract fire for its ability to construct.
the magma sanctum - one of the prestigious universities of sornieth. although it does have a blacksmithing program, the majority of students who attend the magma sanctum focus on architecture or geology. the university has partnered with the oculus for a dual meteorology program.
cinderslag - another large city in the fire district. unfortunately, because production relies on access to water, the blacksand annex has thrived while the cinderslag has not. while it borders the water district, the aforementioned is rather stingy with allocation of resources and refuses to allow access to anything near the shoredeep presage. because of this, cinderslag has become more of a slum, although many fringe groups have tried to revitalize the area in recent years.