Ferrodyne

Description

The city itself is sprawling and low – gnomes tend to live a lot like Tolkien's Hobbits, in semi-underground burrows. Partially this is their nature, partially this is done for the same reasons fireworks factories in our world do it – to contain explosions.

While most cities are laid out with different “Quarters” – i.e. Merchant Quarter, Temple Quarter, University Quarter – Ferrodyne is a complete hodge-podge. This has to do with the Gnomish mindset. For example, a workshop belonging to a clockwork expert might also contains a well-used but fascinating library, open to the public for a small fee. Pretty much the whole city is jumbled up together.

Gnomes have an innate need to build – so the city is constantly changing as stuff is torn down and built up new. Consequently, there are no accurate maps of Ferrodyne. Fortunately, the street signs are quite descriptive and informative – if you read Gnomish.

Appearance

Rich Berlew does a pretty good job capturing the feel of a city like Ferrodyne in The Order of the Stick.

Important Places/Groups in Ferrodyne

The names of these groups are printed first with the Common name, and then a literal translation of the Gnomish name in italics following.

The Gnomish Ministry of Engineering

The organization charged with granting and recording: patents on all engineered/jury-rigged/built/summoned/otherwise created devices, machines or gadgets; permits to engineer/jury-rig/build/summon/otherwise create devices, machines, or gadgets; membership applications, renewals, or sponsorships, and officiate disputes regarding same

Gnomish Fire Brigade

The brigade of gnomes and/or other mortal creatures charged with fighting fires, floods, rampaging Ministry devices, or other natural or unnatural disasters, as well as rescuing all mortals/immortals threatened by same

Founded in Sun Year 402, after the Gnomish Ministry of Engineering burned down most of the city, this crack team of gnomish fire-fighters is counted as among the most brave, reckless, and busy groups of heroes in Crescent.

Big People’s Inn on Quiet Hill Street

Inn, Tavern and Boarding House meant for Mortals of a size significantly larger than the mean and/or median size of permanent residents of Ferrodyne, on Quiet-because-it’s-behind-a-big-hill-and-some-trees Street

Door to the Athenaeum for Spiritual Harmony

No known Gnomish Translation

Down the street from Big People's Inn.

Visitors exiting the Athenaeum are advised to watch their step, as there may or may not be an actual street on the Ferrodyne side of the door.

The Museum of Gnomish Folly

The Museum/Collection/Gallery of Failed or Unworkable Inventions that Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time but Didn’t Work Out So Well in Practice

The Temple of the Holy Sunrise

The Building of Worship and Gathering Dedicated to the Celestial Entity/Body/Event known as the Sun, Built in Such a Way (vis-à-vis Facing East) as to Illuminate the Altar with Natural Light at Dawn, Weather Permitting

Though this is not the only temple in the city (by a long shot), it is the largest and most beautiful – or will be if it ever gets finished. In typical gnomish fashion, it is under construction and has been for generations.

The Library at the Temple of the Holy Sunrise

The Collection of Books, Pamphlets, Artworks, Drawings, Tracts, Diatribes and Other Scholarly Works, Housed at the Building of Worship and Gathering...

House CopperWire

The Organization/guild/merchant house responsible for cataloging, tracking and publishing definitive lexicons, dictionaries, and syntaxi, for all the Mortal, Spiritual and Elemental Languages in Crescent, and the teaching, dissemination, and spread thereof, founded by the CopperWire family but now a conglomeration interested parties.

They may not have managed to actually get any lexicons, dictionaries, and syntaxi out for publication (due in part to a disagreement with Barnabus and Nobble, which, if you believe one of the rumors, is why B&N are in Luminaux), but if you need a translation, someone there will probably speak, read, or write whatever it is you need to translate. Discretion costs extra.

CopperWire has recently funded and, consequently monopolized, telegram service between the same major cities served by the Lightning Rail.