LOCATIONS

[rubycitymods]

Below you will find descriptions of some of the main locations in Ruby City. Of course, others are always being discovered. If your character has discovered a location that you believe others should know about, please comment here with a description and a picture if you have one.



Inner-City Locations

Train Station	The Cathedral
City Streets	The Obelisk
The Catacombs	The Watch Towers
The Clocktower	The Clinic
Hotel Gaia	Various Stores
The Library	The Coffee Joint
The Park	The Tea Shop
The Observatory	The River
The Emporium	The Water Tower
The Wishing Well	The Islands
The Den	Spiral Training School
--	--

Outer-City Locations

The Hot Springs	The Plains
The Lake	The Woods
The Forest	The Waterfall
The Ocean	The Cliffs
The Beaches	Sea Caves
The Mountains	Mountain Caves
--	--

Click on the pictures for larger, more complete versions.

Locations

Train Station The train comes in the evenings. It slips into view to let off its latest passenger. Once that is done, the train leaves, and it always leaves empty. The platform is in decent repair -- used more often than anywhere else in the city. Still it is dark and worn; time has been less than kind to it. Posters have been placed up to guide the new arrivals, including basic information and places to stay. In addition, a first-aid kit, warm blankets, food supplies and a few other helpful items have been left. Volunteers patrol regularly, at the times the newcomers are most likely to arrive. Following the train out of the city will lead any inquisitive adventurer across the plains and down an alarmingly steep drop once they reach the cliffs at the edge of the chunk of land on which the city sits. The tracks can be followed along the Islands. Creatures Found: Ghosts

The Islands The train pulls away from the city and heads south west across the southernmost plains until it reaches the land's edge. After that, it takes a sharp dip down and seems like it might simply plunge into the water, however, the tracks lie just beneath the surface and can be followed (carefully) until they disappear through a portal in the air that shimmers like water as the train passes through it. Any city resident attempting to do so will find themselves simply walking back in the direction they came from. Now and then, the tracks will rise out of the water across slim patches of land that appear to be some kind of coral. Some of the creatures that normally stalk the plains have found their way out there. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Naiad, Kelpie, Grindylow, Kappa, Ghosts, Fire Lizard

City Streets The streets of Ruby City are mostly cobblestone and moderately well-kept, lined by lamps that flicker on as night falls and appear to be gas powered. At night, the creatures in the park and plains become somewhat braver and creep past the ruined walls surrounding the city into the streets on the outskirts. Creatures Found: Ghosts

The Obelisk In the centre of the city, the ruby obelisk towers over all buildings save for the clocktower. It is the source of the city's name and is a place where NPCs can often be encountered, though if they linger near the place because it holds some power or simply because they like to encourage the rumour, it can't really be said. No magic can be sensed from it, but for those who get close enough to peer deep within the bloody, semi-transparent depths, a dark shadow can be seen slowly pulsing within it. Creatures Found: N/A

The Cathedral One of the central buildings in Ruby City is the cathedral made of dark stone. Inside, it is much more warm and welcoming than the outside would say—the pews are in good repair (some of which pushed up against a wall to give more room to walk inside), and the wooden floor gleams in the dim lighting that filters through the lovely stained glass windows. Anyone attuned to such things, however, might easy get the sense that something is not quite right about the place. More than once, this place has been used for parties and celebrations, and is in fact a common place for the captors to choose to hold their city-wide get-togethers. Occasionally, soft organ music can be heard coming from inside the cathedral when the door is closed, only to stop when someone enters to investigate. Creatures Found: N/A

The Catacombs Beneath the city are the catacombs. Uneven corridors that start out dark and get darker, these halls are believed by many to be either possessed or controlled by some malevolent overseer-- Not a hard assumption to swallow, given the way that the walls tend to shift to ensnare and confuse those caught within. Further hindering escape attempts are the numerous traps hidden in the darkness; Sheer dropoffs, hidden pits, "puddles" deep enough swallow a person whole... And then there are the various creatures lurking in the tunnels and waiting for their chance at some fresh meat... If an adventurous soul survives all of these and ventures deep enough inside the maze of tunnels, they may find a wide chamber that opens above a massive subterranean lake, fed by the river that runs through the city above. Many people who find themselves unlucky enough to be caught within the catacombs are often down there for quite a while; Anywhere from a few hours to a month or two, depending on how far in they are and how--or rather, why--they came to be there. It should be noted that while within the catacombs any powers that would allow easy escape will not work, and anyone outside will not be able to contact trapped individuals (and vice versa) via the watches. There are several catacomb exits in the park area, but they periodically shift position and are rarely in the same place twice. Creatures Found: Ghost. The creatures found only within the catacombs are a special breed. All manner of things that never see the light crawl in the depths of the tunnels, ready to pounce on the unwary #1, #2, #3

The Clocktower The clock tower is one of the tallest buildings in Ruby City. Its broad face is marked by roman numerals. Stairs inside lead to the top for those who would like a quiet place to observe a view of the city as a whole. It rings out the hours from the bell within as the great hands of the clock move around and around. Creatures Found: N/A

The Black Stallion Saloon A previous resident decided to bring back the old glory of the Black Stallion. So the old saloon was cleaned up and renovated, giving it a more modern look. The Western-style saloon is a European-style bar now. Creatures Found: N/A

Hotel Gaia Previously named Hotel ShinRa, the large hotel which was lost to fire some time ago now stands fully restored on the request of former city resident Elena to Temper Vale. It now stands complete and fully functional, open as accommodation to newcomers into the city, though entirely unmaintained. Creatures Found: N/A

The Library The library is an old stone building. It houses inside it a countless number of tomes on subjects from physics to theology, from fine literature to children's bedtime stories. The books come from many different worlds; characters may well find familiar volumes from their home worlds. Information about the city and the area around it, however, is conspicuously difficult to come by. There is no sense of real organisation and the books themselves seem to shift around from day to day, as if to make themselves difficult to find. Any frustrated patron expressing their exasperation at this might hear a ghostly giggle from the other side of the shelves. The library is furnished with comfortable chairs to curl up in and tables with wooden chairs to spread out and do some studying or working on. A few private study rooms are on the second floor, free to be used unless they're currently occupied. There are also a few empty rooms that have since been turned into bedrooms of sorts on this floor, used by a few citizens. The library also contains copies of notes written by the departed Vash Zwingli and others, with details on their captors and other small titbits of information. Creatures Found: Ghosts

The Park In the east of the city, much of the land is open and somewhat greener than the rest. The open grass however gives way to trees that quickly grow thicker. While some of the monsters have since moved on to the broad lands outside of the city, some remain here. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Park Monsters, Wendigo, Dryads, Spriggans, Red Caps, Ghosts

The Police Station A former police station restored by the efforts of Ruby City's current occupants, the Yard is a red brick building similar to the original Scotland Yard. Although about half the size of the building pictured, the Yard features a generously sized office in the ground floor, well equipped with old fashioned wooden desks, repaired chairs, a bookcase which contains notebooks and stationary supplies scavenged from stationers around the city and even a few typewriters in various states of repair and a hand operated printing press used to make handbills. The ground floor also contains a few old cells that are mostly disused. There is also a hallway/locker room in which the coats, truncheons and rattles of the original police force still hang. There's another room with a sofa, a few tables and chairs and a darts board, a few dusty bottles and some wanted posters, clearly the break room. Beyond that, a kitchen about the size of a big hall closet, equipped with the basics needed for food preparation and some boxes of emergency food supplies. Creatures Found: N/A

The Observatory A relatively new addition, the observatory is a red stone building and Victorian in appearance, for those of the planet Earth who would recognise the time period. Thanks to the efforts of one Twilight Sparkle and those who assisted her, the building and telescope have now been restored and are both fully operational. Creatures Found: N/A

The Emporium A strange storefront that shifts position and only appears at certain times in the month, The Emporium appears to service any requirements that the residents have for objects from their own worlds, or supplies that they can't otherwise find. Nothing comes for free in this place, however. Everything to the smallest trinket has its own unique price tag, based on the personal value of the object and the ability of the individual. Requests can be made here. Creatures Found: N/A

The Water Tower A fairly innocuous building that supplies the city's water. The inside can be accessed, but it's not really spacious enough to be lived in. Creatures Found: N/A

The River Formerly dyed red with silt and other natural substances, the water has since washed clean, leaving this river flowing through the majority of the city. It emerges from somewhere in the mountains and flows through the city to an abrupt end in the park, the place having since formed a tunnel which some brave explorer who doesn’t mind getting wet may walk down into. Bridges cross over it, making an easy access from the south of the city to the north. When the sun hits the obelisk for a few moments at sunset, the river takes on a strange reddish hue and the debris beneath the water turns the colour of bleached bone. Wait, are you sure you just saw that? Creatures Found: Naiads, Kelpies

The Theatre The theatre was once in a state of great disrepair, but after some heavy duty remodeling by several of the new residents of Ruby City, it has been restored to an Old World European elegance. The acoustics have been improved, and the stage is perfect for any manner of performance. Creatures Found: N/A

The Watch Towers Around the perimeter lie the watch towers—beaten but not fallen even after the wall that interconnected them fell. Spiral staircases inside of the towers lead the way to the top. Very little can be found up there, but the view is lovely. It offers a view of the world beyond the city, the rolling grasslands, forests, and the mountains far beyond. Creatures Found: Ghosts

The Clinic The clinic is one of the more active buildings in the City. After all, with such an active populace and the occasional, well, trick played upon them, injuries do happen. The clinic is stocked with first aid supplies and some basic medicines. The back also houses the morgue, where most unfortunate citizens will find themselves after untimely deaths. Creatures Found: N/A

Various Stores There are many different stores in Ruby City. In particular, however, the grocery markets are kept stocked, replenished when most are not looking by a subtle sort of magic. After all, the population needs to be fed, don't they? Well, for now anyway. There are a multitude of stores to be found throughout the city, not limited to: A music store, a general hardware store, a bicycle store, a toy store, a grocery store and what must have been an old weapons shop/smithy. Creatures Found: N/A

The Coffee Joint A coffee bar, it stocks anything the stores provide but in an airy, public place where people can meet. The small apartments above the coffee bar can also be utilised as temporary housing for newcomers, with a poster at the train station directing those who have just stepped off the train to find the place for lodgings. Creatures Found: N/A

The Tea Shop Bonjour, mes amis - welcome to Le Cafe Anglais, which you'll find is a strange mix of Parisian elegance and British charm. Once you step in, we hope you'll feel right at home. The style is most certainly English, with comfortable chairs and couches to sit at. The Victorian-style chairs are in good taste, a rich red color as close to Victorian as they could find, anyway. The wooden counters and tables and floors are polished to perfection. The walls are painted a comfortable mahogany shade. Original works of art on medium sized canvas hang on the wall, of relaxing scenes, of steaming tea in china cups and rich desserts and smiling, chatting people. Two couches sit against opposite walls of the establishment, with short coffee tables placed in front of them. A golden bell hangs above the door, and white, lacy curtains cover the window, letting soft light into the room. At Le Cafe Anglais you will find smooth and divine blends of several herbal, black, green, white or fruit teas, served hot with the choice of sandwich or dessert. We hope you enjoy your visit and come back soon! Creatures Found: N/A

The Wishing Well A covered well measuring around ten feet across sits just under the shade of the trees at the far side of the park. The remnant of a festival from mid 2014, the faded words on the top of the well read 'six fragments must be placed // and a single desire will be granted // for the good all or one'. The well cannot be pried open by normal means, but anyone putting their ear to it will hear faint, indistinct voices. A stone pushed under the boards will fall for approximately twenty seconds before hitting water far below the ground. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Park Monsters, Wendigo, Dryads, Spriggans, Will-o-the-Wisp, Red Cap, Ghosts

The Den Above the Toy Store is The Den, a gambling lounge with tables for cards, dice, mahjong, or anything you choose to bring in. It's got a warm, if slightly shady atmosphere, and minimalist Japanese decor, including a wooden carving of a dragon over the inside of the door. There are also a pair of comfortable leather couches, a pool table, and a back room if you want to play a more private game with your buddies. There are currently no prizes available from the house, but you can agree on bets with your fellow players. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu set it up, and Edward Nygma hosts his puzzle club there. Creatures Found: N/A

Spiral Training School Spiral Training School is situated in a renovated warehouse near the Police Station. Its headmaster is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (oathshackledbird), who does his best to make sure everyone feels welcome within the school's walls no matter their level of fighting skill or their fighting style. The school is meant to be a place where people can learn new skills, hone old ones, or just spend some time training to work out frustrations. There are rooms in the school where people can crash or live full time if they so wish. Along with a boxing ring, punching bags, acrobatic training gear, practice dummies, and many other weapons to work with, there are also some training rooms where people can learn about less physical things like technology and medicine. Please go here for more detailed information about the school. Creatures Found: N/A

The Hot Springs A few miles outside the city in the foothills of some low mountains lie a series of open, gently steaming pools. Warmed by the natural heat of the earth below, it stays a constant temperature of 100 degrees, making this outdoor onsen a perfect getaway any time of the year. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Kappa, Fire Lizards Distance from City: 3 Miles

The Plains The plains stretch in a great rolling of grass and shrubbery from the city and onward. Hills rise and fall, making cresting each one give you a new sight. However, there aren’t many places to duck and cover out here, until you reach the lake and the far forest. This place is the most exposed of the lands beyond the city walls, and small packs of creatures roam over it, so one should be wary and well-prepared before venturing out. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Warg, Wendigo, Red Cap, Adh Seid, Hobgoblins, Banshee Distance from City: N/A

The Lake Bordering the lake, the plains slope slightly downward until it stretches out in a wide circle. Fed by a river sourced somewhere in the mountains, the lake is bordered on the east side by a dense forest that spans the distance between it and the easternmost edge of the island. To the north, foothills grow steadily higher along the bank of the river until they meet the mountains in the far north. Here and there trees dot its edges, or you’ll see a splash or gentle motion of waves from the wind. Closest to the water, there is a stretch of gravelly sand, hard on the feet but something to brave should you decide to go swimming here when the weather grows warm enough to do so. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Mer, Kraken, Kelpie, Kappa, Grindylow, Fire Lizard Distance from City: 12 miles

The Woods The woods at the east side of the city spread out to the coast and are a calmer counterpart to the northern forest, though still not without their dangers. The river runs through the trees and can be followed to where it feeds out across the beach into the ocean beyond, but it might be safer to take the longer route around the outside. As of late summer (August 2014), not long after the landscape went through its dramatic shift, a path was formed through the woods by one Eren Jaeger. It didn't take long for the irritated residents to start reclaiming the path, but thanks to intervention by Noa Tasi, the narrow trail that remains now exists unchallenged. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Will-o-the-Wisp, Dryad, Spriggan, Naiad, Fairy, Thestral, Unicorn, Spider Distance from City: N/A

The Forest Should you continue north-east along the plains toward the range of mountains, soon the trees will drift up until you are finding yourself facing a thick forest, bordered on one side by sheer cliffs with the lake on the other. Here there are animals galore (the sounds of birds and insects fill the air) and—with them—animal trails. Whatever man-made trails there might have been here are long gone, leaving only the few small paths through the forest. In the daytime, sunlight filters strongly in through the trees, then moonlight and stars are your only light once night falls. Deep within these woods, there is an abandoned cabin in an overgrown clearing, used some time ago by hunters or wanders as a safe place to spend the night before day came again. Just past the cabin, there is a small version of an elven residence up in the treetops. Lothlorien with Mirkwood touches, one of the differences is that rather than the grey of the Lothlorien mallorn trees, the houses are made from typical brown wood. Eventually there will be winding stairways through the trees that connect with the housing, but for now there are rope ladders. Currently there is one house, but over time there will be more. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Will-o-the-Wisp, Spider, Thestral, Centaur, Elf, Fairy, Kelpie Distance from City: 12 miles (south edge), 35 miles (north edge)

The Waterfall Following the river feeding into the north side of the lake will lead you to a small copse of trees growing around a drop in the land where water thunders down from the mountains into a wide pool surrounded by shrubs. The water is populated mainly by harmless fish and the occasional water spirit, but the undercurrents near the waterfall itself make it easy for the unwary or weak swimmer to be dragged under. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Naiad, Kappa Distance from City: 20 miles

The Ocean Once upon a time, all that bordered the island on which the city sits was an endless blackness. In August 2014, the city and the area surrounding it underwent a change, the largest of which was the appearance of the ocean, making the chunk of land a true island. There are tides, though they are oddly erratic and the void is certainly not gone entirely but rather pushed back. The ocean can be sailed, swum or otherwise traversed, with those who go too far finding that either currents or strong winds fight to turn them back. Should they persist, they will find themselves lost in darkness for some time before they feel solid ground under their feet and emerge battered and bruised from one of the catacomb entrances. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Mer Distance from City: N/A

The Cliffs Where the land doesn't dip into beaches and river estuaries, it rises to form high, sheer cliffs. In some places, the constant battering of the waves has formed caverns along the base of the cliffs, open for exploration if you can get to them. The cliffs are too steep for anything to survive on them, but many birds make their homes there. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife Distance from City: N/A

The Beaches The island on which the city rests contains two beaches, a smaller one to the south east and a larger one on the north west side. The eastern beach is on the other side of the woods, around eight miles from the city if one braves a straight line through the trees. It is bordered by low cliffs and sandy scrubland and is also where the river that runs through the city feeds out. Occasionally, the dryads from the nearby woods will come out to enjoy the beach on warmer days. The Eastern Beach is now home to the Boardwalk. In the north west, the plains slope down to a wide expanse of sand that turns slowly into pebbles as it works its way further inland. This area is frequented more by the less pleasant inhabitants of the plainlands and it wouldn't be unusual to see a warg in the surf. Creatures Found: East: Misc. Wildlife, Dryad, Tsuchinoko, Fire Lizard // West: Misc. Wildlife, Warg, Fire Lizard, Centaur Distance from City: East: 8 miles // West: 12 miles (to nearest point)

Sea Caves Mostly set in the base of the cliffs where the sea has eroded caverns into the rocks, the sea caves can be places of beauty and wonder, populated by mer and naiads somewhat wilder than those found in the lake and rivers. Examples: #1, #2, #3 Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Mer, Naiad Distance from City: N/A

The Mountains Here, the travelling is not easy going; a sheer uphill climb. The paths that people used to use aren’t so easily hidden. You would find it easier to follow the few trails that mountain goats left in their path. Once the way up is found, it still isn’t easy. Loose stones make it cautious going, and during the winter it is all the more treacherous with ice and snow. Spring and summer months lend to only a slightly easier going up and up, sudden storms a distinct possibility. Here, too, one may find man-made or else naturally made caves, leading down into the darkness. To traverse the mountains, depending on conditions and speed of travel (as well as method), could be anywhere from five to seven days to reach the peaks, then three to scale down the other side. Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Phoenix, Dragon, Troll, Yeti, Roc, Fire Lizard Distance from City: 25 - 30 miles (at nearest points)

Mountain Caves In the mountains, the caves are home to vicious trolls, yetis other such creatures who don't take well to having their territory strolled into. A select few are also home to dragons slumbering over their precious hoards, but while some might be open to casual conversation, just as many will not. Some cave systems travel deep into the mountains themselves, easy for the unprepared and unwary to get lost in. Examples: #1, #2, #3 Creatures Found: Misc. Wildlife, Dragon, Troll, Yeti Distance from City: N/A

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