Azure District
The district gets its name by the good sized walls that are painted a bright blue that mark the magic district. That wall is watched by the Witchhunter guard.
Magic can only legally be practiced within one area of the city, with the caveat that no spell effect can exceed the boundaries of the area. To do so invites either death OR stripping of one's powers.
Some people are considered innately magical so they can not leave the district without the magistrate's permission and a witchhunter guard.
The district gets its name by the good sized walls that are painted a bright blue that mark the magic district. There are blue lines painted parallel to the wall at each of the three district gates. Taking the Azure boundary to heart, many of the people who live in the area have taken to painting their roofs cobalt blue as well.
Inside the district, there are three areas.
Along the main roads, shops and shop fronts of a bizarre variety can be found. There are alchemists, spell sniffers, book sellers (mundane and otherwise), scolliers, fortune tellers, curse mongers, healers, pyrotechnics experts, professional spell casters, candle makers, mirror crafters, magic tinkers (using little spells to fix/ clean/ tweak things), talismongers, shops filled with strange and unusual (catering to the needs of the area) and a purveyor of exotic/ magical animal parts. There is also a shop that re-sells things from the main market, for those that will not leave the district. Several of the braver food carters make a daily journey to the district fountain plaza, to sell their wares quickly to the natives here.
In all the but the eastern section of the district are the homes of the magic folk. These homes all have an antique charm of an older district, but they have interesting elements that sometimes scare mundane neighbors. Magelight lamp posts, illusions in the windows, glyphs of power and alchemical symbols upon the walls, and odd paint colors are some of the more tame additions to the homes.
The eastern section , where there the gate has been blocked, is the less desirable section of the district. The homes are more rundown, and usually broken down to apartments. Some of the creatures live here and in the undertunnels (but within the azure district). Some are homeless, others haunt the few green areas there. There are a few pubs here, where brew and others entertainments can be found. While most blue folk won't mention it, but this is the area where you can 'know a guy, who knows a guy' who can get you dark and black magic spells, components, and items.
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? Responses (8)
I love this district. There are so many things you can do.
It should of been voted.
It is one of those magical 'between places' in Harry Potter. (points down)
However this has more things to go with it. It is part Berkley with a touch of Haight Ashbury. It is a colorful magical place filled with odd people. However, they are kept in their place by the Evil Witchhunters. (I am sorry are their good WitchHunters?). The threat of the WitchHunters is potential drama.
I also like the NPC and his business. (Got to follow those links to get to the goodies!)
There was some limited work to create a setting based upon this district.
http://www.strolen.com/guild/index.php/topic,1642.0.html
PCs would be drawn to this like moths, and it is full of possible and reusable plot hooks. I could even see a plot with some former Witchhunter guard who grew sick of the injustice of Azure city and left to be a merc somewhere else. But then a assignment comes along, that seems simple at first, but soon becomes diluted with intrigue and misdirection. Eventually all the pieces point in one direction: Azure City (ya Chinatown).
A campaign could easily be set in this little district in the City. You have magic, dramatic tension between the real people and the magic folks - enforced by the Witch Hunters, a place where the odd can live on the border of normality, and any number of things. Really, a lot to do in and around such a place.
I could see the alternate names of Azure Town, Magic Town and BlueWall and such also taking hold in other places. I like your take on that.
WitchHunters, being branded by the Order, would not (and could not) leave active service. But it would create appropriate conflict if one did, as both sides would then hate and hunt them.
A magical ghetto.
This is interesting, and yes it does have a Harry Potter feel to it. I like the very clear signs you are in the magic-okay zone.