City Image - Cambria

Cambria is built along both sides of the Kalander river as it empties into the Greater Bay.

The buildings in Cambria are of a Neo-Tudor style. The exteriors are usually a white stucco, with some half-timbering (wooden beams embedded in the stucco, some for support others for looks. Other characteristics include high-pitched roofs (covered in slate), asymmetrical configurations, enclosed entryways, fireplaces with ornamented chimneys and chimney pots, and casement windows.

Most of the buildings are two to three stories tall. They are longer than wide (more like a 2 to 1 ratio), with their main entrance facing the street. The second story usually extends beyond the first, allowing for enclosed or covered entries in front and back. The back of a house faces the back of another house on the next block. If there is a business in the building (which is usually the case), the business is downstairs, while the family and workers live upstairs. Manor homes are larger, squarer, and only two stories in height. They share most of the same features as more common homes. They are also surrounded by large fences normally. There are alleys between the various buildings here, mostly for fire control. Some of these alleys have been converted into small shady gardens.

Many of town homes from long ago have been broken up into apartments. So there will be five to ten people living in the same "house".

The roads are a smoothed cobblestone. There are normally wide sidewalks made of the local concrete. The roads are slanted to drain off the side of the roads into the gutters. There is a deep undercity here where the sewage drains.

There is a horse drawn trolly system in much of the town. The Green Cars and clanging bell add both noise and an odd charm to the city. Long ago, the locals tried to prevent so many horses and people on the city streets. First the carts occurred, to avoid the horse tax, they caused almost as many problems as they solved. One ingenious council member whos business worked with the nearby mines thought of the track system to standardized things (like paths, schedules, size of carts, and so on.

The river is spanned by three bridges, all quite large and thick. The bridges are practical affairs, not artistic by any stretch. However, they are large enough and tall enough to allows full rigged sailing ships (river schooners) under them.

The "Great Buildings" (those that break the mold) are all in the city center (portside bank going up river, the center of the city of that side). Here the buildings are four, five, even ten stories tall. The buildings here are stone, granite block, affairs. Great Businesses (exchanges, banks, regional governmental offices, grand guilds, various societies) are side by side with the supporting businesses (scribers, messengers, appraisers, enchanters, and restaurants/ clubs). Even the great temples for the region are here. Very few people live down town. They travel to manor homes or apartments in other parts of the city. Given the trolly, it takes no more than an hour to reach any part of the city.

The Great Buildings have become roosts to various Gargoyle troops. These creatures watch over their towers and buildings, asking nothing more than to be left alone.