Old Town

Gargoyles leer and narrow streets twist in the ancient heart of Citropolis – the place where the city began.

The gated manors of the richest lie in its centre, around the Plaza of Hours and the Botanic Gardens, but the labyrinthine sprawl of high tenements beyond has not yet succumbed to gentrification. A sense of dread hangs over the area that keeps it from feeling comfortable to most, except old money, history buffs and goths.

The Plaza of Hours

A monument to regulation, the Plaza of Hours is the central square of the Old Town. At its edges stand twelve large houses. In its centre stands a huge, ornate, statue-covered clock tower. The square is constructed in such a way that the clock tower’s shadow functions as a sundial, with each house’s gate one of the hours. These twelve houses are the most sought-after status symbols for the city’s rich. The clock stopped – just as it was about to strike midnight – around the time of The Fallout, and people aren't sure why it’s never been repaired.

University of Citropolis

Lying on the edge of the Old Town, the University is part of it in age and appearance, with the gargoyles, labyrinthine nature and strange gothic flourishes so beloved of the city's founders. It's newly connected to the rest of the city by Mayor Meyer’s monorail line, which is handy since a good number of its students live at home rather than in the student accommodation.

The Public Library

Originally one of the university’s libraries, this was charitably turned over to the city, to which the city charitably responded with a funding increase. A great place for those not part of the uni to do research, though they kept most of the rare books for themselves, and the recent invention of the internet has seen a decline in visitors.

The Abandoned Subway Station

The monorail line and various technical issues (and, according to the urban myths, strange noises in the tunnels beyond) have led to the closure of the Old Town’s subway station.

The Botanic Gardens

A place of glass and greenery, the Botanic Gardens lie in the richer part of the district. They preserve much of the flora that the long-ago expansion of Citropolis wiped out. Poetically-inclined students like to come here and muse sadly on the march of Progress.

Mayor Meyer (he/him): Mayor Meyer is one of the inhabitants of the Plaza of Hours; the Three O’clock House has been in his family for generations.

Professor Rafael Ortiz (he/him): A professor promoting Spark history at the university, and therefore much-criticised in the press.

Amy Donaldson (she/they, 19): The junior librarian at the Public Library, Amy's often got a book recommendation and a kind word for the repeat visitors.