Astoria

An idea borne from the discovery of a large magic crystal, Astoriaundefined is a floating metropolis founded by Alexander LaFontaine. Initially intended to be a civilisation for research, work and shelter, it quickly became the world's leading force for training in the magical arts.

History
Before the Official Launch of Astoria, specific parts of the city were pre-launched ready for the main LaFontaine Industries Tower to join them. This was to provide a stable integration into the new city but also to test the abilities of the Magic Crystal Alexander had found years prior. Once all experiments were complete and parameters where met, Astoria’s final pieces were ready for launch. Dotted between Spain and the UK, the main Central tower of the city is home to La Fontaine Industries main headquarters, and the less dangerous research and developments labs. The only other piece to launch was Residential District 1. This was launched during the beginning of the Uprising and was the final piece to launch as to allow for the employees to be able to move in ready to start their new lives on Astoria.

Magic Academy and Magic-Tech
A selection of LaFontaine Industries' employees Awakened to their powers shortly after the Uprising began. As they searched for ways to develop, adapt and control their abilities, the Magic Academy was born -- a place where all of Magical capability were allowed to enter as equals; Fae and Human alike. Along with the integration of magic into everyday life, it began seeing more and more uses in technology. Loosely based on the discovery and properties of the crystal that keeps Astoria floating in the sky, and aided by the City Elves, a new form of Magic Technology was created. Later the concepts that were originally designed for magic-tech became more elaborate and lead to the technology known and used by most people in Astoria to date.

Culture
Few, if any, students of Astoria start off with nothing. Base accommodation and transport is provided by LaFontaine industries and any currency they already own can be transferred to credits and be spent on Astoria. Higher-paying jobs allow for more luxuries and food items, but base needs will be met. Students are provided with dorm rooms for each guild, meals on school working days, and are provided with all materials and equipment required for classes.

Students can earn more credits based on performance and dedication. While not penalised for low performance, higher performing students (especially those who show genuine dedication and care, whether or not that dedication earns them high grades) will be rewarded in credits.

At graduation, Students have the ability to use their saved credits to become Citizens of Astoria and move into one of the residential areas. This will allow them to become a member of LaFontaine Industries and their families to move in with them; providing them with a stable start post-graduation and shelter away from the Uprising. This is often a motivation for the students to be careful with their money and not get greedy with the frivolities they spend those credits on, as their citizenship is dependent on these leftover credits. They may, of course, return to the surface if they desire, but with the advent of the trading system all credits they have will be deemed useless unless in Cleansed spaces (though they will be permitted to take their belongings with them and can use these to trade should they desire).

Religion and Spirituality
Due to its nature as a magic academy, the primary demographic among human citizens is Pagan -- however, the society itself is secular and no faith nor religion has a place in the administration of the city.

Magic and Technology
Astoria is home to many advanced workings of both magic and technology, and as such contains a wide range of discoveries and enhancements used by its citizens in everyday life.

Enhancements
Using the latest in cybernetic technology, most people in Astoria have been equipped with neural overlays to allow computer access and other functions directly from their cybernetic enhancements which also mitigates the need for large amounts of consoles in Astoria, this also increases security as all enhancements are bio-metrically assigned to each individual and gives them only the specific access that they will require in day-to-day life. This was a concept partially aided by the Elves who came to Astoria – especially the City Elves among them, who had developed similar concepts in magic-tech quite some time before.

There are also many body modifications that can be had from these cybernetic enhancements, including vibrant, colour-changing and glowing tattoos (similar to that which the Dark Elves have, only more technological and less ritual in nature) and other such body augmentations.

Magic
Magic has many different schools and many different adaptations, each with their own purposes and applications, and this is reflected within Astoria. All people of magical capability will more likely be drawn to a specific school or will find an aptitude for a specific type of magic, including divination, blood magic, fae magic, and many other types, some of which may have even been developed while studying the uses, capabilities, limitations and side effects of magic.

Blood Magic, Necromancy and Shadow Magic are not frowned upon, but more taboo than the other schools and considered highly dangerous -- thus, the practice of these magic schools are banned from the main school grounds and lessons are held on a separate network of floating islands accessible by Airship or Skyline.

Technology
Alongside the power from the Crystal, which is firmly secured at the bottom of the English Channel, and other forms of naturally occurring energy sources, Solar and Hydroelectric farms float on the English channel to maintain the energy requirements of the giant floating city above, and nearly every building in the city is equipped with solar panels and wind turbines.

Androids, AI, and other technological constructs have also been built, primarily for the protection of Astoria's citizens and partially for the testing and research of various Magic-Tech capabilities.

Police Force and Army
Astoria’s Magic-Tech Police Force and Army are all synthetic Magic-Tech Constructs created to protect the city of Astoria and maintain law and order. Among them are androids and other constructs created for research and protection.

Project Gilgamesh
An Android built for research into Telekinetic abilities of Magic-Tech, as well as protection to the city.

Project Athena
Another Android project for Astoria’s Police Force and army, Athena was built to test the latest in cybernetics and alloy materials for the bodies and frames of all robots on Astoria to increase resilience to damage.

Project Hunter
An elite unit in Astoria’s Androids, Hunter was designed to assist the reclamation team and to protect them in more treacherous areas, or areas of the world that still haven’t settled since the Uprising began.

Project Vermillion Storm
One of Astoria’s latest projects in bio-mechanical synthetic humans and androids. Vermillion Storm is a combat unit of android specialising in close quarters combat. This Unit was built as a soldier for Astoria in the event that the uprising war reached the city of Astoria. Hopefully, it will never have to be used.

Wastelander Reclamation Team
The Wastelander Reclamation Team, or WRT, is a reclamation team for Astoria. The WRT are responsible for searching the world to find knowledge and salvage artifacts.

Due to the great distress of the world order, and the infighting between humans and fae, Astoria wanted to be able to keep knowledge of all cultures and ways of life. Thus the reclamation team was created to go to places of turmoil and distress and reclaim anything that may be of use such as books, old computer programs, artifacts, and also to delve into abandoned research facilities to gain access to research that may have been occurring in those places; to help further the research and development Astoria is doing.

Wanderers
The Wanderers are one of Astoria’s scout units, primarily used to scout out locations before sending in the WRT. if an area is a ‘Hot’ Zone, i.e. there is still fighting ongoing or other prevelant dangers in the area, The Wanderers will provide support to the WRT to ensure mission success.

Both the Wanderers and the WRT are specially trained for all situations when outside of Astoria, and can survive even the harshest of environments the world has.