Ironhold

“The Fortress”

“Safety has a price. Here, we pay it gladly—or we’re made to.”
—Inscription above the Bulwark’s main gate

Quick Reference

Ironhold - The Fortress City

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Geography and Structure
• Key Locations
• Government and Politics
• Economy
• Military Capabilities
• Population and Society
• Defenses and Security
• Current Situation (287 S.)
• Secrets and Mysteries
• Quest Hooks
• Related Topics
• In-World Document

Overview

Ironhold is the fortress-city, the anvil upon which the Aetherium’s military and economic power is forged. Built on a massive plateau that served as a pre-Shattering military installation, it is the largest stable island in the known Aetherium and the most heavily defended settlement in existence.

The city is a study in contradictions: brutal efficiency meets refined commerce, military discipline coexists with merchant pragmatism, and the promise of absolute safety comes at the cost of absolute control. The Sky-Guild runs its central operations from here, while Commandant Theron Vask commands the most professional military force in the shattered world.

Ironhold doesn’t pretend to be welcoming. The 30-meter walls of the Bulwark are not decoration—they are declaration. “We survived,” they say. “We thrived. And we will not fall.”

But beneath the military parades and bustling markets, tensions simmer. Refugees are turned away at the gates. Resistance movements whisper in lower districts. And the alliance between Guild-Master Elara Song and Commandant Vask grows increasingly strained as their visions for humanity’s future diverge.

Geography and Structure

Island Characteristics

Geological Features: - Massive plateau (25km across, relatively flat top) - Pre-Shattering military fortress foundation still intact - Solid bedrock (granite and basalt) makes it remarkably stable - Deep underground sections (bunkers, storage, ancient installations) - Three natural springs provide fresh water - Minimal edge erosion (island has remained same size for 287 years)

Climate: - Slightly cooler than surrounding Aether (average 14°C) - Regular “rain” (moisture condenses from Aether on the plateau surface) - Strong winds at edges (air pressure differential) - Microclimate allows agriculture in designated zones

City Layout

Five Concentric Districts:

1. The Citadel (Center, 2km diameter)
   • Commandant’s fortress
   • Military command center
   • Sky-Guild headquarters (marble and iron complex)
   • The Black Vault (legendary armory)
   • Elite housing (officers, senior merchants)
   • Most restricted area
2. The Core (Ring 1, 4km width)
   • Administrative buildings
   • Major merchant houses
   • Officers’ quarters
   • Guild offices and warehouses
   • Upper-class housing
   • Clean, orderly streets
3. The Commons (Ring 2, 6km width)
   • Market districts
   • Manufacturing workshops
   • Middle-class housing
   • Training grounds
   • Chapels and public buildings
   • Most populated district
4. The Foundries (Ring 3, 8km width)
   • Industrial zone
   • Smithies, foundries, factories
   • Airship construction yards
   • Workers’ housing (cramped but maintained)
   • Loud, smoky, productive
5. The Rim (Outer edge, 5km width)
   • Agricultural zones
   • Guard posts and watchtowers
   • Quarantine facilities
   • Training areas
   • Landing platforms for visiting airships
   • Lower-class housing

The Bulwark: - 30-meter stone walls circle the city proper (encompassing Core, Commons, and Foundries) - 8 major gates (heavily guarded, controlled entry) - Watchtowers every 200 meters - Siege weapons mounted at regular intervals (ballistae, catapults) - Guard patrols 24/7

Key Locations

The Citadel

Description: Fortified complex at island’s exact center, pre-Shattering military command center

Components: - Commandant’s Tower: 50m tall, serves as command post and Vask’s residence - War Room: Where military strategy is planned, heavily guarded - Officers’ Academy: Elite military training facility - The Vault District: Secure storage for weapons, gold, strategic supplies

Architecture: Brutal efficiency—stone and iron, minimal decoration, maximum defense

Access: Restricted to military personnel, Guild leadership, and invited guests

Atmosphere: Tense professionalism, constant activity, pervasive surveillance

Sky-Guild Hall

Description: Massive marble and iron complex adjacent to Citadel, architectural contrast of beauty and strength

Function: - Central Guild headquarters for entire Aetherium - Trade contract arbitration - Economic policy decisions - Merchant guild meetings - Banking and insurance services

Features: - Grand Trading Floor (echoing chamber where deals are made) - Contract Archive (every registered trade agreement in 200 years) - Guild-Master’s Offices (Elara Song’s personal domain) - Meeting chambers for Factor councils - Private auction rooms - Secure vaults (gold reserves, valuable artifacts)

Staff: 300+ Guild officials, clerks, guards, servants

Notable: The Guild Bell rings hourly, audible across entire city—reminder of who truly holds power

Current Tension: Guild and Military share power, but cooperation fraying

The Black Vault

Description: Legendary pre-Shattering armory beneath the Citadel

Contents (rumored): - Pre-Shattering weapons (superior metallurgy, lost techniques) - Astral Geometry weapons (magically enhanced) - Experimental prototypes (function unknown) - The Ironhold Blade (mythical sword said to cut through reality itself)

Access: Only Commandant Vask and two trusted officers know entry codes

Security: - 10-meter thick walls - Sealed by pre-Shattering locks (no one knows how they work) - Guard detachment outside 24/7 - Rumored to have autonomous defenses

Significance: Symbol of Ironhold’s military might, deterrent to potential enemies

Quest Hook: Multiple factions would pay fortunes for access or information

Training Grounds

Description: 2-hectare open-air arena in Commons district

Activities: - Military drills (daily) - Mercenary training programs - Combat tournaments (monthly, public spectacle) - Weapon testing - Recruitment demonstrations

Features: - Obstacle courses - Practice dummies (some mechanical, pre-Shattering tech) - Archery ranges - Zero-g combat simulator (at island’s edge)

Public Access: Viewing galleries allow citizens to watch

Atmosphere: Disciplined, impressive, intimidating

Recruiter’s Pitch: “Join the Guard. Three meals a day, steady pay, and you’ll never fall to the Rot on our watch.”

The Foundries

Description: Industrial district spanning Ring 3, heart of Ironhold’s manufacturing power

Operations: - Weapons smithing (swords, crossbows, armor) - Airship construction (3 shipyards) - Tool manufacturing - Metal refining - Steam engine maintenance (few working engines still exist)

Key Workshops: - Stonehand’s Forge: Master Blacksmith Garrick Stonehand can forge anything (for enormous prices) - Ironwing Shipworks: Builds Guild’s finest vessels - The Crucible: Experimental workshop for reverse-engineering pre-Shattering tech

Working Conditions: - Hot, loud, dangerous - 12-hour shifts standard - Decent pay by Aetherium standards - Workers form tight-knit communities

Notable: The forges never go cold—Ironhold produces continuously

Market District

Description: Organized, regulated markets in Commons district

Contrast with Skyport Eos: - More orderly, less chaotic - Fixed prices (no haggling—Guild sets rates) - Licensed vendors only - Guards patrol constantly

Goods Available: - Military surplus equipment - High-quality manufactured goods - Food imports (Ironhold has limited agriculture) - Raw materials - Guild-approved alchemical supplies

Atmosphere: Efficient, businesslike, slightly sterile

Motto: “Fair prices, fair treatment, enforced fairly”

The Chapel of the Forge

Description: Largest religious structure in Ironhold, dedicated to Constellation of the Forge

Leadership: High Priest Harmon Steelprayer (former blacksmith turned clergy)

Services: - Daily prayers (dawn and dusk) - Blessing of weapons and tools - Funeral rites for soldiers - Counseling (especially for veterans)

Congregation: ~2,000 regular attendees, mostly working class

Doctrine: Orthodox Clergy, emphasizes craftsmanship as divine service

Architecture: Built like a fortress—practical, solid, enduring

Significance: Only major institution not controlled by Guild or Military

Refugee Processing Center

Description: Fortified compound at Rim district near main gate

Function: - Screen incoming refugees - Medical examination (Rot testing) - Background verification - Skills assessment - Decision: admit, redirect, or deny

Process: 1. Initial quarantine (3 days observation) 2. Medical screening (invasive, thorough) 3. Interview by Guild officials 4. Skills test (those with valuable skills admitted) 5. Final approval by Military security

Acceptance Rate: ~15% (brutally selective)

Conditions: Sterile, uncomfortable, designed to discourage applicants

Current Situation: Massive backlog, tent cities forming outside walls

The Undervaults

Description: Pre-Shattering bunker system beneath city, mostly sealed

Known Sections: - Storage caverns (used by Guild for warehousing) - Old military barracks (converted to housing) - Maintenance tunnels (partially explored) - The Deep Sections (sealed, forbidden)

Rumors: - Contain pre-Shattering technology still functional - Some tunnels connect to other islands (dimensionally impossible but persistent legend) - Strange sounds heard from Deep Sections - Resistance movement uses them for secret meetings

Access: Restricted—permits required, heavily patrolled

Government and Politics

Dual Authority System

Structure: Shared power between Military Commandant and Guild-Master

Division of Responsibility: - Military: Defense, law enforcement, immigration control - Guild: Economy, trade policy, resource allocation - Joint: Major policy decisions, budget, foreign relations

How It Works: - Council meetings weekly (Vask + Song + senior officers/factors) - Consensus required for major actions - Each authority has veto power - Disputes resolved through negotiation (or power plays)

Current Tension: - Vask wants military expansion, pre-emptive strikes on Rot-infected regions - Song prioritizes trade stability, exploration for profit - Alliance cracking under incompatible visions

Commandant Theron Vask

Role: Supreme military commander, co-ruler of Ironhold

Age: 48
Background: Career officer, fought in Periphery campaigns, rose through merit
Personality: Authoritarian, pragmatic, genuinely believes strength = survival

Philosophy: “The Rot can be beaten. But only through discipline, sacrifice, and the will to do what others won’t.”

Policies: - Strict refugee screening (safety over compassion) - Mandatory military service (2 years for all able citizens) - Aggressive Rot containment (favors destroying infected islands) - Expansion of Ironhold’s military reach

Public Perception: - Respected by military and security-minded citizens - Feared by outsiders - Resented by those who value freedom over safety

Secret: Planning major military operation against The Murk region (unauthorized by Guild)

Guild-Master Elara Song

Role: Head of Sky-Guild, co-ruler of Ironhold

Age: 42
Background: Merchant family, brilliant economist, elected Guild-Master 8 years ago
Personality: Calculating, charming, ruthless when necessary

Philosophy: “Commerce is civilization. Trade routes are lifelines. Profit isn’t greed—it’s survival measured in coins.”

Policies: - Maintain trade network stability at all costs - Expand Guild influence to newly discovered islands - Fund exploration of Periphery (searching for pre-Shattering treasure) - Keep refugee situation from disrupting economy

Public Perception: - Admired by merchants and business-minded citizens - Seen as cold and greedy by working class - Respected by other settlements as reasonable negotiator

Secret: Funding private expeditions to forbidden regions, seeking lost Luminar Council archives

The Council of Factors

Composition: 12 senior Guild members advising Guild-Master

Role: - Propose economic policy - Oversee specific trade sectors - Arbitrate merchant disputes - Manage Guild operations

Notable Members: - Factor Markus Ironshield (manufacturing) - Factor Lyssa Cloudreach (airship trade) - Factor Oswin Brightcoin (banking)

Power: Significant—can override Guild-Master with unanimous vote (has never happened)

Law and Order

The Iron Guard: 1,500 professional soldiers

Structure: - Captain-General (reports to Vask) - 10 Captains (each commands 150 guards) - Squads of 10 (patrol units)

Equipment: Best in Aetherium - High-quality armor (chain mail standard, plate for officers) - Crossbows, swords, spears - Some pre-Shattering weapons (officers only)

Duties: - City patrols - Gate security - Riot control - Rot-Beast response - Criminal investigations

Reputation: Professional, disciplined, occasionally brutal

Crime Rate: Lowest in Aetherium (strict enforcement works, or else dissidents disappear)

Justice System

Military Tribunal: Handles serious crimes

Process: - Arrest → Investigation → Trial (three judges) - Guilty verdict = labor duty, exile, or execution - Appeals allowed but rarely succeed

Punishment: - Minor crimes: Fines, community service - Major crimes: Prison labor (quarries, construction) - Violent crimes: Exile (thrown off island edge) or hanging - Corruption/Rot: Immediate execution

Fairness: Actually more fair than most settlements (procedures followed, evidence required)

Economy

Manufacturing (60% of economy)

Primary Products: - Weapons and armor (highest quality in Aetherium) - Airships (Ironhold builds the best vessels) - Tools and industrial equipment - Textiles (especially uniforms, canvas)

Competitive Advantage: - Skilled workforce - Pre-Shattering foundries still operational - Organized production (Guild efficiency) - Quality control standards

Export Markets: Every major settlement buys Ironhold goods

Trade Administration (25% of economy)

Guild Operations: - Contract arbitration (neutral ground for disputes) - Banking services (secure vaults) - Insurance (airship losses, cargo protection) - Information services (trade route maps, market reports)

Revenue: Transaction fees, membership dues, service charges

Significance: Ironhold functions as financial capital of Aetherium

Agriculture (10% of economy)

Limited Production: - Grain (Rim district farms) - Vegetables (greenhouse agriculture) - Medicinal herbs

Insufficiency: Ironhold imports 70% of food needs

Strategic Vulnerability: Dependent on trade routes (especially from Windmere Farms)

Services (5% of economy)

• Military contracts (mercenary hiring)
• Training services (combat instruction)
• Repairs (airship, equipment)
• Entertainment (limited—taverns, theaters)

Military Capabilities

Standing Army

Size: 2,000 active duty + 3,000 reserves (militia)

Organization: - 1st Regiment: Elite guard (Citadel defense) - 2nd-4th Regiments: City defense - 5th Regiment: Airborne (board airships for defense/assault) - Specialist Companies: Engineers, scouts, siege weapons

Training: - 6 months basic (longer than most settlements) - Ongoing drills - Combat experience (Rot-Beast hunting, anti-piracy patrols)

Equipment Quality: Superior - Standardized gear (logistics advantage) - Regular maintenance - Access to Black Vault if necessary

Airship Fleet

Military Vessels: 30 warships

Types: - 10 Patrol corvettes (fast, lightly armed) - 15 Frigates (balanced combat ships) - 5 Battleships (heavily armed, slow)

Civilian Fleet (Guild-operated): 200+ merchant vessels

Capability: Can project power throughout Bright Reaches

Defensive Capabilities

Static Defenses: - The Bulwark (30m walls) - 200+ watchtowers - Siege weapons (ballistae, catapults) - Controlled access points

Active Defenses: - Constant patrols - Airship interceptor squadrons - Rapid response units

Rot Defense: - Quarantine protocols (ruthlessly enforced) - Early detection systems (alchemical sensors) - Cleansing teams (clergy + alchemists)

Vulnerability: Food supply dependency (blockade would be devastating)

Population and Society

Demographics

By Origin: - 70% native to Ironhold (born here or generations-long residents) - 20% immigrants (admitted for skills) - 10% military transplants (recruited from other islands)

By Social Class: - Elite (5%): Military officers, Guild leadership, wealthy merchants - Middle (35%): Skilled workers, junior officers, merchants - Working (60%): Laborers, soldiers, service workers

Age Distribution: - Children (0-15): 25% (high birthrate, encouraged) - Adults (16-40): 60% (working age emphasized) - Middle-aged (41-60): 12% - Elderly (61+): 3% (harsh conditions, life expectancy lower)

Literacy: ~50% (Guild runs schools for useful trades)

Notable Residents

Military Leadership

Commandant Theron Vask - Supreme military commander, hardliner, plans pre-emptive strike on Murk

Sky-Guild Leadership

Guild-Master Elara Song - Sky-Guild leader, pragmatic expansionist, secretly funds Periphery expeditions

Factor Marlena Swift - Guild Factor stationed in Skyport Eos, Elara’s agent pushing Guild takeover

Craftsmen & Engineers

Blacksmith Garrick “Stonehand” - Master smith, can forge anything, supplies military

Engineer Torven Ironhull - Storm-Sailor engineer (sends designs anonymously from Howling Expanse)

Visitors & Connections

Captain Jorah Ironwind - Regular visitor, runs Eos-Ironhold trade route

Social Structure

Rigid Hierarchy: 1. Joint rulers (Vask + Song) 2. Senior officers and factors 3. Guild merchants and military officers 4. Skilled workers 5. Unskilled laborers 6. Outsiders/refugees (barely tolerated)

Social Mobility: Possible through military service or commercial success

Class Relations: - Resentment from lower classes (feel exploited) - Elite justifies hierarchy as necessary for survival - Growing divide creating tension

Daily Life

For Elite: - Comfortable housing (pre-Shattering apartments) - Access to luxury goods - Political influence - Safety and security

For Workers: - Long shifts (10-12 hours) - Adequate housing (small but maintained) - Regular meals (rationed but sufficient) - Little leisure time

For Outsiders: - Suspicion and surveillance - Restricted access to city areas - Constant scrutiny - Fear of deportation

Culture and Atmosphere

Militaristic: Everything organized, scheduled, efficient

Pragmatic: Results matter, sentiment doesn’t

Proud: Citizens genuinely believe Ironhold is humanity’s best hope

Xenophobic: Outsiders viewed with suspicion (security paranoia)

Stratified: Everyone knows their place in hierarchy

Education

Guild Schools: - Basic literacy and arithmetic - Trade skills (apprenticeships) - Guild doctrine and economic theory - Age 6-14, then apprenticeship

Military Academy: - For officer candidates - Strategy, tactics, leadership - History, engineering, logistics - Age 14-18, highly selective

Clergy School: - Small independent school - Religious education, healing arts - Age 6-16, for those called to faith

Defenses and Security

The Bulwark

Specifications: - Height: 30 meters - Thickness: 10 meters at base, 5 meters at top - Material: Pre-Shattering reinforced stone - Length: ~40km circumference - Maintenance: Constant (repair crews employed full-time)

Gates: 8 major gates - Each 8 meters tall, reinforced iron - Guard contingent (50 per gate) - Controlled access (papers required) - Can be sealed in minutes

Watchtowers: 200 towers - Every 200 meters around circumference - Height: 40 meters (10m above wall) - Staffed 24/7 (4 guards per tower) - Communication: Signal flags, mirrors, horn codes

Rot Containment

Quarantine Protocols: 1. All arrivals screened (medical inspection) 2. Suspected corruption = isolation 3. Confirmed corruption = execution (no exceptions) 4. Contaminated goods = burned

Detection Methods: - Visual inspection (skin discoloration, eye changes) - Alchemical test (blood sample reacts to Rot-sensitive compounds) - Clergy blessing (corrupted individuals feel pain)

Cleansing Teams: - 10 specialized squads - Mix of clergy (sanctification) and alchemists (chemical treatment) - Respond immediately to suspected outbreaks

Effectiveness: Ironhold has never had major Rot outbreak

Cost: Harsh measures alienate other settlements, refugees

Threat Assessment

External Threats: - Rot-Beast attacks: Rare (defenses too strong) - Piracy: Minimal (fleet superiority) - Rival settlements: Potential conflict with Eos over refugees

Internal Threats: - Resistance movement: Growing - Vask-Song split: Could lead to civil conflict - Worker unrest: Harsh conditions breeding resentment - Food shortage: Dependency on imports is vulnerability

Current Situation (287 S.)

Major Challenges

1. Leadership Divide: Vask and Song increasingly at odds over Ironhold’s direction

2. Refugee Crisis: Thousands wait at gates, accepted rate dropping, humanitarian disaster brewing

3. Worker Unrest: Lower classes organizing, demanding better conditions

4. Resource Strain: Military expansion draining economy, Guild pushing back

5. Isolation: Other settlements view Ironhold as heartless, diplomatic relations fraying

Recent Events

6 Months Ago: Ironhold turned away 500 refugees from Rot-consumed island. They perished when their ships ran out of fuel.

3 Months Ago: Worker strike in Foundries suppressed by Guard. 12 killed, 50 imprisoned.

1 Month Ago: Vask proposed “Murk Campaign”—preemptive military strike on Rot-infected regions. Song vetoed. Vask appealing to Council.

Last Week: Resistance pamphlets appeared throughout lower districts: “Safety is not survival. Freedom matters.”

Tensions

Military vs. Guild: Fundamental disagreement over priorities

Elite vs. Workers: Class resentment at breaking point

Ironhold vs. Everyone: Other settlements resent Ironhold’s policies, wealth, power

Security vs. Humanity: Can Ironhold protect people by abandoning compassion?

Hope

Despite problems: - Ironhold is objectively safest place in Aetherium - Economic engine drives prosperity - Military strength deters threats - Organization and efficiency work

Question: At what cost?

Secrets and Mysteries

Vask’s War Plans

Secret: Commandant Vask secretly assembling strike force for unauthorized assault on Murky Chasm

Motivation: Believes Black Sky Cartel and Rot-Touched pose existential threat

Resources: Diverting military assets without Guild knowledge

Timeline: Plans to launch within 3 months

Quest Hook: If discovered, constitutional crisis. If successful, massive casualties. If fails, Ironhold left vulnerable.

The Deep Vaults

Secret: Sealed sections of Undervaults contain something alive

Evidence: - Guards hear movement - Strange lights visible through cracks - Seals are not keeping something out—they’re keeping something in

Theories: - Pre-Shattering experiment (AI, bio-weapon, dimensional rift) - Rot infiltration from below - Ancient creature imprisoned before Shattering

Vask’s Response: Increased security, refuses to investigate or discuss

Quest Hook: What’s down there? What happens if seals fail?

Song’s Expeditions

Secret: Guild-Master funding private exploration of forbidden regions

Goal: Find Luminar Council archives (knowledge = power)

Missions: - Periphery reconnaissance (searching for Nexus Spire ruins) - Deep Murk salvage (retrieving texts from Hollow) - Veiled Heights excavations (Star-Reader observatories)

Success Rate: Low (many expeditions lost)

Discovery Risk: If Vask learns Guild resources diverted to personal ambitions, political crisis

Quest Hook: Join expedition? Report Song? Steal findings?

The Resistance

Secret: Organized underground movement in lower districts

Goals: - Overthrow dual authority - Democratic governance - Open borders - Workers’ rights

Size: ~200 active members, ~1,000 sympathizers

Leadership: Unknown (cell structure)

Methods: Propaganda, sabotage, building parallel governance structures

Discovery: Guard knows it exists, can’t infiltrate effectively

Quest Hook: Join resistance? Infiltrate for authorities? Broker peace?

The Black Vault’s Guardian

Secret: Autonomous defense system still active in Black Vault

Nature: Pre-Shattering security AI or mechanical guardian

Capability: Unknown—no one has triggered it and survived to report

Vask’s Knowledge: He knows it exists, considers it final insurance policy

Legend: “The Vault protects itself. And if you’re inside when it decides you shouldn’t be, not even your bones will be found.”

Quest Hook: Multiple factions want Vault access—how to bypass guardian?

Quest Hooks

1. The Murk Campaign: Learn of Vask’s plans. Stop war? Support it? Exploit chaos?

2. Refugee Rescue: Help denied refugees survive in the camps, or smuggle them through gates

3. Underground Railroad: Work with Resistance to create escape routes for political prisoners

4. The Deep Vault Mystery: Investigate what’s sealed beneath city

5. Guild Heist: Steal valuable information from Sky-Guild archives

6. Labor Strike: Navigate worker uprising—support, suppress, or mediate?

7. Spy Games: Both Vask and Song recruiting informants against each other

8. The Black Vault Job: Attempt to penetrate legendary armory

9. Diplomatic Mission: Represent Ironhold in negotiations with Skyport Eos (try to repair relations)

10. The Foundry Sabotage: Someone is disrupting weapon production—resistance, foreign agents, or something else?

Related Topics

• The Bright Reaches - Region containing Ironhold
• Skyport Eos - Main rival settlement
• The Sky-Guild - Economic power based here
• Commandant Theron Vask - Military ruler
• Guild-Master Elara Song - Guild leader
• Blacksmith Garrick Stonehand - Master craftsman

In-World Document

Proclamation Posted at Every Gate

BY ORDER OF THE COMMANDANT AND GUILD-MASTER

IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT

Due to ongoing security concerns and resource limitations, entry to Ironhold is restricted to:

1. Licensed Sky-Guild merchants (papers required)
2. Diplomatic envoys (pre-approved)
3. Skilled workers with verified credentials and sponsor
4. Military recruits meeting physical and moral standards

Refugees without demonstrable skills or resources will be denied entry.

Medical screening is mandatory. Any signs of Rot corruption result in immediate denial and quarantine.

These measures are necessary to preserve the safety and prosperity of Ironhold’s citizens.

Complaints may be submitted in writing to the Refugee Affairs Office.

Processing time: 4-6 weeks.

—Captain-General Markus Ironshield
—Factor Council, Sky-Guild

“The walls keep us safe. That’s what we tell ourselves. But walls have two sides—they keep others out, but they also keep us in.”
—Anonymous graffiti, lower districts