Underdweller

Intro

The darkness that coated the underside of the mechanical city was horrible. The thick smog and constant polluted air made the typically clear sunny sky look grey and dirty. The deeper the levels, the less light penetrated the blackness of the smog, leaving level 4 in almost complete blackness. The only light offered in this putrid place was the run-down oil lamps that flickered with age along the sides of buildings. Everyone and everything was coated in thick black soot from the factories and clunky machinery that seemed outdated and over worked, the people trapped there coughed up the same blackness they were coated in, leading to poor health conditions and constant sickness.

This horrid environment was the slums of the city where the underdwellers roamed free, to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, without the worry of law systems. The slums were a fend for yourself type of chaos with no law set up for those who were less fortunate, there was no justice. Only murder and revenge for the fallen. That was quite common here...robbers sneaking into the poorly made shelters of old machine parts and cloth to murder a sleeping mother and her child simply for a place to sleep and food to eat. Starvation and illness clung to the air like an incurable plague. The streets were just dirt and puddles of black water, the buildings run down versions of the upper side's pristine architecture.

Crumbling bridges offered little to no transportation to the many levels of the slums. Ragged gears jutted out of the sides of these buildings and structures, holes filled the metal and stone from the drilling of desperate people, pipes broken off in jagged angles from looters who needed quick money. The only perks of the slums of Archedia was the black market and mercenary jobs, if you were good at those sort of things that it. It was a common profession in these streets, people hunting down others for money and looting anything they could to then sell off on the black market. Dirty robots roamed the streets, some still functioning while others were broken down on the side. The ones that did manage to function were broken and glitchy. The illuminated parts of their inter-phase were caked with dirt and grime, leaving their typical yellow lights a faded brown mess. The ones that no longer functioned were stripped of most of its vital and eye catching parts, which were long gone and already sold for a food or clean water. There was no fancy clothing here; everything was ragged and tattered, covered in holes and soot. There were no showers, everyone was filthy or covered head to toe in multiple layers of weeks or even months' worth of filth. The only forms of water were these rare occurrences of rain, but even then, it was acidic and corroded anything stone or metal.

On the flip side of things, the upper side of Archedia was a magnificent and beautiful city. Deemed the most beautiful city on the entire Aztechsia continent. It was the richest of all the cities, the one that received the most patronage from eager entrepreneurs and businesses looking to make a profit in its riches. The buildings were these enormous almost castle like structures made completely of moving mechanical parts that did things the mind couldn't even fathom. The robots that patrolled the streets shined against the afternoon sun, a series of multicolored lights resting in the top of its head. The screen that made up its face held animated expressions as well as instructions for anyone that asked, a type of interactive map of sorts.

The roads were nicely paved in level cobble stones that contrasted nicely with the shiny pale metals used in the buildings. Everyone was wearing the newest fashions, steam punk if you will. Women wore beautiful combinations of jewels, machinery, and fabrics that clung to their frame in rather flattering ways, the men wearing similar attire, fancy coats littered with metal buttons and accessories. Nice cars and carriages seemed to simply float on the surface of the street; the idle chatter seemed happy and easy going despite the suffering just below them. It seemed they were carefree without a problem in the world. The only time that peaceful serenity was disrupted was when an underdweller attempted to make their way upwards into the city.

King Alphore ruled over this city, many of the major cities on the eastern side of the continent. This reign was peaceful and diplomatic, but so were most new rulers who recently came into power. He was a kind and loyal ruler, often listening to the needs of his people and giving them a say in how the small kingdom was ruled; but when it came to the underdwellers, their cries fell on deaf ears. They were prosecuted for being in a place they didn't belong. Most of the people filling the jails of the Citadel were those poor souls who tried to get a better life, but despite the threat of jail, that never seemed to stop them from making the journey. Most were often apprehended by the guards around perimeter of the city's large walls, stopped before they could even begin. The constant patrol of guards made sure that everything stayed where it should be, or everyone stayed in their place. The outer wall overlooked the bridge that lead to the descent of the slums, giving guards a decent view of the first level where everything wasn't as bad. The lower the levels went, the worse crimes and suffering seemed to get. They were multiple walls within the city that divided the social classes of the districts within the city's boundaries.

Districts 1-5 were the power districts full of major companies, districts 6-10 were all crafting and agriculture, while the remaining 10 districts varied between different housing units and small locally owned shops. Sitting in the center of the city was the Citadel, which housed the king and his army. They were the law force that controlled the guards, the robots, and the people. The Citadel was the largest structure within the city, taller than the walls, and any other building that simply paled in comparison. It's metal and glass exterior reflected the sun's rays, making it almost glow with brilliance. It was the crown jewel of this city.