Hawkesbury

The Duchy of Hawkesbury is one of the largest states in the Central Region, second only to the Empire of Centralia. Centred around the titular capital of Hawkesbury, the Duchy is one of the most technologically advanced, anti-magic states in the whole world, focusing almost exclusively on steam-power and clockwork.

Due to extreme financial debts to the Empire of Centralia, Hawkesbury is currently the Empire's vassal, despite being more advanced, and perhaps more militarily powerful.

The Duchy
Outside of the city, the Duchy itself is fairly unremarkable. Most of the Duchy's terrain is made up of flat plains, crisscrossed by winding rivers. Small towns dot the landscape, linked by 'railcrawlers', huge, uncivilised machines that belch steam and travel on brass tracks across the countryside.

The City of Hawkesbury
The City of Hawkesbury itself is what is truly remarkable about the Duchy. The City is built in the caldera of an extinct volcano, the top of which is at sea level. One quarter of the volcano's bowl has fallen, leaving the centre open to the sea. The deep curve of the water-filled cauldron has created an easily defensible port. The city itself is layered in tiers up the inside of the cauldron:
 * First, the Waterfront, which is the innermost district. Many warehouses, shipyards and piers are here.
 * The Lower Town, which is behind the Waterfront. This is the poorest and largest area of the city, full of slums, residential areas, factories, gambling halls and bars.
 * The Middle Town is above the Lower Town, higher up the slope of the bowl. The Middle Town is much cleaner and more pleasant, with around half of the population. The Middle Town is crowded with small businesses, machine-works, and contains the railcrawler stations that lead out into the Duchy. These railcrawlers travel through tunnels in the mountain rock, and are used by the common people.
 * The Upper Town is truly glorious, with pavings of imported with stone, and with steam-driven cars a common sight. This is where the rich of Hawkesbury reside, in large, stately townhouses of grey stone, with brass roof-tiles and uniormly painted red doors. There are overland railcrawler stations for the well-off to retreat to their country homes.

Travel between the areas is highly regulated, and when climbing the bowl there are a series of funicular carriages, pulled by steam engines, which are easily accessed - if you have the right permit.
 * Finally, the Ridge. The Ridge is the very crest of the bowl, and has the best view out over the sunny lands of the Duchy. Access to the Ridge is limited to scholars, nobles, and Hawkesbury's armed forces. This level contains Hawkesbury University, which teeters out over the sea, the Great Lighthouse, which also serves as the military headquarters of the Duchy, and the Duke's Palace, a comically opulent building filled to bursting with clockwork conviences and traps.