Government
Parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Commons has about 300 MPs, who are elected to represent their various constituencies. The party with the most MPs was the ruling party. The House of Lords is made up of hereditary peers (noblemen) life peers, and bishops and archbishops. The nobility are known as the Lords Temporal, and the Bishops as the Lords Spiritual.
When the House of Commons votes to make an act law, it has to be passed by the Lords too. If the Lords vote against a bill, then it is thrown out and has to be presented again in the next parliamentary session.
Local law enforcement patrol all sectors of the city and carry a variation of swords, batons and .38 firearms. They are normal humans.
Currency
Man.
Gon.
The currency is split up into coins and notes, Gon & Man.
Notes are called Man and are based off of ema. They are thin, rectangular wooden planks about 2cm thick and 12cm long. Their value is carved into the wood & inked.
1Θ (Man) is equal to $1.00
There are ema made in denominations of:
1Θ - $1.00
2Θ - $2.00
5Θ - $5.00
7Θ - $7.00
The coins are called Gon and look like the Japanese Ryo, and are about 10-15cm long. Depending on the quality of gold they are made out of they have different values imprinted into the metal.
1両 (Gon) is equal to $10.00
There are coins made in denominations of:
1両 - $10.00
5両 - $50.00
10両 - $100.00
Often times both Man and Gon are kept on metal keyrings where they can be easily carried (as they both have small holes punched in the top). Alternatively they are carried in small pouches.
Districts
The city of Accord is split up into several districts, each with their own sort of look and feel to them--but all structures share a very similar inward appearance.
Harbor District
The Harbor is where all goods imported by sea arrive. There are only three large steam-powered vessels used for this purposes, and often only one or two are ever in port at the same time. Much more common are small boats capable of some distance, though most are used in the local fishing industry.
Directly above the harbor is the Airship Dock.
Trade District
The trade district.
This is where almost all forms of commerce take place. If it isn't illegal, it can be found here. All manner of items can be found here: raw materials such as linens, wood, herbs, spices, ingredients for tonics, fresh vegetables, ingots, etc. Portable restaurants built onto boats are common, as are the presence of gondola.
There is a float market available near the harbor but most of the main trade connects with the Industrial and Arts districts. Almost all produce and exotic goods pass through the Trade district (unless they are of a less-than-legal quality) and every day brings a new shipment of things to purchase. Very rarely do merchants run out of stock.
An avenue of antique stores line the area closest to the Arts and Red Light districts.
Arts District
The arts district, including the Tram.
The arts district.
Everything from plays and musicals to street performances and art showings are done in this district. Much like the Red Light district is carries a very Asian feel to it and tends to be a bit greener than its Industrial counterpart. Much of the population in this area is heavily diversified and entertainment caters to all ages.
Productions and music performed here vary from all origins; it is not uncommon to see an opera one day and a Noh the next. Musicals and recitals, both dance and musical, are other frequent venues which one can attend.
Located here is also a large Carnival complete with a Ferris wheel, games, and rides. It is attached to the largest casino in all of Accord, the only legal establishment of its kind.
The Arts district connects to both the Red Light and Trade districts.
Red Light District
The red light district.
The red light district.
A district designed entirely for sin, vice and pleasure the Red Light district caters almost exclusively to adults (with the exception of over-eager adolescents). It is not meant to be child-friendly.
Though the city's police force has attempted to crack down on it, gambling, both legal and illegal, can be found here.
Whore houses, exotic theaters, bars and opium dens riddle the area and provide a fertile area for revenue.
All forms of prostitution are regulated by the local government and as such the practice has been limited to the red Light district only; if practiced or services offered in any other district it is considered an offense and both parties must pay a hefty fine.
The sale of narcotics is permitted only for medicinal use; usage in opium dens is considered illegal although there are many establishments that operate this sort of service anyway.
Similar to the Slums' Night Market, the Red Light district has a secretive market that deals explicitly in exotic drugs, wares, and contraband. These goods are of a higher quality and generally more expensive.
Slum District
The slums.
Connected to both the Red Light and the Industrial districts, the Slums are the definite "low-class" area of the city. Here is where the impoverished and grungy live. Bars and seedy dives perfect for crime serve as a breeding ground for all manner of things unlawful. Certain areas are worse than other of course; it does contain areas for the young to receive education and does have a series of clinics and a soup kitchen, but it is not typically the place one wants to linger late at night in the rain.
The Slums connect close to the harbor and sea; many in the area who work honestly are involved in the fishing and seafood industry. A small Night Market operates on the weekend and sells all manner of contraband...and not just from the city of Accord itself. Rumor has it that trinkets and ingredients from other worlds can be found there as well. The Night Market operates only on Fridays and Saturdays, and is never in the same place twice.
Industrial District
The industrial district.
The industrial district.
The Industrial district is where all manner of goods are produced. It is a fairly large district located both next to the coastline and the Trade district. The streets here are lined with steamworks, tinkerers, blacksmiths, chimney sweeps, boiler rooms, gadget shops--you name it. Metalworking is a major part of the area; think Rush Valley from FMA (but obviously more steampunk).
There are also a series of jewelcrafting, textile and alchemical workshops in the area which are responsible for producing the vast majority of jewelry, silks and linens, and tonics. Almost all clinics are supplied by these alchemy labs.
Middle District
Vroom
Upper District
Vroom
Points of Interest
Gardens
Tram
The tram.
There is a small, electric tram that runs over the water of all area beneath the Middle district. It runs along main water lines and stop just before the harbor. There is a B-line that goes straight to the Industrial district where the factories are.
The gardens.
These public gardens are located at the edge of the Arts district and connect to the Middle District. Here the community comes together to plant vegetables, herbs, grow ginseng, flowers, and tend to the koi fish that live in the ponds.
People are welcome to help themselves to whatever grows here, but it is considered custom to return the favor by planting something anew.
Aqueducts & Sewers
The aqueducts.
There is an intricate system that flows through the city's lower district starting at the harbor and proceeding under the rest of the Middle & Upper districts. Made mostly of cobble stone, it gradually becomes more intricate and opens up into a series of Gothic-style architecture. If one travels far enough and deep enough into the labyrinth of passages eventually they will emerge into the ruins of a civilization long forgotten, left to crumble in the woods.
The Middle & Upper districts receive water via steam pump and contain several fountains.