Worldbuilding June Day 2: Irongate

Jen and Tenley’s hometown, Irongate, lies within a valley surrounded by rolling hills and dense forest.  Lake Temesis lies to the south-west.

Originally a mining settlement, the town itself was built around a steel mill.  But by the 1960′s the industry was in crisis as the mines were running dry.  The town was saved however by the construction of Irongate University (at the same time as the university was built, a lighthouse was moved brick by brick from the coast and placed in the hills, meant to symbolise lighting the way to knowledge and freedom from ignorance.  But the residents complained that it kept them awake and the lighthouse fell into disuse and by the twenty first century was mostly forgotten).  Some time later a number of research and technology companies were attracted to the town.

The steel mill was demolished and on the site of it there is now a nightclub, simply called The Mill.  At the very center of the town is a park with a large pond where you can rent paddle boats (the park also has the last pay phone left in town).  The town has a convention hall called The Kosinski Center.

There are several schools, such as St. Clarions.  There is also a local radio station which provides music, news, and Lionel Baker’s

Mystifying Yarns

(a show about the paranormal).  The town also has many small businesses including the Oshiro family’s general store and Madame Lumina’s (a spiritual shop named after a medium who was mysteriously murdered in her home.)