The Water City is situated in the southwest corner of the continent and is the richest and most populous of the cities. The climate is beautiful and the city is built just off the coast of an island at the edge of the continental shelf. The area is rich in fish and other wildlife, including significant coral reefs and, critically, Tralaticon Isle.
The Water City has always been the most prosperous of the three Conduit Cities due to its control of Tralaticon Isle and a powerful navy built with that wealth. The discovery of direct conveyance technology arguably benefited them the most. Now there is more demand than ever for tralaticon, but the vast excesses of energy make many other things possible. In the last few years, the skill of their artisans and blacksmiths has reached new heights after the application of gilding techniques to underwater construction.
Element gilding technology is rapidly expanding the Water City and is revolutionizing underwater construction. Steel imbued with water is gilded onto an existing piece of steel, say a beam or other supporting piece, effectively making it immune to the corrosive effects of salt water. This technique requires skill and precision to pull off, but requires far less material, especially tralaticon, to produce a product. A normal steel beam can be gilded with Water-imbued steel and have the same protection as if the entire beam was made of Water-imbued steel. The details of this process are a closely guarded secret, but knowledge of its existence means it is only a matter of time before others discover it.
This has changed the entire face of the city in recent years. Before the city was partially floating on massive pontoons and partially supported by giant columns bored into the shallows, now underwater construction is booming. Many new structures are being placed on the continental shelf and near coral reefs, affording tremendous views due to the warm, clear water.
The clarity of the water is thought to be due to Tralaticon Isle and the significant coral reefs ringing the city. The reefs structures are a maze and dangerous to ships, so every ship not bearing the flag of the Water City needs to have a pilot on board to lead them through the treacherous waters. Foreign pilots can pass a test at significant expense to avoid these fees and are highly sought after by the other two cities. They are given a personal flag to fly under their city’s and are excluded from the pilot requirement.
Due to the endless bobbing of the City, the rail connection is on land just to the north of the city. There is a decent sized city there catering to travelers and those waiting to board the busy trains. There are also many warehouses storing goods for transport either down to the massive docks or for loading onto the cargo trains for shipment across the continent. This is the busiest rail station on the continent because it is between the other two cities and nearby is the largest port and center of commerce on the continent.