You hold within your hand, gentle reader, the third edition of Journeys Through the Steam, a travelogue- no, I’ll not say travelogue. What a paltry term for the tome has consumed seven years (and what more suitable number?) of my life in the making. No, you hold in your hand a child of my heart. Regardless of such pedantic quibblings, you hold what is considered, I say with much pride, the finest of references regarding the fabled City. I have risked life, limb, and sanity (and frankly I still am not certain that I escaped with all three intact) to obtain the knowledge and wisdom contained within, and I beg the gentle reader to treasure this book, should he or she ever find their way to the city.

One might ask when reading this tome, “What is The City? Where is it? Why do I care to read of it?” Sensible questions, if hard to answer.

What is it? Simply put, The City is the greatest city in the world.  It covers roughly as much area as the cities of Chicago and New York put together , and entirely covers seven large islands and quite a few small islets in the Sea of Shadows, the islands joined by colossal bridges of alchemically treated brass and polished marble that are lined with statues of ancient heroes and long dead Emperors.  Its greatest tower, the Lordspire that projects from the top of the Imperial Palace, reaches some half a mile into the sky, occasionally threatening low-hanging clouds.

It is Victorian London as seen by Jules Verne, the Forbidden City shown in a truly fantastic Wuxia film, medieval Baghdad viewed through the lens of a Thousand and one Nights, and some city of wickedness from Conan the Barbarian seen through a veil of nostalgia and marijuana.  It is the City of Cogs and Blades, a bustling metropolis of brass and stone, a smog-shrouded haunt of undreamed of wonders and a glittering hive of unimaginable horrors.

It is simply called the City.

Where is it? Everywhere and nowhere.  Beyond the farthest stars, and only the thickness of a cats whisker from you now sit, stand, lie, or crouch. In dreams you’ll find it, try to walk there and you’ll only wear your legs down to the bone. On the other hand, such travels broaden the mind, so be my guest, do go look for it. You’ll not find The City, but many other wonders of the mundane world will make themselves known to you, and…

Ah, but I digress.

I think the time has come to bring the preface to a close, my dear reader, and allow you to dive headfirst into the dream that is The City. Remember to pack your goggles, the smog can etch steel!

I remain, dear reader, forever yours,

Professor J. Brandius Alzhar.