A (brief) introduction to Alt Coulumb

Alt Coulumb is the setting for two books in the Craft Sequence, and home to many of our POV characters. Seen first from the perspective of an outsider in Three Parts Dead, we get a much deeper insight into the city in its second appearance in Four Roads Cross.

Where is Alt Coulumb?

Alt Coulumb is a major city on the eastern coast of Kath, a large continent equivalent to North America. Alt Coulumb itself has been compared to New York City; however, there are strong connections to Washington DC, particularly in terms of city layout. It seems to be a city-state; in Northern Kath, at least, there is no central government.

What does Alt Coulumb look like?

Alt Coulumb is a city of gothic architecture, carved stone gargoyles, and buildings scarred by the aftermath of the God Wars.

As a coastal city it has a Waterfront district of warehouses and docks; the Sanctum of Kos stands in the centre of the city, with districts spreading out from a central point. This is what reminds me of Washington DC, which was built on a strict system of four quarters with addresses requiring ‘NW, NE, SW, SE’ after the street name to clarify where they actually are.

Four Roads Cross describes the layout of the city from the air:

Taking the city part by part, you could mislead yourself into believing it obeyed a higher logic: the Business District to the north had gridded streets and avenues, but fanning around the clockface that order broke to jags, as if the Sacred Precinct was a rock thrown through a window and the rest of the city the window’s shards.

Who runs Alt Coulumb?

As with all locations that we have so far seen in the Craft Sequence, there is no elected government in Alt Coulumb. The city is run by two forces in partnership: the Church of Kos, and the Temple of Justice. Justice, as evident in the name, controls the legal system in collaboration with the Court of Craft; Kos appears to be the centre of economics. The city is policed by Blacksuits, individuals that take on ‘shifts’ and become subsumed into the hivemind of Justice.

Kos is a quite literal god, with his church acting essentially as Wall Street. Justice is the reconstruction of Seril, a goddess who died in the God Wars, and who was Kos’ lover.

How do Craft and religious communities interact?

Alt Coulumb is a fairly unique city where the leading god - Kos - works closely in partnership with Craftsfolk. From the first introduction to the city it is clear this is unusual; its unique status is confirmed in later books. Kos remained neutral during the God Wars and thus was able to build relationships with the new world leaders who used the Craft.

Following Kos’s death in the first pages of Three Parts Dead, some Craft firms try to encroach further on the city to turn it into a Deathless Kingdom - that is, one ruled solely by Craftspeople.

What is the predominant culture of Alt Coulumb?

Much like the coastal cities of the eastern USA, the population of Alt Coulumb seems to largely descend from several waves of immigration. We learn in Dresediel Lex that there were cultures in Northern Kath ‘pre-contact’, equivalent to indigenous populations of the Americas. Much like in our world, many of these cultures were decimated by disease and war. It is not mentioned whether specific indigenous communities remain in Alt Coulumb.

Names often sound of English or Germanic origin - Abelard, Catherine, Gustave - with characters introduced in Four Roads Cross sounding more Italian and Irish - Rafferty, Sforza, Adorne. Again, this is a close equivalent to real world USA.

The population appears largely human (excepting some vampires and Craftsfolk), and predominantly but not entirely white (Tara notices people reacting to her darker skin tone, but not in a way that implies she is one of only a few people of colour).

What issues are faced by Alt Coulumb?

Similar to other locations in the Craft Sequence, there are issues related to wealth disparities and gentrification, and the balance between Craft and religion.

Alt Coulumb also faces crises of faith (which could lead to economic collapse) due to the death of Kos in Three Parts Dead