What do I think of cities? An interesting question for a gnome, since gnomes were specifically designed to live within nature. I have never lived closer to a city than in its greenest and least populated suburbs. To force a gnome to live within a paved city would be quite cruel.

  Even though I live contentedly within a nature sanctuary, I do spend time studying cities. After all, it’s necessary to understand this part of humanoid life in order to design a satisfying wild area for them. And to be honest, I enjoy a change from nature now and then, especially during long, cold winters. After a holiday surrounded by gnomes and other humanoids, I am delighted to return to the company of my sweet and shy animal friends.

  I do admit that cities are fun and exciting and quite enjoyable. I love feeling the life force and creativity of humanoids concentrated into areas of high energy and creativity. As the dreamers and doers on each world find out, there are so many contrasting ideas and needs in urban design. It’s very hard to balance old and new, young and old, traditional structures vs. towers of steel and glass. Every city has a different energy.

  And when I’m in a city, I vividly realize why time spent in nature is so valued by the city dweller. Living close together takes a lot of patience. Spending time in nature lowers stress levels and lets residents remember who they are: natural beings who need time to tend to the outdoor-loving, unrestricted side of themselves.

  Now a new type of city has become popular: a city in the clouds. Yes, a city that defies gravity and exists in the air, floating above a planet. It is called a cloud city or a sky city.

  I suppose it was inevitable that cities constantly growing upward have finally moved into the clouds. These new floating cities are made possible by a combination of magnetic forces and antigravity technology.

  Floating cities are designed to have residents live on the highest floors. These levels are wonderfully scenic and tranquil oases. Living so high above the ground makes residents feel like they are angels or even light beings. Such an elevated lifestyle is a profound experience.

  Ordinary business and social activities occur on the more crowded middle floors. Support services are placed discreetly on the lowest levels. Farming activities are accomplished through advanced hydroponics, which could be in the clouds or in an on-planet greenhouse zone.

  There is in fact a compelling reason to move planetary residents and their activities into a city elevated above a planet: It allows the planet below to return to its unspoiled natural state. It is the best solution to the dilemma of needing to house multitudes of people in limited space. After all, planets with clean, breathable air are not so plentiful that we can destroy them through carelessness. Planetary preservation efforts have become the highest priority in most universes.

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  Cloud cities didn’t come into their own until new technologies allowed the traditionally polluting industries around them to become clean manufacturing systems. A small part of the planet still has to be reserved for production of necessary items, but all of these industries are much cleaner. No more toxic leatherworking chemicals, no more poisonous plastic compounds, no more animal butchering wastes, no more metal smelting leavings. No dirt or pollution, just high-tech services to support the enjoyment of living in the sky.

  As the cloud cities grow and expand, each one becomes more unique.

  Some of the cities look old-fashioned, for a feeling of charm and familiarity. Medieval-inspired entertainment parks draw huge amounts of tourists. There are daring thrill rides and even extremely popular dragon coasters. Entire sky cities and even parts of the planets are designed as family vacation complexes.

  Some cloud cities are designed to appear as ultra-modern, gleaming towers. High tech corporations often have their headquarters in business-like facilities such as these. The top floors are designed to be city parks, so workers can easily take relaxing walks on sunny pathways weaving among trees and flowers.

  A few of the cities are very spiritual. They specialize in spa weekends and relaxing getaways. Participants gather in meditation circles at the very highest tops of the tallest towers. Serenity is broken only by the resonances of breezes moving through sound tubes, and the charming high-pitched vibrations of crystal bells. I tend to dislike random noises, but even I find these healing tones to be well-done and subtle enough to help pull my mind into deep meditation.

  Cities in the sky tend to run vertically as well as horizontally. They have openings to allow sunshine to stream through and not block too much light from the planetary surface. The push and pull of many construction shapes give the cities dramatic skylines.

  Designers have worked very hard to make actually living in cloud cities not just dramatic, but also a friendly and welcoming experience.

  A priority for planners is to avoid the “alone in a crowd” feeling that large cities can create. Distinct neighborhoods, open spaces with seating available to stop and chat, and convenient light rail systems set the scene for enjoyable humanoid interactions. In all of the cloud cities I’ve visited, chatting with fellow travelers and residents has made the trip special.

  An efficient sky city usually is only part of a well-run planet. Natural areas below are growing as they were meant to, with native plants needing minimal care. There are no zoos, just open areas where animals can live naturally. Humans enjoy the wide-open spaces and close interactions with large animals. Trips to the planet’s surface tend to be multi-day safari vacations.

  Most cloud city entertainment areas contain the usual swimming pools, bars, gambling pits and glamorous shows, but that doesn’t really interest me. I tend to skip right past these light amusements to the interesting activities. You know, looking at architecture, figuring out construction methods, evaluating landscape choices, enjoying well-planned spaces, trying restaurants, meeting gnomes and other beings, and viewing the plants and wildlife on the planet’s surface.

  I enjoy the contrast with my humble everyday life when I’m in a cloud city. While there, I’ve met other gnomes that hate winter as much as I do, and we’ve become friends. Jaal and I have vacationed with them on a few other cloud cities. There is nothing else like it.