: Fleeing their war-torn homes, thousands of magical beings have flooded into The Burgue as second-class citizens.
The series takes place seven years after the Republic of the Burgue withdrew from a war in the fae continent of Tirnanoc. This withdrawal left the mythical inhabitants—Faeries (Pix), Fauns (Pucks), Centaurs, and Trow—at the mercy of the brutal "Pact". Carnival Row [setup]
: "Carnival Row" was once a vibrant cultural hub where fae arts were celebrated; it has since decayed into a crowded, impoverished ghetto where "critch" (a derogatory term for creatures) are forced into servitude and crime. : Fleeing their war-torn homes, thousands of magical
To create this immersive world, the production team went beyond standard locations, choosing instead to build massive, tangible sets in Prague. : "Carnival Row" was once a vibrant cultural
The world of Carnival Row is a complex, neo-Victorian fantasy environment where industrial grit meets mythological wonder. Primarily set in the city of The Burgue, the "setup" involves a delicate social balance between humans and displaced magical refugees following a devastating war in the fae homelands of Tirnanoc. This backdrop serves as more than just a stage for mystery; it is an intricate dissection of prejudice, immigration, and class division.
: The city is a "neo-noir" blend of Victorian London and medieval European aesthetics, complete with cobblestone streets, industrial pollution, and a "no-fly zone" for faeries. Production Design: Building the Impossible