Bellwright’s Quarry

The Bellwright’s Quarry is a large open expanse of gray stone cliffs where local craftsmen have carved ceremonial bells from the unique, acoustically resonant stone for hundreds of years. Nearly all of the region’s stone bells are made here and shipped to surrounding towns and cities in the North of the channel. The bells are valued for their rich artistry and penetrating tone but are known for their flaw: after being rung, the vibrations eventually cause the bell to shatter.
Deeper: The bells are not created with magic but with precise craftsmanship and tradition. Long ago, members of the Royal Family of Old Corrheo commissioned these great funeral bells, gilded in gold and adorned with jewels, at this quarry.
But in recent years, local superstition has held that the quarry is cursed due to flawed bells. Rumors abound of unexplained tremors and strange, distant sounds echoing from the cliffs at night. Workers fear staying late, believing that the tolls of shattered bells still resonate in the stone.
The Cradle of Bells is a massive, cleared section of the quarry where the carved bells are displayed before shipping - the air is always peppered with the dust of fresh-cut stone and the earthy smell of moss-covered rocks. The ground beneath feels slightly unstable. Wagons pulled by teams of oxen traverse carry newly carved bells up the old switchback road out of the quarry and up to the Cradle. Deep grooves carved into the road suggest that the bells were once transported using large, primitive sleds, leaving permanent scars on the quarry’s surface.
A local faction, angry that their town could not secure credit for a founding bell with the quarry, has begun sabotaging the bell production. The saboteurs blend in as workers and use natural quarry hazards to conceal their activities, such as causing rockfalls or tampering with scaffolding. They leave subtle marks on the stone, weakening the bells further to ensure their eventual shattering.
Bellwright Haltren Elric, son of the Foreman , is obsessed with maintaining the reputation of the quarry, desperate to complete a perfect bell that will not shatter. He tirelessly watches over the artisans, correcting even the slightest mistake.