Pestlehaven

Fifty songs ago, the agricultural district of Pestlehaven was established off a large rootway to the east of the Underfall. This was a municipal project intended to provide Rootdwellers with work through community fungus farms and increase threadgrass production. Threadgrass grows symbiotically with the Evertree as beds of white, thread-like fungi. Though it resembles grass, threadgrass is actually the visible part of a huge fungus that extends far outside the tree. Colonies of this fungus help aerate the earth surrounding the Evertree's roots, allowing the mighty tree to take in more nourishment from the soil. In Song 723, Avium alchemists discovered that threadgrass could be used as a potent reagent in healing tinctures, alleviating everything from stomach pain to headaches. The tough threadgrass must be pounted in a pestle and mortar before it can be used in this way, giving Pestlehaven its name.
Though the Pestle haven project was initially a success, the resulting drop in the price of threadgrass caused the farmers to see little return on their labor. After a few bad years, many farmers had to stop operations. Many plots were abandoned. Now, having been left unattended for decades, these abandoned farms are overgrown fungal jungles. They are home to dangerous creatures and hazardous invasive fungi, which pose a risk to travelers.
Few honest fungus farmers remain in Pestlehaven, living in scattered homes throughout the cavernous fungus fields. However, the threadgrass insustry has naver truly recovered from its crash. Some farmers have been leaned on by the Theives' Guild to grow illicit fungi that can be made into poisons or other dangerous concotions. The district has since gained a reputation for being the hub for organizaed crime in the city.