Stonebreach
The third layer of Highhelm, beneath King's Crown and King's Heart, and above the Depths, Stonebreach is named for the only entrance to Highhelm by road. It is a place where dwarven farmers and cleaners live side-by-side with merchants and traders from distant lands. Breachers, as the locals call themselves, take pride in this. They see Stonebreach as a crossroads between the surface and the rest of Highhelm. The residents are a bit more open and less traditional than those in the rest of the city.
The dwarves of Stonebreach are those who work essential but less visible or glorious jobs. They take pride in their work but are also defined by their interests when the workday is over. Combined with the steady stream of travellers coming through the district to and from the rest of Highhelm, the layer is usually humming with some sort of activity, no matter the time of day.
Part of Stonebreach's energy comes from the Roundabout, its central market. The market has not closed in over a century, apart from the daily trading pause at blacknoon. The merchants here are primarily non-dwarves who live in Breachborn, the district immediately adjacent to the market. Unlike other Breachers, Stonebreach’s merchants and traders tend to spend their downtime enjoying the fruits of their labours. Highhelm is a trade-friendly city, and the allowances made for noncitizens who bring, sell, and trade goods from the surface combined with Stonebreach’s cheaper housing and goods give them the means to live in relative luxury. This does not go unnoticed by the rest of Stonebreach, where residents live on much tighter margins. Dwarven Breachers call the stark difference between themselves and the merchants with access to money and resources “the waydown,” and fluctuate between finding it a necessary evil to accept and an oppressive reality to rebel against.
Demographics
While one-quarter of Highhelm’s population lives in Stonebreach (approximately 10,000 in 4711 AR and 10,250 in 4723 AR), a third of the district is made up of residents without any dwarven ancestry, primarily concentrated in the neighbourhoods of Spilldown and Breachborn. These species primarily include humans, half-elves, and gnomes, but also with smaller populations of catfolk and kobolds living life in the district’s shadows.
These numbers only include permanent residents—those who have lived in Highhelm for at least a full year. Given Stonebreach’s position at the entrance to Highhelm, and the number of traders and travellers who pass through on any given day, it often seems as if the split between dwarven and non-dwarven populations is more equal, and as if the district has closer to 16,000 residents than its official count.
Districts
Stonebreach is in a unique position in Highhelm in that there is a lot of available space in the mountain for it to grow larger if need be. However, for now, Stonebreach has settled on its current size and has divided itself into numerous neighbourhoods, some of which are listed here, though the possibility of a large layer and new neighborhoods is never one that leaves the mind of Breachers.
Bonerun
Known for the straight talk and toughness of its residents, Bonerun is the best place in Highhelm to find services like barbering, tattooing, and non-artisan repairs, though most of its residents work in sanitation or at the grindlegrub pits.Breachborn
Any merchant who wants to put down roots in Stonebreach usually ends up settling in Breachborn, the hub of residential life for non-dwarves in Stonebreach.Dying Range
Officially, the Dying Range is an abandoned tanning and textiles district blocked off by Highhelm officials after it became overrun by subterranean monsters. In reality, the hasty retreat of the residents left the district filled with abandoned valuables, salvageable by anyone willing to brave the Dying Range’s dangers.Etcherie
Home to the Vanderholl clan hall, and widely considered to be the heart of Stonebreach, it tends to house those who are more influential within the Ironhilt clans and is generally perceived to be full of staunch traditionalists.Spilldown
Spilldown, one of the two neighbourhoods on either side of the Roundabout Market where most non-dwarves in Highhelm live, is primarily filled with lodging halls and converted homes that rent rooms to short-term visitors.The Warrens
The small utilitarian dwellings of the Warrens were initially carved into the walls of Stonebreach to house workers during Highhelm’s construction, but today they’re home to a thriving community of artists.Points of interest
Bloodknuckle Crib
Though Highhelm doesn’t have its own large coliseum or arena, organized brawling is a popular sport. The city’s most talented martial athletes regularly convene in a derelict guild house called Bloodknuckle Crib. Billed as an elite underground fighting school, the group functions as more of a disorganized wrestling club. It’s nominally overseen by the intimidating and tight-lipped orc, Oxkon Titan Killer, whose main role appears to be ensuring that no one dies in the middle of a training exercise.Clamber
Clamber is the first glimpse many visitors to Highhelm get of the size and scope of the city. This public square is only the bottom level of the site of the original tunnel into Emperor's Peak after the Quest for Sky. A glance upwards at the right angle reveals some of the majesty of its upper levels in King's Heart and King's Crown. Alternatively, this is a way down into the tunnels of the Depths. Clamber is more utilitarian than grand, kept mostly clear of adornment. It serves as a thoroughfare for people moving between Highhelm's levels. It is also a place where Breachers gather for festivals, celebrations, and the annual Breacher's Brawl (a competition in which 100 bare-knuckle contenders face off, each trying to throw their fellow fighters into the wall).Clips
No self-respecting Highhelm district would be complete without a barber shop or two, and Clips is widely considered to be the best in Stonebreach. Lead “hair sculptor” Lakin Jaberil remembers every client who has ever come through their doors and creates an atmosphere so welcoming that Clips is known as much for its lively conversation as its precise hair and beard styles. Many clients hang around after their appointments to hear local gossip, including Fightbreakers looking for ways to defuse brewing conflicts in the area. Lakin will not betray anything explicitly shared as a confidence, but has been known to loudly gear the conversation towards a recent issue to bring it to everyone’s attention.Common Goods
While technically a Clan Breakiron workshop, Common Goods has largely been forgotten by the innovative clan, as it focuses on simple inventions that improve everyday life. Workshop manager Danila Kenn has never had any ambitions of great discoveries, instead holding regular fix-it fetes where anyone in Stonebreach can share a small annoyance that they think could be solved through the development of a new tool or substance. Danila adds these to a running list of challenges tackled by her team—a group of volunteers with no real training in alchemy or engineering who enjoy tinkering in their spare time.The Drop
This large aquifer draws most of its water from the Endless Reservoir in King’s Heart, though countless tunnelling projects have also exposed other subterranean sources of water that are redirected here. While the grotto in the centre of the Drop is the main source of water for Stonebreach, the cavern is known as much for its acoustics as its aquifer. Artists from the Warrens regularly use it as a performance space for the creative free-for-alls they call Expressions, which range from poetry circles to communal dances.Gelderon Green
As befits the clan responsible for producing the majority of Highhelm’s food, the walls of the Gelderon clan hall surround a working farm. While the Green doesn’t produce food on the scale of the farms that its members take care of during their working day, it provides space for experimentation, and is often where new crop varieties and soil enhancements are developed. For those clan members who prefer not to be involved in farming during their downtime, the Green also has a well-tended garden space for contemplation that’s open both to those in the clan and the general public, though non-members who choose to visit must do a planting or harvesting shift in return.Lasthall
Lasthall is the only clan hall that’s open to anyone, without restrictions, whether they are a clan member or not. The former inn and tavern, which once primarily provided sanctuary for the dwarves of this clan of last refuge, has now become a trade school of sorts under the guidance of new clanleader, Adessa Lasthall, though the upper-level rooms are still reserved as temporary lodging for dwarves who are far from their homes or have no homes left to return to. The only exception are those dwarves banished from their clan. If such a dwarf petitions for adoption into Clan Lasthall, Adessa does her best to investigate the dwarf’s situation and determine whether or not to admit them. In cases of banishment due to behavioural issues, Adessa tries to put the petitioner in contact with support before formally adopting them. In cases of murder, treason, and other dangerous crimes, even Adessa knows to keep her own clan safe.The Mercantile
Non-dwarves may not have clans, but for Stonebreach merchants, the Mercantile is the next best thing—a place to talk shop and make connections with their peers. Located in the upper level of the sumptuous home owned by Saira Bizzilin, a semi-retired gnome merchant, the Mercantile also serves as an unofficial bank, lending money to any members who need support. Those who do not promptly repay their loans find their shops flooded with customers long enough to make what they owe, then struggle to bring in any additional sales, a testimony to the Mercantile’s power.The Mighty Badger
Although not as well known as other barber shops like Clips, this combination barber shop/tavern has been rapidly growing its clientele in recent years. While waiting for barber Samgar Trotter to get to them or just to hang out afterwards, clients can enjoy local brews and food served by Sam's daughters, Roxy and Jorji.Roundabout Market
The Roundabout Market, which takes up most of the cavern surrounding the main entrance to Highhelm, is most visitors’ first and last stop in the city—a place to lighten the load at the end of a long journey or stock up on needed items before heading out on new travels. Most of the permanent stores that occupy the stone buildings along the market’s walls focus on the needs of travellers, selling food and drink, common supplies, local maps, and other useful items for journeying. Rarer and more specialized goods can be found at one of the many shop stalls in the centre of the market, but finding the right one can be a challenge. Merchants are assigned to a new stall position each month and there are no official maps of their locations, making it easy to get lost in the market’s winding paths. The ever-shifting Roundabout Market layout has led to several alliances between merchants who attempt to steer their customers to allies’ shops after making a sale. For those who prefer unbiased information about where to shop or are in a hurry, the best approach is usually to hire a local market guide near the Roundabout Market’s entrance.Starlight Inn
Non-dwarves don't often speak of it, but many who spend long amounts of time in Highhelm commonly feel what they describe as "longing for sky". Starlight Inn offers the next best thing: rooms that use a combination of thieves’ grass, breatherwall lichen, and hand-carved decor to create the illusion of being under the night sky.Vanderhall
The members of Clan Vanderholl may at times go unnoticed in their roles as cleaners, haulers, and manual labourers, but their legendary after-hours bon vivant is reflected in Vanderhall, their sprawling and lively home. Vanderhall was once a single building, but the clan acquired several surrounding structures over the years and connected them with a series of stone paths, which are often filled with clan members late into the night. Clan members are encouraged to leave the worries and weariness of the day behind when passing through any of Vanderhall’s many doors, and complaints are generally confined to quick whispers on these open-air pathways.Natural Resources
Local Flora
Lovebites’ red blossoms can be found along the edges of lesser-travelled Stonebreach paths. While their beautiful petals sting the hand when touched, they can be distilled into the sweet drink that shares their name, often offered to a prospective partner to show a willingness to brave the pains of love. Thieves’ Grass, a colourless variant of the lichen used to make breather walls, traps and absorbs both light and sound, making the rooms it grows in dim and partially soundproof. Able to spread quickly on stone walls and floors if uncontrolled, Thieves’ Grass is often planted in places where privacy is paramount. Dark grey mushrooms called smokebulbs, prized for their robust flavour and lingering spiciness, are cultivated throughout Stonebreach, where the lack of natural light helps them to thrive. Many Breachers have a private patch, grinding them at home to make the common table spice dark pepper.Local Fauna
Scrabblers were first introduced to Highhelm by builders who used the rodents’ tunnelling skills to check the soundness of potential new excavations. Unfortunately, they proved impossible to eradicate afterwards, becoming both a nuisance and a threat to the integrity of existing cave structures. Sun owls are one of the only natural predators of scrabblers, and are thus well-liked by Breachers. Several nest in sections of the Warrens, creating an eerie effect as their glowing eyes light up empty rooms. A few local artists have thought to use this in their creative work, but the owls refuse to follow commands, leading to the local expression “stubborn as a sunbird.” The small ground bats known as leafliers are most often found roosting in piles in the corners of Stonebreach caverns. While they appear to be clutter when still, they move rapidly once disturbed and are sometimes stirred up by pickpockets looking to distract potential marks.Maps
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Stonebreach
Inhabitant Demonym
Breacher
Location under
Talking The Talk
Like many places, Stonebreach has a lingo all its own. Common phrases include the following. "Carve what you can."A shortened version of the saying, “You carve what you can of the stone you’re given.” A reminder to make the most you can of life, whatever happens. "Highhilt"
Arrogant. Usually used for someone who is putting on airs, as they might if they were from a Goldhilt clan. "Leaflier’s nest"
A distraction of some kind. Usually a warning of literal leaflier nests used as distractions by thieves, but people are also warned to keep to their tasks and avoid getting metaphorically “trapped in a leaflier’s nest.” "Market line"
A winding story or excuse meant to confuse the listener. Believed to originate from the impossibility of walking a straight line through Roundabout Market without being sold something. "Sunbird"
Someone who refuses to take direction, even if it would be to their benefit. Comes from the near impossibility of training sun owls. "The waydown"
Personal or communal struggle caused by external forces. Generally used in reference to issues caused by the difference in Breacher and merchant quality of life. "You can’t hold on to an open song."
The phrase is common among musicians in Stonebreach and refers to the idea that once you start singing, others are likely to join you. It’s a reminder that collaboration is important and the mere act of creating art is an invitation to cooperation or even criticism. It’s also a warning that once an idea becomes public, anyone can use the idea as they wish, for good or for ill.
The Fightbreakers
The official city watch of Highhelm is the Emperor's Watch. However, most Breachers view the Emperor’s Watch with something between suspicion and outright enmity, feeling that they prioritize merchants’ needs over the well-being of those who call Stonebreach home. In lieu of bringing any problems they have to the Stone Officers, most Breachers rely on Fightbreakers, who can be identified by their distinctive tattoos and who respond to disputes and minor crimes using a strict code of conduct. Though the full code is known only to those who join the group, it generally divides conflicts into three phases—whisper, strike, and echo—and has Fightbreakers respond accordingly. Those who focus on whispers keep their ears to the ground, attempting to defuse situations the moment an annoyance becomes a full-fledged dispute; strikers intervene if violence breaks out to prevent injuries; and echoes deal with the aftermath of conflict, helping victims seek recompense and aggressors make amends in order to prevent repeated clashes.Stalwart Defenders
Highhelm is considered the unofficial headquarters of the Stalwart Defenders, the most experienced and accomplished of whom reside in Stonebreach and the Depths. Here, they pass on their experience to students seeking to become stalwart defenders. The instructors take on pupils of any ancestry or background and show no favouritism, for a single cracked stone weakens an entire wall. Daily exercises include stopping rolling boulders by hand, jogging laps around the city in full armour, and a challenge to prevent small animals from slipping past a warrior’s guarded stance. Military forces from across the Inner Sea sponsor candidates to Highhelm for this instruction, despite the rate of washouts being high.Defender's Refrain
The dwarven combat style known as stalwart defender traces as far back as the Quest for Sky, though it’s likely much older. The training involved is as much mental as physical, making use of mantras and war songs to instill the proper frame of mind. Below is an example of one such refrain. To rubble, cliff, and stone,Guard our people to the old home
’Neath distant stars I’ll lie
When we finally see the sky
The earth serves as my anchor
I weather each foe with rancour
No heart less than stout ours,
Shall carry through the passing hours.
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