The Hollow Mines

Beneath the city of Meuclont is a large mining project which reaches deeper and deeper every day. The name, Hollow Mines, is a slang term for the several mine shafts created by the different mining companies. The Hollow Mines are a maze of tunnels and caverns which expand all throughout the island the city rests on. That is the general rumor for the mines, in truth the mines only extend a short way into the sky island. They are still vast, however.
The mines are full of sound from the workings of the mine and several mine shafts have been closed off due to several dangers. Occasionally, mining automatons go rogue and become rippers. These are simply sealed away. Over the years, several of these rippers have been locked in the mines. Some groups of thieves live in some of the abandoned mine shafts as well. This makes exploring the Hollow Mines difficult and dangerous. Even miners going about their business carry a weapon with them for protection. Mine shaft collapses and gas leaks are dangerous as well.
As one enters the mines, they will find the ground to be slick and muddy. Some of the Runoff from the city leaks into the mines, causing small streams of filthy water to wash down. Rumors speak that there are several rivers in the mines, but these rumors may or may not be true. To minimize danger, the miners cut tranches in the center of the mines, but this only helps a little. When you travel deep enough, it will become apparent that the mines are full of life. Fungus and moss, blind creatures, and other cave dwellers make homes in the hundreds of natural caverns that have been uncovered. It is possible to live an entire lifetime in these caves and not escape.

Way Stations

Occasionally through the mines, the various mining companies have set up way stations. These are small building built into the caverns to store tools and resources. Some companies have larger way stations that might even be considered separate villages. Three mining companies are large enough to support these. They contain barracks for miners to work weeks at a time and are constantly supplied with food from the surface. Usually from long vertical mine shafts and a pulley system.
The first of these way stations is owned by Ebony Abyss Mining. Ebony Abyss receives its employees from one of the prisons in Meuclont. Occasionally these workers escape from Ebony Abyss to create or join bands of thieves that hide in abandoned mines. They are also not allowed to carry weapons, making their job all the more dangerous. The primary export of Ebony Abyss is iron and coal.
The second company large enough to have a way station is Dirty Depths Industries. Dirty Depths is the largest of the mining companies and hires the most citizens of Meuclont. Their exports are copper, tin, gold, and a myriad of other metals they find in the mines. Dirty Depths is the safest of the mining companies.
The third major mining company is Polished Pearl mines. Polished Pearl is likely the most dangerous mine to work for. The reason for this is the Polished Pearl mines almost exclusively Warp Pearls. Their machines have a tendency to become Rippers more than any other company and sometimes, rarely, a miner can find strange mutations on their body. They are also paid the best, making the danger worth the risk. Another reason why the Polished Pearl is so dangerous is because they are the primary target of thieves. Unlike other companies, The Polished Pearl will overlook Gnarled employees. They will not protect them however.
There are a handful of other, minor, mining companies. These do not have the political pull or wealth of those three. However, they still make decent profits from the mines.

Architecture

There are many natural caverns beneath the Hollow Mines. Though, most of the structure is man made. These structures are constantly being supported by support beams. Sometimes metal, sometimes wood. Depending on what resource was cheaper at the time. The mines are all dug with runoff trenches that can sometimes be as swift as a stream deeper down.

Type

Mine

Parent Location

Meuclont, The Web