Dreadmil

Dreadmil: The Cursed Forge of Rustwater

 

Where metal screams an' souls burn cold, the future o' worlds takes shape upon the anvil o' necessity.

— Slazgar Two-Eyes

  Dreadmil stands as the most sinister and ancient industrial complex in all of Grizburg, a fortress-factory that has dominated Rustwater's skyline for nearly a thousand years. This massive facility serves dual purposes as weapons manufacturing center and soul-processing complex, where conventional metallurgy meets necromantic innovation to produce arms enhanced with life force energy. The fortress houses the most sophisticated soul-extraction and refinement equipment in the known world, carefully disguised as conventional industrial machinery to avoid unwanted attention from the Eyes of Tezra and other surveillance networks.   The facility's imposing outer walls rise thirty feet into Grizburg's poisoned sky, topped with cruel spikes and constructed from blackened iron plates riveted together with bolts as thick as a mortal's arm. Thirteen smokestacks pierce the heavens like the fingers of some buried titan reaching toward the clouds, constantly belching forth dark smoke that carries the spiritual residue of processed souls. The very air around the facility hums with barely contained power, and those with mystical sight can detect energy patterns that suggest the building sits atop something far more significant than ordinary industrial foundations.  

The Ancient Founding

  The origins of Dreadmil trace back nearly a millennium to its construction by Valtorius the Soul-Binder, a dwarven artificer whose obsession with binding spirits into mechanical forms led him to establish what would become the most notorious soul-processing facility in the known world. Valtorius recognized the site's potential during the early industrial development of what would become Rustwater District, building his fortress-factory atop a natural confluence of ley lines that connected to the ancient catacombs beneath the city.   Valtorius's original design incorporated mystical engineering principles that would allow the facility to channel and focus supernatural energies for industrial purposes. His initial operations focused on creating animated constructs powered by captured spirits, establishing techniques for soul extraction and binding that would influence necromantic engineering for centuries to come. The facility's thirteen smokestacks were designed not merely for ventilation but as focal points for channeling spiritual energy, their positions calculated according to astronomical alignments and dimensional resonances.   The Soul-Binder's experiments pushed the boundaries between life and death, creating weapons and tools that possessed capabilities far beyond what conventional craftsmanship could achieve. His most significant innovation was the Great Soulforge, a circular apparatus designed to extract spiritual essence from living beings while maintaining the structural integrity of their souls for industrial applications. This device would become the template for all subsequent soul-processing equipment developed at the facility.   Valtorius's reign over Dreadmil lasted nearly three centuries before his own experiments consumed him in a catastrophic ritual intended to grant him immortality. Instead of achieving eternal life, the Soul-Binder became a distributed consciousness woven throughout Dreadmil's mystical systems, his awareness fragmented across the machinery and architectural elements that formed the facility's supernatural heart. His death marked the beginning of Dreadmil's transformation from personal workshop into the industrial complex that would eventually attract the attention of Grizburg's power brokers.   Following Valtorius's transformation, control of Dreadmil passed through various hands over the subsequent centuries, with different owners expanding and modifying the facility while maintaining its core purpose as a center for supernatural industry. Each successive administrator added their own innovations to the soul-processing systems, gradually evolving the original techniques into increasingly sophisticated methods for extracting and refining spiritual essence. The facility's reputation grew as rumors spread throughout Nolavor about weapons and tools that possessed uncanny properties.   Through the centuries, Dreadmil became a focal point for industrial development in Rustwater District. The facility's success attracted other manufacturers and craftsmen to the area, creating a cluster of industrial operations that would eventually coalesce into the chemical quarter known for its toxic mists and reality-warping energies. The presence of so many supernatural operations in close proximity began to affect the local environment, creating the conditions that would make Rustwater notorious throughout the region.  

The Brinkburn Ascendancy

  Eight years ago, when Slazgar Two-Eyes departed Grizburg for his fateful journey to the Kalnith Jungle, Dreadmil fell into a period of chaos as various factions sought to control the facility's supernatural capabilities. During this power vacuum, Kregan Brinkburn, matriarch of what was then a minor goblin family, orchestrated a series of ruthless moves that culminated in the Night of Brass Daggers. Eighteen Rust Barons and their heirs were found dead by dawn, each with a brass dagger driven through their left eye, and by sunset, Kregan sat in Dreadmil's obsidian throne.   Kregan's ascension represented more than mere political cunning, as her prolonged exposure to Dreadmil's supernatural energies had fundamentally altered her nature. Those who glimpsed her during this period described a being that remained goblin in form but had become something more, her skin bearing a metallic sheen that reflected light in unnatural patterns. When she spoke, echoes followed her words as if multiple voices emerged from one throat, suggesting that Valtorius's fragmented consciousness had begun to influence the facility's new master.   The mechanical innovations flowing from Dreadmil under Kregan's leadership defied conventional understanding, merging necromancy and artifice in ways that even Valtorius had never achieved during his original tenure. House Brinkburn grew from obscurity to prominence through the facility's enhanced production capabilities, their sigil—an anvil dripping blood—becoming emblazoned across Rustwater District. The house established three subsidiary forges, seven counting houses, and a network of informants that rivaled even the most established criminal organizations.   Kregan's modifications to Dreadmil's operations included the expansion of the soul-processing capabilities and the construction of additional holding facilities for prisoners awaiting transformation. Her understanding of both conventional engineering and necromantic manipulation allowed her to optimize the facility's efficiency while maintaining the quality of spiritual essence extracted. These improvements attracted attention from power players throughout Nolavor, while the facility's enhanced products began to influence conflicts far beyond their apparent origins.  

The Return of Slazgar

  Slazgar's return to Grizburg five years ago, transformed by his experiences with Sythara in the Kalnith Jungle, marked the beginning of a new chapter in Dreadmil's long history. Rather than attempt direct confrontation with Kregan, Slazgar employed the patient methods his patron had taught him, beginning an indirect campaign to demonstrate his continued value to the facility's operations. His mechanical eye, a gift from Sythara that enabled him to perceive magical energies and detect supernatural auras, proved invaluable in understanding the changes that had occurred during his absence.   Slazgar started by providing materials that Dreadmil required but which were difficult to obtain through normal channels—crystals that could store and focus necromantic energy, metals that remained stable under conditions that would destroy conventional alloys, and mechanical components that functioned as conduits for forces existing at the boundary between life and death. Each delivery was precisely calculated to arrive when the facility's operations were most urgently in need of these resources, creating a relationship of dependence that gradually became indispensable.   The relationship between Slazgar and Kregan evolved over nearly two years of careful collaboration, as both recognized the benefits of partnership over conflict. Kregan's innovations in merging necromancy with industrial processes complemented Slazgar's knowledge of mystical theory and soul-manipulation techniques learned from Sythara. Their combined expertise allowed for unprecedented advances in supernatural engineering, creating weapons and constructs that pushed the boundaries of what conventional magic could achieve.   Slazgar's formal appointment as Director of Special Operations approximately eighteen months ago represented the culmination of his patient campaign to regain influence over Dreadmil. This position provided him with access to the facility's deepest archives, containing centuries of accumulated knowledge about soul manipulation, necromantic engineering, and the practical applications of Dead God artifacts in industrial processes. More importantly, these archives contained maps and surveys of the underground passages that connected Dreadmil to the Whispering Depths, information essential to Sythara's plans for recovering the Obsidian Fang.   Slazgar's management style combined genuine improvements to the facility's operations with careful preparation for purposes that served Sythara's cosmic ambitions. Production efficiency increased under his guidance, while worker mortality rates actually decreased despite the dangerous nature of the soul-processing operations. These improvements enhanced his reputation within the Brinkburn organization while providing cover for modifications that would eventually serve the Witch of Nepos in her quest for revenge.  

The Wraith's Alliance

  One of Slazgar's most significant achievements since assuming control over Dreadmil's special operations has been his successful negotiation with the Wraith of Valtorius, the facility's ancient founder whose consciousness remained fragmented throughout the industrial complex. For centuries, Valtorius had been a source of unpredictable interference, sometimes assisting operations while other times engaging in subtle sabotage that served purposes only he understood. Slazgar's approach to this supernatural entity demonstrated the diplomatic skills Sythara had taught him during their time together in the jungle.   The Wraith of Valtorius manifests primarily around the Soulforge Chamber, appearing as a translucent dwarven figure trailing wisps of gray energy who communicates through manipulation of nearby machinery or possession of weaker-minded workers. His exceptional intellect and force of will, preserved despite his transformation, made him both a valuable ally and a dangerous opponent depending on his motivations. Slazgar recognized that gaining the wraith's cooperation would be essential for accessing the facility's full potential.   The negotiations between Slazgar and Valtorius took place over several months of careful communication, with the goblin artificer demonstrating both respect for the ancient founder's achievements and understanding of the forces that had led to his transformation. Slazgar's own experiences with soul manipulation and his mechanical eye's ability to perceive supernatural phenomena allowed him to communicate with Valtorius in ways that previous facility managers had never achieved. The wraith's eventual agreement to assist Slazgar's operations represented a significant shift in Dreadmil's supernatural dynamics.   Valtorius's cooperation has proven invaluable for optimizing the facility's soul-processing capabilities and unlocking techniques that had been lost for centuries. His knowledge of the original mystical engineering principles underlying Dreadmil's construction, combined with Slazgar's innovations learned from Sythara, has created possibilities for supernatural industry that neither could achieve independently. The wraith's assistance has also been crucial for understanding the facility's connections to the Whispering Depths and the ancient passages that Slazgar intends to use for recovering Dead God artifacts.  

Current Operations

  Dreadmil currently operates as the most sophisticated supernatural manufacturing facility in Nolavor, combining centuries of accumulated knowledge with cutting-edge innovations in necromantic engineering. The facility's legitimate weapons production provides perfect cover for more esoteric operations, while the soul-processing systems generate the spiritual energy required for maintaining dimensional passages and empowering the enhanced weaponry that forms the backbone of Slazgar's influence network. The complex relationship between mortal technology and supernatural forces creates an environment where conventional industrial processes intersect with cosmic ambitions.   The Grand Forges occupy the facility's primary workspace, spanning the entire ground floor in a cathedral-like space where hundreds of workers labor in perfect synchronization. Massive furnaces line the walls, their fires burning in unnatural hues ranging from emerald green to deep violet, while the central forge pit descends twenty feet into the earth where molten metal bubbles with occasional faces forming and dissolving in its surface. The workers move with supernatural coordination inherited from Valtorius's original designs, their actions timed to the rhythm of a massive brass pendulum that swings overhead.   The weapons and armor produced in the Grand Forges bear distinctive characteristics that mark them as products of Dreadmil's unique manufacturing processes. Blades whisper to their wielders in voices only they can hear, armor grows warm when the wearer experiences fear, and shields weep oily tears during combat. Each piece contains a fragment of soul harvested from those sacrificed to the Soulforge below, imbuing the weapons with capabilities that serve Sythara's long-term objectives by gradually influencing their users' thoughts and actions.   Deep beneath the main forges lies the true heart of Dreadmil—the Soulforge Chamber, where Valtorius's original soul-binding techniques have been refined and enhanced through centuries of experimentation and the recent application of knowledge gained from Sythara's research. This circular room carved from black granite spans sixty feet in diameter, with a domed ceiling displaying constellations unknown to conventional astronomy. The massive circular treadmill at the chamber's center combines black metal, bone, and sinew in a configuration that channels spiritual energy from its thirteen restraint stations to the crystalline central spindle.   The soul-processing mechanics represent the pinnacle of necromantic engineering, as victims forced to walk the treadmill have their spiritual essence gradually extracted and refined into different grades of soul dust based on the nature and intensity of their life force. Silver dust extracted from pure souls creates weapons with protective enchantments, while crimson dust from passionate spirits generates weapons with emotional effects on their targets. The rarest void dust comes from those who have contacted otherworldly entities and proves essential for rituals designed to communicate across dimensional boundaries.  

Hidden Connections

  The underground chambers that Slazgar has constructed beneath Dreadmil serve as ritual spaces where the boundaries between the material plane and the Whispering Depths can be manipulated, creating temporary passages that will eventually bypass the heavily guarded conventional entrances to the ancient catacombs. These chambers incorporate architectural elements salvaged from sites throughout the region where Dead God artifacts have been discovered, creating spaces where dimensional boundaries become permeable during specific astronomical conditions that Slazgar has learned to calculate with increasing precision.   Slazgar's secret access point to the Whispering Depths remains under construction, representing his most ambitious project since returning to Grizburg. The passage will eventually provide direct access to the Obsidian Fang that Sythara requires for her planned assault on Nepos, while protective wards disguise its existence through false dimensional readings and temporal displacement fields. The completion of this passage represents a crucial component in the grand design that Slazgar and his patron have been developing for years.   The facility's connections to Grizburg's broader power structure include carefully maintained relationships with various factions and information brokers. Slazgar's long-standing alliance with Kurgan Weinrich, the master information broker who operates from the Jungle's Claw Tavern, predates his departure for the Kalnith Jungle and has proven invaluable for navigating the city's complex political landscape. Kurgan's brother Veylok, described as an enigmatic shaman, maintains his own mysterious connections to Dreadmil's operations, though the precise nature of these relationships remains carefully guarded.   The Eyes of Tezra maintain surveillance networks throughout Rustwater District, but Slazgar's enhanced understanding of mystical concealment techniques learned from Sythara has allowed him to operate beneath their notice. The facility's legitimate industrial operations provide perfect cover for supernatural activities, while the enhanced detection capabilities of his mechanical eye enable him to identify and avoid surveillance attempts before they can compromise his true objectives.  

The Dark Industry

  Dreadmil's Holding Cells adjacent to the Soulforge Chamber serve as temporary accommodations designed with calculated psychological manipulation rather than conventional imprisonment. Unlike traditional dungeons, these facilities offer comfort and entertainment to ensure that victims arrive at processing in peak condition for maximum soul essence extraction. Thirteen primary cells house exceptional specimens with magical talent or unusual bloodlines, while communal areas maintain other prisoners in blissful ignorance through memory alteration enchantments developed by Valtorius and refined by Slazgar.   The facility's soul dust applications have expanded beyond simple weapon enhancement to include construct animation, ritual amplification, and reality alteration techniques that blur the line between technology and magic. The highest grade dust, processed through thirteen complete cycles, can temporarily weaken the barriers separating dimensions, allowing glimpses of other planes and limited communication with entities that exist beyond the material world. These capabilities make Dreadmil an essential component in Sythara's plans for cosmic transformation, though the full scope of these ambitions remains known only to Slazgar and his patron.   The Soulforged Sentinels that guard Dreadmil's perimeter represent the pinnacle of the facility's supernatural technology, massive constructs containing dozens of souls fused into warriors of terrible strength. These creations serve both as protection and demonstration of Slazgar's capabilities, their presence ensuring that even Grizburg's most powerful factions treat the facility with cautious respect. The sentinels' ability to detect intrusions through mystical as well as physical means makes them nearly impossible to bypass through conventional infiltration methods.   The metaphysical side effects of Dreadmil's operations create anomalies throughout the facility that challenge conventional understanding of natural law. Temporal distortion causes time to flow inconsistently within certain chambers, gravitational anomalies manifest as objects that occasionally float or fall in unexpected directions, and emotional imprinting embeds strong feelings experienced near the forge into nearby objects. These phenomena represent byproducts of the dimensional manipulation required for soul-processing on an industrial scale, creating an environment where reality itself becomes malleable.  

Future Ambitions

  The network of influence created through Dreadmil's products and processed workers extends the facility's impact far beyond its physical boundaries, as those touched by its supernatural manufacturing gradually align their thoughts and actions with purposes that serve Sythara's ultimate objectives. This creates currents of change that manifest as political and social transformations throughout the region, while the enhanced weapons serve as focal points for gathering intelligence and influencing key decisions in conflicts across Nolavor.   The artifacts that Slazgar continues to recover from his expeditions into accessible portions of the Whispering Depths are carefully preserved and prepared for their eventual role in mystical workings that will support Sythara's grand design. Each piece represents a component in a vast puzzle that the Witch of Nepos envisions assembling into something capable of challenging the fundamental structure of reality itself, altering the balance between the material plane and the realm of the Dead Gods in ways that would reshape existence throughout the known world.   The relationship between Dreadmil and the broader conspiracy that Sythara and Slazgar are constructing represents more than simple industrial support for their cosmic ambitions. The facility serves as both a testing ground for techniques that will eventually be employed on a universal scale and a power source for operations that span multiple planes of existence. The foundation that centuries of accumulated knowledge and recent innovations have created will support transformation projects that could affect the fundamental nature of reality itself.   Slazgar's current position as Director of Special Operations provides him with the autonomy necessary to pursue activities that extend far beyond conventional industrial management, while his alliance with the Wraith of Valtorius grants access to knowledge and capabilities that no previous administrator has possessed. The combination of ancient wisdom and contemporary innovation creates possibilities for supernatural engineering that could revolutionize the relationship between mortal civilization and the cosmic forces that govern existence.   As Dreadmil continues its dark operations in the toxic heart of Rustwater District, the facility stands as both monument to technological achievement and gateway to cosmic transformation. The legacy of Valtorius the Soul-Binder lives on in every soul processed through his original designs, while the innovations added by subsequent administrators have created something that transcends the ancient dwarf's original vision. Dreadmil now serves as a focal point where mortal ambitions intersect with forces that exist beyond conventional understanding, representing the culmination of a millennium of supernatural engineering and the foundation for changes that could reshape the known world.