Todesfeld

Capital of the Marshlands Province

Population: 38,000

Ruler: Duke Ludwig von Fritz

Civil War Allegiance: Cecilia von Kessel

Known For: Todesfeld Dam, Major Industrial Hub, Workshops, Factories, Coal Mines

Across the flat marshlands you spot the great and monstrous thing which is the City of Todesfeld. The partially-flooded city is built where the Drann River meets the Elfmire. A huge array of watermills surrounds the ramshackle city of workshops, collieries, blast furnaces, rolling mills. The high chimneys pour out thick, black soot which shape the skyline. All manner of mills, workshops, and water pumps fill the city of Todesfeld with the constant thrum of industry. Here, rich coals extracted from mud-slick mine shafts fuel dozens of smelters, foundries, and forges constructing steel weapons and equipment, and their spindly chimneys spew black smoke across the city. Todesfeld is a grimy and grim city decaying from within from pollution and ravages brought on during the Civil War. The humid heat and smog make it hard to breathe, the noise is constant, dirt and filth coat the city, and the wafting smells of industry, sweat, rotting wood, and moss-covered concrete fill the air. Most people living in Todesfeld walk the streets carrying lanterns to see through the thick industrial fog, and wear large coats pulled up around their mouths and noses.

Todesfeld was once the site of a great stone dam built across the Drann River, which powered water mills used by the in dustries of the city. However, during the Civil War, an irregular mercenary company was dispatched to blast apart the dam and sabotage the city’s production. Hundreds were killed in the aftermath, and the city has not fully recovered. Waters still fill the streets in the low parts of the city and streets have wooden boardwalks so residents do not get stuck in the mud. Many houses lie in ruin, and newer homes are built on stilts to avoid the knee-deep water that fills a large portion of the city, while older buildings have been reinforced with concrete foundations. Locals know not to drink the water of the Drann since it flows directly down river from Drakkenheim. Most attempt to avoid touching it at all costs. Contamination and eldritch creatures lurk in the backstreets and slums of Todesfeld. Ruins of Todesfeld Dam. The crumbling dam is now mostly submerged in the waters of the Drann River, as are the lower river banks of the city, and over a dozen riverside homes. The stone and concrete structure was once the pride of Todesfeld, and much of the residential district was along the riverbanks. The city still hasn’t fully recovered from the tragic destruction to some degree. The dam was never rebuilt and the crumbling stone wall now sits as a monument to the catastrophic outcome of the Civil War of Westemär and the impact it had on the cities it touched.

Coal Mines.

Duke Ludwig has ordered the continued operation of his many coal mines just outside Todesfeld proper. The flooding of the city caused many mine shafts to fill with contaminated water, and those that are still open are damp caverns filled with thick mud, contaminated fumes, and are prone to collapse. Despite this, the coal has kept flowing and the duke seems uncaring for the many miners who lose their lives trapped in the mines. Workers are forced to run water pumps around the clock to drain the mines so operations can continue. Still, the normally hazardous mines have become even more dangerous since the flooding, but many rely on them to make their livings and feed their families, and so work continues all the same.

Saint Rosalind’s Cathedral.

On a hill surrounded by flood waters on Smoke Street sits an austere cathedral to the Sacred Flame. The cathedral is tended by High Flamekeeper Irma, an elderly woman who has served as Todesfeld’s High Flamekeeper for fifty years. She was thankful when the flood waters did not take the cathedral, and she was able to keep the brazier burning for those seeking aid and guidance during those dreary times.

Taverns.

Several well-known taverns are frequent stops for travelers and locals alike in the city, but few stay more than a night in Todesfeld. The Gavel and Gauntlet on Chisel Street is free of most of the muck and decay of the low town, and is a well-appointed tap house frequented by many travelers and locals of higher class. The Drowning Cat and Smoke Street Flophouse in Low Town are just above the water level and are popular stops for workers after a long day.

Castle Sodden.

The manor of House von Fritz, this dilapidated castle clings to the only bit of solid rock in the muck and mud surrounding it. According to legend, the castle has sunk into the swamp at least three times. The entire building leans noticeably to the left as one approaches and the entire interior is slightly skewed, with chandeliers, book cases, drapes, and tablecloths all tilting mildly to one direction. Walking the halls gives one a sense of unease due to the uneven floors. The tallest tower of the castle is off-limits due to it being completely collapsed within. The area surrounding the castle is filled with tufts of tall reeds protruding occasionally from the swampy mud, and is filled with flies and mosquitoes. A wooden boardwalk leads to the castle from Todesfeld. One step off the crude and warped boardwalk will find travelers knee deep in sticky, suctioning mud. A single lantern hangs outside the massive doors to the castle so one can find their way through the mist.