Witehollow

While the rest of Tysha engages in The Game, House Van Der Bellen of the Rushalan Line instead turns their attention northward. Witehollow is a rather large city in the northernmost reaches of Tysha, built upon its namesake the Wite River. The region is known to be incredibly dangerous, and though it is technically named after Lord Wite Van Der Bellen, the first lord of his house, it is also a tongue in cheek way of referencing the most prevalent danger lurking in the night: wights, given form by some unknown presence in the Girdellan peaks. Throughout the center of the city is a vast array of waterwheels constantly pushed by the churning Wite River, providing power to the city's industrial district. Great cogs grind against each other without end, activating the great bellows and hammers of the Witehollow Forges. The iron mines of Witehollow are the main source of metals for the rest of the region, being sent to Perelglen for refining for use throughout Tysha. In this frigid town, miners are placed into one of 4 groups: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. The sprawling iron mines below the city have been utilized for centuries, an ore vein that even the dwarves of Morn Dahrim would blush at, and it would be impossible for the average worker to make it from the entrance to the work site within a week. Instead, miners enter the mine for 2½ months at a time, utilizing advanced railways purchased from Ardina craftsman to make their way into the earth below. The mines broke through into the Underdark long ago, but House Khilkov saw to it that the closest Drow and Duregar cities knew not to interfere with the Tyshans working here. These Underdark companions have done quite the opposite, in fact. Open trade with Barakuir and Dusklyngh has been established, bringing some of the Underdark's culture into Witehollow itself. Dyes and fabric made from rare deep-earth minerals and fungi, bulletes trained to help with mining, ancient illithid wisdom of unknown origin- Witehollow is a mad wizard's dream for components and spells.   Up in the city, miners who are not currently within the mine enjoy an easy rest of the year. House Van Der Bellen provides them the necessities for living, and an allowance for food and other goods. Life in the mines is dangerous, and essential to the way Witehollow functions, and as a result miners are treated as valued members of society rather than the downtrodden working class found in the whitestone mines of Bloom. Other people may open up a bakery or tailor, but its the miners that make up a majority of the customer base. Because of this constant flow of iron from the mines, happy citizens, and lack of Rushalan/Véritian rivalry has made this region ideal for new settlers- this includes the Krovian Elves trickling in from Castle Krovhurst and the Voletarian Mountains. The current Lord Van Der Bellen has kept a careful eye on these newcomers, aware of the danger their new northern neighbor could pose to the great city of Witehollow if left unchecked. Many have joined the mining force, but this has done little to assuage their fears over the potential vampire infestation brewing in the heart of northern Tysha.