Kresselrock
Type: Mountain Settlement | Population: Moderate | Region: Chrysanthia
Mining community beneath Mount Kresselrock, Chrysanthia’s highest peak. Continuously inhabited since before the Age of Sail, the settlement has been shaped by its Dwarf and Gnome population for millennia. Visitors are warned that the architecture is primarily designed around their needs, and prolonged stays may be bad for your back.
"We didn't build Kresselrock for tall folk. You're welcome to visit, but if your head dents a doorframe, expect to pay for repairs."
— Mining Foreman Beldra Ironfoot
Overview
Kresselrock is one of the Empire’s most productive mining settlements, extracting metals and minerals from Mount Kresselrock’s depths for thousands of years. The community is predominantly Dwarf and Gnome, and the city’s infrastructure reflects this—ceilings are low, corridors are narrow, and furniture is scaled accordingly. The mines themselves run deep into the mountain, following veins that have sustained the community since before recorded history.
Key Features: - Major mineral extraction operations - Architecture designed for Dwarves and Gnomes - Pre-Age of Sail continuous habitation - Spectacular mountain views (from the surface levels) - Low ceilings (throughout)
Population: Moderate, predominantly Dwarves and Gnomes with a smaller population of other ancestries who’ve adapted to the environment.
Notable Locations
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The Deep Shafts
Function: Mining Operations | Access: Workers Only The primary mining complex extending into Mount Kresselrock. Multiple levels of active extraction, processing, and transport. Visitors are not permitted for safety reasons and because the tunnels are genuinely too small for most.
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Master Smith’s Hall
Function: Manufacturing | Access: Commercial areas public Located in Hammerfall, the Master Smith’s Hall is part market, part museum. Here you can view millenia of examples of Kresslrock’s reknowned metalwork, and even buy some modern examples for yourself. Only the highest regarded smiths are permitted to sell their work here, and it is priced accordingly.
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Finn Anew’s Rest
Function: Observation/Recreation | Access: Public One of a handful of Inns run by House Lupanar in The High Terrace. FAR, as it’s affectionately known to locals, has a reputation of music and revelry quite at odds with it’s soporific epithet. If you get rest here, it’s probably because the drinking made you pass out.
Districts
Surface Quarter
The Forge Quarter
- Hammerfall
- Commercial metalworking operations
The Warrens
- Residential areas (low ceilings throughout)
- Community halls and gathering spaces
The Deep Shafts
- Active mining operations
- Restricted access
Governance
Power Structure
High Overseer: Torvald Kettleson (Elected from Mining Council) Traditional authority figure, elected by the mining families. Represents Kresselrock in Imperial matters.
Imperial Representative: Consul Petra vel Crann (House Neuros) Coordinates between Kresselrock and Imperial administration. On the shorter end for a human, but that’s not the only reason she got the job.
Other Notable Figures: - Forge Overseer Ingrid Brightanvil (House Ilmath) — Smith’s Collective - Tunnel Warden Gimble Copperspring (House Ilmath) — Safety Authority - Broker Wellin Silverhand (House Carthas) — Export Coordination
Kresselrock governs itself through councils representing the mining families and major craft guilds, nominally under the purview of House Ilmath and House Carthas, but often following traditions much older than either House. Imperial authority is respected in matters of trade and external relations; internal affairs are often handled in less bureaucratic ways.
Visitor Information
Getting There
- By Road: Mountain passes from the lowlands (seasonal)
- By Airship: Regular service to the High Terrace
- On Foot: Traditional pilgrim routes for the determined
Accommodation
Visitor’s Row offers accommodations adapted for taller guests. Expect converted spaces with raised ceilings and human-scale furniture. Reservations recommended; capacity is limited.
Things to Know
- Watch your head (this is not a joke)
- The locals are friendly but will not apologize for your discomfort
- Kresselrock ale is excellent but served in small cups
- The views from the High Terrace are worth the journey
- Respect posted height restrictions, they exist for your safety