Stonefall

Overview

Vertical city carved into the crater left when Cascadea’s landmass tore free, thriving in the shadow of its floating counterpart.
Five stacked Hollows divide the city by elevation and wealth, creating stark social strata.

Streets echo with haggling merchants, clanging forges, and whispered dealings, all confined to the crater’s steep walls.
Massive metal grates and platform elevators separate each Hollow; higher tiers stay regulated while lower ones slide toward lawlessness.
City structure follows the crater’s natural ridges formed by the meteor impact.

Beastfolk dominate physically demanding roles in the Ember Ring and Dimming Mire, often exploited by syndicates or arena owners in the Black Depths.
Humans hold positions needing cunning or magic in the Azure Steps and especially the Sunlit Crown, tying them to Iyresan governance.

The Sunlit Crown (First Hollow): Sunlit district of wealthy citizens, influential merchants, and the Council of Hollows; ornate stone buildings, magical lanterns, and heavy guard presence with documentation or bribes required to enter.
The Azure Steps (Second Hollow): Middle-class artisans and tradespeople supported by the Azure Aqueducts delivering fresh water; relatively safe but plagued by thefts and disputes.
The Ember Ring (Third Hollow): Industrial heart of forges and smelters powering trade; rough streets see clashes between gangs, with the black-basin-syndicate running smuggling routes.
The Dimming Mire (Fourth Hollow): Impoverished shanties lit by cultivated bioluminescent fungi; home to the Rot Bazaar black market dominated by the Syndicate.
The Black Depths (Fifth Hollow): Sunless sprawl of tunnels and hideouts; site of the Pit of Despair arena operated by the Syndicate and rumored ancient ruins deeper still.

Elevated platforms and grates regulate movement between Hollows, with survival-of-the-fittest attitudes intensifying closer to the crater floor.
Labor smoke, market noise, and monster alarms mingle with the constant rumble of elevators hauling goods and people.

The black-basin-syndicate wields major power in lower Hollows through smuggling networks and the Pit of Despair.
The Council of Hollows governs from the Sunlit Crown with corruption in varying degrees.

Note

Whispers tell of ancient ruins in the Black Depths and hidden tunnels connecting all five Hollows under Syndicate control.

Syndicate Secrets: The black-basin-syndicate guards covert tunnels linking every Hollow for smuggling and covert ops.
The Collapsing Depths: Rumors say the Black Depths are unstable and could collapse the city, a danger officials refuse to admit.
The Forgotten Crater: Fragments of ancient ruins hide deep below, hinting at Stonefall’s origins for those who brave the darkness.