highridge

![[Highridge.png|700]]

Highridge (often referred to casually as Salt) was once a prominent mining city within the Zatar confederacy, with a registered population of 5,246 before its collapse. The settlement acted as a gatekeeper for the region, nestled in rocky terrain where its giant metal gates sealed the only sensible path through the mountains.

Governance and Economy

At its height, Highridge was governed by The Trust, an oligarchy formed by the city’s rich and powerful. While The Trust nominally oversaw local commerce and governance, it was notorious for its rampant corruption, backroom dealings, and extreme wealth disparity between the ruling class and the slum-dwelling masses. Key figures of The Trust included:

• Glen Correy: Treasurer, tracking taxes and city expenses while skimming from the top. He owned Gem of Zatar.
• Herman Correy: Mining Overseer, known for brash decisions that prioritized profits (specifically emeralds) over the safety of the dwarven miners.
• Camos Zhen: Commerce Overseer.
• Werbin Redthumb: Construction Overseer.
• Chief Snider: Captain of the Guard, a kingpin who ran protection rackets and bounty scams.
• Warden Otto: Overseer of the Highridge Dungeon, which was perpetually understaffed due to slashed budgets.

The city’s economy was driven by its Highridge Mine, which produced metals and occasional gems. The ore was smelted and sold across Zatar. As supplementary income, Highridge took in extra prisoners from surrounding areas, housing the worst criminals from across the confederacy in its dungeon.

Points of Interest

• Rock Bottom Tavern: A favored tavern for miners and the local riff-raff.
• Rusted Shield: A tavern frequented by guards and middle-class citizens.
• Diamond in the Rough: A high-quality inn and tavern for merchants and the upper crust.
• Highridge Smiths: Local smithies supplying standard wares, mining equipment, and arms for the guard/dungeon.
• Gem of Zatar: The premier jewelry shop in the region, owned by Glen Correy.
• Temple of Moradin: Serving the large dwarven mining population. Led by Malahrnum.
• Temple of Shinare: For traveling merchants and the upper crust.
• Temple of Highridge: A larger building serving the masses on the edge of the slums.
• Highridge Mine: The dangerous, city-owned mine that eventually led to the city’s ruin.

Timeline

• Era of The Trust: The city operates under heavy corruption. Highridge’s massive dungeon becomes understaffed. Down in the slums, Dan McDowell brings order to petty thieves and pickpockets. Meanwhile, Herman Correy‘s aggressive mining tactics anger the dwarves, notably Gadgir Stonecrusher, while Chief Snider orchestrates a bounty scam with escaped convicts collectively known as The Forgotten (such as Klod and Chops).
• The Salt Mercenaries: A burgeoning mercenary group called the Salt Mercenaries visits Highridge. They expose Chief Snider‘s racket, resulting in his death. As The Trust crumbles in the ensuing chaos between guards and miners, Warden Otto assumes command of the guard. The mercenaries then leave to pursue Silverside‘s bounty in Gallyway.
• The Reptile Assault: Habushu, an escapee of the dungeon who formed a pact with a banished dragon (Anu Bayawak Adobong Agwo), learns of the clutch via Kiviak. A massive army of reptiles sweeps through, destroying the city and slaughtering the population. Highridge is reduced to ruins.
• The Drow Occupation: During the Shadows Campaign, drow forces push up from the Underdark through the mines. Surviving citizens barricade themselves in the understaffed dungeon. The Shadows pass through Highridge but leave the dispute to resolve on its own.
• The Fall of Highridge: Stalemated for weeks, the drow and the remaining survivors fight to the bitter end, destroying what’s left. A few rogue survivors manage to escape to Split or Farfield, bringing horror stories of the city’s demise by the vile elves from below the surface.
• Resettlement: The city remains vacant for years until inhabitants from nearby towns resettle the ruins, keeping their distance from the cursed mines.
• The Mines Reopen: After pressure and open conflict with Tir na Nog, the mines are eventually reopened, bringing industry—and its inherent dangers—back to Highridge.