Alvion: The Vault of Zhunft

The Gatewatch is the name of the Iron Garrison outpost which stands guard at the walls preceding the Great Seal. This regiment of the Iron Garrison is usually seen as an second-pick “retirement post,” on account of the incredibly uneventful job that is guarding a (at the time) state of the art sealed gate of the finest Dwarf-craft.

The Gatewatch is overseen by an ancient Dwarf by the name of Rondo Casker, who proudly reminds everyone (frequently) that he has been guarding the Gatewatch for the last 250 years. Rondo is kind and jovial, and often offers food and drink to whoever comes to see him, but will avoid work at any cost - he loves the status quo and intends to keep it that way. Rondo is notably practically blind from his extreme age (which is at least 350), and LOVES a good cigar (which are increasingly hard to come by nowadays, as the old stores have dried up).

The Iron Tower is the watchguard station of the Iron Garrison outpost, and thus an extension of the Gatewatch. The Tower is usually occupied by a collection of Iron Garrison guardsmen who are either thrilled to be doing nothing all day, or incredibly frustrated that they aren't adventuring in The Darkway.

Much to the chagrin of Rondo, his Lieutenant, Dosi Tigerseye, is completely obsessed with keeping vigilant watch over the Great Seal. Such is the extent of his obsession that he has constructed a telescopic device on the top of the Iron Tower, and will ramble on and on to anyone who will listen about the state of cave structural integrity and the prevailing causes of magical seepage and water management and so on. Dosi means well, but effectively nobody takes him seriously.

This area is the main work location of all the non-Iron Garrison residents of the Fisher's Quay. Activities here include fishing for Vailin for food, the collection of water for use elsewhere in the city, and some smaller refinement operations of ores collected from The Darkway prior to being sent to the Hall of Trade. This section is managed by Foreman Thormir Stonesong - a gruff and serious but fatherly Dwarf, who takes pride in his role. Although he has a soft side, Thormir is easily provoked - do not ask about his distant Orcish heritage (and the resulting knifears).

As their name may imply, the Workhouses are home to the lowest echelon of the working class in the Vault. The residents of the Workhouses tend to be non-Dwarves, though it's not unheard of for the unusually poor to end up here, especially if they have been disowned from their clan for some blood feud or other factor.

The Workhouses are effectively nothing more than a bed and basic provisions. The mistress of the Houses, a Dwarven Lady by the name of Thiri Greyhammer, runs a “tight ship,” as she often says. She has no patience for the lazy, and will frequently verbally and physically abuse those who aren't pulling their weight in her eyes. Thiri used to serve in the Iron Garrison, but retired due to age and losing an eye in a particularly bad Drow raid. The poison inflicted upon her that day didn't kill her, by the hardiness of the Dwarves, but it did leave her with chronic pains which would continue to trouble her for all the decades since.