Vorkund
To the north west, high in the Melrathi Mountains, resides the remote village of Vorkund. This settlement has existed for longer than Melrath has been a nation, some of its residents even like to brag that Vorkund is older than the city of Fensalir.
Made from ancient spruce trees harvested from the slopes of the mountains, Vorkund presents an impressive facade at a distance. The town is seated around the face of a mountain known as Mount Ymir, or locally as “Grandfather”. The mountain is the largest and tallest of the entire range and many claim it is a spirit unto itself. In reality the mountain is inhabited by the powerful and ancient Mountain Induk. Mount Ymir is worshipped within Vorkund as a diety and many pray to the mountain or leave offerings on it’s glaciers before going on a dangerous hunt. There is actually a rather large glacier that runs right in front of the town, to reach Vorkund, one must brave the icy terrain. Sleds used with animals to pull them are common here as the glacier runs down the mountain at a slight slope for over ten miles. It is used as the unofficial highway of the region and allows hunters to easily traverse the land in search of game.
The buildings of Vorkund are mostly made of spruce logs that are lined with pitch to provide insulation from the extreme cold that the inhabitants must contend with. The architecture of the homes and buildings is that of log cabins and buildings with steeply pitched roofs. Windows are naught but sturdy shutters since there are no glassmakers who live in Vorkund and it would be nigh impossible to transport the material this far into the mountains. Inhabitants do try to beautify their homes with woven banners dyed in bright colors, many also embroider images of local spirits onto these pieces of hanging fabric that are draped over eaves and windows.
The people of Vorkund are a sturdy sort who are well suited to the brutality of this wilderness. Many locals are rogues by nature who believe the Melrathi of the lowlands have gone soft, content to dwell in their mild temperate forests, or on dark rocky beaches. These men and women of the highlands do not tolerate crime in their town and impart their own sense of justice to any that will not work to uphold the peace.
On the other side of Mount Ymir, several miles from Vorkund lies a single massive tower that was constructed in the same year that the village was founded. This tower is the foremost prison in Melrath. The tower is mammoth in width and reaches roughly fifty stories in height. There is no door on the ground level and all prisoners are airlifted to the top of the tower for processing and incarceration by either the winged mounts of the Valkyrion or the Avriel guards entrusted to protect the site.
This prison is known as Hel, and it is the only maximum security prison in Melrath. The prison was established as a remote location to store criminals and traitors to the nation and the nearby Vorkund village provides the prison and it’s guards with any necessary supplies.
To avoid the possibility of corruption the Melrathi have placed a third party in charge of managing the prison in their stead. The Scarverlyth Avriel clan had in ages past left Athart in a desire to make their mark upon the world, believing their homeland to be far too small for their own ambitions. These haughty avians flew toward the far west and it was not long before they were met by the hordes of the Lotharro. After several poor interactions with Lothar men, the Scarverlyth clan ventured into the mountains of Melrath to make a home for themselves. Over the seasons these Avriel became well known by the Melrathi for their brutality and predatory nature. Many would avoid them and before long the situation came to a head when the Circle began proposing that the military force the avians out of their mountains. However, a clever member of the Circle proposed an exchange and a truce. The Avriel wanted an important place in the world and the Melrathi needed a place to store their most wretched of criminals. It came to pass that Hel was constructed and the Scarverlyth were given command of the prison. Even now the descendants of the first Scarverlyths stand as the guards of Hel. The prison has never been breached nor has a single prisoner ever escaped the lofty tower.