Love Stronghold

== Description ==
The Love Stronghold is a colony of Earkswick, and the largest settlement in the Sunless Ring. The highway leading to the south is lit with torches and heatstones that directly convert the ambient magical radiation into life-sustaining light and heat. Meanwhile, the center of the highway is studded with magic-dispelling gems, creating a safe bubble from the otherwise harmful magical radiation of the area. 
The Stronghold itself is built on a frozen sea, with flat ice-wastes extending in all directions. This gives the tower-mounted ballistae good line of sight on any of the larger creatures that can emerge from the darkness, as well as direct line of sight for flare-based communication with patrols or hunters in distress.
The emphasis of the architecture remains on defense and security, rather than comfort. Space is at a premium, as in addition to the basic materials that must be carted from safer climates or mined in the perilous ice wastes, fuel and light sources are consumed at a huge rate due to the fact that magical alternatives cannot be used due to the anti-magic bubble that keeps the inhabitants from also becoming warped creatures of the north.
== Inhabitants ==
== Economy ==
Major exports are enchanted items which can be made pretty cheaply by just harnessing the ambient magic, alchemickal reagents taken from the beasts of the north, pelts, ivory, and even just plain buckets of snow - seeing as they're already infused with the ambient magic, they're prime for potionmakers in the mainland. Imported is food, since there's no agriculture there aside from thaumosynthetic plants (which probably aren't safe to eat) and very little room for livestock. Likewise, most manufactured goods are brought up from the south, since there's only one smithy in the stronghold; this smithy is primarily responsible for maintaining the equipment of the garrison, as well as outfitting hunting expeditions seeking to bring back more samples to be sold to the alchemists or academics.
== History ==
Founded by Earkswick as the northernmost heavily-settled area in Thrae in order to provide a base camp for further expeditions, both for knowledge and for the magically irradiated body parts of the beasts of the north.
== Notable Locations ==
Category:Locations
Category:Settlements