Ryzani Catacombs

The Ryzani Catacombs were originally created by the dwarfs of Durin, during their era of economic prosperity. The mines served as a means to collect the valuable gold in the region, and even as the currency became increasingly inflated, the mining system continued to flourish. However, the Durin government would begin to turn downhill at this point, collapsing into smaller regions. As a result, the mines were left neglected for some time. During the Durin Civil War, the mines would be destroyed as collateral damage between Ereborians and Nordinbadians vying for control over the area. Many of the older tunnels (including the original entrance to the area) were destroyed during this period.
=== Ereborian Era ===
Once the war ended, Ereborians recovered the mineshafts, using them as a means to hopefully boost their economy over their rivals. The mines were extended in the direction towards what is now Carthya Bay, as miners hoped that this connection would allow for easier sale of their minerals. The area was leased out periodically to private companies, in exchange that they would solely operate and sell within Ereborian lands. This angered other dwarven miners outside of Erebor, as they took it as a sign that they were forcing a mining monopoly upon the region. Erebor maintained funding for private companies for some time, before mounting pressure from the looming Celebrost and Bardonian relationship forced them to close the partnership. 
Ereborians, realizing the possible threats on the horizon, began to rapidly industrialize the area. New branches of the mines connecting to other parts of their kingdom were constructed, with armaments and storage facilities being integrated as well. The Olthiac invasion of Mossaheim did not help with this either, as it forced Ereborians to further gear up and prepare for a foreign threat. As the national treasuries began to fall short, continued construction on the tunnels halted and instead focused on fixing the older ones, many of which were now refurbished with strengthening beams and stronger corridors. 
Erebor's officials now had to deliberate on how significant their new haphazard bunker would be; although it was built near the defensible system that is Carthya Bay, it is also all that separates the Olthiacs from the Bardonians, both of whom would be looming powers in the region. Although Ereborians were able to recognize the importance of a strategic position like this, they also understood that the tunnels would allow easy access to other parts of their hold, and not wanting a case similar to the Mossahiems occurring, peacefully surrendered the mines to private Carthyan contractors in return for a huge sum of money. 
=== Carthyan Handover ===
Carthyans quickly took advantage of the tunnel network to service trade with other parts of the newly forming Ryzan. With the trade route between Othliacs and Volkoregord already established, Carthyans expanded the tunnel systems further towards those regions. With hopes of possibly even extending internationally, Carthyan miners continued to pour great wealth into the system, ensuring constant profit of equal magnitude. Around this time a hospital and bathhouse were constructed in the mines, to ensure maximum efficiency amongst mine workers. 
However, a cult was forming amongst the miners at the time. Despite the ample resources they were mining along with the benefits they received, Ryzani miners were hardly compensated for any profit they made for their superiors. Many would demand aspects of their livelihoods in the mines to be improved, but these demands fell upon deaf ears as a monopoly was quickly once again forming in the ores market. Many workers would begin to revolt and leave the company, causing the mines to fall into disrepair once more.
=== Recent Controversy ===
The Ryzani government would purchase the land from the companies that previously owned it, in hopes of utilizing its tunnel systems as a political advantage. Instead of expanding the tunnel systems vastly like their predecessors, Ryzani officials would rather convert preexisting parts of the base to their needs. A storeroom was converted to a prison cell, and graves were constructed towards its new entrance. Although it was rather strange for political elites to be buried next to cells for criminals, Ryzani officials decided to keep these rather "undesirable" aspects of the nation underground, so that they would not become an issue towards expansion above ground. However, to the outside public a conspiracy would soon be formed around the facility, with many thinking that the government was torturing political opponents in twisted ways or even resurrecting others. This was especially present during the Entropy era, in which many Ryzanis protested that the area be closed or destroyed. The Ryzani government followed through with the public's wishes and closed off the mine's main entrance, now buried under massive tons of rubble. However, rumor has it that many entrances still feed into the mines today, through special sites that the government has purposely protected. 
=== Architectural Style ===
==== Tunnels ====
The earliest parts of the catacombs were constructed by Durin dwarves, thus their tunnels often had low ceilings but relatively wide bases. Mostly just carved from the stone around them, the tunnels remained relatively rudimentary in design, lacking any particular shape or form. The few of these tunnels that remain are grown over and old, with the grounds overgrown by cave grass and the sides, having not been weathered by a pick in an extremely long time, relatively intact. Some of the more important Durin corridors contain higher ceilings and more supports, but their strength is also questionable. These older hallways were known for caving in, thus many Ryzani architects would later be brought in to reinforce those that could be salvaged. 
The early Ereborian tunnels remained similar to the more important Durin ones, carved mostly out of stone and keeping a similar shape. Around this time, Ereborians were running into a wood shortage, and began to costruct the ceiling in a slanted shape, in hopes of evenly distributing the weight within their tunnels. This was largely successful, with wood hardly being used in early Ereborian designs, instead opting for strong stone ceilings. 
When wood became more plentiful once more, Ereborians would begin to reintegrate it into its mines. The dwarves also found massive caches of diorite nearby, which they began to use within the mines as well. However, these tunnels were relatively rare compared to the standard stone design once the mining operation began to hemorrhage profits. 
Some Ereborian designs also involved more advanced stone brickwork, but this only applied to the larger structures within the mines, such as the bathhouse. Although no hallways or rooms were ever constructed from granite, it was often used as decorative pieces in more important areas. 
Carthyan architects decided to keep their constructions consistent with those the Dwarves had. They themselves lacked experience building large structures underground, so they ended up largely copying previous Ereborian design involving diorite and wood. Once Carthyans had a better understanding of structural stability, major paths in the catacombs would have their ceilings raised slightly to accommodate for large items to be transferred through. 
==== Facilities ====
Some aspects of the numerous rooms constructed have been retrofitted by the various owners of the chambers. The medical area, despite being relatively pointless due to its proximity to Carthyan hospitals, was repaired by Ryzani doctors, who added proper white beds and tried to ensure the cleanest environment underground as they could. The prison cells were upgraded with toiletries and woolen beds, while large and intricate Ryzani cannons were hauled into storage. Almost all buildings, with the exception of the bathhouse, would be renovated and stocked by the Ryzani government. 
 
Category:Locations
Category:Ryzan
Category:Traveler's Era