Ventilation Tunnels

**Ventilation Tunnels**

## About

The Ventilation tunnels are tunnels found on every Habble—level—of the Spire. They are constructed of Spirestone by the Builders when the Spires were constructed.

### Description

A Spire contains literally hundreds of miles of ventilation tunnels and ducts, water channels, cisterns, sewage channels, and compost chambers. The tunnels can be various sizes—many are large enough for grown humans to walk through. The tunnels criss-cross forming larger **intersection chambers**. They run both horizontally and vertically.

### Purpose and Usage

* Primary purpose is ventilation of the Spire.
* Also used by a few in a pedestrian way to get from one place to another.
* Cats use them the most and consider certain tunnels as their territory against other Cat tribes.

### Location

Habbles are square-shapes that fit into the perfect circle of the Spire. The ventilation tunnels, along with other supporting features are in the extra spaces around the square.

### Creatures

* There are sometimes vicious, dangerous creatures found in the tunnels.
* Small creatures make their way into the tunnels regularly—Cats generally take are of them.

### Verminocitors

* Verminocitors: humans who are employed as creature exterminators in the **Ventilation Tunnels**—they take care of what the Cats could not.
* Every Habble employs them.
* Some used to be employed by Habble Morning.

### Cats

* Cat use Air tunnels to travel by.
* Some of the tunnels are claimed by certain tribes.
* Cats preferred the smaller ventilation tunnels for habitation.

### Other Details

* Metal gates were installed where they could be to keep out creatures. Constant contact with the atmosphere eroded them, becoming vulnerable to iron rot..
* Lately, some Cats have been reported missing after traveling through the tunnels—particularly Whiskers and Scouts.
* Auroran Marines are using them to move around the spire toadies from capture and to get to key sites for sabotage.
* Somehow the Auroran Marines have been able to move about in the Ventilation Tunnels without being seen by Cats. Something that Folly is afraid of.
* The height of the tunnels in Habble Landing were halved the same as the rest of the Habble. The ceiling was made of conventional stone rather than Spirestone.
* Rowl heard tales of the Silweavers—knew how they hunted and Ho to kill them.
* The height of the tunnels in Habble Landing were halved the same as the rest of the Habble. The ceiling was mad of conventional stone rather than Spirestone.

## Connections

* Verminocitors
* Verminocitors Guild
* Mirl
* Captain Grimm
* Commodore Hamilton Rook
* Alexander Bayard
* Cats
* Auroran Marines
* Myserious New Creatures (spoiler link)
* Spires
* Spire Albion
* Habbles
* Habble Morning
* Habble Landing
* Sycorax Cavendish
* Sark
* Silkweavers
* Elsewhere
* Surface

## Events

### 1. *Aeronaut's Windlass*

Mirl reports to Rowl that cats have been going missing in the **Ventilation Tunnels**. There are "new things" in the air shafts—the Silent Paws scout reports have been confirmed by Longthinker. Reports of cats from tribes of other Habbles have also been heard.

Francis Grimm is confronted by Commodore Hamilton Rook who tries to force him to sell him his ship cheep for the Core Crystal. When he leaves, Alexander Bayard shows up, sent by the Spirearch to fetch him. Then they're suddenly attacked by viscous creatures in the dark. They fight them back-to-back, Grimm gets bitten—they never get a look at the creatures.

Benedict Sorellin-Lancaster, Gwen, Bridget, and Barnabus Astor escape fallen debris into a tunnel. They are overtaken by Auroran Marines disguised as Spirearch's Guardsmen, carrying explosives on a stretcher. They hold at a stand-off for several hours until Rowl brings Captain Grimm.
 Bridget considers how the Auroran Marines might be using the tunnels and the cats don't know about it—they must have some creatures helping them. Bridget, Folly, Rowl meet with the House Nine-Claws led by Clan Chief Naun in the tunnels of Habble Landing. They can't talk freely because they are being watched. After being led through the tunnels by Nine-Claws Warriors to "the ropes", the three get attacked by Silkweavers.

## Book References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 29
2. ↑ *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 33, p. 308
3. ↑ *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 7
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 33 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CS1ch6" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CS1ch6" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CS1ch6" defined multiple times with different content
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 33, p. Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CS1ch33" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CS1ch33" defined multiple times with different content
6. ↑ *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 11
7. ↑ *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 14, p. 142
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 34, p. 319
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 34
10. ↑ *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 7–8
11. ↑ *Aeronaut's Windlass*, ch. 9–10, 16