The District, now known as the Grey Burrows, began its long history as a massive limestone quarry. Its stones were vital, used to construct the foundational walls of the majestic city of Ironhold. During an era marked by widespread Civil War and the horrors of the lucrative slave trade, the quarry's purpose shifted. It was repurposed into a grim holding pen for surplus labor captives, gathering unfortunate locals and individuals from other planes awaiting sale.
The fate of the quarry changed dramatically when the Dragonbone Vanguard shattered numerous corrupted gateways. The immense magical backlash from this event caused a localized tremor that violently collapsed the quarry's intricate drainage systems. With no escape for the accumulating water, the bottom of the vast pit transformed into a festering, noxious swamp. In the ensuing chaos, with war-torn lands displacing countless people, the destitute and refugees sought shelter within the abandoned quarry.
They began building upwards, utilizing scavenged ship hulls, rusted metal, and scrap stone to construct a vertical settlement. This unique dwelling earned its name, Grey Burrows, not only from the drab color of the quarry stone but also from a pervasive magical particulate. This fine dust, known as The Ash, settled over the district, originating from the imperfectly dismantled residue of a nearby Bukhara Spire Gateway. Long-term exposure to The Ash leads to Grey Lung, a debilitating condition that causes the skin to turn pallid and the eyes milky, marking its residents as distinct from Ironhold's upper citizens.
Decades ago, Ironhold's City Council erected the formidable Sanitation Wall, physically severing the Grey Burrows from the rest of the city. Ostensibly built to prevent the spread of disease, this wall effectively established an autonomous, lawless zone within. Inside the Burrows, Ironhold's City Watch holds no authority; instead, order is precariously maintained by The Mongers. This powerful syndicate of unlicensed vendors and thugs enforces their own "Street Law," bypassing Ironhold's currency exchange entirely.
Their economy thrives on a system of barter, favors, and illicit magical scraps meticulously scavenged from the deep, muddy mire. Unbeknownst to most, a dangerous secret lies hidden beneath the squalor. The Dragonbone Vanguard had missed a fragment of the original corrupted gateway, buried deep within the quarry's bedrock. This forgotten shard still pulsates with faint necrotic energy, acting as a dormant beacon that slowly wakes, drawing minor extra-planar vermin up from the sewers.
The residents, oblivious to the true nature of these creatures, believe them to be mere mutations caused by the prevalent pollution. Furthermore, a clandestine sect of The Mongers has discovered this insidious shard. They are quietly harvesting the 'Activated Ash' it produces, selling it as a potent and addictive narcotic to the upper echelons of Ironhold.
This unwitting act fuels their syndicate while simultaneously funding their potential doom. Currently, the District remains quarantined, simmering with an undercurrent of rebellion. The local crime syndicate is aggressively hoarding supplies, while a mysterious and pervasive sickness silently spreads throughout the cramped confines of the Grey Burrows.
