The Veinspring

The Veinspring is the river that runs through Odrun Fell. It begins in the high ice of Mount Vellspire and also rises from unseen springs under the mountain. It cuts a clear path through the city. It flows past the Sprigs, through the Spindle, and into the Barrows before it enters deeper channels under the city. The river is useful and dangerous at the same time. It supports daily work and trade, and it also brings threats from the water and from the dark below.

Along the upper banks near the Sprigs, the city built carved stone quays. These landings are orderly and well-maintained. Couriers and clerks prefer them because they are close to offices, vaults, and courts. The Spindle’s side of the river has busy walkways for loading and sorting goods. Here, porters bundle shell, meat, and tools for sale or storage. The Barrows side shows simple structures, rough planks, and rope ladders that reach the water. People wash chitin sheets in the shallows, clean tools, and fill jars. Children learn river rules at a young age and are told to move in pairs at dusk. Skiffs use poles and short oars to avoid scraping the bottom. These details differ by district, but the flow remains the same. The Veinspring carries life through the city and demands caution from anyone who goes near it.

Purpose and Role

The Veinspring provides water for homes, kitchens, and workshops. It carries small boats that move supplies between districts. It cools forges in controlled amounts. It receives runoff from cleaning floors, butcher bays, and shaping rooms, though guild rules restrict dumping that harms trade or health. It is also a barrier that helps the Cudgel manage movement and enforce safety. The river supports food preparation in the Barrows, contract deliveries in the Spindle, and formal transfers at the Sprigs quays. It is part of every district’s daily plan.

Hazards

The river looks calm in places, but there are real threats below the surface. Giant crawdads nest in hollows and strike from cover. Other, larger shapes pass in deeper runs. Some are scaled, and some move like things that grew too long in the dark. These threats do not announce themselves. They break lines, flip skiffs, and drag people into the water. The Cudgel records attacks and posts notices at busy steps. People in the Barrows use long-handled hooks to probe the water before they wade. Traders in the Spindle keep poles ready to push predators off hulls. The district near the Sprigs relies on guard posts with whistles to alert crews when sightings occur. The risk never fully goes away. The river feeds the city, and it also tests it.

Floods and sudden surges also cause harm. In late thaw, ice from higher channels loosens and shoots downward. Water level rises quickly and can take carts, stalls, and lamps with it. The Ashcoats issue braces for posts and ramps before the season turns. The Promissory reminds merchants to tie goods with proper knots and to insure high-value cargo. The Cudgel closes weak steps during surges and posts runners at crossings to direct people to safe routes. After surges, crews recover what they can and log losses for claims.

Layout and Crossings

The city built many small landings, steps, and bridges along the Veinspring. Upper landings near the Sprigs are wide and dry with stone rails. Ladders and narrow steps near the Barrows are simple and easy to fix. In the Spindle, ropes and cranes hang from balconies to lift stock out of skiffs and onto carts. Each crossing is marked with clear signs that state limits on load, flame rules, and where to queue. The walkways change with work needs, but the pattern remains stable enough that crews can plan travel by bell and by board.

Movement of Goods

Most small cargo runs use skiffs with shallow draft. Porters load them with baskets, sealed jars, and covered bundles. Lashings are checked twice before push-off. The Spindle handles the bulk of river cargo because it sits in the middle of the city’s trade routes. Here, skiffs unload to stalls and weighing houses. Items of high value move under seal to bonded spaces before sale. The Sprigs receives appointment cargo at its quays. These loads include ledgers, contracts, instruments, and rare parts with strict handling rules. The Barrows handles wash, maintenance, and simple materials that move to work sites. This division keeps traffic predictable and reduces collisions at landings.

Law and Control

The Cudgel enforces basic rules on all banks. No open flame on docks. Lamps must be hooded. Hooks must have cords. Children must keep to marked steps. The Promissory requires seals and copies for any shipment declared as bonded or insured. Inspectors check skiffs for concealed sacks of venom or unregistered glands. Violations lead to fines and bans from certain landings. Repeat violations move to hearings in the Sprigs. People who fish for crawdads in busy lanes are moved along. Those who interfere with a rescue face serious penalties. The rules are posted at entries in plain language.

Work and Daily Life

At first bell, people begin water work. In the Barrows, families bring chitin sheets to scrub and rinse. Crews use racks to dry plates before patching. In the Spindle, skiffs deliver breakfast stocks to Crackleline Alley and carry empty barrels back for fills. Porters line up at set points and wait for signals before loading. In the Sprigs, messengers deliver packets across the river where foot bridges make the shortest path. All of this is routine until a bell code or a whistle changes the plan. Then, movement stops or reroutes until danger passes. These habits limit accidents and keep the river clear for the next cycle.

Ecology and Use

The Veinspring carries silt, small fish, and shell fragments. People harvest crawdads in traps far from main crossings. Street cooks buy legal catches and sell them fried or stewed. Some apothecaries request mud from certain bends for work with salves. Guilds monitor dumping. The city does not allow waste that rots fast or spreads disease near common steps. Butchery floors in the Barrows drain to screened pits away from main runs. Shaping floors in the Spindle collect sweepings before water goes back to the river. These steps do not make the water clean, but they keep it safe enough for daily use. When the river turns cloudy or carries odd foam, the Cudgel posts warnings and closes affected steps until tests return to normal.

Threats from Below

There are times when the river returns what the city put into it. Crates break open and drift. Lost tools catch on piles at the banks. More dangerous are the moments when the river brings back things that did not come from the city at all. People report strange eggs stuck to ropes, larval husks in eddies, and shells that hum when touched. The Dregvault receives any questionable finds that are still alive or may hatch. The Barleys handle dead finds and judge if parts can be used or should be burned. Citizens are told not to keep unknown eggs or larvae. The rule is clear: if it came from the river and you do not know what it is, you turn it in.

Guild Roles

• The Cudgel posts river patrols during busy hours and during risk periods. They recover bodies, break up fights at landings, and respond to animal attacks. They also close steps when water rises or when a predator lingers.

• The Promissory handles bonded shipments, posts bans for unsafe crews, and verifies seals at high-traffic quays.

• The Ashcoats maintain rails, cranes, and bridge pins near the water. They put plates on posts where impact is common and replace rusted bolts.

• The Barleys provide handlers when live stock must cross by skiff and advise on treatments for bites and stings. Together, these roles keep the river usable without making it soft.

Seasons and Conditions

In spring, meltwater adds speed and debris. In summer, levels drop and more rocks appear. In autumn, dead leaves clog side channels and slow skiffs. In winter, ice forms on rails and steps, and ropes freeze stiff. Each season has posted adjustments. In spring, no night crossings for skiffs without Cudgel approval. In summer, heavier loads can pass on certain days. In autumn, extra time is built into contracts to allow for clearing choked lanes. In winter, sand bins appear at more steps, and crews carry spikes to break thin ice before a launch. These measures keep movement steady across the year.

Crime and Smuggling

Smugglers try to use the river to bypass fees and rules. They hide sacks under skiff planks or lash them below the waterline. The Promissory responds with random inspections, seal checks, and ledgers that track unusual traffic patterns. The Cudgel posts informant rewards and runs night watches at problem bends. Most rings are small and short-lived. Larger rings trigger court actions in the Sprigs and bans that apply to all districts. People who buy from smuggled stock risk confiscation and loss of license, and repeat buyers face detention. These penalties keep the river from becoming a free path for illegal trade.

Health and Clean Water

The Dome in the Barrows treats infections and injuries that come from river work. Street medics treat cuts and minor bites at landings. The city posts clear steps for basic protection: boots with sealed seams, gloves in cold water, and strips for treating minor stings. Boiling water for drinking is standard practice in homes close to the river. During disease seasons, the Sprigs issues temporary bans on washing at certain times and shifts extra bucket crews to maintain cleanliness at steps. These measures reduce spread while keeping work going.