Odrun Fell

The Cradle of Hooks is an orphanage that doubles as a delver preparation hall. It was founded in the Barrows to help orphans pick up work as delvers when they come of age. Most of the orphans who live here are children of fallen laborers and delvers, so they are already pretty familiar with the duties that delvers would normally undertake. Children are given shelter, taught discipline, and given a change to forge their own path, but in the end they are mostly encouraged to delve or become laborers. Children are taught to rig simple traps, care for tunnelbeasts, and memorize essential tunnel routes at a young age. On the wall within the Cradle is a line where every orphan who enters and exits is recorded, with the names crossed out in red if they had died. On the wall, there are many crossed out names.

The Cradle is housed inside the ribcage of a colossal insect skeleton, its bones lashed together with silk-rope and metal reinforcements. Webbed hammocks stretch between supports, swaying above practice dummies and climbing nets. Wind chimes made of old gear and teeth hang from hooks in the ceiling, filling the space with sharp, tinkling music like laughter trying to sound brave.