Odrun Fell

The Hemlock Weirs are a tiered series of flow-gated platforms constructed just below the Barrows where the Veinspring narrows. Overseen by the Barleys, the weirs trap sediment-heavy water to cultivate hem-algae, which is an iron-rich crimson filament used in nutrient broths and salves. Beneath the surface, woven chitin nets catch freshwater crustacea and filter out industrial runoff from upstream Spindle wash-offs. The Barleys guard this site zealously, using sting-tail drones bred to detect unauthorized water siphoning. Apprentices are trained here in the art of selective skimming, where special kinds of algae are harvested for purity and potency. Trade with the Sallowrack relies on this site’s yield, making it a silent cornerstone of both nourishment and healing for the city’s poor.

The Hemlock Weirs sprawl like insect mandibles across the river’s path, their shell-and-bone sluice gates glistening with red-veined algae. Cradled by scaffolds of old beetle ribcage, the uppermost tier pulses with fungal lanterns suspended above the water, casting blood-orange light across the misted spray. Spirals of bioluminescent spore-thread curl in the air like incense smoke, while apprentice harvesters kneel on polished barkboards to skim nutrient layers with reed-bladed rakes. Beneath the platforms, the water churns in carved spiral channels, glowing faintly as it passes through the algae mesh. Watching from above, sentinel drones—wasp-bodied and gleaming—hover in silent patrol beneath the stone teeth of the riverbank.