The Stone Quarries Past the forest and sitting at the base of the mountains behind the Ancient quarter sits Zeltiva's stone work industry a good half a day ride away. While Zeltiva has access to several local rock types - mainly sedimentary based - , it is the ones found within the quarries that are of particular interest to the local economy and trade. Belonging to the Gracey Family for several generations, the stone quarry itself is in fact made up of several smaller quarries each with their own particular focus on exports, each with their own carved roads and paths leading up to them. The main route however cuts through the Zeltivan forests clearly, and it only once it thins and the base of the mountains come into view that the first of the three quarries are met. The first and lowest altitude one is the coal mine, cut out originally for the limestone that traces the area until they found a rich seam. From there the labouring force works on using this resource to their advantage. Above and around the mining of limestone continues, cutting into at least an acre of landscape and replacing it with squared, clean edged stone, before it is more often than not is shipped down back into the city proper. It is the same rock that is used to build a majority of the buildings within the city proper. Its other uses include being used with glass making and other constructive endeavors. The next quarry is one of Marble, while not as large or grand as the other two it holds value. Primarily harvested with care, where every fleck counts such miners are picked out to tend and remove it. Once harvested, the marble often finds itself being carved into aesthetic shapes, or shipped off into its raw form. The final quarry and by fast the largest is found at the highest altitude is the granite quarry. Stronger and harder wearing than the previous stones, the granite is often found used on the more defensive buildings of the city - but is also more frequently used on the buildings of the ancient quarter as bricks or as slabs. It is also used also for memorials and architecture. In all instances, the quarries are worked from sunrise to sundown and once the miners are done with their work they more often than not come together in their designated mines and camp out. Normally the quarry workers work shift cycles of ten days on and then ten days off, all while under the watch of highly armed guards of the Martial Society against the potential dangers that may come their way. Credit goes to Fallon for this location. |