1. Walls: These 15-foot walls protect the salt mill and the garrison in the event of an attack. The gates are generally left open, and the walls manned only by lookouts. In time of attack, however, the walls provide cover for more than 100 soldiers. The fortress is not large enough to support the full complement of people who live here. In case of an attack, the full garrison could be brought inside the walls, but would run out of supplies in a few days. The intent is for the fortress to hold until reinforcements can be brought from Salt View. In addition to the soldiers, Fyra has devised a unique way stone fragments have been hauled from the mine entrance: Fyra has bundled the sharpest of these in sacks with ground salt; these are poured down upon attackers climbing the wall. The stone shards cut the attacker's skin and the salt causes such pain that the attacker is essentially out of the fight.
2. Soldier's Hall: This administrative building is the marshaling point for each shift of soldiers. Fyra maintains an office here, as does the watch commander. Aside from the change of shift, this building is relatively idle.
3. Salt Mill: This building houses the huge salt mill which is the source of House Fyra's trade. The salt mill is made of two stone wheels, one laying flat and the other rolled in circles atop the first and around its circumference. Rock salt is laid on the lower millstone and crushed by the upper stone until it is a fine powder; it is then transferred to sacks in which the salt is stored. The millstone is moved by manual labor. Six muls must work the millstone at all times; getting the mill started and stopped is difficult, so it is generally run constantly. Each mul can work a shift of approximately 10 hours before tiring. There are always at least three muls actually pushing the millstone. Those not driving the millstone are sweeping the finely-crushed salt (which makes its way to the outermost part of the mill) into channels which lead to the sacks. This task is somewhat dangerous. The miller, Praxtra, is skilled at knowing just how much salt the mill can handle at any one time. Visitors to the mill are sometimes startled by the sudden smash as he uses his hammer to crush a particularly large crystal into millable size. The mill is also used as a trading hall, since salt is House Fyra's primary export. It is only moderately satisfactory, as the constant sound of the millstone makes conversation difficult. Fyra has discussed constructing a true Trader's Hall, but thus far no work has begun.
4. Salt Silo: This 20-foot silo contains the accumulated rock-salt brought in by the salt-gatherers. The salt is kept here until it is milled. Generally, the silo is about halffull; this varies by the amount of salt gathered recently and the efficiency of the mill. Fyra has condemned traitors or others who threatened Fort Fyra to death in the silo. The condemned are hurled in from above, and allowed to die of thirst, the moisture in their bodies leached out by the salt. By the time the bodies make their way out at the base, they are mummified. While this punishment has only rarely been implemented, it is a memorable threat. Praxtra, the salt miller, has decried the practice, saying that it spoils the salt.
5. Well: This well has stood for many years, and was one of the things that attracted Xaynon and his band to this site. The well is deep, but water can be found in it year round. As a result, Fyra has seen no need to construct a cistern.
6. Residences: This area is dotted with various homes for the fortress garrison. These range from tattered tents to strong mud-brick buildings, and are distributed in an unruly pattern. There are footpaths running between the buildings, but most of the “streets” in this section are toonarrow even for a small wagon. The tents and temporary buildings are constantly appearing, disappearing and moving as the population evolves, which makes finding anything in this section a bewildering task. The area is roughly divided into quarters, based on the preferences of the inhabitants. The soldiers in the garrison occupy much of the eastern zone, while the northern part contains the homes of many traders. The western zone is primarily the province of the miners, while the rest of the residential area is a mix of mill workers and artisans.
7. Mine: This is the entrance to the new salt mine. To
date, most of the work has been expended in breaking
through the stone which surrounds the salt deposit. For
all his desire to establish a salt mine, Fyra would have
been unable to locate the rich deposit which lies under
the stone without the help of the druid Lestria.
According to Lestria's information, the miners are
almost through the stone cap. If all is as she says, beyond
lies a huge deposit of high quality salt. Since no salt has
yet been uncovered more factions are pushing to abandon
the mine attempt.
At Fyra's direction, the miners have constructed a small
breastwork in front of the entrance to the mine. The
breastwork is a low wall, 4 to 5 feet high, made of loose
rock excavated from the mine. This fortification is not
designed to withstand a prolonged assault; it is intended
to buy time until the garrison in the fortress can counterattack. The breastworks are manned by five soldiers from
the fortress during daylight hours; these soldiers are there
to repel any attackers, and to assist the miners in the
event of an emergency.