Topside

Topside is the face of Shalehaven and to a certain extent the face of the Dwarvish race on Starhelm. Topside doesn’t have a lot of the properties that you would see in a typical Dwarven city, except for how well-built and crafted the buildings and structures are. Some of the people that live in Topside never enter the rest of the city within the mountain. Topside is surrounded by a large iron wall that extends upward 30 feet.
Within these walls can be found a collection of important buildings and sites, including the Dwarphanage, the Stone King, the Topside Strip, the Hearty Goat, the Brewers Branch, the Topside Seats, as well as temples and shrines for some of the other gods. At the back of the city, built into the mountain is a large, 30-foot, tall iron door, that separates Topside from Undercity. This massive door is usually kept open so movement between Topside and Underside can be maintained if need be. It can be closed quickly, utilizing ingenious pulleys and weights, and has never been breached.
The people of Topside range from simple travelers, to merchants, to those who have come to Shalehaven for a better future. While most non-Dwarves live here, there are still a number of Dwarves who feel they need the connection to the outside to feel comfortable. They typically live Topside to cater to the needs of non-Dwarves, or there is some deeper reason for their avoidance of Underside.
Delver’s Den is the main temple to Denethen on Topside, and it is open to all who wish to give thanks or pray. It is accessible easily from the entrance and it is one of the warmest and most inviting temples to Denethen on all of Starhelm. It is run by Valida Deepdelver, who took over from her mother, and her mother before her. Valida emphasizes the hearth and family as important aspects of Denethen’s blessing, calling all of Shalehaven her family (visitors and citizens alike). Some of the more stringent and older Dwarves pay her no mind, thinking that she is catering to the masses, but she brings a lot of people into her temple daily.

Type

District

Location under

Shalehaven