Molthal is built out of black stone, quarried from the mountains that surround the Blighted plateau. Many structures, such as warehouses and forgeworks, are well maintained. The vast majority of them – civilian tenements, homes, shops, and so on are not as finely built. Many of them appear to be crumbling, or are otherwise constructed out of wood harvested from the bleak and brittle trees of the Blightlands.
Much of Molthal’s most imposing structures were conceived of by the Fire Giant, Menalus, but the vast majority of it was constructed by Blight Orcs… and it shows that Blight Orc architecture and design still has quite some way to go.
Molthal is divided into four districts. The central district is the smallest and best planned. As one gets further from the citadel (and by extension, the throne of Menalus), the city gets progressively less and less organized. By the time one reaches the outermost district, Molthal is little more than a cesspit of pit mines, forges, and slums.
The Walls of Molthal – A staggering feat of engineering and a testament to the genius of Menalus. The Walls of Molthal are a series of three walls, built one after the other, with enough space in between for people to live and work. Each wall is approximately six meters thick, and stands at a staggering twelve meters high. Large towers topped with siege equipment dot each wall, interposed with several reinforced iron gates. Smaller ballistas can be found along the walls as well. The amount of traps and tricks hiding within the walls for any would-be siegers are difficult to account for.
Irontown – A network of slums, shanties, and pit mines outside the first wall. Conditions here are, unsurprisingly, filthy. Most of Irontown’s inhabitants are slaves carted in from around the world, but there’s no shortage of Blight Orc slave masters and guards to keep an eye on things.
Outer Molthal – This is where most of the Blight Orcs in Molthal live. Between the first and second walls, Outer Molthal is a labyrinth of barracks, tenements, metalworks, and warehouses. Blight Orcs are industrious, but not creative, and so very few places of business exist. Gladiator pits are common. Food in Molthal is distributed out of the warehouses by quartermasters and stewards. The rank and file of the Blight Orcs live, work, and die in Outer Molthal.
Inner Molthal – Inner Molthal is immaculate, carefully planned, and rigorously maintained. It is here that the favored legions of Menalus’ sizable army live, leadership, skilled laborers, and Menalus’ sons reside. It sits behind the third and final wall, and is the smallest of the districts. At the very heart of Inner Molthal, the citadel of Menalus towers over everything.
The Citadel – Menalus’ citadel is gargantuan, and even someone familiar with the sights of
Vel Anir would be awed by the sheer size of it. Menalus is a Fire Giant, after all, and requires ample space to move. This sinister structure is visible from anywhere in Molthal and is the most defensible structure in the city. It is here that Menalus lives and rules alongside his four favored sons.