Deep Ruins

Definition

“Deep Ruins” refers to far‑flung, often polar or sub‑polar ruins of former cities that the big factory‑crawlers on treads never reached. Because large‑scale machines did not grind these districts down, they remain comparatively rich in recoverable materials such as copper wiring, steel beams, and plumbing.

Context and Usage

• The term is used extramuros to describe distant ruins worked by scavengers when markets make metals valuable enough to justify the expedition.
• Salvage moves in stages from anarchic tundra market towns toward the road network, then in drummon caravans to the polar sledge port at Eighty-three North. From there, massive sledge trains carry cargo over the ice toward The North Pole and onward routes.
• Travel and work conditions are harsh: deep cold, long distances, and ad hoc traffic on ice. Loads routinely shed debris; caravans move together for mutual protection, and arctic pirate‑bands are reported hazards.

Related Terms

• Eighty-three North: a polar sledge port that aggregates cargo, vehicles, and travelers bound over the ice; a key hub for freight coming out of the deep‑ruins trade.
• The North Pole: part of the established over‑ice route used by sledge trains moving heavy cargo.
• Sledge trains: long, tread‑drawn consists of sledges used to haul containers, loose scrap, and even loaded vehicles across pack ice.

Notes

• “Deep Ruins” is a descriptive label heard in current accounts; specific city‑names and precise locations are not given.
• The contrast is with “shallower” ruins closer to the old industrial belts that were consumed long ago by factories‑on‑treads; deep ruins lie beyond those machines’ reach and so persist as salvage fields.