Sturmhalten

The city of Sturmhalten lies right on Balan's Gap, a mountain pass, and brings in money by taxing the traffic. Until recently, it was ruled by Prince Aaronev VI; its current status is uncertain.

The sewers underneath have a rather distressingly active ecosystem, including albino squid, giant glowing rats, and ghouls. Deeper, more secret tunnels were evidently used by the Geisterdamen. Hive engines were transported through there, which presumably also accounts for the fact that the city is entirely populated by revenants.

History
Prince Aaronev was a major political player and a devoted ally of Lucrezia Mongfish, even after her disappearance. Nevertheless, he opted not to resist when the Baron came conquering, preferring to work quietly on her behalf.

The work he did for her apparently consisted of tracking down female Sparks and attempting to transfer her consciousness into them, a process that was almost invariably fatal. Even his daughter was subjected to it, though she managed to survive for a while- and appear to survive even longer- due to the intervention of her brother Tarvek Sturmvoraus, who appropriated Tinka from Master Payne's Circus of Adventure to use as reference in building her a new body.

Ultimately a suitable host, Lucrezia's daughter, came into town with that same circus, prompting a complicated coup attempt by Anevka and Tarvek, the return of the Other, rampaging monsters in the streets, and a full-scale battle between Klaus and Agatha in which Klaus was squished by a chicken house.

According to Gilgamesh Wulfenbach, the situation is currently "contained". Exactly what that means is not clear.

Questions and Theories

 * 1) Were Aaronev's depredations the only reason for the rarity of female Sparks, or are there other factors?
 * 2) What was/is Tarvek actually trying to do?
 * 3) What's clank!Lucrezia up to now?