The Ash Heap is the center of mining in this part of Appalachia. The air wasn’t the cleanest here before the bombs dropped, and now with mountains of ash mixing in with the nuclear fallout, you have a virulent and choking atmosphere where a gas mask (or other protective measures) is a must. While maintaining a backup breathing apparatus is a good idea, this region cannot be described as “oxygen-friendly.” There are great gouts of smoke you should steer well clear of, especially as you head inevitably to the main landmark: the gigantic bucket-wheel excavator sitting on what’s left of Mount Blair. You don’t want to be gasping for breath on top of the local risk of attacks from the mysterious Mole Miners or the threat of an encroaching Rad Storm. There are some hard-scrapping old mining towns, like Beckley and Lewisburg, to visit and scavenge and a special suit of Power Armor to obtain, if your questing takes you to the headquarters of Garrahan Mining, owned by one of the prominent mining families in this region. The vertical tower mansions to the southeast still exist to this day.
Expect periodic bouts of seismic activity and instability, mainly brought about by decades of incautious mining by the AMS Corporation. AMS conducted some early Ultracite tests in the region, leading to seismic rumblings, while other shaking seems to be caused by Scorchbeasts burrowing and the infamous “Motherlode.” Prior to the bombs dropping, an earthquake revealed a vein of Ultracite under some homes in the impoverished town of Welch. AMS attempted to evict the residents in order to reach the vein, and these tactics resulted in a riot, which swept the region about three weeks before the War. Rioters hit the Bucket Wheel Excavator on Mount Blair, blowing up one of the Mega Mansions and defacing the home of the Hornwrights. The Garrahan family’s holdings were mainly left intact due to their tendency to work with, rather than against, the miners.
