Faldr

I am a dwarf and I'm digging a hole

In the southwestern corner of the Mystletainn Cradle, past the Streing Empire, lies the region controlled by the Faldr Triumvirate, also simply known as Faldr. Largely occupying the mountains, this nation is a bastion primarily full of dwarves, gnomes, and thurstrundr. Faldr is an industrial beast of bronze and marble, harnessing magma flows and the power which lies therein to fuel large-scale refineries and manufactories. With their capacity for mass production of metal goods, Faldr has cemented its place in the cradle. Their military's might and equipment is nearly impossible to rival, while their technology sits decidedly above most of their potential foes. Faldr does, however, contest with great beasts that lurk deep in the earth at the base of their domain - a detail which they keep carefully hidden from their potential foes.

Organization

As its name suggests, Faldr is led by a triumvirate - three rulers which each possess roughly equal power, if with different focuses. The three current leaders are the queens Potentia & Sanguis and the king Malleator. These leaders, broadly, are elected from the populace, specifically by the three most prominent guilds across Faldr - the military guild, the trade guild, and the manufacturing guild. Thus, Potentia generally takes care of military matters, Sanguis handles creating most trade agreements and oversees mercantilism, and Malleator coordinates the processes to keep the forge-fires running smoothly. As each of the three trusts the others to handle their affairs well, disputes among the triumph are rare, and they cooperate frequently. These three rule from the capital, Gyfalaf, situated relatively central to the nation, on the spine of a trade route that passes between Streing & the kingdom of Bannur.

Other guilds in Faldr generally support one of the three primary guilds, and are called "secondary" guilds. While some of the secondary guilds are relatively expansive, like the guild of stonemasons, others are truly small, like the farmer's guild (as most of Faldr is relatively barren mountains, though there are some fungus farms and goat ranches hidden among the more fertile valleys). The brass of the primary guilds take these shows of support seriously, and keep detailed rosters of their subordinate guilds to make both they and the subordinates are adequately supporting each other in mutually-beneficial ways.

This method of ruling has gone rather well in Faldr - relatively little bureaucracy limits the guilds, as each layer takes adequate initiative to keep things moving. But at the same time, the higher layers stay adequately informed of the goings-on below them to step in and alter course when they must. Faldr runs as a well-oiled machine, mimicking their factories.

Lands

The lands under the triumvirate are mountainous and harsh, but most of the populace dwells beneath those very stones. Extensive cavern systems lie in the Fjallili mountains where the triumvirate rests, which many villages and towns then expand off of, digging living spaces and work spaces alike. Some of the larger open caverns amid the mountains are home to fully built towns, though these methods are relatively uncommon in comparison to the dug-out varieties. Deeper in the caverns lurk both terrifying creatures, as well as the rivers and pools of magma upon which Faldran industry thrives. The depths of these caverns also provide easy access to the earth's bounty - ores of all varieties, gemstones, and the occasional more unique discovery.

Back on the surface, the Fjallili mountains where Faldr lies are rather harsh, but pockets of verdancy in secretive valleys give flora and fauna a place to thrive. These pockets house the rare farm or ranch, and occasionally hamlets, which often mirror or extend from a subterranean village in the same area. These hamlets are often the refuges for Faldran folks who prefer the air to the bowels of the earth, like centaurs and humans.

People

The folks in Faldr are largely comprised of those people who tolerate or even enjoy the dark and labyrinthine caverns beneath the mountains - minotaurs and dwarves most common among them, with gnomes and halflings making up no small part. In the triumvirate, productivity is valued, but not so highly to interfere with life of the folks. Guilds are structured to keep a close eye on the the quality of life for their members, and act swiftly to improve any poor situations. Faldrans who must resort to crime or who end up destitute somehow are considered a failure of the guild they support, and the stigma associated with such a failure drives guilds to at least look after their members' housing and food at the very least. This outlook does lead many Faldrans to a relatively generous outlook, one that seeks to uplift their brethren and seek a greater good.

Landmarks

Three of the most notable locations within Faldr are Mount Gyfalaf, the Fynic Mines of Ashadir, and Invaldi.

Mount Gyfalaf is an active volcano, its flames tamed and repurposed to run the forges of the capital city of Gyfalaf. However, its might is used only at the behest of a great denizen - Fafnir, a great magma dragon lurking in the mountain since the first ogre wars. Fafnir requests regular tribute for use of the magma in his domain, but the productivity the forgemasters and foundries garner from the immense heat easily sate Fafnir's greed.

The Fynic Mines of Ashadir - named from the delving minotaur Ashadir who discovered them - are a series of stoneworks dating back all the way back to the time of the fey, even before the ogre wars. Found within these mines are a faintly-purple slightly-metalic stone, known as Fyneral [this is a stupid name]. This stone has fynic properties, making it useful for all manner of magical creations as a replacement for the plant fynole. Fyneral's fynic properties are enhanced even further when the stone is purified into a metal under extreme heat, and even further when alloyed with valuable metals - silver, gold, mithral, and adamantine especially, though these metals also skew the fynic properties to take on specific kinds of magic as well.

Invaldi is a tower which exists anywhere and no-where, accessible seemingly at random, following much the same enigmatic logic as the fey folk which erected it in times long gone. This tower is surprisingly well-kept after the centuries in the mountains, and holds ancient records and lore within its sturdy walls. Upon its walls grows a unique variety of lichen known as Tears of a Hero, which has potent medicinal properties. Researchers often make trips through the mountains in the hopes of uncovering Invaldi once more, as the tomes within its hallowed stones cannot leave its grounds, and the knowledge stored within is sure to spur incredible magical developments.  

International Relations

Faldr holds a prestigious place among the international community - as a beating, burning heart of industry amid the mountains, the triumvirate garners at least respect if not fear from its peers. Known to be well-organized and to honor its deals, most nations have some sort of agreement with Faldr. Most of these agreements are trade orders, for Faldr to supply basic metal products at reasonably low cost while the other nation usually provides food or organic materials. The major exception to this is Streing, whose imperial ways see Faldr as more of a threat than a potential ally. Streing and Faldr are currently in an uneasy truce - Streing prefers to avoid war on its borders for now, while Faldr is quietly fighting the things in the depths. Faldr also has goodwill towards Maring in particular, where the warriors appreciate generous deals for their ever-needed armaments.