Morgundr

A city twice founded...

Spires of smoke and steam fill the air as the whistles of trains drown out the conversations of passersby. The masses of people are dense enough to become nothing but swirling splotches of color when viewed from a distance. Though the skies are blue, the faces of those one would come across are solemn and reserved. They may spare another a passing glance, but each mostly keeps to themselves as the days spur onward.
Morgundr is the only duergar city in Prostesa that sits aboveground. Considered the Bergeron of the East, Morgundr is responsible for connecting the entirety of Lithia through the Dvergian Railroad, created as a way for the duergar to boast about their sense of innovation. Even now, it is the pride and joy of their town.

Demographics

Until very recently, Morgundr was a purely-duergar settlement. The introduction of humans has had the added benefit of expanding Morgundr’s influence to the rest of Lithia, though humans are still only a minority. Duergar tend to serve as train conductors or engineers while humans make up the bulk of other jobs. As of recently, duergar make up 85% of Morgundr’s population and humans the remaining 15%.

Government

Since its founding, Morgundr has been in the hands of the Bellwinter family, an offshoot of one of Illwurn's old royal families before it became a kingdom. The current leader, Bastion Beowulf Bellwinter, is renowned as an innovator of Lithia’s newest (and fastest) train. In the event that the head of Bellwinter is out of commission, power is handed over to his wife or first-born son. It was the Bellwinter family that created the title “Bastion,” which is the equivalent of an autocrat in other settlements. The Bellwinter family was founded on the belief that all means must be exercised in order to realize ambitions. Members of the Morgundrian church teach Morgundrians to practice fortitude and perseverance when the Bellwinter family periodically sacrifices the comfort of Morgundr’s citizens to gain a political edge. They annually compete with Bhaglbrov for Lithia’s biggest trading junction, and the Bellwinter family has wasted no time in attempting to slander the Bhaglbrovians.

Defences

The City Guard is Morgundr’s main line of defense, doubling as the military and a police force. Because of the city’s winding paths and labyrinthic design, enemy forces often find themselves trapped inside of Morgundr’s walls. These walls, which separate Morgundr into districts, are manned by the City Guard to provide them with clear, branching routes throughout the city. However, the true means of protection employed during great perils is the underground portion of Morgundr, the original Morgundr. When half the city collapsed in 4255 AA, it was repurposed as a trap for enemy armies, who would be herded underground and trapped under loose rubble.

Infrastructure

Morgundrian streets, including bridges, are often modified in order to accommodate the Bellwinter trolley bus. The bus routes, marked by the railroads, run underground to the rest of the settlement. Using these buses requires a pass given by the bus’ assistant drivers. Registration, depending on the district, tends to be around 5 copper to 15 copper.

History

Show spoiler

Morgundr is often said to have been founded twice. When it was founded by the Bellwinter family in 3500 AA, the city grew quickly as it was recognized as Lithia’s only means of long-distance transport. The Bellwinters focused on making transportation accessible to all, which caused mass immigration to Morgundr. From there, prospective engineers dedicated their lives to land-based transport, believing it would be unwise to challenge Illwurn in the sky. The other settlements of Prostesa became sources of inspiration to the Morgundrians, and this inspiration gradually transformed into the competitiveness they are currently known for. Due to an unknown series of events, the ground around Morgundr had become unstable, causing the city to plunge underground, leaving the Morgundrians susceptible to Echoes. Thanks to the Bellwinter family and tense negotiations with Bhaglbrov, Morgundr was able to begin a second life aboveground once again.
In recent years, Morgundr has become recognized for its gravity-defying trains, allowing their vehicles to weave around otherwise impassable terrain. What marks the Morgundrian ideal is unflinching ambition and the willpower to realize it.

Tourism

Most people that journey to Morgundr are interested in journeying the Dvergian Railroad, discovering the underground, ruined city, or investigating the rumors of the (dubbed by children) Railroad Goblin, a spirit of a military veteran that now haunts Morgundrian railroads. The name of the Goblin is unknown, but children often note the faint, plucky notes of a banjo coming from somewhere above the train. Some claim to have seen the Goblin—a male hag, they would often say. Others claim nobody has seen it and it’s just a myth. Either way, it has been a source of intrigue for all tourists that choose to visit Morgundr.

Founding Date

3500 AA

Alternative Name(s)

Dvergian Crossing

Type

Large town

Population

Approx. 15,000+

Inhabitant Demonym

Morgundrian

Modern Duergar
The part of Illwurn's history that isn't often spoken of are the duergar families that rose to power and dominated the East for centuries. The most prominent of these families were the Sudrilarks, one of the closest family lines to the Leonhardts, the original royal family of Illwurn. It is unknown where exactly their family line began, but the Sudrilarks now make up the upper crust of Illian society, a position the Bellwinters once strived to obtain. Because of this, Morgundr and Illwurn have a tense relationship, and their heads are not very fond of one another.

"Happy to have you all aboard. Remember, we're not responsible for any... inconveniences that may occur inside the vehicle. This is a test run that's open to the public after, all. You folks volunteered. Is it safe? Who cares, it's the future!" 

- Torg Bellwinter