Aramoor

Demographics

Change is a concept synonymous with opportunity, for it is only in the most turbulent times that the world bears witness to the greatest shifts in power, status, and value.

Just as the death of a monarch can dramatically upset the careful balance of the court with enough force to spark a violent revolution, a single engineering breakthrough can catapult an innocent region on the outskirts of the Empire into one of the most valuable Outer Provinces. 

Aramoor is by no means the only area in which Thermal Stones can be found, however, as Bryonsworth's dependency on them only continues to grow, so does the importance of regions capable of mining enough to sate the Empires demand. While plenty of areas and provinces possess small pockets and veins of Thermal Stones running beneath them, it was beneath Aramoor that the largest deposit of Thermal Stones within the known continent was discovered, with an estimated five billion tonnes in untapped reserves. An almost inexhaustible supply that has drawn the entire Empire's attention as the value of Thermal Stones is realized. In the seven years since the modern Shoffen Engine's creation, Aramoor has wasted no time seizing the opportunity this change has afforded them. Now with the proven Shoffenway making it clear the prevalence that Thermal Energy will play in the Empire's future, Aramoor is set to experience even greater booms then any could have predicted.

Government

The Houses who have ruled over Aramoor have varied over the ages, however, within recent years a trend of nationalism has become apparent within these houses. Kinnan vus'Orthwell in particular, the eighteenth acting patriarch of House Orthwell, possessed a strong opposition towards involving outsiders in the development of the province's thermal assets. Refusing to give access or material lease to any company without a strong preexisting relationship with the House. While such activities were technically within his rights as provincial lord, the blatant stonewalling of the Empire's advancement for the sake of self-promotion drew a considerable amount of ire. Not only from those seeking to diversify their assets and invest in the growing marketplace Aramoor seemed to be at the heart of but from those in need of the surplus of resources the Orthwell were preventing access to. It was only a matter of time before those with the power to remove House Orthwell grew tired of humoring their antics and in the 205th year, by royal decree, House Orthwell was stripped of their title and Kinnan vus'Orthwell was apprehended under various counts of treason and obstruction of the crown. It was from this mess that House Shane arose as the new and current ruling house of Aramoor, backed by several parties with a vested interest in putting a house with more open border policies into power.

Assets

Much like it's surrounding provinces, and despite Aramoor's newfound focus on unearthing Thermal Stones, roughly eighty percent of the population are subsistence farmers. Focused on producing enough crops and raising enough livestock to pay the levy and sustain the immediate area. For even with the extreme value of Thermal Stone exports, no province can support themselves off the backs of a single industry alone. While the Shoffenway has served to make trade both notably faster and cheaper when dealing with bulk products, it's implementation beyond the capital isn't robust enough to enable towns to dedicate labor towards setting up and maintaining Thermal Mines. Instead, most of the mining done in Aramoor is centralized, preformed in Mettinale and it's surrounding major cities. Where, given the sheer amount of manpower needed to work and the constant rate of expansion, new hires are almost always accepted. Pulling in not only young men from within the province seeking better pay but drawing a fair amount of interprovincial immigration brought in by the allure of a new booming industry. Yet despite this constant influx, work can hardly be called either safe or stable.

While the intense study of Thermal Stones has caused new methods of handling Thermal Stones to be discovered at a furious rate, the pool of knowledge surrounding them is still incredibly shallow. Shallow enough, that the fervor displayed in the constant expansion of the mines is viewed by many knowledgeable in the field as nothing short of reckless endangerment. While mishaps caused directly by the miners are far from commonplace and vigilant overseeing goes a long way in ensuring operations go as smoothly as possible. There are simply no precautions one can take against threats none even know exist. While small mine collapses or individual accidents are easily ignored or swept away, occasionally a disaster so ugly will rear its head that dramatic changes are put in place so that it may never happen again. With the Blaze of Aderhold, in particular, causing the province to cease the use of explosives in mines altogether.

Yet, even still, digging up Thermal Stones is an extremely profitable venture. The cost of labor needed to employ quarrymen and miners is but a pittance while there is no shortage of wealthy buyers across the Empire looking to buy into the future. While the strict regulations of Kinnan vus'Orthwell had stifled most attempts from outside investors and prospectors to found mining companies within the province and lease the material rights needed to mine. The Shanes have thus far kept true to their word in allowing more outside involvement in developing their resources. While the effects of the relaxation of Aramoor's long-standing resistance to outsider influence have yet to be felt in its entirety, there are already countless changes sweeping over the province. As to whether those changes represent a positive new direction for the region or degradation of their traditional ways, the answer largely depends on who you ask. 

Alternative Name(s)

The Solitary Grounds

Type

National Territory

Location under

The Outer Provinces

Owner/Ruler

King Evric vus'Byron

Owning Organization

The Empire of Bryonsworth