Geddri

Homeland of the Rock Gnomes

The Mesa Lands

Geddri is a massive island / landmass south of and between Arna and Kharza, composed of a series of plateaus and mesas, some of which are also surrounding islands. These mesas are completely inhabited by rock gnomes as well as the very occasional erudite dwarf or human or tourist. The climate is warm and tropical and the tops of the mesas are dominated by gnomish farms. The mesas interiors are largely hollowed out with dens and tunnel systems made by the gnomes- almost operating as giant rocky skyscrapers. They call the mesas "Den-Cities", with various districts within called "Dens". Within these dens are various family burrows, labs, schools, shops, etc. Settlements atop the mesas are considered cities and towns in their own right. Most of these mesas are connected by underground tunnels, often called the Low Ways. The surface of the main plateau of Geddri is roamed by a number of orcish and hobgoblin tribes which are typically hostile to others, so most prefer to travel the tunnels, even if it means several days underground. Below the surface of the surrounding ocean are sunken water-filled ruins of former gnomish dens. The Sunken Dens existed before the great flooding which occurred during The Event. The seas around here are quite shallow compared to the Qusura Sea as well as the Shallowed sea and the former mainland below is now covered in aquatic reefs. Many dive here for pearls and other treasures below. A number of trinkets and gadgets and valuables originating in the Sunken Dens has ended up washed up over the years along the southern shore of Kharza, giving that region of coast the name "The Shore of Treasures".

A Scholarly Culture

Geddri has a structure and culture unlike any other. These rock gnomes are universally obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge- almost in the fashion that dwarves obsess over the pursuit of mined riches. The den-cities operate more like universities than they do states or settlements. Most of them have a particular code or credence in regards to the work that goes on. These codes could be religious, ethical, determine the areas of study allowed and the power structure within. Each den-city largely functions independently from the others except in the case of large threats which they must unite against. Most gnomes, when they come of age, are expected to choose their area of study, and this is to become their life's work. Those who are struggling to choose will often be given a civil service type job until inspiration strikes- for some it simply never does. Some choose not to enter academia in order to start or run a family business instead. Those with neither a mind for scholarship nor business are often sent to be laborers on the surface farms, given service or assistant jobs, or are sent to the industrial buttes to work in manufacturing. Most rock gnomes with this issue simply leave Geddri alrogether or end up in Dahgstone, the only den-city for non-academics. There is also the butte of Shemara's Roost, a party-den focused on entertainment and a guilty vacation away from the rigors of academia. Once a rock gnome has chosen their field of study they are sent to live and work in an appropriate den-city and placed under the tutelage of a professor in that area. They start off in a school like structure until they graduate and are gifted (or they may choose to carve out) their very own small research lab or workshop. At this point it is expected for them to go on at least one 'research mission', a trip to another continent for one year to learn what they can on their subject through the eyes of an outsider. Through a lifetime of study and success, a gnome may earn larger and more prestigious labs or workshops, and the higher their reputation the more say they have in the government, which is a meritocracy. They may even one day end up on the Board of Geddri, which unites all the den-cities and makes the largest decisions.

Cities & Den-Cities

The largest Den-City mesa of Geddri is called Gebbidan, home of the closest thing these gnomes have to a seat of government. It would be most accurate to call it the Board of Directors. The "Director" of each mesa comes here to decide on matters which effect all of the mesas and settlements in the region. There are four other mesas (Darweilm, Cyredan, Beswic, and Onginnaz) that make up the largest Den-cities in Geddri, as well as a number of smaller buttes (Shemara's Roose & The Smoke Stacks). Gebbidan has two large cities on it's top, both resting on the rim of cored out "wells" which are full of various elevators and stairwells down through the multiple levels of the mesa. The largest is The Crescent, sitting on the Western Well. This is where the Board of Directors is located. The other is Maganwell which rests on the Eastern Well. These are the largest surface cities, though Penigwid from Den-city Darweilm comes close to matching them. The Den-cities which rise from the ocean (Egesgrif, Dahgstone, Tungledow, and Beordan), are independent and do not have Directors on the Board of Geddri. They are home to slightly more reclusive gnomes- generally those who are studying more controversial areas of interest. Tungledow is home to a monastery that most avoid as their scholars have an obsession with death. There are also the butte-islands of Garston and Draymizzen.

The Outskirts

Though probably 90% of Geddri's populace lives within the den-city mesas, there are a number of towns which do exist on the main plateau. The largest, Brogasbrim, hugs the southern cliffs of the plateau with a cliff-cut path down to a marina (called Port Broga). This is considered the safest method to arrive in Geddri, as opposed to the northern towns and seaports which face threats both from barbarians and sahuagin. There are two main sea-side port towns - one on the north western coast (Galfirth) and one on the east (Pallapog). There is a tiny island between Geddri and the main coast of Kharza called The Stepping Stone with the port of Eigweg located on it. The gnomes have also claimed the port of Migglehythe which is just across from there but on the mainland. These serve as bustling trade depos and pit stops used by sailors passing between the continents. The large flat island to the east is not considered a part of Geddri and is a free but very wild territory.
Within the interior and on the northern end of Geddri, the largest settlement is Lenooth and it exists just outside of the three small mountains named "The Three Brothers". It is a mining settlement, mainly, as the Three Brothers are extremely rich in rare metals used in alchemy or in special alloys. The den-city of Beswic has two walled settlements (Darmina and Orntoch) just on their outsides leading in. Other than Darweilm (which can be entered through Brogasbrim), this is the only mesa accessible from the outside. The rest must be reached by the underground Low Ways or through flight (or extreme cliff climbing).

The Great Den-Cities

Gebbidan Gebbidan is the largest mesa by far and the location of the large surface cities of The Crescent and Maganwell along with a good number of rural farm towns. There is a large bridge connecting Gebbidan to an adjacent butte topped with the town of Welber. This mesa is the home of Holistic Scholarship; a center of education, politics, debate, and multi-disciplinary research and collaboration. This is the seat of government for the region as well as the place most gnomes are educated. Gnomes often get together here to hold conventions and conferences on different and multiple subjects. Gebbidan is also the main center for commerce in the region and the location of most of the largest renowned gnomish shops and businesses. They also have a focus on agricultural research as this plateau provides the most land area for cultivation.

Darweilm Darweilm is the first mesa most visitors to the region enter, being attached to the port town of Brogasbrim just outside. It is also where many tourists want to go as gnomes are famous for their clockwork contraptions. This mesa is the home of inventors and innovators. The gnomes here are focused on engineering, robotics, artificery, and developing new materials and technology. This is the home of the famous experimental "Skycraft" which runs on a combination of gases, ignition, and wind magic. There is a Skycraft that can take folks back and forth from Darweilm to the other mesas quickly- for a price of course. Gnomes here are tinkerers who mix engineering with the arcane to create mechanical wonders and vehicles and their businesses make the most money. They also develop advanced methods for mining, metallurgy, tunneling, irrigation, and other things that require a thorough knowledge of physics. This mesa is topped with the large surface city of Penigwid.

Beswic Beswic is one of the mesas that has lower access to the main plateau and it is also considered the main terminal of the Low Way tunnels. All tunnels converge here in the north. The surface towns of Darmina and Orntoc both lead to two overland High Ways which connect to the port towns of Orntoch, Galfirth, and Brogasbrim as well as the mining settlement of Lenooth. It has two topside rural surface towns called Duru & Gastamol which are also home to two of the largest astral observatories in the world. These gnomes love the stars and the cosmos and Beswic is the home of philosophers, theologists, and cosmologists. They study the planes of existence and the existence of existence. This also includes astronomy, astrology, religion, spiritualism, and psychology. This is also a home to gnomish diviners and there are several temples here. They do not fear mixing science and religion. They wish to unravel the mysteries of the gods, the worlds creation and the purpose of life.

Cyredan Cyredan is named for the gnomish god Cyreda, the divine archivist. It is a mesa dominated by libraries. There is one major surface town of Dunlic which serves the general public and visitors, but the archives below are protected in earnest. Cyredan is the home of historians, linguists, & literature. These gnomes study the Gnomities (humanities) as well as collect and archive any and all information they can. Their scribes aren't just scribes- they operate large gnomish printing presses where they make copies of important education-related tomes and textbooks. Though they have a soft spot for their own history, they are very focused on world history, events, and the many evolving languages of the world. Many of them also study, unearth, and recreate dead languages which can assist other gnomes studying ancient artifacts. Of all the den-cities, Cyredan collaborates the most with other dens.

Onginnaz Onginnaz is not the largest mesa, but it might be the most interesting to visit. These gnomes study magic and use it at every possible opportunity. They have schools here that could rival those in Namiza and Va'Sehir and Astrithyr- but they don't allow outsiders to learn here. They have formulated their own arcane dialect, in fact, to make their discoveries hard to copy by outsiders. Walking around this mesa, everything seems magical. The lighting, the elevators, even their production of food and water. Their population easily holds some of gnome-kinds highest IQs- and also some of it's biggest recluses. These gnomes are taught to pursue the arcane not for power or pride, but for the pure pursuit of finding out what is possible of a mortal being. Their largest surface town of Motwud lies within a grove of magically grown trees which produce a plethora of tropical fruits which instantly regrow once picked and trunks that regrow in a matter of days after being felled. In case it's not obvious, Onginnaz is the home of arcanists, enchanters, and alchemists. These gnomes study all manner of magical things, from classic wizard spells to magical ores, alchemy, and the existence of natural-born sorcerers and other unexplainable arcane phenomena.

Tungeldow Tungeldow has a bit of a... reputation, even among the gnomes. It has one surface town of Demelzad (named for the gnomish death god Demelza) where outsiders are permitted, but only locals may enter the interior. Many in Demelzad are botanists, zoologists, and monstrologists and keep their test subjects in enclosures here on the surface. Is not a den-city perused often by visitors and tourists unless someone is desperate for a cure to an illness. Tungledow is the home of anatomists, physicians and biologists mainly. These gnomes are focused on blood and tissue, life and death, and what makes living creatures tick and age. Many are health professionals of some kind and many study diseases and ailments. The majority have the best intentions. Some are, however, somewhat the opposite. Some scholars here are somewhat feared or hated for their experimentation- called unethical by the other mesas. This den-city has an explicit and exclusive ethics clause which excuses many supposed medical and ethical crimes in the pursuit of knowledge- so long as these experiments have sound reasoning. This includes humanoid test subjects and many of these experiments include necromancy. There is a monastery located here that utilizes this knowledge as a weapon and their well-traveled monk scholars are considered very controversial. Their ultimate goal is to discover a non-lich method of living forever.

Egesgrif Egesgrif is considered by some to be a tourist trap- particularly it's surface towns of Banaburrow & Wydatref. It is the home of culture and art. Some would confuse this den with being an artist colony but this is not really the case. This is a city-den of museums. These gnomes are scholars of art history and collectors of culture. Their dens are full of all kinds of museums, from art and music and fashion to technology to world and natural history. They love to study and they love to appreciate all that makes sentient humanoids what they are and what separates them from beasts. They study culture as anthropologists and objects of culture as archeologists. There are those among them who are actually artists themselves too, though they may find themselves being observed and studied like a creature in it's natural habitat.

Dahgstone Dahgstone is the opposite of a tourist trap. There is one surface town of Erstrow which, if anything, serves as a farmer and fishermans market. This den-city is the home of The Dropouts. This is the den that gnomes go to if they don't fit in any of the other den-cities and have little interest or ability in academics. The others look at them as the outcasts, the unintelligent and undisciplined who exist to be pitied or judged, hardly a step above forest gnomes whom many rock gnomes view as borderline barbarians or at least backwater hillbillies. The inhabitants of this den-city, however, look at the other dens with a special and visceral disdain and judgement of their own. They recognize there is more to life than being the smartest person in the room and they decry their brethren's hard wired perception of rock-gnomish superiority. These gnomes explore other ways to live meaningful and satisfying lives not reliant on rivalry, excellence, and social pressures to conform, succeed, and change the world.

Beordan Beordan is considered a joke to most of the other den-cities. Their residents are "quacks" and charlatans. Beordan is the home of Fringe Science- gnomes studying strange and obscure things others might dismiss outright. This includes things like alternate realities and timelines, aliens, time travel, cryptids and living legends, non-college magic, telepathy, and psionics. They consider themselves the open-minded and their society is built around open discourse without fear of judgement. Some of these gnomes probably are what you'd call a "wishful thinker" or they are proper quacks and mad scientists because, well, this is where they can speak and be heard. But that said, there are a number of them that are also probably the most forward thinking, revolutionary minds in the world. Some of these things, like psionics and non-discovered schools of magic do exist, and these are the only ones brave enough to tank their academic reputations in order to find out the truth.

Flag:
Each Den-City has it's own flag. Gebbidan's has five stars in a circle symbolizing the five den-cities of the Board of Geddri. Darweilm's has two interlocked cogs. Beswick has a star and eye motif, Cyredan's has a hand gripping a scroll, Onginnaz has a book and wand. 
Government
Meritocracy (Board of Geddri, manned by Directors)

Common Languages
Gnomish, Common

Largest Population:
Rock Gnomes (85%), Orcs (10 %), Other (5%)

Largest Cities
The Crescent (Gebbidan), Maganwell (Gebbidan), Penigwid (Darweilm), Brogasbrim (Darweilm)

Trade & Exports Contraptions and inventions, glassware, magic items and supplies, books, rare minerals and alloys, petrol and bitumen