Ironmaul

Ironmaul

The crown jewel of the Dwarven people, Ironmaul is a stone hewn city carved into the great Mount Stetram. The city is a testament to the talent and ingenuity of the First Dwarves, and is truly one of the great centers of civilization in Idros. From the great Orichalc Throne, the Chancellor of Eschenfeld rules the empire with stern wisdom. Thanks to their strict code and merit based leadership system, the city of Ironmaul and the Empire of Eschenfeld have thrived for over 1000 years.

Geography

Ironmaul, being carved out of a mountain, has little in terms of natural light. To achieve a sense of daylight within the city, the Artisans have devised a glowing metal alloy from materials found in the Darklands, and use this in combination with bioluminescent fungi to light the streets and buildings of the city. In the grand scheme of things, Ironmaul sits as both the capital and northernmost city in Eschenfeld. It's proximity to both the great tree Azolla, and the caverns of the Darklands offer the parks and natural areas of the city a shockingly diverse set of flora and fauna.

Economy

While wages are regulated by the Chancellor and Caste Leaders, excess gold made by international trade and local tourism are dispersed among the people, lending great incentive for the people of Ironmaul to take advantage of their location at the end of the Gold Road. The grand market in Ironmaul is full of merchants providing the unique goods of the area to travelers from far and wide. The Speakers have trade deals with many of the international merchants guilds as well, and use the Gold Road to ship their goods to Summerbay, and from there, the rest of Idros. Ironmauls main exports are weapons, jewelry, armor and raw materials. 
Despite the success of the caste system, there is still a large criminal presence in Ironmaul. Some merchants with the Speakers are unsatisfied with their profits being spread out amongst the masses, and as such turn to dealings with the Empty Eyes, a guild of deep gnomes that deal in various psychedelics. While drug use isn't against the law, the goods pedaled by the Empty Eyes has extreme side effects for both the users and those around them.

Government

Originally a simple monarchy, the Great War caused the dwarven nobility to come together and restructure their government into a meritocracy. Their new leader, The Chancellor, would be selected by the heads of the five newly established castes in a series of trials open to the public. The caste system was designed to ensure that every person in Ironmaul has a purpose. At the age of 14, after receiving a general education, Ironmaul citizens take a magical exam issued by the clergy of Etion to determine their talents and latent potential. Upon completion of the test, they are sorted into one of five castes, where they will be assigned work based on their ability. One's caste is denoted by an enchanted tattoo placed upon their right hand. The five* castes are

• Scholars (Teachers, historians, scribes)
• Artisans (Craftsmen, artists, apothecaries)
• Speakers (Lawyers, statesmen, merchants)
• Warriors (Military)
• Healers (Clergy, caretakers, doctors)

*Travelers are marked with a temporary tattoo upon entering the city, denoting their status as a visitor. This mark vanishes when one leaves the city. This unofficial sixth caste has far fewer rules and regulations.
People are of course free to worship who they please, marry who they love, and spend their free time as they see fit. Homes are issued by the government, in a accordance to a families need for space, while ensuring they are in a location from which they can finish their work each day. The effectiveness of this system, while viewed by outsiders as harsh, is extremely effective. Poverty is virtually nonexistent in Ironmaul, and no families within the caste system want for for food, water, or shelter.
The castes themselves function as guilds of sorts, with people coming together to hone their craft and serve their kingdom. The head of each caste, the consul, is elected by their cohorts based on ability. Each caste has ties with the larger guilds of the rest of the world, such as the Scholar Caste working closely with the greater Mage's Guild that has agents throughout Idros. It should be made clear that this caste system is extremely intricate, and as such is confined solely to the capital. The rest of the cities of Eschenfeld answer to the rule of the Republic, but are not beholden to the caste system.

Demographics

Dwarves make up the largest population in Ironmaul, with about 60% of citizens being of dwarven ancestry. Gnomes make up the second largest demographic, dominating the Artisan caste. Halflings, kobolds, and humans are frequent sights as well, but are more spread throughout the rest of the Republic. Strix, changelings, sprites and leshies are frequent visitors to the city, but typically prefer the more rural settlements of Eschenfeld. Though true to it's size and status, people of most any ancestry can be found in Ironmaul, either as a traveler, or as a migrant, hoping to find success in the cities caste system.

Type

Capital

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