Mesifi
Mesifi, also known as the City of Anvils, sits on the edge of the Kuanol Cliffs on the east seaboard of Ilarium. Its population of around 45,000 makes it one of the largest cities on the continent, although there has not been a census in many years.
Mesifi was an early casualty in the reign of Ragnar when he swept over the Windbreakers and conquered Galbreth. and much of the culture of the city was broken, destroyed, sold, or lost. Following the death of Ragnar, Galbreth has been unsuccessful in reuniting and Mesifi now stands as an independent city-state. In the Third Age, few great works have been produced, as many master craftsmen were killed in the war against Ragnar. The layout of Mesifi has also changed dramatically with the rise of the cliffs and the splitting of the fall into four levels.
Its citizens remember the atrocities of Ragnar, with many having lived through the experience, and can recall how the humans tried to rename the city "Harling" as they carried off its history. As a result, although some humans live here, they are rarely welcomed and can often become involuntarily embroiled in politics beyond their knowledge or understanding.
Demographics
Mesifi dwarves are proficient seamen, strong swimmers, and feel comfortable out under the open sky. The dwarves of Mesifi are considered unusual by the dwarves of Delg for these reasons. Similarly, the dwarves of Mesifi cannot understand why Delgians would remove themselves from the view of sky, and restrict their freedoms to narrow tunnels and underground caves.
Following the death of Ragnar, a mix of races have moved into the region: surface dwarves from the old kingdom of Delg, half-elves from the west, occasional halflings from the south, and the rare human serving in port and trade services or those who had worked as great admirals and sailors.
Due to the strength of mesinite, much of the old city from the time of Nasros still stands. Richer citizens tend to live on the river banks in the old stone buildings, whilst the richest hold whole islets in the lower falls, building them up like fortress islands and hosting a small number of manor houses for their families, houses, or servants.
Government
Mesifi has a strong independent nature and style. The city remains a democracy, led by an elected King and their chamber. However, following the multiracial growth of the past two centuries, it is no longer just dwarves which may hold the position. The current king is Elledon, a half elf.
Defences
The City Guard is made up of a mix of races and classes. The water and tight streets means they prefer high-quality leather for its lightweight manoeuvrability. Metal armour is worn only in strategic areas, such as neck guards - the plunge pools are deep and contain strong currents, meaning even lightly-garbed strong swimmers can be easily dragged under. The guards act as a militia, but are well trained and can act as a military force if needed. They prefer close-quarter weapons and crossbows. Many guards are former sailors or have experience on the sea, and all are trained for fighting on boats or in the wharfs.
Industry & Trade
The main industries of Mesifi are mining, fishing, and the control of trade goods.
Due to the specialised position Mesifi holds on the cliffs and its infrastructure, the city has little competition from other trading settlements on the coast.
Infrastructure
The main city remains on the series of islets at the confluence of the rivers. Most buildings sit on these highly-defensible islets, although a number of other structures extend on wooden stilts out onto the waters. Older mesinite buildings dot the shores, and help control the flow of trade and people across the bridges leading over to the city proper.
The plunge pools of each “step” or “level” stretch between 1.0 and 1.5 km in length and contain more islets holding buildings built over the past two centuries. New structures, many related to the mining industry, can be found nestling against the cliff-face. The bottom of the cliffs hold a few large dock buildings and numerous wharfs hosting all sizes of trading and transport vessels. Cranes hanging from the rocks above bring goods up to different levels and lower objects down to ships below.
Following the earthquake of Ragnar, the 150ft tall carving of King @Nasros Galbreth split from the cliff-face where it was carved and fell to the bottom of the falls, leaning back against the rock face at the edge of the sea. Nasros holds her cog-shaped shield aloft, splitting the water and causing it to rain in all directions.
History
Like many ancient cities, few know the true origins of Mesifi. Mesifi was founded by the dwarves many thousands of years ago, during the Age of Giants, due to its natural advantages. Originally building along the edge of the river at the lip of a singular fall above the ocean, the dwarves used the city for mining the cliffs, trade, and fishing. Raided often by the giants, the dwarves of Mesifi extended their structures out onto the islands in the rivers to create a defensible position, providing the foundations of the metropolis to come.
They think I am crazy, that I am not Dwarf, for what I mine is not always rock and grit! Ha! What do they know of hard? The crashing grey waves and crushing depths of the sea hold more gold and precious stones than all their mountains combinedIt took until near the fall of Vizden for the dwarves to discover how they could use the waterfall to power their factories and create wondrous structures. Nasros Galbreth was the dwarf who harnessed the power of the waterfall. It is her image which was carved into the cliff-face beneath the islets, holding her cog shaped shield aloft under the fall, and it is her hammers and anvils powered by the waterfalls that came to give the city its second name. Nasros was the first great king ('King' being an elected term in dwarvish for a leader of industrious activity whom is held accountable by their chamber and the main houses) and led the rebellion against the Elven empire. Galbreth transformed Mesifi from a middle-sized town to the capital of a dwarven kingdom which stretched the length of the coast and inland to the foothills of Delg. The Galbreth Kingdom existed for over 2000 years. Following centuries of peace, a number of supernatural occurrences began to disrupt the mines beneath the kingdom, and many mines were abandoned. The kingdom was ill-prepared for the arrival of Ragnar the Great, or Ragnar the Tyrannical as the dwarves named him. Ragnar brought ruin to the kingdom, executing its leaders, breaking its houses, and destroying or stealing much of its wealth. Mesifi's power was heavily diminished and its relations with the humans has never recovered. Following the death of Ragnar, the natural disasters, and the splintering of Ragnarök, Mesifi became an independent city state, lacking the resources to reclaim Galbreth. The city was largely a ghost town, surviving on fishing and meagre trade. Four-fifths of its structures were uninhabited and fell into disrepair. Over the next two centuries, the city slowly rebuilt, taking advantage of its position along the trading routes of the eastern coast. The newly-formed cliffs prevented the rise of a competing trade port, and allowed Mesifi the infrastructural advantage to grow unhindered.
Architecture
Mesinite is prized for building and is one of the main building materials used in Mesifi.
Geography
The city sits in a natural break on the Kuanol Cliffs (known to sailors as the Bow Breaker’s Teeth) which run the length of the eastern seaboard. The cliffs jut out of the sea, undulating in such a way that from a distance they appear to be the world's maw. Before the fall of Ragnar, the Kuanol Coast rose around 100 to 300 meters above sea level - the cliffs are a recent condition of the sea front.
There are a number of natural fissures and breaks in the Kuanol Cliffs that have allowed a some small villages to spring up, but none near the size of Mesifi. The natural break where Mesifi sits was carved out by the falls that tumble from the confluence of the Grannus and Condat rivers (both have some local worship as river deities). The rivers combine and tumble down the cliffs in a series of four waterfalls. At the first three falls, the waters separate as they flow over each lip, cascading in all directions before collecting in the plunge pool. The final fall plunges into the sea as one huge torrent, onto the carving of Nasros Galbreth below. The plunge pools of each “step” or “level” stretch between 1.0 and 1.5 km in length and contain more islets.
Natural Resources
The cliffs of Mesifi hold a unique stone, mesinite, that is similar to marble; heavy, with veins of different colours running through its milky white-grey hue: mainly silver, green and dark blue, the colours come from minerals and are not precious stones or deposits. Mesinite is prized for building and is one of the main building materials used in Mesifi. However, given how hard it is to obtain, few other places use it to build in abundance - at best, a rich businessman or noble in a far-off city may have an ornately carved mesinite lintel.
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