Kasta'eim Irrend

Kasta'eim Irrend is the capital of the Dwarven Kingdom. It is located deep in the mountains of Asunndre and is the only known settlement built by the Dwarfs that survived except the two others that were barely connected to the capital.
As with all of the Dwarven Kingdom, it has isolated itself from the rest of Nimenra. The once-great capital has been rebuilt, but time only deepens the wound for dwarvenkind it seems. Something has to change, and that change will come to them...

Demographics

All of the inhabitants of the capital are Dwarfs. Ever since The Great Quakes, no Humans live in the kingdom, while limited trade does exist with the Kingdom of Ravero, no other country is allowed to trade with the Dwarfs.

Defences

The mighty fortress city is built in the mountain like many of the former great cities and towns. But the capital has a specific defensive mechanism that is the mountain way to the city. It is the only way from the outside into the city and has a defensive wall as the last resort against enemies, which is seven meters thick and 100 meters tall. Before this defence, there are the great gates from either border that the kingdom has with Marlun and Ravero, both sides have tall and unbreached walls that are as tall as the other gateway into Telamirein.

Industry & Trade

Many trades practices run in the city, everything from stoneworking, jewellery, metallurgy and smithing to cave-farms, apothecary and animal husbandry. The Dwarfs use the mountains and the hilly terrain to its maximum potential. The small parts that are plains have large estate farms worked by young dwarfs and its owners to supply a steady stone grain flow into the city.
As the kingdom has a policy of isolation, except for the limited merchant trade by the Renvarian border, there is close to no trade outside the kingdom. With the other towns and cities of the kingdom, however, goods are moved daily between them. Most important import is food, even if the capital produces a lot on its own, and gems are still one of the most staple resources that the capital exports and sells to others. Much of the refining industry exist in the capital since the disaster that left the kingdom ruined.

Infrastructure

Once upon a time, the great Jordgur Tunnel was the highway of trade and travel between the cities and towns of the Dwarven Kingdom. Several villages also dotted the landscape, in and outside on the mountains and hilltops. This tunnel was extremely secure, or so many thought. When The Great Quakes hit, no one would think the Jordgur Tunnel would collapse as it did, or that it would be a death trap for many. Many of the famed intersections and bearing walls fell in on themselves, destroying caravans, travellers and closing of many dwarfs from the outside world. Despite the best efforts of great miners in the capital, the tunnel took too long to excavate, as only about 400 meters were possible every two months due to the structure that once held up, now stood in their way. To make it more complicated, the tremours and quakes did not stop during the excavation. In a year, only two kilometres were excavated and many had by then lost hope for the smaller villages and outposts, as more and more were found dead. By the end of the next year, five kilometres were done and the once large town of Tullúnn had been found, demolished by the roof of the mountains. As excavation by then had taken its toll on the Dwarven people, they stopped digging, paid their respects and swore to rebuild before continuing on.

History

Irrend has been a settlement for many, many years beyond. The records in stone go as far back as 4000 B.V. and some even more. Over the many millennia, several kings and even queens have ruled the capital and all of the kingdom from the High Seat of the Kingdom. The capital itself became over the years a sprawling city, with tunnel networks that reached one kilometre in diameter for eight levels. Infighting has mostly been limited over the last millennia to debates and ruffing, making the Dwarven Kingdom the most stable of all countries on Nimenra. Dwarfs have, however, been forced into conflict as they sided with The United Kings Council during the The War for Marlun, fighting against Nekuram and many dwarf lives have been lost over the long war, called the War of Domderda Millenia by the Dwarfs. During the war, the Dwarven Kingdom assisted in much of the production of weapons and armour, even in the fortifications and the building of defences in case of Nekuram breached the great wall of Valdenwhik. Eventually, the Dwarfs stopped helping with the defences, excluding Valdenwhik, due to the conflicts started among the human countries that used them against each other. It was from the capital that many of these craftsmen came, and the city of Eima Scryrern below the lava-spewing mountain called Israk, or Scryer by the Dwarfs. By this time, the capital was a city of 3 000 000 dwarfs and growing.
The more recent history of Kasta'eim Irrend is a tragic one. In 1922 V.D. sudden, great tremors were felt throughout the earth all along Israk's mountain-chain and all-around Marlun. The earth ripped apart in several places but worse, the capital shook like it was in the hands of the Gods themselves. The lower level collapsed, killing and trapping 400 000 dwarfs in an instant, the citadel tower toppled over and into the town, destroying several houses and killing hundreds more. As the The Great Quakes continued over the years, many lives would be lost and desperate attempts tried. Three kings died during the three years the of turmoil by nature, called Marr's Wrath by the Dwarfs. Once the years were over, the capital was cut off from the rest of the kingdom. Their closest settlement that they could reach, Eima Scryrern, was found to have disappeared under Israks large lava flows and ashes, leaving nothing in its place but dust and stone. Casualties over time were in the millions and several clans made the decision to move into Ravero for safer grounds or to emigrate beyond and into the northern mountains of Nimenra, into Jovemland, never to be heard from again. The proud Dwarfs were completely changed by the disaster as only a handful were left, at the decision of king Hardbard V, the Dwarven Kingdom's participation in the War for Marlun was over. The capital and all of the Dwarven Kingdom isolated itself, beginning to rebuild and start over, trying to salvage what was left. The memorial day of the first quakes that ruined the kingdom would be called Margrim's day.
Over the years, the capital has been rebuilt and once again the population has begun to see hope. The Guilds even want to open the country to Ravero for open trade relations, but there is resistance. The current king is not pleased with what is happening outside his gates, as the War for Marlun once again rages on due to Arthon's instigation of it again. Only time will tell if the kingdom will open again and the capital can be seen by exiles and outsiders again...

Alternative Name(s)

Erwhammer/Erwenhome (Renvaren name), Erweueil (Old name by Nilaminra)

Type

Capital

Population

120 000-130 000

Inhabitant Demonym

Irdanwir

Location under

Asunndre

Owning Organization

The Dwarven Kingdom