Dwarven City-States
Great halls carved beneath ancient mountains, mines touching the deepest areas of the world, massive forges shaping red-hot iron. These are the backbones of dwarvish society, being most present in their seven great city states. Rather than control a large region, each city operates as a separate state, an underground metropolis with a population in the tens of thousands. These city-states remain separate from one-another, but maintain basic allegiances for use in times of crisis. It is more common for each city to craft treaties and trade-deals with outside regions, but this is very situational relevant.
Each dwarvish city has it's own unique layout and design, but they all have the same basic principle of the Four Quarters. The Foreigner Quarter is the only one above-ground, built outside the main gate to facilitate trade with outside regions and act as the "slums" of dwarvish cities. The Market Quarter is built just after the main gate and is mostly residential, housing the Clanlugh class and having the central market found in all dwarven cities. Beyond this is the King Quarter, the "center" of the city where the richest and most developed clans have their homes and vaults. This is also where the Great Hall of the Ard-Righ is found. The final quarter is the Industry Quarter, the series of subterranean farms, smithies, and mines that form a circle around the entirety of the city.
Structure
Each city acts independently, for reasons of personal interest and vast distances between each. Within each city, three social classes exist in a clan-based system of living.
At the top are the Clanmoth, the upper-class who are the oldest, wealthiest, and most respected clans in the city. The greatest of these clans, called the Crunadh, rule over the city like a dynasty. Each city's Ard-Righ (High King) comes from the Crunadh.
Below the Clanmoth are the Clanlugh, the lesser clans who make up the "merchant" class of dwarf society. These clans still own businesses and make a decent amount of money, but are nowhere near the level of prestige as the Clanmoth. They also make up the bulk of dwarven society.
The lowest class in dwarven society are the Clandheth, the clan-less dwarves. These are those who were cast from their clans, born without them, or had their clans come into disgrace to the point of becoming paupers. They are often neglected from learning proper trades or skills, making most little more than simple laborers or beggars. Rather than clan names, the Clandheth are given surnames based off of the city in which they reside.
Public Agenda
In general, each city has the agenda of protecting it's own borders, maintaining a healthy system of commerce, and ensuring a relative peace in the surrounding area. They may take interest in other circumstances in other situations, but these are often rare and specific to major events originating from outside of the city.
Assets
Each city has a trained military and stores of riches housed within, as both are considered common stereotypes of dwarves. These vary from city to city, with each one having it's own stance of the trade or usage of both. For example, Dun Oirenn is so central to trade within Curais that the city must remain open at all hours of the day to allow the businesses to run normally, but often has to use it's funds to hire outside mercenaries for security. Meanwhile, Dun Tuath has very little trade or outside commerce beyond the bear necessities, but has such a strong military presence that it regularly sends legions out to act as mercenaries for other regions.
History
The seven cities were all first settled in the early days of the Age of Guardians. Beyond this unifying origin, each city has had it's own diverse and varied history. Some have been sacked and rebuilt, others have retreated inward and not emerged for centuries at a time, but as a whole, they have endured.
Demography and Population
Dwarvish cities are primarily populated by dwarves, with non-dwarf races only making up about 10-15% of their citizenship as a whole. This varies from city to city, with each possessing decent amounts of races local to their region.
Territories
Each city controls an area of about 30-square miles around itself, with claim to all ground beneath that area. While the dwarves primary focus on guarding their cities, they will deal with any form of disturbance that occurs in this area.
Religion
Each city is dedicated to one of the seven dwarvish deities, built to honor them and their teachings. While each city has the variety of trades expected of dwarvish settlements, they focus on their patron deity's field more than others. For example, Dun Oirenn takes after Vergadain Aergaid by being a center of trade and commerce, Dun Moldir after Hranstir Gobha by being the home of Ceren's greatest smiths and industry, and so on. Beyond this, each god is still worshiped each city, with some even allowing small chapels to other religions.
Founding Date
50
Type
Alliance, Generic
Alternative Names
The Seven Cities, The Bhaile-Mora
Demonym
Identifying name, + ish
Currency
While dwarvish cities use the Common Currency when interfacing with exterior provinces, they have their own form of internal currency. This currency takes the form of Sears, Seiths, and Seachs. A sear (See-Arr) is the smallest coin, an iron circle about the size of a quarter with the imprint of a hammer and an axe on it's sides. A seith (See-Ith) is a copper pentagon an inch on a side with a mushroom and a hearth on it's sides, and is worth seven sears. A seach (See-Ack) is the highest coinage, being a seven-sided silver piece worth forty-nine sears, a dwarf's face on one side and a faceted gem on the other.
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
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