Empiredon
Overview
The first established country by a foreign force, Empiredon, serves as the stronghold of the dwarves of Plimia. Thousands of years ago, a government-funded exploration force over a hundred ships strong made its way across the Endless Sea from the dwarven homeland of Degerov. The Endless Sea is well known to be impossible to cross between its ever-shifting waters, ceaseless magic storms, and plethora of dangerous fauna. Yet, just over a dozen ships made landfall at Plimia from Degerov. The dwarves spread across the land, exploring every corner for land suitable for research and eventual expansion.
They ran into tribes of elves in what is now modern day Everglen and Kengrim. Though the two interacted, they never fought and chose to keep to themselves with the dwarves refusing to settle on taken land. The northern lands of Plimia offered plenty of mining opportunities and vast mountain ranges, but the dwarves were ill-equipped for such harsh lifestyles, with the majority of their fleet lost at sea. They met the high elves of Larevin Island and became fascinated with the Talados Crystal. They struck up a research deal with the elves and chose to ignore their enslavement of the primitive human species.
Eventually, the dwarves elected on settling the southeastern land of Plimia where three massive rivers intersected. The land was sparsely populated and at first glance, relatively resource-free. Any true prospecting dwarf knows ore-rich land when they see it, though, and scans showed that these lands were rich with underground ore deposits. Two ships were sent back to Degerov to report the findings of the Plimia Project. To this day, they have never been heard of again.
Today, Empiredon stands as the strongest military nation in the known world. Fueled by their research of Plimia's unique magic given by the Talados Crystal and the abundance of raw resources underground, the dwarves build a megalopolis that is generations ahead of the rest of Plimia technologically. The cities are guarded by massive gun towers that fire raw beams of magic, and the streets are patrolled by clockwork guardians who are programmed to follow the constitutional law to the letter. Empiredon's population surged, and now it is the most populous country of the continent.
The dwarves have no interest in conquest. They are content with their land and the continued research of future technology, as dictated by their God, Moradin the All-Father. Unfortunately, this idyllic lifestyle would come to an end for a time with the appearance of the Mark. The dwarves' own technology turned against them, and the clockwork soldiers known as the Sentinel Army went haywire. City blocs were wiped out with explosive missile strikes and deadly gunfire. Thousands died in the first week, and thousands more fell defending their home from itself. Many clans of dwarves split off from the city and left Empiredon to pursue lives away from technology. Eventually, the Sentinel Army was wrangled under control, although a district of the haywire machines still stands, walled off by massive steel barriers. The dwarves don't know what happens in there, and most are content with that.
Geography
Empiredon is mostly made up of flat savannahs like those of southern Kengrim. Dry and hot in the summers and swampy and rainy in the winters, Empiredon is hard to live in outside the city. The western mountain ranges get snowfall in the winter, and the western slope of Maximus receives it as well. One can travel for days and not leave the city limits, but they can go from the snowy streets of the west in the winter to muggy, rainy streets in the east, all in the same city.
Demography and Population
The vast majority of Empiredon's population is dwarven. Gaining citizenship in the nation is quite difficult when compared to nearly any other country in Plimia, and many people cannot fit into the cities, both literally and culturally. Dwarves hold all government and military positions, although the nation is also home to many gnomes. When it comes to tinkering, magic, and machinery, the gnomes' abilities are second to none, and as a result, they often find kindred spirits in Empiredon's dwarves. Empiredon is home to small pockets of humans, elves, dragonborn, and other races as well, but none are as prevelant or powerful as the dwarves.
Empiredon also has the largest population, according to national census data. Everglen likely has more people living in it, but many of the elves and fey like to keep to themselves and have no time for national census collection. Still, Empiredon faces continued problems with pollution and overpopulation in its megacities. Though the country sports the best technology in the world, it cannot provide for everyone, especially after the destruction caused by the Mark. Much of the nation's gold goes towards research and development, while the ghettos continue to be packed with refugees from the Sentinel crisis. The poorest populations live on the lower levels of the megacities and are forced to see what they could have every time they look up... If they are lucky enough to see the sky at all.
A Canal Town slum
Territories
The majority of central Empiredon is made up of four megacities that combine into the megalopolis that is commonly referred to as Maximus. Though Maximus is the capital, it is technically only one of the four cities of Empiredon, though the untrained eye could not make out the lines of the cities even from above. The megalopolis is made up of four cities: Maximus, Kovalov, Canal Town, and Garrison.
Aside from the megalopolis, Empiredon owns the entire southeastern corner of Plimia. The land has sparse mountain ranges but is otherwise flat and filled with savannahs like southern Kengrim. The land is quite dry when not in the rainy season, so the ancient elves never settled in it. Perhaps the dwarves' most important territory lies underneath the dry flatlands above. Expansive ore deposits and mineral mines were discovered underneath Empiredon's soil and in its few mountains. Deep drilling and mining operations predate even the oldest architecture of Maximus.
Empiredon has few imperial aspirations. The dwarves are not people of war, although the appearance of the Mark has many generals considering a full invasion of their neighbors in the hopes of gaining more land for more cities to house their people. After the Sentinel crisis, many people were left homeless and hungry, and Empiredon is quietly falling apart from the inside, believing conquest to be their only way out.
Technological Level
A magical gun emplacement in western Maximus
Empiredon is well known to be the most technologically advanced nation in Plimia. It is an integral part of most dwarven culture to pursue technological advancement in the image of Moradin, the All-Father. While the king of Everglen rides in a golden carriage flanked by the best of the Emerald Guard, the chancellor of Empiredon flies through the sky in an airship armed with automated turrets and the best comforts that the joining of magic and machine can provide. Dwarves leaving Empiredon for the first time are often shocked at the speed of the nations around them. Nothing is done quickly, travel takes hours--days at times--, and the people are content with it.
The dwarven technology is driven by research done on the Talados Crystal of Larevin Island. They were able to build conductors that could harness the latent magical energy of Plimia and tune it to specific needs. They were also blessed with an abundance of mana-infused ore below the ground of Empiredon that is mined day and night to power their airships, skytrains, guns, and even the Sentinel Army.
Empiredon has begun struggling with pollution problems. The coal burning steam machines that assist the magic machines put off toxic black smoke daily and ever since the apperance of the Mark, the magical ore has begun going bad inside their machinery. It dries up, leaving toxic sludge behind that cannot be whisked away to portal dimensions by wizards fast enough. On top of this, Empiredon's ghettos are expanding after the Sentinel crisis and no amount of technology has been able to feed and house everyone in need.
Government Structure
Elegible voters (of age and dwarven) elect senators to rule for a set term (2-4 years). Senators can be reelected. These senators have some power, while the military generals have their own set of powers. Generals have their power checked by the Chancellor, the senate is checked by the Generals. The Chancellor is elected by the senate who’s elected by the people.
Major Cities
- Maximus (Capital)
- Kovalov
- Canal Town
- Garrison
Empiredon's capital, Maximus
Capital
Maximus
Government Structure
Parliamentary Republic
Neighboring Nations
- Everglen
- Kengrim
- Malfastar
- Xenex
A mana mine of Empiredon
The walled-off Sentinel District
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