Ettermeer

Content warning: Non-graphic topics of: Population control, forced family planning, abelist social systems, childhood abandonment/death, stereotypes.

Ettermeer is a city-state, the holy home of the dwarves during the second age. A sanctuary created by the dwarvish god Etteran, who died in the process to protect his people, it is a floating magical mystery. The city acts independently from other large nations across the world, and fosters some of the Known World's most brilliant invention and creation processes. Unique in their extreme reliance on imports, their brilliant inventions and machines are their primary export.

History

Ettermeer has existed since the beginning of the Second Age. One of the best sources of written documented history during the mysterious "Middle History", the city holds a great deal of awe and mystery to those outside of its walls. The dwarves of Ettermeer tell of how Etteran dragged an ancient dwarf city from the ground, pulling it into the sky to save its people from the The Ruination. With the last of his strength, he chained the Ettermeer to the sea below, to secure it safely for eternity. It is a holy city to the dwarves, who as a generalisation, no longer worship the gods, and instead revere their greatest craftspeople, believing they are reincarnations of Etteran's power. They believe that a craftsman brilliant enough among them will one day ascend to godhood to take back Etteran's place.

Structure

The core of Ettermeer is a wedge-shaped section of rock and soil, containing the ruins of an ancient first-age dwarvish civilisation. This core is now used as the city's centre, containing important government buildings and business locations. The exterior of the core is where the bulk of the modern city lies. Built on top of the solid core of metal and scrap, the city is a shimmering bronze and steel marvel of engineering. Wherever possible, Etters will utilise scraps from their industry to build housing, but their carefully managed population means that new housing is not required as frequently as in other societies.

The Slagpiles

The Slagpiles is the name given to the mountains of scrap and debris in the ocean beneath Ettermeer. The result of thousands of years of industrial waste, shipwrecks and ruined inventions, it is a intriguing artificial biome of unique creatures and its very own opportunistic people. The Slagpiles are as famous, if not more so, than their skyward twin of Ettermeer, with tales of pirate adventures in the copper cliffs and bronze islands widespread in children's books across Aresia and Osmen.

Population

The population of Ettermeer, known as "Etters", are almost entirely dwarvish. Dwarf numbers were thought to have been in decline during the First Age, and were almost entirely saved from The Ruination by the salvation of Ettermeer. Dwarves are still incredibly rare in comparison to the other humanoid races of the known world. With less than 1% of dwarvish lineages being traceable to any place other than Ettermeer, dwarves take their family lineages very seriously.

Population growth

Despite the relative rarity of the dwarves, population growth within Ettermeer is a real concern to the Etters. The Ettermeer government introduced "The Ettermeer De-polpulation Policy" in 5200SA, meaning couples could only have two children, and having children outside of a legal bond was outlawed.

Children are of course born outside of this law, and these children are often dumped and left for dead in The Slagpiles. Sometimes, these children are picked up by nearby fishing boats, pirates or explorers. Because of this, dwarves are common in fishing communities and pirate bands across the Known World, often leading to unkind stereotypes.

Other times, parents will choose to leave Ettermeer to take their child with them. This is encouraged by the Ettermeer government, and when a couple or parent is found to have had a child outside of what the law allows, they are given the opportunity to give the child up or leave Ettermeer and keep the child.

The children who are claimed are raised in the care of the church, and are taught trades and given education on engineering, but are also chemically sterilised.

Criticism

The Ettermeer De-population Policy has been harshly criticised over the years, both by people within the city's walls and those abroad. Touted as cruel, inhumane and ineffective, despite the continuing criticism the policy remains firmly in place.

Industry

The primary industry of Ettermeer is machinery. Dwarvish machinery is widely touted as the best in the world. While Astrellos' astamer population is also a fierce contender in the creation of world-changing inventions, the dwarves of Ettermeer can stake invention claims for:

• Reverse engineering and reclamation of steam power from ancient dwarvish texts and scrap
• Airships and powered flight
• Sewing machines
• Flux-gas lights
• Hydroponic farming
• World-leading water filtration, recycling and desalination processes

Food

Ettermeer's main problem in supply and demand is in feeding their citizens. Much of their industry's money is whittled away by the expense of importing food from elsewhere. While airships have made this much more accessible to them, it is still a growing problem as their population continues to expand. They do have some food sources available without import; all citizens are encouraged to grow herbs and vegetables where they can in window gardens, and many families hunt creatures in The Slagpiles such as Myrrow and Broxie Canoe Crabs. Some dwarvish airships known as "Skytrawlers" are designed to be safe to hover just above the water for a long period, allowing for fishing and trawling. Some areas within the city itself, such as sun-facing rooftops, are optimised for hydroponic farming. Despite these efforts, all of these measures still make up only a fraction of Ettermeer's food intake.

Water

Another issue that Ettermeer faced for centuries, was with their water supply. Rainwater is captured on rooftops and used for drinking; once the Etter's only source of fresh water. Many of their foods reflect this, with soups, stews and other recipes that require large quantities of water being rare in their diets. Now, water is much easier to come by through complex water recyclers and desalination.

Metals

Ettermeer is a huge consumer of metals. It imports almost all of its direct metal supply, trading for machinery, machinery parts and books. The Slagpiles beneath the city are considered part of Ettermeer, and wherever possible the metal is scavenged and reused in a constant cycle of destruction and creation.

Unique Magic

Ettermeer's magic has been through some rigorous study and testing in the past, when the Etters allow for it. The magic that causes the city to float is indeed of divine origin, though its kind and form are unlike any other examples known. It is as though the power of Etteran himself is suspended in a bubble of holy energy, restraining, protecting and holding the city afloat. The power is calculable on an Arcane Sampler system, but it is difficult to capture and cannot be utilised as a fuel or energy source in any currently understood manner.

Type

Geopolitical, Free City