Jörvask

Art by Alexandr Melentiev

## History

Jörvask's history is well recorded, quite literally carved into its walls, from the moment of its founding to the present. The only missing piece of the puzzle is who originally settled the vast caverns. The most widely accepted theory is that dwarves fled the empire's expansion and dug deep within the cold mountains to escape Thruhmuth rule.

Momentous occasions are forever preserved on the walls of the cavernous city like a massive stone tapestry. Many families do much the same on the walls of their own home, tracing their family lines from the foundations to the rafters. Considered to be one of the most important positions within Jörvaskan society, the Lorekeeper is responsible for ensuring that events are accurately represented without bias.

### The Flooding

Very few generations ago, the dwarves of Jörvask started to delve deeper and deeper into the earth where conditions were ideal for forming massive, pristine rare gems such as diamonds. Dwarven tales say their brethren hit the core of the planet itself, unleashing a terrible creature of rock and flame from its center. Magma gushed upwards, flooding every mining tunnel and drowning entire communities under its searing heat. Though the torrent did recede from the mid levels, many of the city's lower levels remain buried beneath a lake of lava.

The drow of Khythn weren't spared from this catastrophe as the lava flow seeped into their own territory deep beneath the surface. This act sparked hostilities between the two nations that continues to this day.

## Geography

   Jörvask is built deep under the mountains that make up much of the nation's landscape. It's main entrance, and the only one known to outsiders, is carved from one of the tallest peaks in the region. The lakes of Jörvask never freeze despite the year-round cold temperatures as they are warmed by underground heat created by the dwarves.

The city of Jörvask itself sprawls under the entire nation, making it one of largest cities on the continent. The oldest structures were carved directly from the sides of the caverns themselves, while newer structures tend to be built using more traditional techniques. Sunlight is brought down through massive ventilation shafts equipped with mirrors to illuminate common areas such as parks and municipal buildings. Most areas are lit with magical lights that emit no heat.

Several levels of the city are still abandoned. The most stable and accessible are caked in ash with most routes in and out sealed shut by volcanic rock where lava had started to push up before cooling during the flooding. Below that are levels entombed in obsidian and rumored to hold a king's ransom in lost diamonds. The lowest levels are still consumed by a lake of lava and completely inaccessible. A daring collective of smiths have set up a platform where they can use this molten rock from the earth's core to forge some of the finest weapons and armor.

## Government

As a monarchy, a king or queen sits as the highest authority of Jörvask. The current queen, Queen Neasa, is the second of her family to hold the crown. Her father, the late King Eoin, was granted the crown after the previous royal line ran out of heirs.

The monarch has absolute authority, but is advised by a council of the nations most influential citizens. Realistically, the council is actually made up of the wealthiest citizens. Council members are appointed by the monarch strategically to keep the rich and powerful from threatening the rule of the crown through appeasement.

## Economy

The concept of fair living wages is foreign to the dwarves of Jörvask and there is a massive divide between the rich and the poor with very little in between. Most of the nation's wealth is in the hands of the top 3% of its population. Its this discrepancy that has created an ongoing economic depression.

Most Jörvaskans find themselves employed by one of the major, aggressive mining enterprises: Smashing Works Mining Group, Gold Springs Mines, and Southstone Industries. While there are still plenty of smaller claims scattered about, these larger companies often encroach on the claims of smaller mining operations to force them into costly litigation that usually ends when the smaller operation runs out of money to continue the legal battle. To make ends meet they are often forced to sell their small mine claim which is then bought up by the major company that forced them into the situation in the first place.

Jörvask's top exported gems are diamonds, jade, labradorite, rubies, and sapphires, though many others are found in pockets through the nation.

In the south-eastern sections of Jörvask are several iron mines, over 50% of which are owned by the royal family. These mines are considered to be the most hospitable for workers, with appropriate safety laws actually being upheld and higher than average wages. Iron is very rarely exported, instead being worked into finished products before hitting global markets.

Coal is considered to be a profitable byproduct of their other enterprises.

Jörvask imports all of their textiles, almost all types foodstuffs with the exception of fish, and large amounts of lumber.

## Culture

The dwarves of Jörvask are storytellers and much of their culture revolves around the chronicling and sharing of their history. Families are tight knit and remain close with several generations of a family living under the same roof. It's not unheard of for entire city blocks to house an extended family. Elders are respected almost to a point of reverence which occasionally gets in the way of social progress as older generations get stuck in doing things the way they've always been done before.

### Religion

Jörvaskans look to the past to guide their future which lead to ancestor worship. Several holidays are scattered through the year when offerings are made to the dearly departed. Funeral rites are a complicated and ritualistic affair to preserve the spirit of the deceased so they may guide their descendants. If the proper funeral rites are not observed, it's thought to damn that soul to an eternity of wandering lost and blind through the spirit world.

## Inhabitants

Only dwarves are considered to be actual citizens of Jörvask, though outsiders are welcome to own property within the city if they're willing to pay obscene property taxes to the crown. Halflings are the only exception to this tax rule as Jörvask historically helped halflings escape being drafted during Hearth's Crown Wars.

### Oreads

With their close relationship with stone, it's very little wonder that dwarven oreads crop up every now and then. They are just rare enough to be a curiosity, but common enough that they warrant no special treatment.

### Ifrit

Since the flooding, there's been a spike in ifrit births, Queen Neasa herself being the most notable. No one is yet sure what to make of these individuals, but none openly speak out against them for fear of angering the crown.