Beorh

### Major Cities

Onginnan, Maganmanig, Fleogan, Weoddic, Beswican, Sprecaswef, Samod, Heorot, Dunlic

## Economy

### Exports

Technology, Alchemical Items, Amaranth, Agave, Glasswork, Vodka

### Imports

Animal Products, Grains, Produce, Alchemy Regents, Fiber Textiles

## Government

### Alliances

Kardath

Beorh is a gnomish country made up of multiple large cities located within, atop, and below various large mesas that dominate the basin. These Mesa-Cities are large scale gnomish burrows dedicated to the study of many areas, including technology, alchemy, magic, and history.

 Geography & Climate

### **Locations & Borders**

Beorh is located in south central Alderyon. It is bordered to the north by Marasena and to the northwest and west by the territory of Urukah. To the east it is bordered by the large country of Kardath. To the south it meets the Meliferan Peninsula by way of the Isthmus of Sindrael. On it's southwest it meets Sheer Drop Bay and on it's southeast it meets the Narrow Sea.

Each major Mesa (there are seven major ones) has a city hidden within. The capital, located within the largest mesa (known as The Grand Pillar), is the ancient city of Beorhdunig. Onginnan is the other large one and Penigwid is the largest port.

### **Climate & Geography**

The Climate of Beorh is mainly arid and dry. Not much will grow in these areas, though the gnomes have found some ingenious solutions to this.

Beorh is located at the tail end of the Urukah Badlands and within the region of the Aldegar Mesas. It resides in the shadow of the Khalvo'Kah Plateau. Some consider the Orctooth Buttes to the northwest to be a part of the Aldegar Mesas, but there are no major gnomish cities there.

### **Flora & Fauna**

There are some stubborn things that still attempt to grow in this arid near-desert area, mainly cacti and shrubs. Some wild amaranth can be found.

Beasts within this area are rare and usually solitary, other than hyenas. Various hawks and vultures make the area home, as well as large scorpions and very poisonous snakes.

## Culture & Demographics

### **Culture**

#### **Views on Magic**

The Gnomes of Beorh see the study of magic as no different from the study of anything else. Many gnomes of Beorh focus on magical study- especially the phenomenon known as "wild magic" which is abundant south of them in the lands of Melifera. The Beorh city of Beswican specializes in the arcane, especially in regards to *artificery* and alchemy. No magic is considered inherently taboo. Magic is used *very* liberally here and often combined with their robotic inventions for fun or convenience. They will enchant anything and everything. For example, in the capital, there are metal doors that automatically open when one gets within their vicinity and this was achieved through robotics and the "alarm" spell.

#### **Religion**

The Gnomes of Beorh generally worship any and all of the Guides of Isolda, though compared to most societies their religious "practices" are fairly lax. Most of the time it's as simple as flipping a gold coin into a fountain with a statue of them. The vast majority who live here look to Cyred and Elan most often as they follow their own pursuits in gaining knowledge and making discoveries.

#### **The Arts & Architecture**

The gnomes of Beorh are far more interested in science than they are the arts. Still plenty of them enjoy being jacks of all trades and collect multiple hobbies, so it's not exactly rare to find artists and musicians among them. The biggest "art" within this society is the art of invention- especially *clockworks*. Designing and creating clockworks takes a fair amount of imagination and there are many competitions wherein gnomes compare or battle their robotic creations.

Architecture in Beorh is not *really* architecture- they have hollowed out the insides of the Aldegar Mesas and built labyrinthine structures under the ground below them. They are usually divided into "levels" and each level is often dedicated to the study of a certain area (spells, clockworks, alchemy, cosmology, history, etc) Most of the interior of these structures is utilitarian and unadorned. They use a lot of concrete and steal in their construction and shy away from weaker materials like wood. Many rooms are simply carved from the natural rock itself. They prefer the aesthetic of smooth, perfectly flat shapes and polygons (not unlike the dwarven strongholds of Gulthar who also appreciate the minimalist style). These gnomes also enjoy using illusions as decoration and sometimes make entire walls look like a window into a more beautiful place, like a sunny beach or a verdant forest hollow with a tranquil waterfall.

### **Society**

#### **Racial Tolerance**

The Gnomes of Beorh see the world from a scientific point of view and to them, race means very little. They judge others based on intelligence and personality far more than something as trivial and unchangeable as ones shape or skin tone. There are some that may consider gnome-kind to be somewhat superior, especially compared to orcs or humans, but they rarely voice it. They are generally prejudiced towards orcs after a long history of being raided by them and actually feel similarly towards humans (specifically those of central Alderyon). They are willing to push past these prejudices if an individual proves to be civilized, kind, and moderately intelligent.

#### **Sex, Gender & Orientation**

In Beorh sex, gender, and orientation don't play much into the culture. There are no specific gender roles that are enforced as most gnomes are working in the same areas of scholarship and the idea of a nuclear family is near laughable to them (though not if they are forest gnomes). Marriage, though perfectly optionable, is by no means required and what genders marry is likewise inconsequential. Long term relationships do tend to be on the rare side as these gnomes are want to act on fleeting impulses and are prone to boredom. They do not consider their kind to be 'naturally monogamous' and most gnomes go through multiple romances in their lifetimes, usually without hard feelings when it has run its course. Of course there are always outliers. If a child is born between two gnomes, a couple will generally stay together at least long enough to raise it through childhood.

#### **Demographics**

Beorh is the cultural center and homeland of all rock gnomes. It is the location of their oldest city, Beorhdunig, which for many years was sacked and stolen. Now that it has been reclaimed, the rock gnomes have become rather territorial. They allow humans and other races to visit and trade, but not to own land or live permanently within any of their major cities. Therefore, the population is approximately 95% gnome, and five percent temporary travelers of other races. They have been known to make exceptions for scholarly Halflings, Elves, and Dwarves but humans are utterly forbidden permanent residence. There are a few gnomish trade posts found on major routes that have non-gnomish residents including humans, but this makes up an extremely small percentage of the populace.

## Politics

### **Government**

The gnomes of Beorh are governed by a committee of the most intelligent among them in each Mesa-City. Leadership is generally composed of those who have studied law, ethics, and philosophy to a great extent and are therefore more qualified to make decisions than others. The committee does require at least one member from each major area of study in a city who can offer their specific advise. Each Mesa-City is independent from the others, though they may choose to convene and discuss large matters and threats.

### **Laws**

Beorh has most of the usual laws which disallow things like theft and murder. They also have extensive declarations of Rights and a whole system for trials and punishments based on logic. Generally, the laws in Beorh are enforced by robotic soldiers or appointed mages schooled in apprehending criminals. The gnomes of Beorh do not believe in sentencing anyone to death, no matter how horrible the crime. They believe in life sentences and urge the perpetrators to seek penance before they die of old age.

### **Foreign Relations**

Beorh has a loose alliance with the humans of Kardath to the east against Marasena should they suddenly become interested in spreading south (as they have done before). Beorh has a major grudge against the humans of central Alderyon. In the past they were nearly wiped off the map and pushed from their ancestral homelands, forced to take refuge in dwarven strongholds. In 2738 PE, rock gnomes came from all over and worked together to free the ancient "Grand Pillar" of Beorhdunig from an ancient blue dragon who had taken up residence there. Eventually, with the help of the humans of Kardath, who were constantly threatened by the north, they were able to retake the whole basin and kick out the orcs and Marasen miners who had been pillaging the areas resources for centuries. It is believed by most gnomes that Marasena still owes them reparations for the amount of ore and gems stolen from their land during the human occupation.

## Economy

### **Agriculture**

What agriculture that exists within this region is, for the most part, experimental in nature. The gnomes of Beorh have made jumps and strides in regards to attempts at growing produce in such an arid climate- but nothing large scale. Still, on the outskirts near the coasts which still get some rain and in the north closer to Marasena, there are a few farms that produce native crops for exporting and feeding locals. Amaranth, Sunflowers, and Agave dominate agricultural exports and beans and potatoes feed many locals. Other locals, controversially, grow a cactus called Lopho by the locals that is known to have hallucinogenic effects and which is often traded in the black market. Most of the large cities located within the Mesas of Beorh have farms planted at the top and watered with a complex system of pumps and sprinklers.

### **Major Industries**

The gnomes of Beorh are largely inventors. Technology, and things made by machine production, tend to be the major exports. These can vary widely, from sunflower seed oil production to literal actual clockwork robots. Mining is an important part of their economy, as much of their tinkering requires minerals and metals. Alchemy and experimentation with various chemicals and acids is also popular here. Though magic is not studied quite as heavily as engineering and alchemy, it is still studied widely for its practical uses in day to day life and is utilized both in defense and for safer mining procedures. The gnomes of Beorh are also, oddly enough, famous for their vodka, which is chemically enhanced for ultimate drunkenness and magically altered to leave one with zero hangover. They also make a special local alcohol from agave which they simply refer to as The Local Nectar.

### **Trade**

The citizens of Beorh tend to be self absorbed and make all attempts at self sufficiency. Their location makes this difficult, so they are ultimately forced to part ways with many of the fruits of their technological and scholarly labors. Mostly they export niche items like chemical components, alchemical products, various oils, and poisons. They also produce novelty items and clockwork robotics. They are known for their intricate glasswork and export things like bottles, spectacles , vials, spyglasses, and hourglasses. Beorh mainly trades for things it absolutely requires but cannot produce itself- mainly meat, grains, vegetable crops and fiber textiles. It trades mainly with Kardath for meat, wool, cotton, and leather and with Marasena for crops, linen, and dairy products. It also has a busy sea-trade with the southern countries for rainforest wood, rubber, fish, and luxury items. It even occasionally trades with folks all the way from Ardenmore for the alchemical regents found only in the swamps of the Dragonmire and with Azan for rare magical ores.

 Crime & Major Threats

### **Crime & Criminal Organizations**

Crime isn't a major element within this area and is usually traveling bandits along the roads. Most crimes involve theft of intellectual property.

### **Outside Threats & Raiders**

The biggest threat within this area tends to be orcs or gnolls. Goblinoids are less common or are working under the orcs. Not always necessarily a threat, Aarakocra also make this area home, and can cause problems (usually theft). In some areas harpies are notorious.