Gnomorran Commonwealth

The Gnomerran Commonwealth’s territories once consisted of only the gnome cities above the land’s surface. As time has passed it had become locally considered that any city of the gnomish and dwarven people outside of the mountain walls of Myndynagaer were the commonwealth.

 

The major landmarks of the Commonwealth consist of gnomish cities, dwarven bunker forts (or trosts in the dwarven language Kaffarn). Also the peaks of the Myndynagaer Ranges are dotted with great, fortified, and garrisoned gates known as muns that keep friends and foes of Myndynagaer in or out.

 

'''Gnomish Settlements '''

Sinreefen - The commerce port city of Sinreefen was a major blood line for the Commonwealth and Myndynagaer. Gnomish inventions and dwarven metalworks were often exported to the stihlish cities of Craenilus and Tobalum, and even trade routes between the goblins of Roxizaxm had been created. Thanks to Sinreefen having more agreeable weather in comparison to the rest of the Commonwealth humans, half-elves, half-orcs, snow elves, and even a goblin or two are regular patrons of the city. Millennia ago Sinreefen was a favorite landing zone for primitive goblin raiders who would pillage the gnomes. The goblin raids were a thing of the past, but reminders of the events such as goblin totems and even some architecture still existed in the city.

 

Virfa’wutr - The city of Virufa’wutr was a technological marvel of gnomish ingenuity. The city was located within the Flagobrjost Hills and built atop the header pools of a sheer waterfall that fed the Boegli river. The walls of the city utilized the current of the water flowing out of the nearby mountains to automatize many aspects of the city from the gates to mills. Virfa’wutr boasted an impressive college of hydrodynamic schooling that attracted many gnomes who had a passion for the science of water.

Lozasharz - The city of Lozasharz had many docks but few were utilized for trade. The city’s denizens were driven by marine biology and underwater exploration so majority of seafaring vessels were committed and equipped for science and research. Lozasharz was extremely popular to the more adventurous sort and in centuries past critics stated that eventually the city would become a backwater nobody town once all of its secrets have been unearthed. The critics, however, underestimated the dangerous nature of the region, with sharp and jagged ice floats able threatening to sink even the most experienced sailors,  unpredictable currents and shivering squalls, and mythically sized beasts lurking in the depths of the sea, all created numerous shipwrecks for discovery. The most revered explorer and marine biologist of Lozasharz’s history was the gnome Zhekk Kosto. His peculiar red colored knitted cap that he never took off was nearly more famous than him.

 

Tinka’favuta - Nestled high in the peaks of the Kerfangeirrs Range was the reclusive castle of Tinka’favuta, an installation devoted to creating technological, scientific, and magical breakthroughs. Even for a mountain-dwelling civilization the sprawling castle was an endeavor to travel to without magical means so a large portal was created to connect the castle inhabitants to one of the cavern cities within Myndynagaer. Though the remoteness of the castle had its inconveniences its isolation was necessary for the safety of the general populace. Gnomes are well known for letting their aspirations get the better of their judgment and their projects would occasionally cause accidents with dire consequences. Once an entire wing of Tinka’favuta had to be magically quarantined and barred off due to a mistake in an ambitious gnome’s calculations to create a fully animated kitchen with robust personalities. Instead of cheery self-setting kitchenware, precision chopping cutlery, joke-telling drinking vessels, etc, the gnome accidentally created a horde of murderous and evil furniture and utensils. Suffice it to say, Tinka’favuta was not for the fainthearted (and desperately needed a requisition for new kitchenwares).

 

Fynatroov Dig Site - The massive glacier of the Commonwealth, named the Heart of Jokull, acted as a natural deterrent against would-be explorers searching for ruins and artifacts of a theorized civilization of ancient dwarves called the Kynverg. The Fynatroov Dig Site was born from happenstance; a gnomish geologist by the name of Figuloop was collecting ice and rocks from the base of the glacier when the ground caved in before her and revealed a massive cavern with mortal-made designs and sculptures cut into the stone. Skeptics argued that the finding did not prove the existence of the Kynverg, but merely revealed a missing sector of the Myndynagaer community. Despite the opposition, Figuloop Fynatroov and her family continued to explore the cavern, finding hidden passages and tunnels containing oddities and archaeological finds. Most led to caved in and inaccessible tunnels, but one led to a curious door covered in glyphs that would not open. For over two hundred years since it was discovered there was no might or magic any mortal threw at the door that would open it.

 

Brognlais Research Facility - Set atop a cliff overlooking the Heart of Jokull the Brognlais research facility was created for the sake of monitoring and researching the glacier and the suspected volcano deep below. The volcano was believed to be extinct until a quake caused a miles long portion of the glacier to collapse, creating a large chasm called The Saera. Large pipes had been constructed to harvest the steam that occasionally blasted from the chasm. With the assistance of dwarven metalworks and sound architecture the people of Brognlais were able to create a lift going down into the chasm. Within the chasm was a system of old solidified and winding lava tubes. Due to the maze-like nature of the tubes, the dangerous heat, and unexpected blasts of scalding steam, few explore very far in. Only those with special designation were allowed to take the Saera Lift.

 

'''Dwarf Maintained Forts (Trosts) '''

Amarkadr - As with all trosts of the Myndynagaer Surface Forces, Amarkadr was a barrow like structure of quality stonework built to provide safeguard for surrounding gnomish villages. Given its more southern position in Myndynagaer there was one of the largest garrisons of dwarven soldiers stationed there. The Dwarf King trusted the Stihl Empire had no desire to usurp their lands, but he was also a very fond believer of keeping the honest mortal honest. Amarkadr had docks for naval vessels, but the most notable feature of the trost was its tunnels leading under the shore and partially out into sea where a dwarf-made cavern containing moonpools rested. Two-passenger prototype submersibles were stationed in Amarkadr for undetectable recon or passing over covert messages.

 

Sotekhofn - The navy oriented trost did not run as deep as others due to the low and level lands that surrounded it. Unlike Amarkadr, Sotekhofn had few viable hills to utilize for an extensive trost. Instead walls laid out in an intricate maze helped provide extra defense and some portions were moveable to change the maze in the event of infiltration. Naval vessels of the Myndynagaer fleets cluttered the greater majority of the shore. An impressive drydock was also built here, and the very first ironclad ship of the dwarven fleet was built and blessed here.

 

Virkemyln - The large Virkemyln trost was built around and underneath the Sklajarn river. The mighty forges of Virkemlyn, with the aid of gnomish invention, utilized the river to power the bellows and other machinery. Due to the distance of the mountain kingdom the coastal trosts relied on the seasoned veteran smiths of Virkemyln to supply or repair weapons, armor, and other materials. Virkemyln also made an excellent checkpoint for the Sklajarn river, as any boats traveling the river coast would end up in front of the mighty trost.

 

Drathkadr - The cliffs of Inventor’s Bay housed the formidable trost of Drathkadr. The dwarven bunker was dug thirty feet deep and ran inland for a couple hundred feet to the sheer cliffs overlooking the chilly shores. Using the cliff walls as a natural fortification the dwarves of Myndynagaer created slits for ranged attacks on potential naval assaults for bows to crossbows to ballistae. A dockyard existed for the dwarves to build and maintain patrol ships.

 

Aknkild - Aknkild rested in a high set valley of snowy hills and ridges. Unlike most trosts, this one had portions of the fortress that rose above the ground from anywhere to fifteen to fifty feet high. These towers housed signal fires to alert of any threats that would come from the west, possibly using the cover of the constant shroud of snow that spewed from the cryovolcano Beflbau’s Blunder. The haze of white powder could be viewed from the towers of the trost.

 

Mrazvakt - Misbehaving dwarven young just a season away from coming of age for conscription would be told about the dangerous trost of Mrazvakt by angry parents fed up with their shenanigans. Mrazvakt was rumored to be reserved for troublemaking and off-hinged dwarven soldiers too dangerous to be kept around regular society. The rumor wasn’t entirely untrue, the Mrazvakt trost resided in a region full of danger. From blocks of ice the size of hill giants falling from the heights of the Heart of Jokull glacier threatening to smoosh dwarves and gnomes to red goo, to legitimate claims of frost wyrm sightings in the snow deserts of Frostknell, Mrazvakt trost was garrisoned only by the toughest, surliest, most rugged soldiers of the kingdom. The peoples of Myndynagaer and the Commonwealth could sleep soundly knowing their best stonekin were keeping them safe from the horrors of Frostknell.

Skretlverg - Cold, desolate, and shrouded in the shadows of the Nildvergr Tombs mountain ranges, Skretlverg was a remote trost designed for a specific purpose. The frozen wastes of Nethe’s Embrace, though dangerous for natural and supernatural reasons, could have been carefully traversed. The dwarves were wary of any outsiders, even the relatively peaceful snow elves (galithian), and wanted to be prepared for any rear advance into their territory. Towers built into the mountains held wide terraces that held the most massive catapults of any nation in Primae. Due to no raiding force having ever traversed into the region, the catapults sat snow covered and unused.

 Muns'''

Herormun - All muns of Myndynagaer were thirty to eighty foot high heavy gates fortified with a garrison of soldiers, arrow slits, and platforms for siege weapons. Muns provided exit and entry to the heraths (city-fiefs). The Herormun allowed entry for foreign visitors to the herath of Rettirock.

 

Undraskmun - Typically only mortals of importance were given entry into Myndynagaer proper. Undraskmun led to the “welcome” herath of Midlagrid.

 

Vordrmun - The winding Urmund’s Pass led to Vordrmun, the gate to Warden.

 

Gryttrmun - The Gryttrmun was widely used due to the fertile hills of Flagobrjost allowing viable farming during the summer season. Goldseed was the herath directly connected to the mun.

 

Boggimun - The most used gate for the galithian, Boggimun allowed access to Issgrof.

 

Aormun - Aormun was the gate primarily used by military garrisons moving between the Commonwealth trosts. Aormun led to the leave-herath of Ladenstein.

 

Anarrmun - Anarrmun became mostly obsolete after the construction of the Aormun. The herath of Stoneglen continued to utilize the gate.

 

Felamun - The  Felamun provided entry to the herath of Skyhall built into the steep mountains. Skyhall has breathtaking views of Ov’Ladarethen.

 

Dagamun - The Dagamun provided entry to the forge herath of Scoria that utilized deep flowing molten rock to fuel their forges.

Svellmun - The Svellmun ran near flush with the glacial crown of the Heart of Jokull. The mun was connected to the herath of Azurine.

 

 

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