The Kingdom of Slibro
Slibro is probably the oldest country, stretching all the way from the northern to southern seas of the continent nearly straight down the middle along the rocky mountain chain. The exact origins of the monarchy are no longer remembered, though the divine rights of their monarchy are the prevailing story. Steeped in tradition and long-lived lineages, the country was in fine shape before The Calamity destroyed most of their capital city Vidlunya along with most of the royal lineage, leaving young Queen Sofia Zemletvorets and her Parliament to pick up the pieces.
Structure
The government is a constitutional monarchy where the ruling monarch's powers are limited by an elected parliament of 50 citizens. The parliament advises the monarch and proposes laws, which the monarch can then pass or reject. If a motion is rejected the parliament can override the monarch's ruling with a 51% majority vote, leaving much of the monarch's power merely symbolic. The crown is hereditary.
Parliamentarians are elected by dwarven citizens and remain in power for life or until their retirement. Settlements outside the capitol are governed by elected mayors, which is often a step toward gaining enough influence to join parliament at the capitol.
Culture
Tradition forms the foundation of Slibron society with a strong cultural sense of “it has always been this way.” All citizens are expected to provide for themselves and their communities but even though they have a fairly collectivist outlook most citizens prefer to move out from their parents’ homes upon reaching adulthood as no one wants to be thought of as a burden. Adulthood starts in their late teens— proportionally younger than most other cultures— and the elderly continue to work until they are no longer able, usually a handful of years before death. Only full citizens— dwarves who are born within the kingdom’s territory— are allowed to vote and run for office, though with dwarves’ long lives political vacancies are rare.
The majority of working adults are either iron and silver miners or craftsmen. The most resilient tools and weaponry come from Slibro’s own foundries using charcoal from the elves’ quickly rejuvenating forests to fire their forges. Fine craftsmanship is appreciated both within and beyond the kingdom’s borders and silver pieces are both beautiful and practical trade goods. While most of their grain is imported from The Republic of Campmagni they do grow crops and raise livestock in calderas on the surface; most non-citizens live and work in these areas with citizens who are mildly stigmatized for being low class and too “surface.”
Though they have a reputation of being overly hard workers the citizens of Slibro are also serious about their fun. After working hours a lively pub culture comes alive with people from all walks of life drinking and carousing into the early hours. Music and dancing are boisterous and numerous festivals mark the calendar.
Assets
Slibro is mineral captial of the world and produces most of the iron, steel and silver for the continent. They trade tools and weaponry to the Republic of Campmagni for grains and the elven kingdom for their special woods for charcoal to fuel their forges. They additionally serve as a trade route between the two other major powers, guaranteeing safer passage than the harsh desert to the south. Their military is almost exclusively for defensive purposes as they have never had much ambition of expanding their territory, content to stretch across the mountains.
Demography and Population
Only dwarves can be legally full citizens of Slibro, though not many others seem to be interested in living in the caves long-term. The few who do mostly along the border strongholds or grazing calderas where they can regularly return to the surface. Non-dwarven immigrants and dwarves who were born outside the kingdom are considered second-class citizens and are granted fewer rights, including the inability to vote or hold office.
Territories
The kingdom claims the entire mountain ridge as their territory, both on the surface and the numerous tunnels underneath. These borders are undisputed as they are marked by gated entrances into the mountains themselves.
Foreign Relations
- Traditionally Slibro trades food to The Republic of Campmagni in exchange for metals found in the mountains. Since The Calamity Slibro has not received the aid it believes Campmagni can afford to provide and the relationship between nations is beginning to strain.
- The only real shared cultural value Slibro shares with The Kingdom of Delyn Wyn is a love of fine craftsmanship and they rely on each other to make such creations: Slibro trades their ores and tools for magical timber. Otherwise the kingdoms can only be thought of as at peace as neither has shown any interest in expanding into each others' territories.
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Demonym
Slibron
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Crowned Republic
Subsidiary Organizations
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
10 million
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