Diarchy of Uthodurn
When the elven city of Molasmyr unearthed a terrible curse that ruined the Savalirwood, large numbers of survivors fled to the north. They endured the blizzards and dangers of the Flotket Alps, clinging to the hope that the withdrawn dwarves of Uthodurn would find enough mercy to aid them. Though many perished in the harsh elements, the elven refugees finally located the iron doors of the subterranean stronghold and requested asylum. It was with only mild hesitation that the dwarves accepted their desperate guests, taking them into the warm halls of their city and giving them a place to stay.
Years passed, with little information on the cause of the cataclysm that shattered the elven homeland, and everyone gradually realized that their new situation was permanent. Social tensions rose as cultural differences and forced proximity placed the denizens of Uthodurn into rising discomfort. This growing divide worried Judessa Fruunast, the queen of the dwarves of Uthodurn. She met with the throneless elven king, Imathan Talviel, and unexpectedly offered to instate a diarchy within the city. Months of deliberation followed as the monarchs discussed how best to establish social harmony, where new homes would be built, and how to expand the discs of the city to fit a more permanent populace. Eventually, the two came to an agreement that the majority of both dwarves and elves felt was fair and tolerable.
The process of restructuring the stubborn societies of this new Uthodurn forged a long partnership and deep friendship between the two leaders until Queen Judessa's death in 794 PD. Judessa's daughter, Simone Fruunast, took up her mother's mantle, and the bonds of friendship forged in her mother's time flourish under her rule. The benefits that were uncovered through the unity of these disparate cultures birthed new prosperity throughout the city, and the new dual society has grown into a synergistic civilization over the centuries.
Now spreading beyond the underground halls of Uthodurn, the people under the Dual Monarchs seek to build a brighter future, and perhaps even resolve the mysteries of their past.
Public Agenda
Many historians and prominent members of both halves of Uthodurn's society are investigating the source of the corruption that persists in the Savalirwood, hoping to one day heal the forest and reclaim the homeland of the elves. Shreds of evidence have been recovered by scouting parties sent into the deadly thicket surrounding the ruins of Molaesmyr to uncover signs of the curse and its origins. However, looters and thieves from Shadycreek Run have discovered the ruins as well, stealing relics and selling them to private interests. These thefts, coupled with recent research indicating that the corruption is slowly spreading, have accelerated the need to find answers to the mystery of the Savalirwood.
The growing population of the city has a constant need for more resources, so the diarchy agreed on the need to expand beyond the mountain pass. The village of Uraliss was founded using experimental magic designed to thaw snowfields, with the goal of developing sections of the Rime Plains into farmland. Unfortunately, the ground beneath the snow turned out to be untillable rock, so the settlement was abandoned. The dual monarchs then established the northern fishing village of Palebank, which supplies new goods and a coastal outpost in spite of the gruelling cold.
Small vessels built to withstand the icy waters of the Frigid Depths began to explore the shores surrounding the region, discovering the lands of Eiselcross. In these frozen wastes, the settlers of Uthodurn uncovered signs of scattered arcana from a pre-Calamity era buried beneath the snow. These discoveries have piqued the interest of Molaesmyr researchers and Uthodurn's monarchs alike. As the conflict in the south escalates, the leaders of Uthodurn are eager to gain whatever power or protection might be gained from the secrets hidden in the treacherous tundra of Eiselcross.
Foreign Relations
Uthodurn has little affiliation with other factions across Wildemount. Aside from the occasional explorers and adventurers who pose no threat, most people who come to Uthodurn are met with skepticism and avoided. The locals want nothing to do with the war in the south.
Anyone who might be from Shadycreek Run is treated as a lowlife brigand and immediately captured and interrogated. Any information about the powers behind the criminal civilization is considered useful, and once non-violent prisoners expend their usefulness, they are unceremoniously stripped of their equipment and set loose in the snowy fields of the Rime Plains.
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Leader
Head of State
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members