Olmekh Makers
Alright, alright, keep your boots on. Bridge is down? Aye, we'll fix it.The Olmekh Makers are a commune of craftspeople and mechanics that have settled in Fjolkandr after a long existence of wandering the world. Originally founded upon the Tulaant Steppe, the Makers travelled across Xin-Jiyu, Valathe, and Iskaldhal for many years before finally settling in one spot. They are bright and driven folk who have a healthy desire to create, much like the citizens of neighbouring Polyhedra. Notably, the Makers dislike relying entirely on magical solutions for problems: their goal is to craft solutions with as little reliance on active spellcasting as possible. Indeed, they're much happier when their experiments work without the input of any magic at all. This puts them in stark competition with many Fjolkan mages, who often feel they're being needlessly stubborn. Interestingly, this deeply-held conviction against relying overly on magic does grant the Makers a major boon: they are one of few Fjolkan groups that has a chance of being permitted to travel to Sjarvaldir and even, on occasion, Gildómar. As both nations are highly antagonistic to arcane magic and have historical feuds with Fjolkandr, it is incredibly rare for Fjolkan artisans to ever benefit from traditional Dwarven crafts in the more ancient halls. However, the Makers have done significant work on repairing relationships with their commune specifically, and it is their low-magic policy that gave their attempts a hope at working.
Notable Involvement
It probably won't blow up! by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Though the Makers try to stay out of geopolitical affairs, they have made large contributions to many fields, including the battlefield. Some contributions, like their advancements in medical robotics and vehicular engineering, have been entirely positive and received brilliantly by society in general.
Others, like the Olmekhanikal Spirit Goat that was created to destroy a draconic threat and subsequently developed sentience, are considered to be terrifying.
Mostly, they make explosions and explosive things. They are behind a number of pieces of explosive ordnance that have recently made their way onto the battlefield, and are also ultimately responsible for the recent Fey Dispute of 5617, wherein a group of Makers thoroughly confused and angered a group of fey by unintentionally testing a series of new fireworks (including false fireworks that erupted with water or other materials) at the site of a fairy ring.
Structure
You're stuck on a problem? Why didn't you ask Emmanuel to read ye the research? Read with fuckin' Emmanuel!The leader of the Makers, currently a female dwarven blacksmith and metalshaper called Tekhta, is largely the same as the rest of the commune - save for the fact that they must spend most of their time dealing with other factions in and out of Fjolkandr, often to the leader's dismay.
The leader is democratically elected, and may step down or be overthrown as the commune likes. Other significant roles in the commune include the all-precious Cross Brigade (the medics), the Spark Seekers (the explorers), the Tin Cans (the guards), the Firetamers (the fire brigade) and the Docs.
The Docs are not, as many would assume, more medical staff. In fact, the Docs have nothing to do with medicine. The Docs are those that hold access and backups of the entire repository of research and information possessed by the Makers. Each Doc Keeper, as they are oft referred, has their own copy of every single piece of documentation possible - a feat enabled by the ingenious reprinting presses developed some years back.
These additional copies are stored carefully in well-hidden and well-secured caches throughout the world and planes to make sure that the Makers never lose a piece of their work. When new documentation is submitted, the Docs immediately copy it, and send it to their backup locations.
It blew up by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Culture
You can't possibly blame me for ALL of the explosions this morning. Only like, three of them were mine.
Maker Workshop by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
The Makers are a tinkering, experiment-loving group by nature, eager to iterate on the slightest idea for hours at a time. It's almost rare to find experiments ever being complete - when they are marked as such, it's usually because their creator has another idea that needs the incomplete thing to be done first.
As a commune, they have a policy of sharing inventions and patents through the commune fairly freely. Outsiders do not gain access to this knowledge unless they pay for it, and the Makers do not often work in terms of gold - instead, they prefer to bargain. An upgraded engine in return for trading out other inventions, an overhaul to an infirmary's treatment wards in return for medicine and treatment for a member's illness, or farming equipment for food - the Makers make fair deals, and it is a stern policy that no deal is ever to be broken.
In general, Makers are a kind and welcoming folk to all who would join them - so long as the folk wishing to join them are fine with signing all of their intricate contracts and with completing a few examinations, first. Hard to trust folks, otherwise.
Create, Tinker, Innovate
Type
Guild, Craftsmen
Demonym
Maker
Location
Controlled Territories
Maker at work by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
Etymology
Like many factions based in dwarven areas, the name of the Olmekh Makers is linked to the Dwarven tongue - or at least, it appears to be. Recent understandings suggest that the etymology of the term 'olmekh' is not derived from the Dwarven terms omrib, ithrêkh, and mekul, but may instead originate from a long-dead language of humanity - or perhaps from a more different Dwarven dialect that has since been lost to time. In modern day, some Makers claim that their name simply means 'old mech', as in 'old mechanics', and that it means they are a group of older folk who work as mechanics. This is typically used to confuse outsiders, especially if said outsiders are rich tourists.
The Frog Of Eternal Ticks by Hanhula (via Midjourney)
'It probably won't blow up' 'It blew up!!!!' That got me, I felt that in my soul lmao