Mineraland
This underground system of tunnels of caverns is fairly rich in metallic iron ore, precious metals, and coal. These mines are not as rich as the picking in the north Colassian mountains but Mineraland is not on the doorstep of Kahdisteria making Mineraland the best source of mineral resources in the Confederacy.
Structure
Mineraland is ruled by a king who claims all the mines as his personal fiefdom. The farmlands, pastures, and timberland are administered by the king’s vassals who are called thanes. As long as they pay their taxes, the king gives his vassals extraordinary autonomy to run their lands as they see fit. Slavery of humans is outlawed. Thanes get to choose whatever mix of serfs, peasants, and yeomen that they are comfortable with.
History
Mineraland was built over the ruins of an ancient The First Age city that was sustained by a mighty river that has been dry since the First Unmaking. According to some this site was also a major The Fakhari settlement.
The greatest treasures have been picked clean by centuries of artifact hunters but a vast network of tunnels remains despite more than a few cave ins.
Demography and Population
Mineraland’s mining industry is sustained on the backs of goblin slaves. This is a point of contention with the other nations of the Colassian Confederacy.
The fact that there are goblin slaves on their border is in fact a boon to the nearby dark elves because it dissuades escaped Kahdisterian goblin slaves from trying to flee through Mineralland.
Military
The backbone of their military is heavy armored infantry. Because they are on the frontlines, Mineraland houses a rotating contingents of soldiers from every allied nation year round.
Religion
Greymoria and Maylar worshiped is banned outright barring very cursory yearly acknowledgements. Hallisan worship is the predominant religion with Phidas worship in second place. The Guardians and Masks frequently have the ear of the kings and the thanes alike.
Foreign Relations
Mineraland occasionally has monsters and elementals boil forth from the underground but their greatest threat is that Kahdisteria is right on their doorstep. The Colassian Mountains are more like hills than mountains here so travel by land between Mineraland and the Kahdisteria is relatively straightforward apart from a small number of natural choke points.
Both Kahdisteria and the Confederacy have fortified the choke points on "their" side of the mountains heavily. Fortifications are very large and impressive having been originally created by stone scavenged from First and Second Age ruins, but all the easy building material has been claimed already. The fortifications are impressive looking but more than a little bit rundown looking.
Agriculture & Industry
The mines foremen and overseers are all human but the vast majority of the workforce is made up of goblin slaves. Food production is handled entirely by humans not goblins. This is partially because farm slaves are harder to secure and partially because the leaders believe goblins would steal or poison their food.
Mineraland can almost feed their population without importing additional food. Though since Mineraland hosts contigents of allied troops at all times, and these visitors also have to eat, the province actually has to import quite a bit of food.
Mineraland has plenty of fresh water and a warm climate but the soil is fairly sandy and rocky so they grow whatever those conditions permit, mostly root crops.
Mineraland also controls a small life stone within it's underground tunnel network which provides a lot of edible underground plants and fungi.
Fishing off the coast is good but not great. Timberland is adequate for fuel and building needs. Grazing land is adequate but not good. Same thing with their orchards and vineyards, adequate but not good.
Stereotypes
Naakesh, Commander of the Confederacy Citadel of the First Watch speaks of his allies and foes. Marginallanders: They hide behind our shield and rely on our handouts and complain whenever we ask them to contribute back a fraction of what we provide. Musselanders: Undisciplined but fierce. Mooringslanders: They are middlemen, getting rich by taking a percentage from the fruits of the rest of the Confederacy’s labor, yet the Confederacy cannot survive without them. "Marshlanders": Backwards fools. I don’t see why we tolerate them. Magiclanders: Worthy allies. Without their magic and lore we would have been overcome by the elves long ago. Meralanders: Our brothers in arms. Unlike our softer allies, the Paladins understand that the security of the Confederacy relies on courage and sacrifice. Mereshnari: Fierce warriors with an admirable discipline though it must be nice fighting disorganized rabble of small bands of dabeshi instead of the cunning sorties of the massive magically augmented army of Kahdisteria. Midlanders: Shepherds guard their sheep. We guard the shepherds. Riverlanders: We couldn’t survive without their foodstuffs any more than they could survive without our steel. Half-Elves: Of the runaway half-elf slaves that are not captured or killed in their escape attempt, the majority find freedom by crossing into our lands. Most of them prove to be stalwart allies, hard workers and very motivated soldiers, often with valuable intelligence. Sometimes an "escaped slave" is actually a spy. This is very rare, but it is not unheard of, so we have to take precautions. Goblins: It is more merciful to put them to work than to slay them outright. Unlike the elves, we see that they are well fed and cared for and do not work them to death out of some sadistic whim. Kahdisteria: Our troops and their troops stare at each other across the border. It’s only a matter of time before one of the damn elves breaks the armistice. Or perhaps one of our troops will crack and break the armistice first. dabeshi: They are a rarely problem for us. Despite being as dumb as they are, the cackling curs have learned that they have no hope of breaching our fortifications or sneaking past our patrols. Yeti: I’m too busy dealing with real issues than to worry about minstrel's tales of fancy.
Training Level
Semi-professional
Veterancy Level
Trained
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Parent Organization
Location
Official Languages
Neighboring Nations
Comments