Earthroot
Despite having the smallest surface area of any established nation on Tirestir, they are considered especially weak to any nation that is not directly bordering it. Conversely to this reputation however, Earthroot is the largest empire on the planet, taking up a considerable portion of the underdark. They are mostly made of of Dwarves, Duergar, and Drow with the Duergar being the ruling caste. They are the owners, and perhaps builders, of The Golden Road. The Golden Road is a large road inlaid with golden designs that stretches all the way across the world, even under the ocean to connect the two continents in trade. They have some client states on the surface world or those they have strong alliances with, though their main focus is on the underdark. There are high tensions with the Hexian Empire an underdark empire of Drow with war expected soon, as well as at war with the Mindflayer enclaves present throughout the underdark.
The people of Earthroot are quite varied, although the main species is Duergar with Dwarves and Drow making up other large portions of the population, deep gnomes as well as pale skinned humans also form smaller but still notable portions of the population, inhabiting villages within the empire. This makes Earthroot one of the most varied nations on the world of Tirestir, with only the Astartii Imperium, the pirate enclaves, and various Mageocracies as having more diversity. Earthroot is ruled by a council of seven Duergar, chosen from the leaders of the famous guilds that rule Duergar Society, The Mining Guild, The Delver's Guild, The Inventor's Guild, The Brewer's Guild, The Merchant Guild, The Golden Road Guild, and The Thane's Guild. There is no true ruler of Earthroot, although in times of war The Thane's Guild leader is expected to act as a commander of all military forces, while the other guild rulers are expected to funnel whatever resources that are agreed by the council are warranted.
The current plans of Earthroot are to extend into the cities along the golden road that have been long since abandoned, and open up the old routes that used to crisscross the planet like a spiderweb. Earthroot also is in the process of mapping the underground, though they label the three known layers of the underground differently from the surface, with the commonly accepted layers above being The Low, The Dark, The Void the Duergar know these same layers of depth as "The High Realms, The Middle Realms, and The Lower Realms. With their names for the underground regions on the surface being The Low, Earthroot calls them The Realms Below.
Earthroot is famous for its complete dominance of the golden road, and advancement in transportation technology has mostly occurred in the realms below, with new beasts of burden and even new ways to effectively carry cargo being designed here.
Fauna & Flora
Glowroot Moss
The Glowroot Moss is a bioluminescent plant species found exclusively in the underground regions of Earthroot. It thrives in the dimly lit and cavernous environments, covering the walls and ceilings with its soft, glowing moss. The moss emits a gentle, phosphorescent light, casting an eerie glow throughout the underground tunnels and chambers of Earthroot. The Duergar and other inhabitants of Earthroot have harnessed the natural luminescence of the Glowroot Moss, utilizing it as a light source for their cities and transportation systems in the realms below.
Stonebreaker Beetle
The Stonebreaker Beetle is a unique species of insect that is endemic to the underground realms of Earthroot. These resilient beetles have developed a hardened exoskeleton, capable of withstanding the harsh conditions and rocky terrains of the underdark. They possess strong mandibles, allowing them to break through solid stone and dig tunnels, which has made them invaluable to the inhabitants of Earthroot for expanding their underground networks. The Stonebreaker Beetles are often used as reliable work animals, pulling carts and carrying heavy loads through the treacherous tunnels, aiding in the transportation and logistics of Earthroot.
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