Bormar

Bormar is a Dwarven nation of skilled craftsmen, rich nobles, hard workers, endless trade, thriving industry, and immeasurable wealth. It is a culture that strives for excellence in one's pursuits, particularly those which result in great monetary reward as it is wealth and ability that confers power in Bormar.

While neighboring nations scoff at the mountain realm, calling it corrupt and other less-polite terms, they do so in private, for it is unwise to risk the ire of the Dwarves of the Mar Mountains. All of the world’s wealth passes through its sundry holdings at one point or another, and it is nearly impossible to avoid its might and influence. For this is Bormar, the epicenter of civilization; the beating heart of the world; the incomparable nation of the Dwarven people.

Early History

Once, Bormar was simply the name of a small vale in the middle of the mighty Mar Mountains. It was populated by hard-working Dwarves, bleating Mar Goats, and little else. The Dwarves lived in sundry holdings, scattered across the gray valley, led by their wisest and most respected elders. They rejoiced in simple prosperity, revering craftsmanship and respecting their many Gods. Although life was simple, it was happy.

With the Mar Mountains sitting at the heart of the known world, no one could go from North to South or East to West without first passing through them, often causing great disruption to the peaceful lives of the mountain Dwarves. Eventually, some of them decided to make the most of these circumstances and began tolling travelers passing through their holdings, becoming the first Dwarven Passkeepers. The territory of the Dwarves was far safer than the rest of the Mar Mountains, and traders and travelers happily paid the fee for safe passage. Over time, the wealth gained from this scheme allowed the Dwarves to expand into other valleys and across the mountain range, earning even greater wealth from their tolls and tariffs.

Soon the Dwarves saw that there were even more opportunities to be had, not in hoarding the wealth but using it. Trading with caravans that were passing through and then selling those goods on to other caravans from elsewhere, the Dwarves of Bormar increased their profits exponentially. Their humble villages became bustling trade hubs, and their wooden holds became great stone keeps, creating a vast network of secure trade routes where a caravan from the North could buy goods from the South without having to make the journey.

The vast array of Dwarven settlements soon realized that this prosperity could only be maintained through stability. Combining their strength was the next natural step, and the resulting decades of unification led to the formation of a united Bormar where no hold or community was left without its share. From its humble beginning as the name of a small valley, Bormar became the name of a mighty nation.

Government

In its earliest days, the communities that would eventually form the nation of Bormar were led by their elders, known in Old Dwarven as yankad (/yon-cod/). These Dwarves of wisdom once held the respect of all, with entire holds deferring to their sage advice. This archaic institution has long been replaced by Bormar’s current system of governance–the Lords and Ladies of Bormar, particularly those within the First House.

To the Dwarves of Bormar, wealth is a sign of ability, a measure used to compare one Dwarf to another in simple terms. It is in this spirit that a Dwarf ascends to nobility, for what makes a noble of Bormar is not their heritage or bloodline, but instead their ability to acquire and produce wealth. While Lords and Ladies are chosen from the wealthiest Dwarf in their community, the First Lords and Ladies of the First House are the wealthiest Dwarves in the entire nation.

The First House is the highest governing body of the nation and is located in the great city of Ereben. Composed of the nation’s one-hundred richest Lords and Ladies, the First House is a pedigree as old as the nation itself. The First House is a lofty institution existing in representation of and authority over all of Bormar. The House–as it is commonly referred–has sole authority to make new laws, appoint nobles, and conduct diplomacy with other nations.

Below the First House in status and authority is Bormar’s general nobility. These Lords and Ladies are tasked with the daily administration of the realm, specifically with ensuring that their trade is uninterrupted. Each Lord and Lady oversees one of the many thousands of administrative divisions known as holdings (e.g. The Holding of Garum’s Hall).

Outposts

Bormar's great appetite has never been fully quenched by its mountainous homeland. It is for these reasons that the First House created the Office of Outpost Affairs (“OOA”) to organize and administer “expeditionary holdings”, known today as Outposts. Today, a vast network of these far-flung colonies dot the world, and each pays its dues to Bormar, propelling its industry and trade further than it ever could if kept within the Mar Mountains.

It is not uncommon for more adventurous Dwarves to take up residency at an Outpost due to the extraordinary opportunities they provide. Some find what they seek, but many others find terrible fates on the fringes of the world. That being said, with great risk comes great reward, and it is not at all uncommon to find a Dwarf entering the nobility on the riches they earned during their adventures at an Outpost.

Military

The Molir

Every holding has, to varying extents, a militia, commonly known in Old Dwarven as the molir (/mow-leer/). These militias are commanded–and financed–by the holding's Lord or Lady. Typically, the molir is made of local dwarves-at-arms and volunteers who undergo training to defend their holding in times of necessity. In most holdings, the militia is synonymous with law enforcement, watching for thieves, guarding prisons, and investigating crimes. The few holdings that make active use of their militia in a martial context lie on the very far edges of Bormar, where, on the rare occasion, a raiding party is bold enough to attempt to sack a Bormar settlement.

A central principle of the molir is they are forbidden to operate outside the borders of their holding. There is however a sole exception in that the First House can demand the services of a holding’s molir to face greater threats. These groups of Dwarven warriors–sometimes referred to as armies or legions–are, at the end of the day, an assembly of multiple molir under the united command of the First House. While this is extremely uncommon nowadays, every Lord and Lady is expected to keep their holding’s molir fit for duty in case they are called to serve their nation.