Droch Mordal

Explore deep enough into one of Arethal’s many cave networks and you may stumble upon a road beneath the ground. Follow it, and you could find yourself in a grand cavern chiseled from within a mountain. There, towers and shops glow from within, while runic braziers light the bustling walkways. This is the land of the dornen, Droch Mordal.

The country does include some territory above ground between Elysia and Ilerinden, where one would come across round, flat stone structures the size of a hamlet. Beneath these are dornen towns, great holes spiraling down into the ground  with a reservoir of clean water at the bottom. Stores line the topmost layers, while smiths and  miners work to expand the lower levels.

Droch Mordal is easily the most democratic nation on Rheann. Its elected chancellors are guided by the three principles of education, exploration, and cooperation, which are taught to all children old enough to attend public lessons. With such progressive policies, it is no wonder that Droch Mordal is also one of the most technologically advanced societies as well.

Dornen make up the majority of the population, but as the Mordalian saying goes,“If your neighbors don’t want to come to your party, nobody does.”  Most are welcome here.

Underground Metropoleis
The glistening gems of Droch Mordal reside deep beneath the mountains, in warm cave systems sporting wide roads and breathtaking architecture. The dornen highly value craftsmanship and trade, so businesses tend to have large, ornate structures central to the main walkways. Whether one is looking to buy jewelry, artwork, clothing, weapons, or armor, a dornen city will contain at least three separate shops to choose from.

The dornen are always working to expand their cities within the rocky depths, so it isn’t unusual for a building or road to be under construction in perpetuity. Home districts are carved into the walls, huge inverted towers are built into stalactites, and some buildings even float disconnected from the cave through the use of runic magic.

However, there is inevitably one road which is closed off in any city, with warnings carved in several languages. Death Lies Beyond, read the signs. These lead to the Far Depths, where not even the dornen dare tread.