Gildenhome
Trust in clan, coin, and self.
Name: Clanlands of the Gildenthane
Adjective Form: Gilden; colloquially Dwarven
Government: Gildenhome is officially a tight-knit confederation of Dwarven clans, but has de facto been ruled by the Usrian dynasty and allies since the days of the Prophets' War. It is currently ruled by Archthane Keldon Mythral Usrian.
The People: Gildenhome is made up primarily of Dwarves, with a significant minority of Gnomes and a small mix of the other races, mostly concentrated in urban areas. It is universally considered the Dwarven homeland, and all dwarves are accepted regardless of birth or background.
History: The Clanlands of the Gildenthane have never, in all of recorded history, bent or broken. Its history dates back to before written records, and for that entire time, excepting the height of the Ubrekti Empire, it has been respected as the preeminent military force on the mainland. Few significant events in recorded history have occurred without some form of Dwarven involvement, and Dwarven tactical and military might was critical to Alexandria's success in both the Prophets' War and Alexandria's Crusade, as well as the inception of the Alexandrian Church. The core boundaries of Gildenhome have remained largely fixed, with three significant exceptions: (1) The annexing of significant portions of Hakan (Human Kingdom) after the collapse of its government in 149 BI, (2) the forfeiture of that land, by Alexandria's decree, to create Hakan in 19 BI, and the surrender of the Golden Peninsula to the Temporal Authority of the Arch-Warden in 3 FI. While Humans may see themselves as the dominant political force on the mainland, little in history has been accomplished without the acquiescence of the Dwarven clans.
The Early 1400s hit Gildenhome especially badly. Not only are they committed to Collar's Crusade against their will, when it is discovered that Hakan is behind the outfitting and training of the Servitor armies in the Scar and Fresia, the conflict between Gildenhome and Hakan leads directly to the Gnomish Civil War. Within a few short years the Dwarven-backed factions within Hakan are able to take decisive control and establish a lasting peace that sees the exile a great many Hakani gnomes and a quick resumption of trade and diplomatic relations with their neighbors but Dwarves and Gnomes are both long-lived and there are still many in 1515 in both nations who still nurse grudges and wounds from the conflict.
Despite the conflict of the last couple centuries
Economy: Gildenhome is blessed with an embarrassment of mineral riches, and Dwarven Oak is peerless for its durability. Dwarven gold and silver find their way into every part of the world's economy, and many of the Dwarven clans operate lucrative houses of finance and usury. Additionally, Dwarven crafts of all types are jealously sought throughout the mainland, as are Dwarven masons and engineers.
Gildenhome is the only developed nation of the Mainland which makes extensive use of slave labor. Following the end of the Gnomish Vassalage the internal economy of Gildenhome, especially at the lowest rungs is built upon a race-based chattel slavery with Goblins and Kobolds and the occasional ogre or hill giant performing much of the hardest agricultural, mining, construction, and industrial labor while having few rights or comforts.