Mountainhomes
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The large, meticulously planned and well-fortified metropolises which serve as the regional capitals of Gildenhome. Once in the far ancient past (even by Dwarven reckoning) there was the Mountainhome, the lost mythical homeland of all Dwarves native to the Mainland continent, but over the centuries after its loss the resourceful and industrious Gilden have thrived and established several large communities across the northeast which now use that title. The architecture, design, and engineering of each Mountainhome vary to best take advantage of the geological and industrial resources where they are situated and a few are very focused on specific mining, smelting, or minting operations, but part of what elevates a settlement to a Mountainhome besides population size is also being a regional hub of culture, religion, governance, trade, and industry. Each Mountainhome covers several Hill Cities, work camps, outposts, and small freehold mines and farms.
Direct trade between Mountainhomes tend to be in masterwork crafts or trade goods like gems or refined ingots paid for in gold or platinum bars which are moved in large, slow, and ridiculously well-armed and -armored Dwarven caravans. Boat Halflings operate along the waterways of Gildenhome and Mountainhomes with river or lake ports may have large Boat Halflings populations though Halflings are often confined to particular districts or outside of the Mountainhome proper. Road Halflings and a few Human and Hakani trading companies are also allowed to ply overland trade routes between Mountainhomes and smaller settlements which provide most of the smaller scale inter-regional trade.
Many Gilden who are raised in a Mountainhome consider anything outside of them, even the best and largest of Human cities, the equivalent in danger and recklessness as prospecting in the wilderness far below even the roughest Hill City. Even in the Mountainhomes closest to the borders or ports most outsiders and traders are generally kept outside or in designated areas so few other than locals will ever see the extensive carvings, sculptures, and exquisite crafts and stonework that fill up any good Dwarf Fortress.