Minaltum

The rocky mountain peaks and tight caverns in Minaltum don't allow for many cities to be established, but those that have been built up are some of the densest cities in the Empire. Below are these cities.

• Ga-Hiomriach: The largest city in Minaltum, Ga-Hiomriach is the Province's capital and an incredibly dense city. Located near the center of the Province, it was built in a large cavern known as Uiscridh. The city is well-connected to the rest of the Province, with its entrance being located in a valley that allowed for a road to be easily constructed. The city is known across the world for its generations of architecture, with impressive works of stone and metal throughout its streets showing reverence to the arts. Ga-Hiomriach's markets are also home to countless craftsmen, all of them experts in their practices. Countless adventurers make the city a destination in their travels, able to equip themselves with the best gear while learning about one of the oldest Dwarven cities.
• Sloseud: Sloseud is another large city found deep within the mountains, only accessible via an underground route from Ga-Hiomriach. This is the oldest city in Minaltum, constructed as a refuge shortly after the Dwarves fled the now ruined city of Bor-Hiomriach. While it quickly grew to be overshadowed by the nearby capital, Sloseud still has its own charm. Being constructed in a cave with a natural skylight, the city surrounds a large subterranean lake with a tree growing on a small island. Even now, the site holds an almost sacred importance to those who live there.
• Gobhuach: Gobhuach is a remote mining city found in western Minaltum. It sits far within the tallest peaks of the Skyfract Mountains, existing solely to serve as a supply point for miners delving deep underground. While there's only one road to the surface in Gobhuach, there is an extensive network of minecart railways and mining shafts that connects the city to various other mines and cities throughout Minaltum. Being such a large junction allowed for the city to expand over time, with it having quite the large population in the modern day. Gobhuach is primarily still a mining city despite its growth, with its residents either working in the mines themselves or working to ship the products out from the city.
• Red Abbey: A small town found in western Minaltum, Red Abbey sits a decent distance from the border with Flumultria. The town's namesake comes from the Abbey of Ràild, which is a religious site dedicated to the Dwarven goddess Cruth-Chiadh. Originally, there was no town at the site, and the abbey was isolated on the mountainside. Eventually, after the region fell under the control of the Empire, settlers soon arrived and built up the surrounding area. The people of Red Abbey are among two quite distinct groups in the modern day, divided between those who are members of the abbey and those who want nothing to do with it.
• Ruktan's Forge: Found east of Ga-Hiomriach, Ruktan's Forge is a decent-sized town built in a quaint valley. The town gets its name from a great blacksmith and the founder of the town, who was among the first Dwarves to settle the surface after Minaltum was annexed. While the town does have some mining operations, the town primarily serves as an agricultural settlement. While easily overshadowed by settlements in other Provinces, Ruktan's Forge does allow for the cultivation of local crops and herbs that don't grow elsewhere on the continent. Life may seem quiet here, but the presence of skilled artisans brings many travelers here.
• Boulderrest: Boulderrest is a small town found at Minaltum's southern border with Tersodia. It sits in an area known as the Garden of the Masons, with an abundance of large boulders spread throughout the nearby forest. Fitting the area's name, many of Boulderrest's citizens work as stonemasons. Originally, these masons would collect materials from the surrounding area by removing substantial chunks from the many boulders. More recently, however, a greater interest has been placed on preserving the natural beauty of the Garden. This has given Boulderrest a reputation as Minaltum's "nature city," with both the Garden and the nearby Rufka's Woods giving it a remote feel.

Minaltum's mountainous terrain holds many natural wonders, historical sights, and other secrets.

Minaltum sits in a region known as the Skyfract Plateau, which slopes downward from the Skyfract Mountains and towards the Verdant Plains. The edges of this plateau have eroded over time, leading to its edge having gentle slopes instead of steep cliffs. These highlands are dominated by evergreen trees, forming patches of forest with varying densities. Rufka's Woods, which covers eastern Minaltum, is the largest and densest of such forests. Throughout such forests, boulders and crags pierce from the earth, almost as if they're the peaks of mountains yet to rise from the earth. Rock formations such as these are sparsely found throughout the Province, aside from the Garden of the Masons where they're quite commonplace. Beyond the forests and rock formations, Saosgòrn and the other peaks of the Skyfract hold their own natural majesty.

Minaltum isn't known for its waterways, but a couple of Impatria's rivers originate from the Skyfract Mountains. The Cadsoline and Termina Rivers both start in the mountains, eventually flowing southward into other Provinces. Additionally, a multitude of other, unnamed streams and creeks flow from the mountains and into these rivers and the Opalin. Below the surface, some caves hide subterranean lakes and streams. Most have not been named, aside from Lake Dlochna around which the city of Sloseud is built.

Throughout its beautiful natural areas, Minaltum is also known for its ruins and history. Its large underground cities, Ga-Hiomriach being a prime example, are rich with Dwarven feats of architecture. The expansive and vertical metropoles expertly conform to the caves they were built in, and traditional art pieces of stone and metal fill the streets. For those who seek something more dangerous, however, countless untold secrets lie hidden under the mountains. The Skyfract Mountains are dotted with abandoned cities and mines throughout them, with the abandoned metropolis of Bor-Hiomriach being the largest and most famous of them. Minaltum, to many, is an adventurer's paradise.

Minaltum's economy relies almost entirely on mining, as all of its other industries utilize the materials harvested from under the mountains. Blacksmithing and stonemasonry are two of the most common professions in the Province, but they could not function without the ample number of ores and gemstones mined every day. As such, an overwhelming majority of Minaltum's citizens work as miners. Their work pays off, however, as the bounty of Skyfract is highly profitable both within the Empire and throughout Asobria.

The governing body of Minaltum is listed below:

• The current ruler of Minaltum is King Akatyr Flintbender.
• The current Steward of Minaltum is Douleal Flintbender.
• The current Priest of Minaltum is Fondebryn Jadehand.
• The current Marshal of Minaltum is Yangbena Granitebraid.
• The current Treasurer of Minaltum is Gozzotir Silverarm.
• The current Archmage of Minaltum is Athubera Brickfinger.