Aurigixir

ˈɔɹəˈgɪksɪɹ

Government: Hierocracy

Population: Kobolds, Dragons

Amidst the eastern summits of Oklysht’s mountain range lie the Aurigixian city-states, their tremulous foundations carved into the ancient, glittering peaks. Presided over by six (formerly seven) draconic rulers, the nation of Aurigixir is centered around the worship of dragons as living deities. Ghorom-Azdul’s dragon arch-prophets are each given a territory to rule over, and although these arch-prophets are gem dragons of nigh unparalleled intellect and might, they often shift into kobold shape in order to perform business amongst the laity, or to deliver divine judgment. Ghorom-Azdul, the Great-Wyrm of diamond who leads the nation, commands fear and respect from all his peers, even in spite of his inactive state. Ancient beyond even the most venerable of beings, Ghorom-Azdul rarely ever awakens to rule his country, instead biding his time in cycles of rest and lethargy while the world marches ever onward. As large as a mountain, or so his priests claim, Ghorom-Azdul requires a great amount of sustenance just to move his body. If the nation of Aurigixir were ever to be threatened such that Ghorom-Azdul were required to fight, the sacrifice required to sate his appetite would be so immense as to trigger a nationwide cataclysm.

              Of course, leaving a nation in the hands of several all-powerful dragons is not without its difficulties. The arch-prophets seldom agree with each other on how to rule the nation, and they squabble with each other constantly. All of this, in combination with the draconic tendency to underestimate members of the other “lesser” races has resulted in the Aurigixian government largely ignoring the other nations of Adetrom, instead devoting the majority of its resources towards internal territory disputes and civil conflicts. Moreover, given that dragons oversee the nation while kobolds provide the menial labor, there is a noticeable deviation between the methodical and highly-intelligent demeanor of the dragon arch-prophets versus the primitive, scrappy, and unstable nature of kobold society. Kobold architecture is notoriously shoddy, with entire cities being built upon stilted towers of rotted wood beams, precarious mountain precipices, and hoarded piles of refuse. Even in spite of their occasional inefficacy, however, the dragon arch-prophets tolerate the kobold population of their nation; they know well that no race can excavate a labyrinthian, maze-like lair as well as the kobolds do, nor fill it with as many crafty and deviant traps.

Though the kobolds of Aurigixir are treated with much scorn by the races of the other continents, many nations continue to do business with them in light of the surprising wealth accrued within the Aurigixian economy. Though they are often unwilling to part with their amassed hordes of coins and gems, kobolds do often barter with the other nations, including offering their expertise in mechanical construction in order to obtain the raw goods and supplies necessary to keep their society functioning. Urumond in particular has a somewhat unsteady alliance with Aurigixir, providing them with numerous trade goods and raw wealth in exchange for kobold services.