Ruby Ideas

Traditions
+20% Garrison Size
+2 Max Promoted Cultures

The Distant HoldIn a time of great prosperity in the ancient Dwarven Empire, there was a wealthy dwarf that sought to venture beyond the Serpentspine and establish a greater legacy for this clan. Lorek Redstone, the head of a clan hailing from the hold of Ânumdihr, organised many expeditions across the surface in Cannor to find riches and treasure that his home had not yet seen.\n\nEmploying mostly poorer and desperate dwarves, he promised them high pay for travelling the dangerous, untamed surface. Though they came across many mountain ranges, it was the Ruby Mountains that held the most potential, for the rubies found there had a deep, red shade never seen before in Aul-Dwarov, making them quite coveted among wealthy dwarves.\n\nIt was in 7989 BA that the construction of Rubyhold began, and Dwarves from all across the Serpentspine came to build and settle the hold with promises of further prosperity for all its denizens. The hold was completed in 7024 BA, garnering the Redstone clan much prestige and renown, which was translated into influence in the Amlharaz, causing a stir in the status quo maintained by the old Holds. Since then, Aul-Dwarov and most Dwarfholds have fallen - but we remain.
-15% Stability Cost Modifier

Our RubiesRubies can be found not just in the Ruby Mountains, but also in the Dwarovar. However, the rubies found in the Ruby Mountains are unique, for their distinctive and beautiful dark red colouration sets them apart from any other rubies, and saw them command premium prices in the Dwarovar and become a symbol of wealth and prestige, especially after the ancient crown of the Aul-Dwarov - the Dwarovkron - was adorned with the largest ruby ever found within the Ruby Mountains.\n\nThough this act sent demand for our rubies surging even higher, it would also spark a civil war, as old Dwarfholds felt slighted by a brand new hold being granted such prestige, severely weakening the unity of the dwarves and contributing to the Last Days of the Dwarovar. As a result of this, other Dwarves - to whom our gems are known as “West Rubies” - associate our rubies with endings and blood, with these associations eventually spreading to the Bulwari through trade with nearby surface holds.\n\nIn Cannor, however, they are known as “Rose Rubies”, thanks to our long cooperation with the Lencori people, and here, the most well-known rose ruby is, by far, the centerpiece of the Ruby Crown of Lorent, which is a massive ruby ringed by five smaller rubies, which are arrayed to create a stylized rose.
+1 Yearly Prestige
+10% Production Efficiency

The Dwarves of LencenorAfter the fall of Aul-Dwarov, Rubyhold kept trading with the Serpentreach and Khugdihr, though this trade grew less profitable with time as more Serpentreach Holds fell or were lost. With less and less wealth coming in from trading with other dwarves, Rubyhold sought new trading partners… and when they found none, saw fit to create them from the Lencori human tribes around the Ruby Mountains. Starting in 2076 BA, Rubyhold began teaching them metalworking, stoneworking, and more ephemeral concepts, significantly speeding up their societal progress.\n\nThis proved a wise decision, as human goods and merchants became increasingly common over the coming centuries, and the blossoming relationship between Rubyhold and the Lencori people could be seen in the Eidoueni Pantheon - the faith of the Lencori - having two Dwarven Gods.\n\nRubyhold, in turn, would adopt several Lencori words into their dialect, most prominently “rousa” for rose, and with time, “Vazvudi” would be seen as an archaic term - especially after The Onslaught saw Deep Devils rise from the Divenhal, severing Rubyhold from other Dwarfholds for almost a century - with “Rousavudi” being considered more modern, and indicative of a new self-understanding for Ruby dwarves as dwarves of Lencenor, rather than the “west” dwarves.
+2 Tolerance of Heathens

The Lencori PlanAfter the Onslaught, the Age of Antiquity would see three great empires largely split Cannor between them, and though Rubyhold maintained its independence, it was unknown whether it would be able to resist a committed war of conquest these empires. Thus, the Dragonwake of 470 AA was no calamity for Rubyhold, but an opportunity.\n\nWith the Cannorian status quo shattered, the Lencori Plan was conceived. This plan saw Rubyhold back the Lencori warlord Lorenan, allowing him to unify the region and found the High Kingdom of Lencenor as a natural ally of Rubyhold. Though this support took many forms, the most visible were the armor and crown forged for him, both of which were fashioned from Rosemetal, a variant of steel with a pink-red hue, traditionally reserved for Rubyhold’s royal family.\n\nEven when Lencenor splintered into smaller Kingdoms, Ruby advisors remained present, their long lives and status as trusted outsiders allowing them to attain high positions at Lencori courts. And when King Lorevarn reunited the region and donned the Ruby Crown in 900 AA? Why, it was with his trusted advisor Snorri Gemhorn - who had also served Lorevarn’s father and grandfather - at his side, while King Magni XIV of Rubyhold personally proclaimed that the Ruby Crown was the genuine article.
+10% Improve Relations
+10% Spy Network Construction

Struggle against ElvenisationBetween Lorent’s founding in 900 and the Landing in 1000, Rubyhold slowly increased its influence over Lorent, with Lorevarn’s successors growing more and more dependent on their dwarven advisors. After all, Rubyhold had long been staunch allies of the Lorenti and were - seemingly - above the internal politics of the Kingdom.\n\nThis changed with the arrival of the Elves. Even before Ioriel became the de facto ruler of Lorent in 1020, appointments which should have gone to Ruby Dwarves were instead given to elves. And when Ioriel became the de facto ruler of Lorent in 1020, she did not simply pass over Dwarves for roles they would traditionally have received, but began firing Ruby dwarves - including the venerable Steward Snorri Gemhorn, appointed by Lorevarn himself! - and replaced them with Elves loyal to herself.\n\nDisgusted with this behavior, Rubyhold would turn its aid and attention elsewhere. And when King Ruben of Lorent formally invited Ruby advisors after Ioriel’s death, in an attempt to mend relations? He was spurned in what is commonly called 'the Sulk', which saw Rubyhold ignore Lencori overtures up until 1207, when they once more sent advisors to Lorent - though the competition with Elves forced the Ruby advisors to hone their skills to perfection.
+1 Free Policies
-10% Cost of Advisors with Ruler's Culture

Ruby versus SilverSince the first fall of Khugdihr in 476 AA, Rubyhold was the only independent Dwarven polity in Cannor… with one exception: the minor mining colony of Silverforge. Few Ruby Dwarves paid it any mind, though, for the colony was almost a millennium old, it was still nowhere near finished and thus enjoyed nowhere near as much prestige as Rubyhold.\n\nDuring Ioriel’s reign the Lencori court was closed off to the Ruby dwarves, and so Rubyhold found itself awash with advisors, diplomats, and officials who had previously served in Lorent. These were instead sent to the various Dwarven communities throughout Cannor, winning Rubyhold significant soft power among them - for a time.\n\nFor when the Empire of Anbennar formed and Rubyhold refused to swear fealty to the Mage Emperor, the dwarves of Silverforge bent the knee. As a reward for their submission, Silverforge was made the representative of all Silver dwarves within Cannor. Since then, Rubyhold and Silverforge have fought in guild halls and clan homes for cultural primacy over dwarves in Western Cannor, with both nations striving to establish themselves as the pinnacle of what a dwarf should be.
+1 Diplomatic Reputation
+1 Diplomats

Rose Party Siege EngineersAfter the Sulk, the return of ruby advisors to Lorent was… disappointing. Some positions were swiftly granted to dwarves, but far fewer than Rubyhold held before the Landing, and most positions were of middling importance - if that.\n\nIt was not until the Lilac Wars that this changed. To most of Cannor, this was a series of devastating conflicts. For Rubyhold? It was a way to curry favor with Lorent, which might just be the way for Rubyhold to restore its lost influence at the Lorentish court. The greatest opportunity for this came with the rebellion of the Wine Lords, since several court members lost their positions due to rebel ties. And when it came to filling them? Why, Rubyhold and Redglades waged wars of honeyed words and subtle remarks over these appointments, even as the real war was raging.\n\nThough Rubyhold heavy infantry fought Winelord rebels, Anbennarian troops, and Wexonard forces, their most significant contribution was the military engineers that accompanied Rose Party armies to help ford rivers, raise battleground fortifications, or bring down enemy castles, frequently facing off against counterparts hailing from Silverforge.
+1 Leader Siege

Ambition
+15% National Manpower Modifier