The Red Towers

Vel Xivar

Ruler: Xivar (Ridgeborne volcanic dragon, he/him) - jealous, merciless, proud

Theme: Hard Labor

In a mountainous region with fertile valleys, Xivar the brutal volcanic dragon rules over a series of mining settlements and the valleys between them. The Red Towers contain the lion’s share of the rare metals on the continent, but centuries of extraction have forced the mortals to delve ever-deeper into more dangerous veins to meet their quotas. Vel Xivar has a great deal of farmland in addition to its mountains, making the volcanic dragon’s realm especially resilient in a crisis, but the country’s reserves are seldom distributed by the callous overlord. Most who live in Vel Xivar work in materials extraction or supporting those efforts in refinement or shipping to other countries. Only the most dangerous jobs pay anything close to a living wage, and there are no social services for the injured or sick. With few other local industries and little chance of escape over the mountains, most laborers have little choice but to accept dangerous working conditions. But the communities who store these bounties are especially primed for radicalization against Xivar, since they know there is enough to go around. Despite controlling a huge territory with many resources, Xivar is never satisfied. He covets the innovations of Frazzek, the resilient workforce of the Marrow Queen, and the logistical marvels of Barrikess. He is constantly planning ways to seize territory, dispatching agents to spy, sabotage, and steal from his neighbors. Of late, his eyes have turned to Bastion, seeing the verdant forests as a prize to be claimed.