Engineen

In the Year 240, the people of Mechantus established the first democratic nation.

For the most part, the people of Engineen are free-thinking, peaceful, and creative. Some of the world's greatest innovations are created by Gimrune engineers and scientists of this island nation. A few of their technological advancements are attributed to exploration of the ruins of Hive. In this insect-infested region, the Gimrune found rune stones and exotic weaponry of an ancient insectoid race called the Auhtai. The weapons found there dealt with sound. The Auhtai called these weapons Päiki-Synhö. The engineers and scientists of Engineen experimented and reverse-engineered these weapons. The largest sound weapons they ever created were the Sonic Horns. In the ruins of the Auhtai they also found troves of rune tablets on advanced chemistry. One of thing they learned from these is the properties of gases. It would take almost a hundred years before they were able to produce helium.

Gnomes are great creators, but poor on putting their applications to practical use. They leave it up to the humans to find out what to do with their contraptions.

- Ermikel the Balance, "Gimrune Mentality"

In 835, the first airship, a massive balloon, was invented by Engineen crafters. Later versions of airships were used to explore distant lands. In 946, the Soaring Cloudrunner, got caught in the slipstream behind the Clouds of the Dead God. It was taken thousands of miles away, into the interior of Brucrumus. The Engineen crew were forced to land in the Lands of Purity. They lost contact with their kin on Angvild, founding As'lumix as their new home. Not until 1752, did they re-establish contact with their long lost brethren.

In 1555, a Gimrune engineer named Sigmaloew, created the first steam engine. They were put to use draining seawaters eating away at their island's underside. Angvild, not natural to the world around it, was again splitting. A lot of money was put into finding a way to stabilize the island and keeping the waters at bay. The latter was where the steam pumps came into play. As a result of the wealth and influence to be made, Engineen's government grew big and bureaucratic, with competing factions, civil engineering interested in stabilizing the island by magic and with bars to support weak areas like a latticework. Engineen's Department of Mechanical Engineering wanted to draw the water out by mechanical devices. Another group, the Department of Flight looked to the horizon, hoping to build flying ships to evacuate the island for more stable lands.

As the steam engine technology advanced, bigger engines were created for pumps and massive drills. Lacking good water supplies, the gnomes used the drills to pierce Angvild's extremely hard bedrock. At a depth of 2400', the water table was reached and water was pumped through massive subterranean canals. In the following decade, all dwellings on the island had running water.

Another of Engineen's many departments is the Creed of Tech. Clandestine, they have been added much to Engineen's technological advances. In 1347, their "Spy-Techs" stole spatial rift technology from the Har'kish. Engineen's X Ships were retrofitted for this technology, coming to be known by their adversaries as Void Lurkers.

In Engineen, one never asks if you work for the government, nearly all do in some capacity.

- Phoslomor, excerpt from the book "Phoslomor's Survey of Midrêth, Ch. 2-2"

In 1734, Engineen's democratic government was overtaken by a military junta. The reason for this was overcrowding. The democratic leaders, mostly pacifists, refused to take a nearby island held by the Shounejo. The military took charge, mobilizing for war. A year later, the Arrowowyn War began. It lasted four years, ending with Wynvild's capture. In 1742, the military returned the government to its elected officials.