Valthorne Exports

Era: 300 AC
Overview:
Valthorne, forged in the crucible of the Ironveil War (50 AC), thrives as Ecliptica’s militaristic powerhouse, its exports reflecting a staunch anti-magic ethos and a focus on mechanized strength. From its fortified citadels, led by Archoness Lyria Valthorne, the nation supplies firearms, explosives, and fortified rations to Ravensgate and beyond, bolstering the lockdown (290 AC) against the Aetherian seal’s plagues. These exports, crafted with precision in steam-driven forges, fuel Valthorne’s economy but draw scrutiny for their darkstone components, which risk amplifying Xulthar’s voids. In the miasma-choked District of Desolation, Valthorne’s goods are both salvation and peril, tying its fate to the seal’s fragility and Morgrath’s whispers.

Key Exports:

  • Ironclad Firearms: Valthorne’s signature muskets and pistols, forged from darkstone-infused steel, are prized for their reliability in combating void-beasts. Unlike Aetherian rune-weapons, these firearms shun arcane enhancements, relying on gunpowder and mechanical precision.

  • Gunpowder Explosives: Grenades and demolition charges, developed from Ironveil War prototypes, are used to clear miasma-blocked routes and destroy plague-tainted ruins. Their volatile darkstone cores raise concerns among Sylvaris’s druids.

  • Fortified Rations: Nutrient-dense provisions, grown in subterranean hydroponic bunkers, sustain Ravensgate’s Plague Doctors and City Watch. Infused with Sylvarbloom herbs, these rations resist Vortulon’s Starveplague but carry faint void-taint.

  • Steel Armor: Heavy plate armor, etched with anti-rune sigils, equips Valthorne’s legions and Ravensgate’s guards. Forged in Ironspire Citadel, it counters arcane threats but is cumbersome in rift-heavy zones.

Production Methods:
Valthorne’s exports are crafted in the Ironspire Citadel and its satellite forges, powered by darkstone-fueled steam engines. Firearms and explosives are hand-assembled by smiths trained in the Ironveil War’s anti-magic techniques, using blueprints refined over centuries. Hydroponic bunkers, inspired by Ironreach’s technology, cultivate rations under strict oversight to avoid Witherplague contamination. Armor forging involves smelting darkstone with mundane steel, a process overseen by Forgemaster Torren Ironveil to ensure purity. However, Morgrath’s whispers infiltrate forges, causing workers to report visions of void-rifts, and trace Aetherian runes in darkstone shipments spark fears of eldritch corruption.

Trade Dynamics:
The Skyrunners’ Guild, navigating Veil rifts with steam-gliders, delivers Valthorne’s exports to Ravensgate, Ironreach, and Albion’s outposts, earning high fees for braving miasma-laden skies. Albion’s King Thorne II purchases firearms for the City Watch but distrusts Valthorne’s anti-magic rhetoric, limiting trade volume. Ironreach’s Forgemaster Drenvar Steelrend trades darkstone for explosives, fostering a tense alliance marred by Ebon Star ties. Sylvaris’s Verdant Queen Sylvara Thornbloom supplies herbs for rations but condemns darkstone use, straining relations. Nocturne’s Shadowlord Veyren Duskbane covertly buys firearms for relic hunts, risking Ebon Star influence. In the District of Desolation, Valthorne’s goods are bartered with Plague Doctors, who rely on rations and explosives to combat plagues, but local smugglers divert shipments to black markets, amplifying void-taint.

Impact and Risks:
Valthorne’s exports are critical to Ecliptica’s survival, arming Ravensgate against void-beasts and sustaining lockdown efforts. Firearms and explosives clear plagued zones, while rations feed quarantined slums. However, darkstone’s volatility risks widening Xulthar’s voids, and Morgrath’s whispers haunt trade caravans, inciting paranoia among merchants. Albion’s Iron Quill accuses Valthorne of destabilizing the Aetherian seal through darkstone exports, while Sylvaris warns of ecological ruin. Nocturne’s black-market deals with Valthorne’s firearms fuel Ebon Star rituals, threatening a second Calamity. In 300 AC, Valthorne’s economic might strengthens its influence but invites scrutiny, with the District of Desolation’s reliance on its goods underscoring the fragile balance between survival and eldritch peril.