Riuluk got out of the tavern with his backpack filled with the 2 plants of Baka and Burin, and the Idrilich mushroom in a sack, ready to be sold.

  Now, if you may not know much about Duerth Merkath, here is something you should know. The city is quite old. It has been one of the first Earth cities of the Cloud Dwarves. Before the building of this city, cloud dwarves were used to trade only by sky methods. They immediately started making a lot of money, so at some point, they reached an agreement with 3 kingdoms. Basically, these three kingdoms are close to one another. Their borders touch at the spot where Duerth Merkath now lies. So the Cloud Dwarves, in order to build a stable trade city on Earth, bought each piece of land from each one of these kingdoms.

  Duerth Merkath is also known as the “city of the three kingdoms,” or, as some call it, “The capital of the South Lands.” Standing right in the middle of these three kingdoms, and becoming more and more important than any city of the south, people are now looking at Duerth Merkath as the central city of the south, ironically calling it the capital of the south.

  About the three kingdoms, two are controlled by men and one by dwarves. But these dwarves are a very different kind from Cloud Dwarves. Even if it is said that, at the beginning of time, all dwarves came from the same family line, in the end, each family has chosen its own path in history. The Kingdom of dwarves, which was, of course, the most difficult to convince to sell its land, is the kingdom of the “Dwarves of the gems”.

  The dwarves of the gems are said to be the oldest of the dwarven families. Some say they are the builders of the dwarvish line, but stories differ from book to book and from one myth to another. The only thing that any dwarf is very sure about them, is that they might be the oldest in line, probably at the roots of the dwarvish tree. Because they are the only dwarves who know how to awaken the souls of gems and make them magical. Any other kingdom of dwarves has no idea how to awaken them, except for one particular kind of dwarves...those who still know how to awaken the black obsidian gems.

  Dwarves of the gems live in a very beautiful land, with great valleys and high mountains around. Each valley is particular and special, and each mountain has its own mine. Their fortress is called “Drakkam”; it is entirely made with white marble, with huge, immense stones. They claim they are the builders of their fortress, but unfortunately, not even they can actually explain how they could move such enormous blocks. Some believe they lost some kind of ancient, special technology; others claim they did it with patience and force; others claim they used the awakened stones to build it.

  Some archeologist are still looking through their own history to find the truth. But Dwarfs of the gems are not really interested in it since that fortress is theirs anyway. But they are quite fond and passionate about money, gambling, and trade.

  That is why they finally agreed to sell their part of the land to the Cloud Dwarves. Profits were remarkably enormous for their future, and so it has been. Plus, dwarves of the gems are not really good chefs and prefer to pay to eat instead of hunting or growing it. So, since Cloud Dwarves also had a very good taste in food, in the end, it was their best decision taken more than a thousand years ago by their King “Aramanicus the Gem Master the 14th”.

  The other two kingdoms of men are particular, too. The Kingdom of the West is known for its red mantels and silver spears. However, certain special troops have different mantel colors depending on their grade and importance in their kingdom, as well as special abilities. They have a very particular military organisation. Their line of kings has been obsessed with the search for a particular artifact since time immemorial and sends knights around the world in pursuit of it. They are stubborn men, full of pride and hope. They are the kind of men you always want by your side and not as your enemies.

  Then you have the kingdom of “Lucien de Brandafis”, which is not a very famous kingdom, the one in the east. But it probably has the biggest food production in the world. It is called the “granary” of the world, or also “the kingdom of the sun.” In fact, their symbol is a sun on a white royal standard.

  The kingdom is not only known for its food production, but also for a very weird story you will soon get to know...

  But in the Sun Kingdom, there is also a huge and impenetrable forest. No man has permission to enter or dwarf. The elves of this forest are very reserved and powerful. They consider themselves the protectors of these trees. The immense sequoias of the Kingdom of the “Amber Elves”.

  Elves know men are greedy from time to time; they have seen, since the beginning of time, how the Sun Kingdom has developed. They never took an interest in them, cutting down other forests in those lands was fine till their own forest. So for ages, they made a fair exchange with men of the Sun Kingdom. Gems.

  Amber gems in particular. Natural gems made by trees and blacksmiths work. With which they are able to awaken their souls and make them magical as well. Even the Dwaves of the gems cannot awaken natural gems like amber. And elves are the only ones with this special knowledge.

  So Amber Elves pay tributes to men of the Sun Kingdom with magical gems. Amber gems that are now part of the Sun Kingdom’s culture, armors, and jewels. They worship the immortal elves as superior beings, respect them, thank them for the gems, and feel obliged, for ages, to protect their forest as well.

  So now that you know about Duerth Merkath. Imagine...

  Riuluk took the street out of the tavern and directed to the great big south door of the city. When he arrived at the bigger street leading to the door, you could see many chariots going up and down that road. Folks walking too, and some travelers, sellers, and buyers just lying on the grass of the beautiful hills of that land. Pear trees all over, almost mature for the harvest to make the Duerth Maonkrum.

  At the door, guards in beautiful Cloud Dwarven armor are blocking any suspicious person. Luckily enough, Riuluk did not seem to be someone to stop this time. Once inside...

  Duerth Merkath, the city of trade...the city was divided into rectangular portions of houses, each house was different, some with battlements instead of roofs, some with balconies, some others with red, blue, or white roofs. Each rectangular section of about 10 houses had stairs leading to the center of that section. Some stairs from the middle point, some from the east side, some others from the west or north...did not quite matter, but each rectangular section of 10 houses had stairs bringing up to the centre of each hamlet.

  In the middle of each hamlet, a rectangular courtyard. Some with stones, some like the street, some with a garden. Each hamlet had its own, and each courtyard in Duerth Merkath served as an auction office.

  From the town hall, each hamlet had a number. Each hamlet had to host auctions organised by the town hall. This was the perfect way to organise each trade for the city.

  Riuluk was so happy to finally see the melting pot he was used to seeing. He was walking around with a great smile, and you could see: many dwarves of the air, men dressed in red mantles and other colorful different ones, women and men from the Sun Kingdom with their special amber gems, some elves, most probably from the forest of the Amber elves, and very rarely you could see a Dwarf of the Gems...but always very recognisable, dressed with clothes full of gems, rings on every finger.

  You could think...cool, what a very appetizing person to steal from!

  I honestly would love to see you do that! Ahah! Nobody is that foolish to try to steal from a Dwarf of the gems. Since they are the ones with the awakened gems...which gem he has will blast you with fire!?

  The atmosphere was outstanding. You could see men, elves, and dwarves eating on the balconies, laughing or arguing in a very funny way to watch. Some Spheres are flying around...and the 4 big towers of Duerth Merkath, filled with merchant Spheres and docking wood places full of them waiting to leave goods or to grab goods to fly away.

  Riuluk knew the city very well; it was time to head to the Town hall and make an appointment for the Idrilich mushroom auction!