The trade agreement between Beresdral and the Kingdom of Crystia came together more smoothly than anyone had anticipated.
At the heart of the deal was a cultural and technological exchange: magic from Beresdral, and the dwarves’ masterful engineering. Skilled dwarven artisans were invited to Beresdral, where they began passing on their knowledge. In return, a handful of Beresdral’s mages traveled to Crystia to share their arcane expertise.
To further support this partnership, a massive new project was launched: the construction of a road through the vast Great Frazes Forest, connecting the two lands with a direct, permanent route.
The dwarves had no issue with venturing aboveground, but extended exposure to surface life reportedly caused physical strain over time. As a solution, they were housed underground. Conveniently, Medina had already hollowed out a sprawling nest beneath the forest. The dwarves took to it with enthusiasm, quickly adapting the space into livable quarters. It seemed to suit them quite well.
With the dwarves’ tools and Beresdral’s magic, the forest was cleared with incredible speed. Trees fell as if chopped down by invisible blades, and within days, a clear, structured road stretched between the two kingdoms. The journey, which had once taken weeks, now took less than ten days.
As for trade goods, an unexpected surprise came from the dwarves’ side—though it was something Mimi had casually mentioned at some point, now that Belamus thought of it.
Orichalcum, an ultra-rare metal treasured for its strength and magical conductivity, was apparently of no use to the dwarves. They had long since ceased using it, finding its properties unstable for their machinery. It had simply become excess material, cluttering their storage halls. And so, they gave it away freely.
Belamus could hardly believe it. He took full advantage, using the orichalcum to craft powerful enchanted weapons. Only a handful of people could manage the necessary magical refinement: Delarosa, Medello, and Belamus. For now, production was slow. But if more trained magic-smiths emerged, mass production could begin.
Another breakthrough came from Beresdral’s local monsters. Certain magical beasts in the surrounding region dropped rare materials that were nearly nonexistent around Crystia. These ingredients, though useless in Beresdral, proved immensely valuable to dwarven alchemists and crafters. Thus, a new stream of trade was born, with monster parts from Beresdral flowing into Crystia in exchange for machinery, components, and finished weapons.
While dwarven technicians continued to train their human counterparts, skill wasn’t something that could be transferred overnight. Beresdral still lacked the infrastructure to replicate dwarven craftsmanship outright. So, they did the next best thing: they imported finished products directly. Rifles, tools, reinforced alloys—anything the dwarves would part with, Beresdral happily acquired.
Months passed, and change came steadily.
Dwarven goods began to circulate throughout Beresdral. Streets buzzed with new machinery, new tools, and new possibilities. The outskirts of town were cleared again, making room for expansion.
New homes were built. New crops were grown. Food from Crystia was supplemented by local harvests. Travelers began to trickle in: wandering goblins, displaced orcs, refugees, and drifters who came seeking shelter. And Beresdral took them in.
The population grew. The town changed.