Consortium

The Consortium, also known as the Dwarven Consortium and Mining Consortium, is a collection of the eight largest mining companies in the dwarven capital city of Keldagrim. Together, the eight companies rule the dwarven realm.

History
The Consortium was founded approximately 500 years ago by King Alvis, the last king of Keldagrim. The Consortium was originally intended to serve the king, and for some time it did. However, it quickly became more powerful than the monarchy, and by the time of King Alvis's death, the monarchy was all but useless. After his death, no king was ever reinstated, and the Era of Kings came to an end.

The palace which stretched across the River Kelda was modified to include new features that would aid the Consortium, including eight small offices and the Trade Octagon, an area where the eight companies could trade mass goods amongst themselves.



Since the time the Consortium was founded, the eight companies have changed many times. Some companies were pushed out by larger, newer companies, and others lost so much power they were relegated to being a minor company. No company ever willingly left the Consortium, until The Red Axe during the events of Forgettable Tale of a Drunken Dwarf.

The Consortium has brought a new era of prosperity to Keldagrim. Many new advancements have been made, both technilogically and diplomatically. Most noteable is the recent development of steam engine technology. Using heated water, the dwarves have been able to construct many new machines, including steam-powered ships, advanced mine cart systems, the blast furnace, and the Dorgesh-Kaan - Keldagrim Train System.

Current Members
There are, as always eight companies in the Consortium. Each company helps to decide not only what is best for their company's individual needs, but helps to ensure that the city is led properly. The current members of the Consortium are:


 * The Red Axe (Until the events The Giant Dwarf)
 * The Purple Pewter
 * The Blue Opal
 * The Yellow Fortune
 * The Brown Engine
 * The Silver Cog
 * The White Chisel
 * The Green Gemstone

The Red Axe is currently the largest of the eight companies, and has the most political power of the eight.