Denedell

Denedell is a small but prosperous kingdom, located in a massive impact crater.

Geography & Climate
The crater is 1600 miles in diameter and 8 miles deep (similar to the Moon's Aitken basin), and ringed by the mountains of Cloudy Crown. Clouds form at around 6000 feet or 4 miles (half the height of the mountains). Although Denedell is totally landlocked there is a giant lake (Anvil Lake) at the bottom of the crater; it is fed by snowmelt from countless rills, streams, and falls.

History
The Denes are distant cousins of the Freesian tribes, only separated by millennia of genetic isolation; after they were pushed out of their lands in Canton and driven up into the mountains and foothills of Cloudy Crown some went over the passes, settling in Denedell.

The country was never conquered outright by the Tiberian Ecumene but swore fealty to it.

When the Dwarves sealed the Wormways Denedell became very isolated, cut off from much of their news and trade. Today the only way in and out of the country is over its perilous mountain passes.

Thankfully Denedell has been more or less unscathed by the Fallow Wars

Culture
The Denes, or "Valleysmen", live in towns and villages in the steep-sided valley or around the lake coast.

Traditionally they've raised up their own kings, but most communities are content to rule themselves. These kings reside on an island in the middle of Anvil Lake.

There are large Gnomish communities in Denedell who deal openly with men, even cohabiting together. These Gnomes are peerless woodworkers and used to be facilitate trade between the Valleysmen and the Dwarves of Cloudy Crown.

Industry & Trade
Mining and cold forging meteorite iron is their most famous craft, but they are also known for their secure banks (the country used to be the Ecumene's treasury after Numitor was nearly sacked by the Troikans). Their only trading partners are the Freesians, who live on the outer rim and slopes of the crater on the other side of the mountains.

Influences
A dene is a steep-sided valley and a dell is a small valley.