The Iron Empire is situated to the east of Arrival. It is a feudal monarchy, currently ruled by the Stoneslinger dynasty from the city of Two. Peasants and knights pledge their service to counts, who pledge their service to dukes, who are in turn pledged to serve king Charlton Stoneslinger. Some towns have elected mayors, but they still report to a duke. The current king has a reputation for being soft, compared to his father. The once-mighty military of the Iron Empire has also weakened through disuse, though it is still a force to be reckoned with. The Empire gains its name from the unusually large mountain of iron located in its territory. This mountain has been used for centuries, both to create weapons, and to serve as a giant fortress. Many tools and weapons are produced in the Iron Empire, and while they are not of the quality produced by dwarves or elves, they are solid and inexpensive. More recently, imperial engineers have begun to produce equipment that burns wood or charcoal to produce steam power. So far the only practical application has been as a source of power for ships, but there are rumors — conspiracy theories, really — of military applications.