The city-state of Alkenstar (pronounced AL-ken-star) has gained an unexpected level of power despite its tiny size, through the invention of firearms, a necessity for survival in the harsh, magic-dead region known as the Mana Wastes. Beyond just firearms and weaponry, the engineers and alchemists of Alkenstar have crafted and perfected technology to a level far surpassing any other region in the Inner Sea, capitalizing on the rich mineral deposits and the need for something to replace the usually omnipresent conveniences of magic.