The town of Ivaldi was designed by Ipakas Springmane, a Gnomish protégé of the great Half-Dwarf engineer, Gulatos Davergilk of Epave. He sought to take advantage of the waterfalls of the Rayne River as a source of energy for mills and forges. Wary of offending the local Ungud Hugond and sparking a third Blood War, Ipakas (pictured right) made treaties with them and offered Ivaldi as a place for all to trade in. His plans also included locks and crane lifts to make the Rayne River navigable south of the hills but this was omitted when the Ungud Hugond complained about the interior being potentially opened up for more settlement on their ancestral lands. They were also concerned about the sanctity of the holy site of Kruan which was the source spring of the river. In a wise move Ipakas listened to the concerns and respected the wishes of the local peoples and altered his plans. The town was financed by loans from both Epave and Cramois and trades with all freely and openly. Every year at the solstice gifts are sent to the Ungud Hugond Kayakam and Yasip as a symbol of friendship between the town and the peoples of the plains. They are welcome to trade at the market where their flocks and livestock are often sold for steel and iron. Unsurprisingly there are a large number of Halvras at Ivaldi as well though the Hersir (local mayor) is also, unsurprisingly, of Blood Isler descent.
Ipakas has harnessed the energy from the falls to power a large water wheel which in turn powers two forges and smelting furnaces while three smaller wheels are used to make paper and grinding grain. Followers of the God Dalt, the god of locks and craftsmanship have a temple in the town and are heavily involved in the skills that are being developed. There even a few Dwarves who are keen to be part of the town. There are no shrines to Kord or the raucous Sea gods, unlike the other towns of the Coast, and this has made Ivaldi quite an orderly settlement. Beyond the walls are several Hugond shamanic sites which co-exist happily. This peace and industry made Ivaldi a centre of commerce and craftsmanship that can only grow; barring mishap.