Galu

Galu

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The city of Galu, known as the Zealous Stone, has been one of the most religiously dedicated settlements in the Oakenlands since it has been raised. To this day, religion goes hand in hand with law enforcement, and the resulting inequality is a lasting taint on the city's reputation.

Darkhapel

There are two ways to enter Galu. One is at the east, passing through quaint farms and by far the preferred way to enter. The reason for that is the other road, which passes through Darkhapel. Darkhapel is the name of the slum neighborhood that consists of around 60% of the Galunian population. Back in the 51st century, the Briarhood of the Botanical Deities took control of the city's government, and it quickly made sure that non-religious people had no place inside the gates. A well-trained eye would see something else: It was race that determined your place in Galu, not your religion. Only humans were allowed inside the main part of town, and Darkhapel soon became filled with people from all kinds of races. Tieflings have it the worst of all inhabitants: they are required to live in a dilapidated part of town, with not a single building made of brick or stone. Law enforcement inside Darkhapel is limited to keeping the people outside of the main gates, under the ruse of validating their worship of the Deities. At the outside border of Darkhapel, a small military outpost is situated that acts as a gate keeping device, registering visitors and their purpose and trying to redirect those to the other entrance of Galu.

Gorman Keep

The castle overseeing the town from a manufactured hill has been there for multiple centuries.

Krili's Peak

One who walks through Darkhapel can vaguely see a large tower rise up from the poor homesteads to the north. Situated inside a small coastal forest, Krili Bunence, the court wizard of Galu, lives and works here. In this large tower is where he spends more time than inside Gorman Keep

Demographics

Galu is a city where the divide between rich and poor is as visible as the government creating that divide. Inside the city gates, the people are rich, fare well and are mostly of one race, humans. Outside of it in the district of Darkhapel, races of almost every kind can be found and the prosperity of living can vary greatly.
Most people that live in Darkhapel are elves and dwarves, followed by gnomes and half-orcs. Tieflings are an ostracized race in Galu, and the fact that they are still present is mostly due to their endurance, not enjoyment, of life in Galu.

Government

As the city is one of the most religiously dedicated in Loebnaeturie and by extension the Oakenlands, Galu used to be ruled by a council of Botanical Briars: The Council of Oakling, five (same amount as Botanical Deities) people make decisions and guarantee that the worship of the Botanical Deities remains unwavering.
But many years after, this institution was deemed uncontrollable, as many rebellions and civil unrest later, the Council took a step down from the ruling hierarchy. The Gorman House took its place as a genuine political ruler.
But make no mistake: The Council is still very active, and the politics that the Gormans run may very well be seen as a mere figurehead.

Industry & Trade

Galu has always been a fishing settlement, and so their biggest export is the marine lifeforms that grace the coasts. But with a growing city, the present natural resources had to be expanded. Many farms were built, and due to the rather temperate coast, it depends on the seasons which farms are active.
The eastern farms specialize mostly in grapes and other summer produce that can be traded, whilst the western farms close to Darkhapel focus more on the basic grains and other produce, mostly to feed the mouths of the poor inhabitants of that neighborhood.
The forest to the northwest holds many trees of quality, which gives carpenters and woodcutters a job, whilst the shipwright trade uses the wood to fill the harbor with strong vessels.
As for import, the city regularly trades its own produce for minerals and metals mined from the Falloben Summits and its underground caves. This gives Fallobe and Galu a great trading synergy, which bolstered their alliance throughout history.

Geography

Galu lays at the edge of the sea separating the Oakenlands and Budston, the Botarian Sea. It's where the city was founded, reaping the benefits of the fish-filled coast.
Galu is also at the northeastern peak of an area that is called the Kesser Reserve, a terrain that has been formed by humanoids to be inhabited by nature.

Maps

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  Galu

Founding Date

4951

Alternative Name(s)

The Zealous Stone

Type

City

Population

3496

Inhabitant Demonym

Galunians

Included Locations

• Gorman Keep

Owning Organization

Council of Oakling

Characters in Location

• Krili Bunence