Kingdom of Galador (gal-uh-dor)
Structure
The lower class is composed primarily of tenant farmers who work on farmlands owned by their local lord. Free farmers (i.e. those who own their land), most merchants, artisans, and lower nobility, such as knights make up the middle class. The upper class is composed of wealthy nobles and the most successful merchants. The peasants pay fealty to a local noble (Baron or Count), who in turn pays fealty to high noble (a Earl or Duke), and they pay fealty to the throne held by the Lord Regent.
While Galador’s ruler merely holds the title of Lord Regent, he actually enjoys all the powers of a King, and all of the high nobles owe their loyalty to him (since the days of Lord Admiral Tiberius, the tradition of avoiding noble titles has lapsed somewhat, and many refer to the Lord Regent as “the King”, and government property is known as “royal” property.
The heirarchy of nobility is as follows:- The Lord Regent-sits on the Silver Throne in Arindel, captial city of the kingdom of Galador and oversees all the rulings on a national level.
- Duke-The Dukes of the duchies of Strongwall and Anarn respectively.
- Count/Countess, Earl of (insert duchy)- Count or Countess is the noble title and Earl is their noble standing and rank in the heriarchy of holdings. There are three Earls that control the counties of Highmoor, Beowick, and Frestead.
- Baron-there are quite a few baronies,Oathheath currently being the most infamous one, but there is also Bywick, Londolor, and Mystead.
- Knight- Knights owned land and served their local lord in many different capacities
- Appointed Officials (local lords)- Mayor, Magistrate, etc. Typically owned a small patch of land and possessed some wealth, but must answer to any knight or noble in the region.
Assets
History
In Celinadian times, Galador was a wealthy principality. Situated on the coast, and controlling both the plains around Daemon’s Cleft and Eagle Pass (two of the three known ways to cross the Grand Range), the land was a major trade route for Celinadion goods. Ships hailing from Brondheim, Zylibul, and further lands filled Galador's ports. Galador’s good fortune did not end with trade, either. Her fertile croplands helped fill both the rich man’s coffers and the poor man’s stomach. Galador was always well-protected by Celinadion armies, and the Crown Prince of Celinad was the traditional liegelord of the land. This left no question which principality was highest in the Emperor’s esteem.
Sadly, Galador’s position of distinction worked against her when the hordes of Daemon’s Cleft were released. Ildanar was lost in the expedition which awakened the evil, leaving the land without a true leader. Galador’s colonial armies seemed to draw the attention of the infernal host, and her land was ravaged. Under the Admiral’s direction, the citizens of Arindel began to rebuild their shattered city. When it became clear that no word would ever come from the Emperor, the people asked Tiberius to be crowned their new king. Tiberius accepted the reins of leadership, but declined a royal title, refusing to officially acknowledge that the Emperor was dead. Instead, he accepted the title of Lord Regent. To this day, the ruler of Galador is known by that title.
The folk of the countryside, not knowing of Tiberius’s heroics, were at first unwilling to accept him as ruler. Many towns threatened to become independent city-states. For a time, it seemed that Galador would dissolve into many feuding provinces, much like Lumene'. Strangely enough, it was the marauding hordes of Kartar which proved to be Galador’s salvation. When the eastern horsemen invaded Galador, the formerly rebellious towns and provinces turned to Arindel and what was left of the Imperial army for help.
Under the leadership of Tiberius and his heirs (all of whom showed a true aptitude for ruling), Galador resisted the worst of the raiding. In the year 2620 the royal army, together with the forces of Jarl Throst of Brondheim, defeated the horde of Harka-Khan. Since that day, Kartar has made no other attempt to cross the Ruined March and attack the Silver Shores.
With the hordes gone, Galador was poised to begin a true recovery. Slowly, one by one, the former provinces of Galador swore fealty to the Lord Regent. The successors of Tiberius proved to be true leaders indeed, wisely investing tax money to expand the army and repair the damage done by the hordes of demons and Kartarans.
In C.Y. 2848, the Empire of Vaszkysa attacked Galador. This marked the beginning of the Twenty Years War. The war seesawed back and forth. Sometimes the fighting was intense, at others, there was hardly a battle a year. In the end, however, the Vaszkysian forces were driven back to the shores of Lake Bellora. The successor of the witch king, Vecna, Emperor Kron of Vaszkysa ordered his forces to withdraw to and built Kron’s Wall as a barrier to “further Galadorian aggression” (see Empire of Vaszkysa).
In 2901, the Elves of the Greatwood Forest drove all Celinadians) from the forest, giving no explanation for their actions. Some minor clashes between woodsmen and Elves resulted, with the Elves getting the upper hand each time. Lord Regent Edruss sent an emissary to the Elven king to protest these actions, but the diplomat was turned back at the forest’s edge. Fearing renewed hostilities with Vaszkya, Edruss avoided open conflict with the fair folk, and the Greatwood became an Elven stronghold.
Despite Edruss’ fears, another conflict with Vaszkysa never came, and Galador has enjoyed relative peace to this day. What few know, however, is that this peace has sapped the great nation’s strength. Galador’s armed forces, while still impressive, have been reduced in size, and have lost their fighting edge. Centuries of fighting raids by orcs and trolls along the eastern frontier has killed off most of Galador’s great warrior families, and the blood of Celinad runs thin in the current ruling class.
Demography and Population
Territories
Once the greatest coastal province of Celinad, and now the greatest nation in the Western Shores, the Kingdom of Galador stretches from the Lofty Mountains in the north to Thimblebark Forest and the Scrubrush Downs in the south. It extends inland from Stormhaven bay to the Grand Range, making it by far the largest nation in The Silver Shores.
Foreign Relations
Relations with the Empire of Vaszkysa are openly hostile often teetering on the edge of war. Vaszkysa's emporer has recently taken offense to the son of Lord Regent Arvidius refusing his daughter's hand in marriage. This was an arranged marriage in an attempt to end the hostilities between the two kingdoms.
Relations with Lumene' are cool and distant at best. Each kingdom watching the other for possible incursions or infractions. Galador keeps a close eye on the constant infighting between the royal houses of Lumene'; for whomever comes out on top could either prove to be an ally or advesary of Galador.
Brondheim and Galador have benefitted from alliances in the past. Since the end of the Days of Death and Fire, the Northmen have taken to raiding the southern kingdoms, both on land and at sea. Galador sees the northmen as lawless, uncivilized savages, and while not ready to take military action against the barbnarian kingdom, the Lord Regent does his best to protect his shipping lanes and northern villages.
Zylistan is a myterious and often alien land by omst Galadorian standards. Except for some merchants and wayward travellers, the Celinadians know little of the people of the desert kingdom. What little is known is shrouded in myth and rumor. The Lord Regent does not approve of Zylistan openly plying a slave trade, and all slavers enetering the kingdom of Galador are arrested when found, and all slaves immediately freed. The common Celinadian views the Zylistanni as thieves and cutpurses.
Lastly, the elves of the Greatwood Forest have recently opened the borders of their forest kingdom to Galador. Though non-elves are watched with caution and suspiscion. Since Moondeep and the Greatwood lie within Galador's borders, the Lord Regent still believes the elves to be subjects of Galador, but in an effort to prevent open warfare between the humans and the elves, he has begrudgingly accepted the elves claim of soveriegnty. The halfing nation that also dwelss in the Thimblebark Forest and their small city-state of The Five Shires happily bend their knee to the Lord Regent of Galador. In exchange Galador lets the haflings govern themselves for the most part.
Laws
Law in Galador is not very formal. Most disputes are settled by common law, with justice being dispensed by the local lord or his appointed judge. Punishments for a crime vary from region to region depending on local custom and the disposition of the lord or judge, although there are three killing offenses: murder, treason, and heresy. Lesser punishments can range from a night in the pillory to lifetime imprisonment. As a final note, in Galador, unlike any other nation in the Western Shores, slavery is illegal. Any slaves brought onto Galadorian soil are immediately set free by the local authorities. Some rural villages are composed almost entirely of former slaves from the Empire of Vaszkysa, Republic of Lumene', and Zylistan.
Crime is also more common in the cities; Strongwall in particular is known for its pickpockets.
Agriculture & Industry
Trade & Transport
Maps
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Kingdom of Galador
- 1 Platinum Dragon=10 gold dragons
- 1 gold Dragon=10 silver dragons
- 1 silver dragon=10 copper dragons
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