Kingdom of Galador (gal-uh-dor)

Structure

The lower class is composed primarily of tenant farmers who work on farmlands owned by their lord. Free farmers (i.e. those who own their land), most merchants, artisans, and the military make up themiddle class. The upper class is composed of wealthy landowners (most of whom are of noble birth) and the most successful merchants. The peasants pay fealty to a local noble (a Lord, Earl, or Count), who in turn pays fealty to high noble (a Baron or Duke).

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.

Assets

Taxes are collected regularly, and this causes some grumbling, but most of the peasantry is happy with its lot. The only exception to this rule is the land around Trell, where the peasants regularly challenge the authority of the area’s high noble, Duke Ladanion. Ladanion is a weak ruler, and is not well-liked even among the aristocracy. Twice at year, at tax-collection time, the Lord Regent needs to send several companies of soldiers to that province to put down tax revolts. It is possible that in the future, the area may try to break off from Galador entirely.

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 Lumenia. 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

Humans (Celinadians as they call themselves) are the majority of the populace of Galador. Of course, the kingdom of the Elves and the Halflings nation exist withing its borders. Not many elves are seen outside the Greatwood Forest, and those that are are typically artisans, rangers making a living as woodsmen, scouts, and trackers. The halfiings with their entrepenuial spirit tend to open inns, taverns, and the like in villages and the major cities in Galador. The only typical Dwarves that are typically encountered are your merchants, smiths, and artisans from the great dwarven halls, peddling their wares in the markets of the larger cities.

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 Lumenia 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 Lumenia; 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 Lumenia, and Zylistan.

Crime is also more common in the cities; Strongwall in particular is known for its pickpockets.

Agriculture & Industry

Peasants in the lowlands make their living primarily through farming, except for fishermen along the coast of Stormshaven Bay. Farmers are rarer in the eastern hills. Most folk there are occupied primarily with raising animals.

Trade & Transport

Life in Galador’s cities is more fast-paced than in the countryside. Goods are plentiful in city markets (even in Trell), and folk from the countryside crowd the cities, looking to spend what little money they have for good clothes, fine tools, and other such items that are less available in the rural areas. Autumn sees a great deal of travel along the royal highways, as the herders head west to sell their fattened animals to farmers, and farmers head east to sell their harvests to the highlanders.

by Malekoth

A silver dragon coin (sp)

Maps

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  Kingdom of Galador

Founding Date

Ananke 1st, 2460 C.Y.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Alternative Names

The Shining Kingdom

Demonym

Celinadians

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Coins made of valuable metals and are referred to as "Dragons". The denominations of coin is based upon the value and rarity of which it is minted, with platinum being the highest value and the rarest. The denominations are as follows:

• 1 Platinum Dragon=10 gold dragons
• 1 gold Dragon=10 silver dragons
• 1 silver dragon=10 copper dragons

Official State Religion

The Twelve

Controlled Territories

• Ironwood

Related Species

• Elves
• Halflings
• Humans

Related Ethnicities

• Celinadians