Galkador

Map of Galkador

### Topography

Divided by a large mountain range north to south, features hilly, rolling fields, scattered farmland and forests

### Cities

Gtharsdamz (Capital), Shalfand, Tralfazz, Baschwarten, Kyokoto, Frood, Virane

## Common Knowledge

Galkador was once a broken land, but now it has been reunited. Gobble-de-gook has been assimilated into Galkador, and efforts to repopulate that once undead and devastated land have begun.

## Topography and Climate

The climate of Galkador is temperate, experiencing all four seasons normally. In the south, there are many harbors and beaches. The northeast is full of dry ground, with scattered farmlands. The northwest has scattered forests. Throughout the country, there are hilly, rolling fields.

There is large mountain range dividing Galkador down the middle, called the Bartholoman Mountain Range. Mt. Galkador is the tallest and central-most peak of the Bartholoman Mountain Range.

## Population

Humans used to predominate, though undead take up the majority of the country nowadays.

## Exports

The main export of Galkador was ale. Specifically, Galkadorian Ale.

Galkadorian Ale was a type of alcoholic beverage produced by the nation of Galkador for thousands of years at the Silver Peak Brewery facility. It was known throughout the land as an excellent drink that contained a high level of alcohol and was intrinsically magical.

One of the pillars of Galkador and its religious and cultural ways, Galkadorian Ale was considered by the citizenry at large a metaphor for life. Everything that could happen to Ale in Galkador was a parallel to the things that came to a Galkadorian in life. And in performing complex and specific rituals, practicing Galkadorians were able to throw the events into stark relief, and gain increased perspective on the lives.

The alcohol itself has two main components. Each flavor of drink has its base formed from one of the many types of fruit that grew in the enchanted grove right outside the brewery. Taking their qualities into itself, each type was as different as night and day from each other. The other key ingredient was the same in all forms of Ale. A single drop from the pool of the Pure Ale located inside Mt. Galkador was used in every single cask of Ale to leave the facility. This drop contains a liquid of such magical and alcoholic power, that it manages to jumpstart the process of fermentation of the Ale. The Ale was then fermented for a minimum of a century before it was released for consumption.

Due to its magical nature, Galkadorian Ale required special rituals to be performed before consumption. These rituals were very simple, but easy to forget about after a few drinks, leading to a host of nasty side-effects.

#### The Pure Ale of Galkador

The Pure Ale of Galkador was a naturally occurring drink, rated at 1,800 Proof alcohol. It contained immense magical power, to the point where it had attained a will and a consciousness. A single drop of Pure Ale was used to jump start the fermentation process of all Galkadorian Ales, though due to its nature, only the highest ranking officials in Galkador were allowed access to the fountain chamber.

After the Purge of Galkador, the Pure Ale no longer flows.

The Emissary of the Ale was an individual chosen by the Ale to carry out its will. Emissaries can come from all walks of life, and one was usually chosen only during times of need. The Emissary was a position respected and followed by all Galkadorian Citizens.

## Government

The former ruler of North Gobble-de-Gook, Reginald Von Reginald, has since been arrested for traitorous actions towards his nation.

The previous ruler of South Gobble-de-Gook, Josephine Josephenus Johannes Johanson, is currently ruling all of Galkador until such a time as a new leader is chosen.

#### Governmental Specifics

The monarch of Galkador is the head of state, responsible for dealing with foreign affairs, resolving major issues facing the nation, and ensuring that the country is prepared to party at a moment's notice. Operating on a primogeniture based succession system, the first born of the monarch (regardless of gender) assumes the throne when the preceding leader died, is incapacitated, voted out of power by an elected council, or steps down.

If no direct child of the previous monarch was present, the eldest living direct relative assumed control. This keeps a strong and unbroken line of Galkadorian lineage without resorting to inbreeding, which seemed odd to the public at times, especially when people spend years on end frantically searching for the next in-line for the throne. However, the people feel that tradition is tradition for a reason.

The only exceptions to this rule were when all possible descendants and relatives were dead, unwilling, or nonexistent, in which the council elected a new monarch.

For documentational reasons, upon a monarch’s death, they are assigned a title by the council, a title for which they will be known by for all of Galkadorian history, a title which marks and summarizes their most noteworthy attribute or accomplishment.

The Monarch is counseled by a group of advisers made up of several key personnel in the Galkadorian Government and a handful of representatives elected from across Galkador.

Some example positions of advisors are as follows:

* The Emissary
* Brew Master of the Silver Peak Brewery
* Chief Diplomat
* General of the Galkadorian Army
* Admiral of the Galkadorian Navy

The appointed members are usually appointed by a leader with the option of being retained by subsequent leaders, while the elected ones were voted in by a democratic vote from the various provinces of Galkador.

## Culture

The people of Galkador tend to be very outgoing and sociable. They are exceptionally proud of simply being a Galkadorian.

They have developed an extremely sophisticated partying and social-event based culture as a way to socialize with one’s neighbors and townfolk. Ale is one of their country’s chief exports, and as such played a large part in the party scene. Thus, the Galkadorians had developed a large tolerance to alcohol.

As drinking at the local tavern was a common form of socialization, most Galkadorians enjoyed a good story. On the flip side, many Galkadorians enjoyed telling stories of their triumphs, often embellishing details to make the storyteller appear more heroic than in reality.

### Traditions

Many of Galkador’s traditions involved parties, sports, ale, ceremonies, and honor. Most of these traditions allowed for the men and women to show off their aptitude through tests of strength, toughness, ability to party, and alcohol tolerance—  qualities highly revered by the Galkadorians.

As one became more accomplished in sports, their social status improved. The most popular sport, Tropical Punch Slip and Slide Weasel Bagging, pushes a Galkadorian to the absolute limit of physical endurance and strength of will. Galkadorians also loved having dramatic moments and had been known to blow relatively undramatic moments out of proportion for the sole purpose of adding drama.

Something else worth noting was that due to generations of attempting to impress their peers and one-up them in many aspects, most Galkadorian citizens had been given long, intricate, and/or impressive sounding names, which they bore proudly and did their best to not forget or mispronounce. (However, it was important to remember that it was mostly in fun).

Most Galkadorians served a compulsory term of two years of service in the military at some point in their life, usually around age 18 or after they graduated from a higher institution. There were certain exceptions to the compulsory military service, which include pacifists, the disabled, and those that pursued scholarly professions, such as brewers and archivists. While in the military, many youths learned the skills that led them to a future career.

### Religion

Galkador’s people followed a variety of religions and were free to worship who they please, so long as they did not impede upon other people’s beliefs and cultures. Most Galkadorians followed a loose set of guidelines known as “The Way of the Ale,” a simple faith with a lot of room for other deities or beliefs.

“The Way of the Ale” was a simple faith with tenants like “Be kind and respectful to those who deserve it,” “Stick by your resolves and promises,” “Enjoy your life to the fullest you can, so long as it doesn’t interfere with the lives of those around you,” and “Follow the lead of the Emissary of the Ale and protect your country.” The tenants were mostly undefined and draw from common courtesy and common sense, but practicing Galkadorians swore to uphold them by any means.

The Way of the Ale also called for some veneration of The Pure Ale of Galkador.

### Language

Many names and phrases in Galkador were derived from the language spoken by the founders of the country, a language known as Galikidonilian, otherwise known as “Old Galkadorian.” Galikidonilian has been described as sounding like a halfling speaking backwards while eating peanut butter.

During Galkador’s 25th age, a series of translational errors between Galkador and Calahay, a trading partner at the time, nearly resulted in an all-out war. As a result of this, Galkador’s then monarch, King Havershnaw the Linguist, decided to have his country adopt the common tongue.

In modern times, Galkadorians spoke primarily Orelislian Common, and Old Galkadorian was used primarily in naming things, studying ancient texts, and military coding. Other than that, it was a popular elective at Blootfortooten Academy, Galkador’s most prestigious university.

### Gtharsdamz

Largest city and capital, located at the foot of Mt. Galkador.

## Landmarks

The most famous landmark of Galkador is the Silver Peak Brewery, located on top of Mt. Galkador.

Galkadorian Ale was produced in the Silver Peak Brewery, otherwise known as “Silfulwatzrreterthm,” Old Galkadorian for “Amazing magical brewery located on a mountain top near a magical grove above a pre-existing city.” The Silver Peak Brewery was constructed during the 3rd Age of Galkador by King Bartholomew the Vast. It was a massive structure built by dwarven workers that extends deep into the mountain upon which it rests.

Deep within the deepest chambers of the Silver Peak Brewery was an enormous obsidian door. And behind that door was a fountain made of diamond, from which flowed the Pure Ale of Galkador. This is no longer the case. After the Purge of Galkador, the Pure Ale had dried up and was seemingly destroyed.

## Founding

Galkador’s ancestors, including the first King, Miyamoto Ashkota, were colonists looking to start a settlement in the land that is now dubbed “Binturia”. They found what they imagined was a nice little location in a valley. However, after less than a year they discovered that the summers were unbearably hot, the winters unbearably cold, the wildlife unbearably odd and unbearably carnivorous, the land unbearably rocky and unbearably untenable and the other sentient races around unbearably uncivilized. Oddly enough, there were no bears. So, unbearable. That, and the kingdom of Binturia that existed there proved rather unbecoming to Ashkota’s tastes. In addition, a long-standing rivalry with one Jesse Aiur almost forced his hand to establish a better country. So, they decided to pick up and depart. As a large caravan, they proceeded to the South, into uncharted lands. Though they did not have much information about what awaited them, their party (about 500 strong) felt that anything was better than what that cruel unforgiving land called Binturia had to offer.

After two months on the trail, the party began to see signs of increasing habitability. But still, they soldiered on, looking for the perfect spot. After another two months, they came upon something magical…literally. A mountainous range containing a mountain that eclipsed all others.  Upon this mountain there lay a grove inhabited by faeries. Although cautious at first, the party approached the faeries and discovered them to be a happy band of magical creatures; distant and naive, possibly even juvenile, but friendly enough. Trading commenced between the two groups, trading food on the faerie side with crafts and novelty items on the colonist sides. It was immediately apparent that this was no ordinary food. Due to being grown in a well-spring of natural magical power, the fruits were tremendously succulent and brimming with magical power (and sometimes aphrodisiac properties).

Miyamoto returned to the faeries and brokered a deal to build their town at the base of the mountain in exchange for protecting the sanctity of the magic grove, trading on their behalf, and other menial things. They named the town ‘Gtharzdamz’, ancient Galkadorian for ‘City near a mountain upon which there is a magic grove’. It was straight and to the point, and to this day remains a fixture of the mighty empire. From the moment that this first settlement was settled, it grew quickly. Additional colonists set out in all directions and the nation began to grow. The new towns and cities were started primarily around areas with magical power. Noble cities with names like Shalfand, Tralfazz, Baschwartzen, Kyokoto, and Frood. As these cities grew and fortified themselves, Miyamoto was declared King Miyamoto the Uniter.

## History

At the time of the 86th age, the ruling line had been broken (and thus diluted) three times.  Each time the throne changes hands, it signals the beginning of a new age of Galkador. This particular method of documentation of time means that some ages will be extremely long, while some will be extremely short.

### The Fall of Galkador

Five years before the start of the Era of Pralwen, during the 5th Age of Pral, Galkador was in its 86th age, under the rule of Queen Tiophrates the Gentle Tyrant. Tiophrates was in the process of making a number of radical changes to the country that, in retrospect, weren’t actually even too bad, but it still warranted one General Carl Mander, the commander of Galkador’s army, to organize a military coup and attempt to overthrow the Queen.

This would not have been possible, if not for a group of travelling mercenaries who, promised great wealth in exchange for service, assisted the general. However, once Queen Tiophrates was assassinated, the mercenaries turned on Mander and killed him as well, dissolving his military command.

This band of mercenaries was in fact none other than the Binturians. However, the identity of this group, or even that they were involved in the fall, is known only by a few. (This is not common knowledge.)

The country in a state of anarchy, Galkador spent a couple weeks in a stagnant chaos, before a collection of Necromancers, who had long been at odds with the country, swept in from the East with an army of the undead and a Dracolich at the helm.

In the span of a few weeks, undead had overrun the Eastern half of the country. Galkador’s government had fallen, and the remaining citizens were pushed across the mountain into the western half of the country, named Gobble-de-Gook by a drunken member of the previous council.

Gobble-de-Gook existed as a series of loosely aligned city-states with no real government between them, prompting many Galkadorians to leave and seek out new lives, still holding out hope that someday they'd be able to take Galkador back.

### The Rise of Galkador

In the year 10018, the Celestial-Dragon-in-training Larkeicus un-cursed the land of Galkador, completely undoing the death magic that had held sway over this land, and bringing back the rainbow, infusion, and restoration life ale.

Afterwards, in the year of fall 10018, the country of Galkador was completely brought back to life with both North and South Gobble-de-Gook reunited once again.