Galecrest
Dwelling among the mists
The salty breeze from the Ornacean Sea stings as it funnels through your nose. For a moment your vision is obscured by a dense low-hanging fog. The early morning light barely reaches through the clouds and the coolness of the spray of waves gives a slight chill. Suddenly, the mist clears to reveal a seaside city braced with worn sea walls. The ship slowly skids next to the salt-encrusted dock and the sailors begin disembarking for tethering. You can now see a bustling port, sailors and dockworkers swiftly loading and unloading necessities, equipment, and exotic goods. The city exudes foul smells of fish, sewage, and mud. The buildings bear various medieval styles. Shale rooves, thatch and plaster walls, and cobble roads present an eerie but industrious atmosphere. Welcome to Galecrest.
Demographics
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Races proportions are mostly human; however, because Galecrest is a port city, many sailors and travelers make it difficult to ascertain the exact demographics for the permanent inhabitants.
- 30% Human
- 20% Elf
- 10% Dwarf
- 10% Halfling
- 5% Tiefling
- 5% Gnome
- 20% Blended
Government
The government of Galecrest is an autocracy. Lord Rossolli DuPerdoce is the sole authority of the city market, military, and overall operation. Most laws fall in line with libertarian ideology except for heavy taxes that the ruler uses to manipulate the cost of incoming and outgoing goods as well as fund his own wealth and connections. Local guilds maintain the free enterprise of the city, and the port is a free business platform for anyone with a vessel.
The city has a strict midnight curfew enforced by the city guard within residential areas. The city guards of Galecrest are hired mercenaries provided by the Pilfer Den and subsidiary sellswords who work as independent contracts. Punishment in Galecrest is swift since the mercenary force disregards fair trial and consider their actions as unquestionable justice.
Lord DuPerdoce funds most of the public infrastructure but chooses to neglect poorer residential areas to help enforce a cultural bourgeoisie/proletariat class system. Since a vast majority of the city was built before his reign, Lord DuPerdoce spends no resources on expansion or updates making new residents settle outside the protection of the Galecrest walls.
Defences
The walls around Galecrest were first built by the immigrants that followed Fyre Taezal, but were later updated after the city's full completion. However, years of neglect have left crumbling crenellations and gaps patched with rubble or gravel and wooden palisades. The wall measures 25 feet high and 7 feet thick with crenellations on the outer portion of the wall. Although the defenses have wall walks, much of the wall filling has collapsed and been repaired with loose stone and wood. The 8 towers reach approximately 40 feet high with a diameter of 15 feet at the base. The 3 gates are equipped with reinforced double oak doors and a single iron-braced oaken portcullis. Foamwalker Keep towers approximately 40 feet with two main defensive ramparts reaching a height of 45 feet. The keep also has access to double oak doors with iron fittings.
All towers have outward and inward-facing arrow slits. 5 of the 8 towers house moderate short-range catapults. The 3 gates are armed with braziers and pitch troughs. On some facets of the wall are wooden battlements for defenders to rain down missile weapons and heavy objects onto the attackers.
Industry & Trade
Galecrest's main source of income is the sea. A vast majority of the populace hail from either seafaring or lumbering backgrounds. As a vital port located at the tip of Habormar and directly between the Ornacean Sea and Sea of Crags, Galecrest acts as an intermediate staging area for basic necessities, specialized products, and exotic goods. Considering the area receives little direct sunlight, Galecrest imports much of its fruits, vegetables, and alcohol. Valuable exports include lumber, fish, and salt in addition to the unique fungi and alchemical ingredients coveted by mixologists and herbalists.
Infrastructure
As a 150-year-old city, Galecrest is made up of old stone structures and deteriorating wattle and daub buildings. Nonetheless, many establishments have endured with little to no maintenance. The most notable structures are the sea wall and docks which provide the city with more than half of its income and economic appeal. The docks are also home to the Galecrest shipyard which takes advantage of the superior lumber found in the Easton Woods. Foamwalker Keep is the central manor and last line of defense constructed for Piri Foamwalker and Fyre Taezal. It is the location for all administrative duties for Galecrest except for the docks as well as financial management. Being on sea level, Galecrest also has a partially submerged sewer network that exits beyond the sea wall. The city square surrounds a statue of Emperor Fyre Taezal in honor of Galecrest as his first landing in Daigare. The last imposing structure inside of Galecrest's walls is the Chapel owned by The Grand Endeavor’s Church of the Rightful Seven. Galecrest is connected to other cities via the Emperor's Highway.
Assets
Galecrest has access to the highest grade lumber for shipbuilding and constructs close to 10 large frigates a year. The fishermen of Galecrest also present some of the tastiest seafood found in Daigare due to deep water and a consistent climate. Though no one knows how much gold lies in the Galecrest treasury, merchants and businessmen venture that the vault holds close to 100,000 gold. However, many believe that Lord Rossolli has further assets spread throughout his networks in Habormar. The Galecrest barracks also have access to 8,000 complete armaments despite the current military force only making up about 2,000. In addition, the armed force possesses at least 300 cavalry mounts.
As far as commercial establishments are concerned, the markets a stable, wheelwright, farrier, tanner, blacksmith, silversmith, baker, miller, tailor, general goods, weaver, apothecary, net-maker, salters, fishermen, barmen, carpenter, lumberers, shipbuilders, swineherd, and shipwright.
Guilds and Factions
- Pilfer Den
- Galecrest Proprietors' Guild
History
Galecrest was first founded by Fyre Taezal in 3209 PC along with his mentor and companion Piri Foamwalker, a famed explorer and politician. With the combined leadership of the two, Galecrest became a haven for Yuma Umarosan immigrants as well as other scattered settlements that remembered the name Taezal. After the crowning of King Fyre, the Mully dynasty were promoted hereditary rulers of Galecrest until the death of Lord Thaerin the Wolf in 3341 leading to Rossolli DuPerdoce's rise in power.
Architecture
Galecrest is styled similarly to Norman Architecture with sandstone, pine, oak, wattle and daub, and shale. Roofs are triangular, and buildings inside the wall are built side-by-side whereas buildings outside are typically loosely constructed with ample real estate.
Geography
Galecrest lies on the outskirts of the Easton Woods which wrap around the city. The land is blanketed in tall grasses atop rolling hills and dark rocky outcrops. The green hills abruptly transition into sandy beaches bathed in heavy foam. The ocean is dark and irritable even in moderate seasons. The mornings and evenings are always filled with a dense low-hanging fog. The sun rarely shows as the climate is persistently overcast sometimes adorned with sleet or snow. From the Galecrest docks, one can see the barrier of fog that permanently haunts the edge of the Ornacean Sea.
Natural Resources
- Lumber
- Seafood
- Game
- Alchemical Ingredients
- Salt
- Shale
Type
City
Population
8000+
Inhabitant Demonym
Ornacean
Location under
Owner/Ruler
Characters in Location
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